Criterium

Former Olympian Kenny Fuller of Anaheim won a national title in a 50-kilometer criterium in the Great Earth Masters National Cycling Championships Saturday in San Diego. Racing in the men's 40-44 division, Fuller, who was on the 1972 and 1976 U.S. Olympic teams, finished in 1 hour, 9 minutes 56 seconds. Another former U.S. Olympian, Skip Cutting III of Laguna Beach, who was on the 1964, 1968 and 1972 Olympic teams, finished fourth.

Professional cycling has been a part of Manhattan Beach for 45 years, but never have the sport and its participants been under such intense scrutiny for doping. One week has passed since Floyd Landis, winner of the Tour de France, was stripped of his title as cycling's greatest champion after two of his urine samples showed an unusually high ratio of testosterone. Also, two of the top riders, Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso, were banned from competing just days before the Tour for a similar offense.

For the past few months, Skip Cutting has devoted at least 12 hours a day, last week even more, smoothing out details for the Atlas Hotels Masters World Cup Cycling event. His training had dwindled since he placed fourth in 40-44 Criterium at the Nationals here in July. Since then, he has made occasional rides on a tandem bike or has worked out on a track.

Winter can be a frustrating time for bicyclists in much of the world. Forced off the roads by inclement weather, riders are left to spin their wheels indoors on stationary trainers. It's different in Southern California and that's why many professionals relocate here in winter, taking advantage of the milder conditions. You can see the results every day on Pacific Coast Highway, a major training ground for the titanium set.

Alan McCormack of the Killian's Red Irish Team sprinted into the lead with 200 yards to go Sunday to win the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Criterium of the Coors International bicycle race. McCormack, 29, had an official time of 1 hour 30 minutes 22 seconds in the 45-lap, 39.6 mile event. Teun Van Vliet, 24, of the Holland Professional Team was second followed by American Roy Knickman, 21, of the Levi's Team.

Peter Gylling, a native of Denmark who now makes his home in Santa Ana, broke away 10 kilometers from the finish to win the seventh and final stage of the Washington Trust Cycling race Sunday in Spokane, Wash. Gylling completed the 60-kilometer criterium through the streets of downtown Spokane in 1 hour and 2 minutes. Gylling was 58th overall.

Despite finishing third in Saturday's sixth stage of the Washington Trust Classic, John Tomac of Chatsworth dropped to 11th place in the five-day bicycle race in Spokane, Wash. Tomac, who started the day 10th overall, completed the 34-mile criterium through Manito Park in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 58 seconds. However, time bonuses moved second-place finisher David Farmer past Tomac into 10th place overall. The stage was won by Alexi Grewal.

Davis Phinney pulled into the lead with one lap to go and held on to win the Denver Tivoli Criterium for men Friday night in the Coors International bicycle races. Phinney, of Boulder, Colo., finished the 90-minute event in 1 hour 29 minutes 34 seconds. He has also won two other criteriums since the races started in California Aug. 3. Stephane Guay of France was second. Greg LeMond retained the overall men's lead in the races, which end Sunday.

Shopping will take a back seat to cycling today on Rodeo Drive, as some of the world's top criterium riders compete in the $25,000 Subaru Cycling Invitational in Beverly Hills. The riders will speed along a course through the heart of Beverly Hills' shopping district, covering Rodeo Drive, Brighton Way, Beverly Drive and Little Santa Monica Boulevard. The 20-mile, 50-lap women's race will begin at noon, and the men's 30-mile, 75-lap race will start at 1:30 p.m.

After Chris Carmichael broke his leg in a skiing accident last December, he was told to start looking for another job. His job at the time was a professional bicycle racer. Doctors at a Mt. Shasta hospital said he probably would never ride competitively again and would not walk for at least a year. But on Sunday, Carmichael was where he loves to be--pedaling furiously in the lead pack of a bicycle race.

Glen Winkel of San Francisco and Martin Graf of Encinitas began the Open Criterium for riders 30 and over, the final race during the Masters World Cup of Cycling Championships, as competitors. With a lap to go they became teammates. "We didn't plan it, or anything," Winkel said. "It was this that did it," Graf said, pointing to a patch on Winkel's jersey that spelled out the jersey-maker's name. Graf has the same sponsor.

What was described by promoters as a difficult .7-mile, 10-turn course proved to be quite simple to 51-year-old Joe Saling, who on Saturday won his second Masters World Cup criterium in the 50-54 age group in as many years. It could be said that Saling won by cliche. "Like in many aspects of life," said Saling, who hails from New Jersey, "the saying 'out of sight, out of mind' is true in cycling. If you can manage to get out of your competitors' sight, it's very easy to go on and win."

David Farmer discovered early that not everyone appreciated his obsession with bicycling. In the fifth grade, he was dropped by a girlfriend who told him to get a life. More than a decade later, Farmer is one of the United States' leading professional riders and more discerning with relationships. He is engaged to Ruthie Mattes, a road racer who won a silver medal at the 1990 World Championships in Japan and a bronze at the World Mountain Bike Championships in Colorado.

For the past few months, Skip Cutting has devoted at least 12 hours a day, last week even more, smoothing out details for the Atlas Hotels Masters World Cup Cycling event. His training had dwindled since he placed fourth in 40-44 Criterium at the Nationals here in July. Since then, he has made occasional rides on a tandem bike or has worked out on a track.

A San Diegan won the criterium at the U.S. Cycling Federation Junior Nationals in the girls' 13-15 age division, another San Diegan finished second in the girls 16-17 division and no one's sure exactly who won the boys' 17-18 division.

Former Olympian Kenny Fuller of Anaheim won a national title in a 50-kilometer criterium in the Great Earth Masters National Cycling Championships Saturday in San Diego. Racing in the men's 40-44 division, Fuller, who was on the 1972 and 1976 U.S. Olympic teams, finished in 1 hour, 9 minutes 56 seconds. Another former U.S. Olympian, Skip Cutting III of Laguna Beach, who was on the 1964, 1968 and 1972 Olympic teams, finished fourth.

Winter can be a frustrating time for bicyclists in much of the world. Forced off the roads by inclement weather, riders are left to spin their wheels indoors on stationary trainers. It's different in Southern California and that's why many professionals relocate here in winter, taking advantage of the milder conditions. You can see the results every day on Pacific Coast Highway, a major training ground for the titanium set.

John Tomac of Chatsworth finished first in a field of 95 cyclists to win the U. S. National Criterium cycling championship in White Plains, N. Y. For Tomac, 20, the victory Sunday in the 50-mile race added to a string of recent successes. In April, Tomac won the first event of the National Mountain Bike Championship in Auburn, Ala. The second event of the five-part series is May 29 in Durango, Colo. Tomac was second in the event last year.

Peter Gylling, a native of Denmark who now makes his home in Santa Ana, broke away 10 kilometers from the finish to win the seventh and final stage of the Washington Trust Cycling race Sunday in Spokane, Wash. Gylling completed the 60-kilometer criterium through the streets of downtown Spokane in 1 hour and 2 minutes. Gylling was 58th overall.

Despite finishing third in Saturday's sixth stage of the Washington Trust Classic, John Tomac of Chatsworth dropped to 11th place in the five-day bicycle race in Spokane, Wash. Tomac, who started the day 10th overall, completed the 34-mile criterium through Manito Park in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 58 seconds. However, time bonuses moved second-place finisher David Farmer past Tomac into 10th place overall. The stage was won by Alexi Grewal.