CYCLING: U.S. wins third straight Pan Am women’s Time Trial title, with Thomas and Neben 1-2

Pan Am Time Trial champion Leah Thomas (USA)

The U.S. women have a special affection for the Time Trial at the Pan American Championships, with a third straight 1-2 finish in Pachuca (MEX), but this time it wasn’t Amber Neben across the line first.

Instead, it was Leah Thomas who managed to clock the fastest time over the 33 km course, in 28:20 to become the ninth American winner in the 19 editions of the race. Neben, who won this race in 2006-12-18, had to settle for second, just four seconds behind. It’s the third year in a row for a 1-2 U.S. finish and the fourth overall. It’s Neben’s sixth career medal in the race.

The other three races were all runaways. Ecuador’s Jefferson Cepeda won the men’s 176.4 km road race by a healthy nine seconds over Colombia’s Juan Camacho, his second title after winning in 2016. Colombia got a win in the Time Trial from Brandon Smith Rivera, who was 27 seconds ahead of Chile’s 2017 winner, Jose Luis Rodriguez.

The women’s 88.2 km road race was a rout for Mexico’s Ariadna Gutierrez, who won by a huge 1:37 margin over Chile’s Denisse Ahumada. Summaries:

Pan American Road Championships
Pachuca (MEX) ~ 1-5 May 2019
(Full results here)

Men

Road Race (176.4 km): 1. Jefferson Cepeda (ECU), 4:41:26; 2. Julio Camacho (COL), 4:41:35; 3. Segundo Navarrete (ECU), 4:41:48; 4. Royner Navarro (PER), 4:42:56; 5. Dorian Monterroso (GUA), 4:43:48; 6. Bayron Guama (ECU), 4:43:51; 7. Efren Santos (MEX), 4:43:53; 8. Cristopher Jurado (PAN), 4:43:55.

Time Trial (44 km): 1. Brandon Smith Rivera (COL), 54:10; 2. Jose Luis Rodriguez (CHI), 54:37; 3. Ignacio Prado (MEX), 55:27; 4. Walter Vargas (COL), 55:41; 5. Magno Nazaret (BRA), 54:55; 6. Pedro Portuondo (CUB), 56:30; 7. Manuel Rodas (GUA), 56:41; 8. Laureano Rosas (ARG), 56:43.

Women

Road Race (88.2 km): 1. Ariadna Gutierrez (MEX), 2:40:12; 2. Denisse Ahumada (CHI), 2:41:49; 3. Teniel Campbell (TTO), 2:43:40; 4. Arlenis Sierra (CUB), 2:43:40; 5. Paula Patino (COL), 2:43:40; 6. Daniela Atehortua (COL), 2:43:40; 7. Blanca Moreno (COL), 2:43:40; 8. Anet Barrera (MEX), 2:43:40.

Time Trial (33 km): 1. Leah Thomas (USA), 28:20; 2. Amber Neben (USA), 28:24; 3. Constanza Paredes (CHI), 29:37; 4. Blanca Moreno (COL), 30:32; 5. Natalia Navarro (CRC), 31:27; 6. Ana Paula Polegatch (BRA), 31:29; 7. Miryam Nunez (BRA), 31:54; 8. Agua Marina Nunez (ECU), 31:54.