CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – Two young cyclists have been crowned the winners of the Juniors Road Races that took place in Charleston Sunday as part of the USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships.
Action started early Sunday morning with fans lining the streets for the event. The Men’s Junior Road Race was up first, and for the top three racers, it all came down to the very last sprint down Kanawha Boulevard. In the end, 16-year-old Kashus “Kash” Adamski, of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, was crowned the winner in his first-ever Road Race title.
WOWK 13 News reporter Riley McIlmoyle was at the event, and Kash tells her that nothing can compare to how he felt winning that race.
“I really didn’t think we had a chance to stay away. It’s one of the best feelings in the world, especially after all the hard work I’ve been putting in all season. Nothing really can compare to this feeling, and it’s pretty remarkable. I fought on the track, so this is my first one on the road, and it’s just so special. I really can’t put it into words,” Kash said.
This race was six laps around a nine-mile course that did not include the big climb on Bridge Road. For the Women’s Junior Road Race, the event is five laps around the same course.
In the Women’s Junior Road Race, we had a defending champion keeping her throne! Alyssa Sarkisov, also took home her second win of the week. Her first was the Women’s Junior Criterium on Thursday, and you can watch her post-Criterium live interview with StormTracker 13 Chief Meteorologist here.
She tells 13 News that ongoing self pep talks helped her get to her second winner’s pedestal.
“Well, it was pretty close, closer than it normally is. I was going into it knowing that I had a pretty solid sprint, so I was just kind of, like ‘As long as I position myself well that things are going to go well,'” Alyssa said. “Honestly, just telling myself the whole time, ‘I can do this, I can do this. I can be first. I can be a national champion, I am a national champion and I’m going to cross the line first,’ and, yeah, it was perfect.”
Alyssa, who lives in Maryland but is originally from Russia, will also be representing the United States racing in Rwanda this September.
