BREVARD, N.C.- Hannah Arensman and Janelle Cole will make the trek to Grand Junction, Colo., for the USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships this weekend.
The duo will represent the Brevard cycling team, as Arensman is coming off a first place outing in the Women's A criterium race at the Southeastern Collegiate Cycling Championships (SECCC) on April 15 in Clemson, S.C. Cole also qualified for nationals by placing fifth in the same event.
The duo of Arensman and Cole earned their spot at the USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships with a dramatic finish in the final day of the SECCC Championships.
Arensman received an assist in the final sprint from teammate Janelle Cole, who placed fifth in the criterium race, as the pair was separated in the waning moments of the race with Arensman grabbing the victory.
During the road portion of the season, Arensman finished in sixth place at Appalachian State in the women's A criterium race on April 8. In the race at Milligan on March 26, Cole placed third in the group A women's road race after battling through freezing temperatures and rain during the race.
In a recent interview on Coach's Corner, head coach Brad Perley says despite bringing only two athletes to nationals, both Arensman and Cole should compete for the top spots.
"They are both capable of anything in any of their races, they have three events; the road race, the criterium and the time trials," said Perley. "Any of those events they will do well, but we are excited for it."
The competition will consist of a team time trial, individual time trial, criterium and road race, and the races will be held in different parts of Grand Junction, May 4-6.