Fogelsville, Pa. -- Bobby Lea, former Penn State Lehigh Valley cyclist, has qualified for the U.S. Olympic Cycling Team, finishing with the fastest time in a qualifying test at the ADT Event Center in Carson, Calif.
In the 3,000-meter test, Lea clocked a time of 29.525 seconds in the race's first 500 meters and finished with a time of 3:17.648. Both marks easily surpassed USA Cycling's time standard of 30.670 seconds and 3:22.420, respectively. Michael Friedman, another former Penn State Lehigh Valley student, also could punch a ticket in Beijing. Friedman also met both time standards, but under USA Cycling's Olympic Selection Procedures, only Lea met the criteria for an automatic nomination to compete in the points race and the Madison at the Beijing Games.
In recent years, the Penn State Lehigh Valley graduate has competed at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome in Trexlertown and throughout the country at national and regional road and track cycling events. While a student, Lea, along with his teammates, won a combined seven National Championships for Penn State. The Lehigh Valley campus has been a center of cycling for the University for many years. The campus is home to the Penn State University Cycling Team.