Tim Wins Nationals!

Returning to the scene of his Elite National Championship in 2000, Team Leer’s Tim Johnson claimed a thrilling win at the 2007 U.S. Elite National Championships in Kansas City on Sunday. Racing in dreadful conditions, equal parts frozen ruts and slick ice and mud, Tim outraced three-time champion Jonathan Page (SunWeb-ProJob) and sailed home with an eight-second win.

After a slow start and a hectic first few laps, Tim joined Page and Todd Wells (GT) at the business end of the race. Wells could not hold the pace, leaving Page and Tim to fight out the stars-and-stripes jersey. Tim attacked with two laps to go and opened a small gap, the move put pressure on Page to chase and a small mistake during the ensuing effort opened Tim’s winning margin.

“It was nuts,“ said Tim,“ It kept going back and forth for the last few laps. I was only able to enjoy it in the last 100 meters because if I had messed up Jonathan would have been right past me. It was an hour of intense concentration, you had to pay attention the entire time, I don’t think I looked up from the course right in front of me once during the entire time.

“Winning this and thinking back to winning in 2000, it made me think of all I’ve done in the time in between. It makes it seem like I’ve had a real career, like I’ve really accomplished some cool things. And I know I’m not done anytime soon. I’m psyched to get over to Europe. I know its going to be hard and I’m not dumb enough to say I’m going to go over there and do well right away, but I feel really good and really well prepared. It going to be nice to race in the national champions jersey.“

With the rest of the season taking place across the pond, Jeremy, Tim, and Lyne Bessette will all race December 26 at the UCI World Cup in Hofstade, Belgium.