Marian University again denied the Fort Lewis College cycling team a team national championship.
The Skyhawks finished second in the team omnium standings at the USA Cycling Collegiate Track Nationals over the weekend in Colorado Springs.
They scored 931 points compared to 1.190 for the Knights, who won their fifth consecutive track omnium title.
Marian also swept the individual omnium championships with Corrie Karas continuing Marian’s dominance in the women’s individual omnium, winning with 456 points, and Conor Klupar won the men’s omnium with 456 points, just edging teammate Jordan Marhanka, who had 444.
Emmanuel Gagne was FLC’s highest finisher in the men’s omnium in fifth with 302 points, while Dominique Shore took seventh in the women’s omnium with an even 300 points.
The Skyhawks’ men’s team pursuit squad took home a silver medal, finishing in 4 minutes, 36.6 seconds, which was six seconds behind Marian.
The women’s team pursuit ended with a bronze for FLC, who finished third behind champion Marian and Lindenwood.
Gagne posted the Skyhawks’ best individual event finish with a bronze medal in third in the points race.
He had 39 points, while Marhanka won with 51.
Shore was fourth in the women’s scratch race.
Dean Haas finished fifth in the points race with 36, FLC took fifth as a team in the mixed team pursuit and Gagne was fifth in the men’s scratch race.
Ryan Standish took sixth in men’s sprint.
After a strong start in a unique discipline, the Skyhawks’ focus turns to their specialty – the mountain bike.
FLC will try to reclaim its crown after CU-Boulder snapped its streak of eight consecutive mountain bike national championships.
Mountain bike nationals are Oct. 23-25 in Snowshoe Mountain, West Virginia.
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
