A (worlds) day in the life of Logan Owen
- By Chris Case
- Published Feb. 4, 2013
- Updated Feb. 4, 2013 at 9:07 PM EDT
Louisville 2013: Race day with Logan Owen
The calm before the storm yields a quiet moment in his hotel room at the Galt House before heading to the course. Owen has earrings in each ear, symbolic of two victories in a pair of kermesse races during his first trip to Belgium. His ears were pierced in Oudenaarde, home of the famed Koppenbergcross. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Logan Owen, the other four junior team memebers, and Geoff Proctor (pictured), director of EuroCrossCamp, awoke at 6:00 a.m. for their traditional team walk before worlds. They're able to get the blood moving, check the weather, and briefly talk about the day before heading to breakfast. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
After a hearty breakfast, Owen returned to his room to don the Team USA skinsuit and prepare for the day ahead. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen walks to the U.S. National Team's bike room in the Galt House, a historic hotel in downtown Louisville where the team was staying. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen stretches in the team's bike room as he waits for his teammates to arrive. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen was on the course by 8:00 a.m. before the 9:45 a.m. start. A fresh covering of snow made for slippery but firm conditions. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen inspects an off-camber section of the course. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen gets in one of his final hot laps before returning to the team trailer for warm-up. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen discusses different lines with his coach, Joe Holmes. Marc Gullickson, the director of the cyclocross program for USA Cycling, stands behind them. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
After nine consecutive cyclocross national championship titles, Owen can get away with a little patriotic flair on his Redline. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Logan Owen prepares for the battle of the juniors at the 2013 UCI Elite Cyclocross World Championships in Louisville, Kentucky. He came into the day as a medal favorite; he left nearly in tears after a heartbreaking race saw him falter and claw back twice in the span of 40 minutes, finally capturing fourth place, just four seconds off of the podium. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Cold focus. Owen is called to the start line and collects his thoughts. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen jumped a bit too soon at the start, realized his mistake and hesitated, then was swarmed by the riders around him. But it was another rider who crashed into him in the first corner that had him clawing his way back from the middle of the pack, in a fight for a podium finish. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Even for the juniors race, the crowds were thick along the course at Eva Bandman Park, braving sub-freezing temps in the name of history. This was the first time in 63 years that the world championships had been held outside of Europe. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen charged back through the field in the middle stages of the race, only to see his chances for a podium snatched away again when his chain dropped. Still, he continued to charge, nearly catching Adam Toupalik of the Czech Republic for third. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen's lap times — except for his first when he was caught up in a crash — were faster then every rider's except for world champion Matheiu Van Der Poel's. Could he have been second without the misfortune? We'll never know. But Owen will be back to fight again. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen was visibly shaken when he crossed the line, devastated by missing out on a chance to capture a world championship medal on home soil. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen couldn't hold back the emotion of disappointment. "I know I was easily the second strongest guy out there. If I just could have had a good start, I know I could have battled with [Martijn] Budding for second," Owen told VeloNews just after the race. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Many eyes were focused on Owen this year. He is becoming a star, and the pressure to perform in front of an American audience was a tall order, but he carried himself through it all with confidence. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen gets a hug from his father after wrapping up post-race interviews. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
Logan Owen at junior world cyclocross championships
Owen and his coach, Joe Holmes, share their thoughts on the race and the experience as they walk to the Team USA trailer. Chris Case | VeloNews.com
FILED UNDER: Cyclocross / Gallery TAGS: Logan Owen / Louisville 2013 / UCI Elite Cyclocross World Championships
Chris Case
In the fluorescent light of a neuroscience laboratory, Chris Case decided the study of photography, film, and journalism might be better suited to his creative passions. In graduate school, he rediscovered the bike, and quickly became enamored with the sport in all its forms — the history, culture, and stories that make it rich, and the places that it took him. He joined Velo magazine as managing editor in 2012 after five years as editor and designer of Trail and Timberline magazine.
