Columbia Hosts, Takes Third

March 16 - Columbia took third over the weekend at races hosted at their home course, the Grant’s Tomb Criterium, and Princeton. After this third week of the season, Columbia fortified its second in the conference and extended its lead in the Ivy League Cup. Please visit our photo gallery to see the action.

The weekend began Saturday with a fast critierum around Grant’s Tomb in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights. The Lions served double duty as hosts and racers. Setting up the course at 6:00am and working for hours throughout the day ensured that the Lions were excellent hosts, but made their racing suffer. Carrie Savage and Emily Shin were able to sprint for fifth and sixth, respectively, in the women’s B race.  Alex Bremer played a saavy sprint to get fourth in the men’s A race. And Joe Bylund earned more team points that anyone else in his race by taking prime after prime.

With the stress and work of their home race behind them, the Lions got their freak on at the Sunday circuit races hosted by Princeton. Corey Williams and Joe Bylund fired the first shots, taking second and third in a furious sprint that gapped the rest of the field.  Carrie Savage, in her first season, used her consistency and solid sprint to take seventh in the women’s field.  Then came Columbia’s killer Bs.  The other teams know that CU’s B men are hard to beat in a sprint, so attacks flew.  One from Princeton looked strong, but was neutralized by Lion Alex Graybeal, who jumped on it quickly. On the last lap, Columbia’s big blue train fired up and launched Tony Hall, who took the win.  Three other Columbia riders were able to ride the train to top ten spots.

Individually, Lions are moving into the front of their fields. Alex Bremer’s performance moved him into third in the men’s A field.  Tony Hall’s win put him into third in the men’s B category. And Joe Bylund’s consistent podium finishes have move him into fourth in the men’s C field.

Next week the Columbia cycling will cut their spring breaks short and travel to Pittsburgh for an epic road race and a criterium course that crosses two of downtown Pittsburgh’s bridges.  This race will include riders from the Midwestern conference, including venerable Indiana U. (home of “The Little 500”).

Team Results