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*** Cisar Captures Silver At The BMX Worlds ***

Colorado Springs, Colo. | Taiyuan, China ( USA Cycling ) -- 05/31/3008


Photo - Steven Cisar is continuing his breakthrough season
after a silver medal at the world championships on Saturday.

Steven Cisar (Altadena, Calif.) led the United States Cycling Team
on Saturday with a silver medal in the elite men's contest at the 2008
UCI BMX World Championships. As one of two Americans to qualify
for the final eight-man main, Cisar finished just 0.384 seconds off the
pace of winner Maris Strombergs (LAT), while Stifiso Nhlapo (RSA) took
the bronze and American Donny Robinson (Napa, Calif.) placed fourth.

For Cisar, it was his second trip to the podium this season in a major
international event. In February he captured a bronze medal in the
opening round of the 2008 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup series.

Cisar and Robinson were the only two U.S. athletes to advance out of
the quarterfinals as other notable Americans such as defending world
champion Kyle Bennett (Conroe, Texas), David Herman (Wheat Ridge,
Colo.), Randy Stumpfhauser (Sanger, Calif.) and Danny Caluag (Chino,
Calif.) all qualified for the round of 32 but failed to advance to the
semifinals, leaving only Cisar and Robinson as medal contenders.

In the elite women's event, Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash.) was the top
U.S. finisher in sixth place as the only American to advance to the main.
Shanaze Reade (GBR), Ann-Caroline Chausson (FRA) and Sarah Walker
(NZL) earned the top three spots respectively.

Entering the world championships, the U.S. was on the fringe of
securing a second women's start position for the Olympic Games.

Needing a top-four overall nation's ranking following the event, the
U.S. entered the world championships ranked fifth - just one point
behind New Zealand, seven points behind Argentina and 13 points
off the pace of Australia.

Entering the event, France had a commanding hold on the number-one
spot. Based on its performance in Taiyuan, the U.S. is expected to retain
its fifth-place ranking when the UCI issues its official standings next week.

Arielle Martin (Pleasant Grove, Utah) crashed out in her quarterfinal
heat, while Kim Hayashi (Chandler, Ariz.) and Stephanie Barragan
(Montclair, Calif.) also failed to advance out of the round of 32, l
eaving Kintner as the only U.S. athlete amongst the final 16 contenders.

Also on Saturday, the U.S. turned in strong performances in the
junior championship categories as Denzel Stein (Desoto, Texas)
earned a bronze medal in the junior men's event and compatriot
Travis Ohrazda (Garden Grove, Calif.) finished sixth.

For the U.S. men's field, the next major competition will be the
U.S. Olympic Team Trials on June 14 in Chula Vista, Calif. where
the winner will earn an automatic nomination to the 2008 U.S.
Olympic Team.

CC - http://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=3647
ACC - http://www.usacycling.org/bmx
ACCC - http://www.usacycling.org

ADDING IN A HAND FULL OF PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT:




































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