Bellingham resident John Bowie won the elimination race at the 2024 USA Cycling Track National Championships Sunday, July 14 in Carson, California.
“It was surreal,” Bowie said. “When I finished my first nationals in 2021, I never thought I could be at the front. If you play it well, it might not be the most exhausting effort. I played it pretty smart and was okay.”
The elimination race begins with all cyclists at a standstill on either the rail or blue band. The track in Carson is a 250-meter indoor track. In addition, the corners have banks up to 45 degrees and the straightaways have banks up to 20 degrees, allowing racers to ride up to 40 miles per hour.
Carson is the only indoor wooden track in the U.S., limiting wind and friction for the riders. Once the riders line up, the official blows the whistle and riders get one neutral lap. However, the lap is very competitive, especially in elimination races.
“You are going full gas from the start and come around the first lap and start the race,” Bowie said. “Every rider tries to get the fastest neutral lap and be in a good position.”
After the neutral lap, a rider is eliminated from the race after every two laps. The national championship race consisted of nine racers from across the nation. Surprisingly, the elimination race was not Bowie’s toughest portion of the race week.
“The toughest part is the logistics,” Bowie said. “You are flying there, renting a car, getting accommodated with your teammates and managing my schedule with their schedule. Once the number is on and you are on the rail, everything is good.”
Bowie’s elimination race had a few setbacks but he felt confident throughout the race. When the riders came off the rail, one cyclist pulled his wheel and the racers had to restart. Bowie saw his first challenge halfway through the race when a rider wanted to move Bowie up but he refused. The racer’s foot came out of the pedal and forced a handful of neutral laps, and that rider was eliminated for entering the field wrong during the restart.
Bowie, 34, took the lead and held the pace with about five cyclists left. After holding the lead for a few laps, Lance Abshire took over.
“I knew Lance since we trained together before and knew I had a good chance to outsprint him,” Bowie said. “He crossed the line and pulled up on the track and I knew I was able to come around him and beat him.”
Bowie crossed the line before Abshire and earned his first national title. Bowie believes he was able to win the race because of his physiology, fitness, power on the bike and ability to make good decisions. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound cyclist is larger than the high-level road cyclist, who is usually around 150 pounds.
Bowie also believes The Jerry Baker Moore Velodrome in Seattle shaped him into a top-tier cyclist.
“Everyone is great and encouraging and the racing is challenging and fun,” Bowie said. “The culture of the track helped lead me to that focus.”
Bowie also placed second in the Team Pursuit race with his Seattle-based Water Line Racing team, fourth in the 1-kilometer Time Trial and fourth in the Scratch Race.
After a successful week in Carson, Bowie and his wife headed to Europe to enjoy some free time and prepare for his next race. Bowie is planning to race at Aarhus Velodrome in Denmark, a track that has been around since the 1890s, before it shuts down next year.
“None of this would have happened without the support of my family and wife and Water Line Racing,” Bowie said.
Nick Zeller-Singh is CDN's sports reporter; reach him at nickzellersingh@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.
