For the week of  September 5 - 11, 2001

Hunky glory for Feldman

Wins World Masters TT

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By JODY ZARKOS
Express Staff Writer

A star finally got his stripes.

Richard Feldman of Ketchum won the World Masters bicycling time trial championship in Austria earlier this month and earned the coveted stripes of a world champion.

Richard Feldman

"Only world champions are allowed to wear those colors, the Olympic colors," Feldman said. "It’s pretty neat. I can wear those stripes on my sleeves and collars for the rest of my career."

In August, the 32-year-old Feldman traveled to Austria for a couple of weeks of cycling. He tuned up for the world championships by winning a 200-mile stage race in Deutschlandsberg, Austria, August 13-18.

"The riders were excellent. It was a good prep because at worlds they were one step better," Feldman remarked.

The next stop was the World Championships at St. Johann in Tirol, August 22-26. The time trial kicked off the series.

In a field of 600 racers, Feldman started 54th and covered 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) in 25 minutes and 44 seconds. When all the racers had gone through almost nine hours later, Feldman had won by six seconds.

"It was very cool," he said. "I didn’t really realize the hugeness of it until a received a booklet on how to conduct myself as a world champion. The tradition is just amazing."

Feldman, a married, father of two, went on to finish in the middle of the pack in two road races, but was still completely satisfied with his effort.

"I had met my goal and everything after that was a freebie," he said.

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