Saturday, August 3rd, 2019
16-Year-Old Kaia Schmidt Out Kicks Large Field
This year’s West Reading Criterium attracted one of the highest caliber women’s fields in the history of the race. With a $10,000 purse on offer, the racing was peppered with relentless attacks that strung the field out. Fast Chance Cycling was determined to form a break, which resulted in taking every prime on offer, CWA Racing was determined to have the race come down to a field sprint. In the waning laps, Fast Chance cycling’s Winanda Spoor made multiple efforts at a solo break only to be reeled in each time. Spoor’s teammate, Rachel Langdon had a slight gap as she nabbed the gambler’s prime with a lap to go. Langdon’s effort was neutralized as CWA Racing, Fearless Femme and Laura Van Gilder were eager for a bunch kick. Despite the best efforts of many of the bigger teams in the race the youngest rider in the field, 16-year-old, Kaia Schmidt, unleashed a massive sprint which saw her take the win by over a bike length. Rounding out the podium was Sam Schnieder in second and Laura Van Gilder in third.
WOMEN’S RESULTS
- Kaia Schmidt (Fearless Femme Racing)
- Sam Schneider (CWA-Racing)
- Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom Pizza Baker p/b Van Dessel)
Kline
Shane Kline outsprinted Frank Travieso and Cesar Marte at the 2019 West Reading Radsport Criterium as the sun went down on Saturday. Kline becomes the first two-time winner of the West Reading Criterium.
Before the race began, event beneficiary, Reading Recreation Commission, recognized 3x Olympian Bobby Lea for his fundraising initiative. Lea’s “Bump Bobby Back” campaign allowed athletes and fans to make $25 donations for each starting grid position he would lose from 15th on the starting grid all the way down to 100th place to raise $2150 for the Reading Recreation Commission, showing community involvement of the professional bike race.
The race came to a field sprint after an aggressive race that saw attacks through the entire night. Spurred by multiple primes, few riders were able to separate themselves from the bunch. Late in the race, Mike Margarite and Sean Guydish got the largest separation of the night. The two strongmen were only able to gain around 10 seconds on the group before Team Skyline Pro Cycling came to the front with Mike Jones and Ryan Dewald to neutralize the threat. The $500 Gambler’s Prime by Penn National Gaming / Vie13 Kustom Apparel changed the race again, though, with Rafal Vargas gaining a slight advantage to take the cash prize over the teams. But the final lap speed neutralized Vargas as the teams who tried to control the race were overcome by individual riders Frank Travieso and Shane Kline. The two came out of Turn 5 first and drag raced each other the finish line with Kline hold off Travieso by half a wheel.
MEN’S RESULTS
- Shane Kline (SmartStop Self-Storage)
- Frank Travieso (EDA Evolution Cycling Team)
- Cesar Marte (Rockleigh Cycling Club)
