Nationals next for cyclists

While the Little 500 passed just over a week ago, some IU students had a completely different caliber of bicycle racing on their mind -- the Collegiate Cycling Nationals. Nationals are a three-day event that splits the competition into three events including road racing on a hilly 60-mile track, and student riders in the IU Cycling Club will be taking part. \nAnother change between the Little 500 and Nationals is the level of competition. No rider is barred from these races, so long as they are affiliated with a college. Also, the event is not only limited to college undergrads as riders seeking masters degrees and even doctorates can compete in the race.\n"For the collegiate race, you get all types of people," rider Jen Hawkins said. "There's grads, doctorates, there can be people in their 30s getting their doctorates and riding in the race. It's usually the best competition collegiate-wise all year."\nWith such a varied array of students in the event, there will be a high quality of competition. Senior rider and team president Jason Mount said he expects top talents. \n"We get the top echelon of riders out there," Mount said. "Some of those guys and girls are getting paid to race their bike, but going to school, everyone's a student. But that doesn't mean that you won't come across someone fast."\nNone of the events within Nationals are on a four-corner course like the Little 500 and all use a different, faster type of bicycle. \n"The road racing bikes we use in the Nationals weigh less, they have 15 to 19 more gears, and the speed is higher," Mount said. "Little 5 bikes are limited to 32-33 miles per hour and road bikes top out at well over 40."\nWhile riders don't consider Nationals to be harder than the Little 500, they both have tastes all their own.\n"The Nationals and the Little 5 are different from each other," junior Chris Vargo said. "There's a lot more luck involved in the Little 5. In the Nationals, there's professional riders and it's all the best collegiate cyclists in the nations."\nDespite tough competition from all different levels of students and cyclists, The IU Cycling Club is setting its sights high. Riders consider themselves to be among the top teams in the Midwest division.\n"We've all been training for a long time, there's been a lot of racing and training," Vargo said. "We would ultimately like to win and we're shooting for top five in the nation"