BKB, Teter Quad take Spring Series

Black Key Bulls Cycling and Teter Cycling took the Team Pursuit crown and captured the Spring Series Sunday in Bill Armstrong Stadium.

“This is awesome,” Teter Coach Chris Wojtowich said. “This is our fifth straight year, and if I’m not mistaken, Emma (Caughlin) would be the first one to win four team pursuits in all four years.”

Both teams will wear the white jerseys in their respective Little 500 races after posting times of 9:16.31 and 8:16.89, respectively.

“It’s a testament to good, hard work by everyone on our team,” said Black Key Bulls rider and IU sophomore Tyler Hart.

Black Key Bulls faced Phi Gamma Delta in the men’s Team Pursuit finals after recording a time of 9:21.16 in Heat 21 earlier in the day.

Phi Gamma Delta, also known as Fiji, recorded a time of 9:22.86 in Heat 24 to earn its spot in the final.

Fiji jumped out to an early lead using three riders while Black Key Bulls used four.

“Our first lap was really smooth, but I look over after our first lap and Fijis were ahead,” said Black Key Bulls rider and IU junior Steven Gomez. “We panicked a little, because we know those guys have legs and are strong, smart riders.”

Gomez said they stayed steady and had consistent laps in the middle to chip away at the lead.

In the women’s final, Teter earned its spot with a time of 8:20.57 in Heat 29. Alpha Chi Omega’s time of 8:19.46  in Heat 31 gave it the first spot in the final.  

Alpha Chi Omega had the edge after one lap, but Teter took the lead by lap four.

“It’s really nice, because we knew they were going to out fast and have a fast start,” Teter rider Emma Caughlin said. “It was really awesome once we starting getting the seconds — we’re up four seconds, we’re up six seconds — and then we finally started to see them at the end of the straightaway. And once that happens, it’s all mental, just reeling them in.”

Teter’s time of 8:16.89 was an improvement from its time last year, when it finished 8:20.11 in the final. Black Key Bulls won the Team Pursuit title after missing the cut for the second spot in last year’s Team Pursuit by nearly eight seconds.

“We just want to carry the momentum in to race day,” Hart said.