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Thursday, 5/29/97 Packwood passes Henderson to win cycling championship CLUB: Men win nationals for second year; women must look to next season

By Rocky Salmon Daily Bruin Contributor The sun almost did not shine for UCLA cycling last weekend, as the weather nearly erased UCLA's chance of repeating as national champions. But things worked out after all as Lane Packwood, the top men's cyclist in the state, won the national championship in Durango, Colo. But the women's team will have to wait until next year for its own title winner. It is the first time that a school has had two players win the nationals in consecutive years. But the Colorado weather interfered with the Bruins' repeat plans at first. The road race was postponed and eventually dropped, leaving all the riders in top shape for the criterion race. In the criterion, UCLA was hoping for three riders to place in the top 10. With Packwood, last year's national champion Keith Henderson and the state's No. 2 racer John Nobil, the Bruins were in a position to write a new page in the cycling history books. The rider most favored to win was Henderson who, two weeks earlier, had won the state championships in the criterion. Henderson entered the race just one small step short of his dream. "There are two things I want to do before I leave UCLA: win the state championships and repeat as national champion," Henderson said. Though Henderson is the state champion, he did not repeat as national champ. Nobil had placed fifth in the national race last year and was regarded as one of the most improved riders in the nation. "I fear John Nobil," Henderson said, while preparing to leave for Colorado. "Nobil is a lot younger than me and has that extra push which could cause me problems." But in Colorado, Nobil could not break away from the pack and did not place in the top 10. One UCLA rider did step out of the shadows and into the sunlight, though. Packwood continued his torrid cycling and captured the national title for UCLA. In Durango, where the elevation would give the local racers a major advantage, Packwood was able to cope with the lighter oxygen and come away with the win. Packwood, who stayed in the shadows of the club's top guns for much of this season, has come to the forefront and is now a favorite to win next year's title. However, the women did not have the same sort of luck. Racing in the women's race was the state's No. 3 racer Virginia Parks. She was the underdog who was poised to speed off with the title this year. But Parks failed to place in the top 10. But by sending cyclists to the winner's podium for three straight years, UCLA cycling has established itself as a powerhouse, and hopes to carry on the championship tradition for years to come. Previous Daily Bruin Stories: Enjoying the ride, May 8, 1997