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Regional scene: Vande Velde joins Olympic cycling team

Rocky Mountain News

Published July 1, 2008 at 11:54 p.m.

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Boulder cyclist Christian Vande Velde was named to the U.S. Olympic team that will race in Beijing next month, one of four discretionary selections for the men's road-cycling event.

Vande Velde was joined by veteran riders George Hincapie, Jason McCartney and David Zabriskie, who were among Tuesday's selections for the road-racing events. Levi Leipheimer had qualified earlier.

Vande Velde become the third Coloradan on the U.S. Olympic cycling team, joining two earlier qualifiers: Boulder resident Taylor Phinney (track individual pursuit) and Durango's Todd Wells (mountain).

SMITH HIRED Former Metro State women's basketball coach Darryl Smith has been hired to take over the program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

Smith served as the coach at Metro State for eight years (1990-91 to 1997-98), putting together six 20-win seasons and a 160-64 overall record.

VONN NOMINATED Vail skier Lindsay Vonn was nominated for best female athlete among the ESPY Award nominations announced Tuesday.

Aspen snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler was nominated for best female action sports athlete and former Colorado State athlete Becky Hammon was nominated for best WNBA player.

JUNIOR GIRLS Monument resident Paige Spiranac earned medalist honors with a 72 to qualify for the U.S. Junior Girls Championship in West Hartford, Conn.

Bethany Buchner (Loveland, 75), Olivia Garard (Columbine Valley, 76) and Bryce Schroeder (Pueblo, 77) also qualified for berths Tuesday at Valley Country Club in Aurora.

* Colorado caddies Samuel Makings (Cherry Hills Country Club, Cherry Hills Village), Michael Wahl (Denver Country Club) and Taytum Kelley (Ballyneal Golf and Hunt Club, Holyoke) have received three additional Eisenhower-Evans Scholarships to the University of Colorado from the Colorado Golf Association and the Western Golf Association.

BORN TO RUN Boulder resident Jason Simpson won the Lyons River Run 5-kilometer race Sunday in 16 minutes, 5 seconds, and Longmont runner Luminita Talpos won the women's portion in 16:34.

* Denver resident Omar Martinez won the Northside Stride 10-kilometer race Saturday at Sloan Lake Park in Denver in 34:48, and Grand Junction runner Samantha Martinez Towne won the women's portion in 44:44.