The 30-lap race started hard and strong with two riders, Travis Meyer of Australia and Piotr Kasperkeiwicz of Poland, making an early push to quickly gain a lap on the field. Several riders tried to attack, but were swallowed up by the peloton which Meyer and Kasperkeiwicz had re-joined with a one-lap lead. Kline however had his sights set on the podium, making his move with just under two laps to go.

“I was in bad position and I knew I had to go, so with about 500 meters left I made a break over the top,” Kline explained. “That’s when the crash happened down low and I was pushed up to the rail. I just went as hard as I could from there and hoped I’d be able to hold it.”

With the 10-kilometer race weighing heavy on his legs, Kline was able to hold off every rider except Angel Pulgar of Venezuela, who denied the United States its first medal on the track at a junior world championships since Michael Blatchford won the silver in the men's sprint in 2004. However, with two more events still to contend at the 2007 UCI Junior Road and Track World Championships, Kline is determined to help put the U.S. back on the medal stand.

Earlier, the second day of competition at the 2007 UCI Junior Road and Track World Championships started out with the completion of day-one competition. Daunting rains plagued the area on Saturday evening and left race officials scrambling to conclude the events on Sunday morning. The only American in competition on Saturday, Kline, contested the men’s omnium. After starting out strong, finishing second in the 200-meter time trial, Kline placed eighth in the five-kilometer scratch race and 12th in the individual pursuit, leaving him in seventh place with 22 points after the morning session. In the first evening race of the five-event omnium, Kline gained one point on the final sprint of the 15-kilometer points race, earning him an eighth place finish and placing him ninth overall when the rains came. The final event of omnium, the kilo, was postponed until Sunday morning when scheduling conflicts forced Kline to withdraw from the competition.

The first American female to see action on the track, Lauren Shirock (Emmaus, Pa./BMW-Bianchi), competed in the women’s individual pursuit on Sunday. With only four riders out of 18 of the world’s best moving on to the medal rounds, Shirock failed to advance out of qualifying. Following a world-record-setting performance, by Austrailia’s Joshphine Tomic, Shirock posted a time of 2:34.449, putting her in 13th place. Shirock will return to action on Tuesday when she contests her final event of these world championships, the women’s 10-kilometer points race.

Seventeen year-old Lanell Rockmore (Bethlehem, Pa./Young Medalist Cycling) and David Espinoza (Wellington, Fla./Herbalife-Bike America) were up next for the American squad, competing in the men’s keirin. After a pair of starting mishaps in the first heat, Espinoza, competing in his first-ever keirin, was anxious to get to the start in heat number two. A game of cat and mouse saw Matteo Pelucchi of Italy take the win and advance to the evening’s final along with second-place finisher Kazuki Amagi of Japan. Espinoza, finishing in fifth was forced into the repechage along with the heat’s other four finishers. Competing in heat four, Rockmore quickly found himself at a disadvantage, drawing the sixth seed in what turned out to be the fastest race of the round. Finishing in sixth out of seven riders, Rockmore would also be forced into the proceeding repechage round.

As expected at a world championship event, Espinoza drew a world-class repechage group in heat number two. On top of a poor draw he was caught behind the stack and just didn’t have the juice to come around four high and was eliminated from the competition. Rockmore on the other hand had a great draw in the third repechage heat and took the moto from the gun. Racing tactically well, the youngster just didn’t have the kick to hold on at the end and was also eliminated, crossing the line in third with only the winner moving on to the evening’s final.

“I guess it was OK for my first time,” said Espinoza of his first keirin experience. “It was exciting, but tough. I’ll definitely be doing it again.”

Espinoza and Rockmore will have no time to rest as they return to the track to contest the men’s sprint tomorrow morning with the goal of qualifying for the evening’s finals. Colleen Hayduk (Kurtztown, Pa./Team Fuji-Salamander) and Nik Reinert (Mertztown, Pa./Team Fuji-Salamander) will get a taste of the action on Monday as well with Reinert contesting the men’s points race and Hayduk the women’s scratch race and 500-meter time trial.

2007 UCI Junior Road and Track World Championships
Aguascalientes
Day Two Results

Men’s Omnium (Final Standings)
1. Glen O’Shea (AUS)
2. Myron Simpson (NZL) 22
3. Maurice Calles (GER) 24
13. Shane Kline (Bally, Pa.) DNF

Women’s 2k Individual Pursuit
1. Josephine Tomic (AUS)
2. Sarah Kent (AUS)
3. Lauren Ellis (NZL)
13. Lauren Shirock (Emmaus, Pa./BMW-Bianchi)

Men’s Keirin
1. Christian Lyte (GBR)
2. David Daniell (GBR)
3. Matteo Pelucchi (ITA)
Lanell Rockmore (Bethlehem, Pa.)
David Espinoza (Wellington, Fla.)


Men’s 10k Scratch
1. Travis Meyer (AUS)
2. Piotr Kasperkiewicz (POL)
3. Angel Pulgar (VEN)
4. Shane Kline (USA)

COMPLETE RESULTS

To view photos from the event visit https://www.usacycling.org/gallery/album238.

About USA Cycling
Recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling promotes American cycling through its 58,000 members and 2,000 annual events. USA Cycling associations include the BMX Association (BMX), National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), U.S. Cycling Federation (road/track), the National Collegiate Cycling Association and the U.S. Professional Racing Organization (professional men’s road).