Cy Springs cyclist wins silver in World Championships
Representing Team USA at the UCI Juniors World Championships, Cypress Springs senior cyclist Lawson Craddock goes around a curve on the way to a second-place finish in the Men’s Individual Time Trial event.
Craddock celebrates his silver medal win on the podium at the UCI Juniors World Championships in Moscow on Aug. 7.
From left, Craddock observes the raising of the flags along with gold medalist Luke Durbridge of Australia and bronze medalist Lasse Hansen of Denmark.
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August 18, 2009 — Cypress Springs High School senior Lawson Craddock fulfilled the greatest achievement of his cycling career when he won the silver medal in the Men’s Individual Time Trial at the 2009 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Juniors World Championships in Moscow on Aug. 7.
Craddock completed the 25.8-kilometer course in a time of 32:54.45, only 2.22 seconds behind winner Luke Durbridge of Australia.
“This is by far my greatest cycling achievement so far. I've had an amazing season this year, and a silver medal at the World Championships just makes it so much better,” Craddock said.
Craddock said he exceeded his own expectations when he turned in the second-fastest time.
“I had studied the course the previous day and knew right away that I could put out an excellent time,” he said. “After I was done a lot of the ‘big hitters’ still had to finish and I wasn’t sure if my time was going to hold. It was extremely nerve-wracking to wait until everyone had finished and my second place finished was confirmed.”
Craddock was nominated to be a member of the U.S. Junior National team in 2008 and began training this year with an elite team out of Massachusetts called Hot Tubes. He qualified for the Juniors World Championships by winning individual time trial events in Franklin, Tenn., and Red River Gorge, Ky., earlier in the summer. He has had 14 top-three finishes in state, national and international competitions in 2009, adding to an impressive 10 championships in 2008 and four top-three finishes in 2007.
Craddock, who has been racing competitively since he was 10 years old, said he aspires to turn professional and be a positive ambassador for the sport. The 17-year-old national honor student, who ranks 33rd out of 985 in his class, credited the teachers and staff at Cypress Springs for helping make his successes possible.
“I have had excellent support from the staff and teachers who encourage me to go ahead and live my dream,” he said. “There is no way that I would have been able to travel all over the world this year and have the opportunities that I have if it weren’t for the staff at Cy Springs, and I am extremely grateful that they have stood behind me in all that I do.”
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