| About Chann
Chann McRae
briefly rejoined the ranks of cycling
while continuing his focus on triathlons. A multi-time US National Champion, Chann competed
for the US in the World Road Championships from 1994 to 2002,
and twice had top ten results (5th, 9th). He has numerous international
highlights, including the following: completion of the Vuelta
a Espana twice (19th in 1999, 2001), the Giro DItalia twice (1999,
17th in 2000), participating in the Tour de France (2000), placing
5th in the Tour of Romandie (2000), and 6th in Tour de Beauce.
He has well over 50 top 20 placings in one day European races
and general classifications. He rode for Team Mapei for many years
in Europe. Chann brought confidence and knowledge to the team.
He acted as a field coach. The team benefited from his ability to make tactical calls during the race. Chann also ensured that the race schedule, the infrastructure
and the team work ethic was of professional standard.
Bio
Chann, the 2002 US Pro Road Race Cycling champion, is a veteran
international competitor who has ridden with Mapei and later with
the US Postal Service team. Career highlights include top placements
in the World Road Race Championship (5th and 8th, respectively,
in 1999 and 2000), as well as strong rides in the Vuelta a Espana
and Giro d'Italia. Chann's distinguished cycling career was preceded
by triathlon, where he turned in a strong performance at the Junior
National Championships at age 17. In 2002, he returned to the
sport, winning the Ironhead Dallas Triathlon, and then finishing
85th at the Hawaii Ironman World Championships with minimal preparation.
From this point forward, he plans to place heavy emphasis on his
newfound passion for Ironman triathlons.
The thrill that accompanies personal athletic achievement began
to stir within Chann McRae during his middle school years when
he started competing in cross-country, track, and swimming events.
With two out of three disciplines needed for triathlons already
under his belt, McRae started on the third,, in 1986. He was a
natural.
Within two years, McRae was competing professionally in triathlons
placing 5th in the 1988 National Long Course Champ. and 21st in
the National Short Course Champ.. Quite an accomplishment for
anyone, but just the beginning for this determined 17-year-old.
McRae's strength led to an invitation to race in the Junior World
Champ. in Moscow in 1989. He placed 5th in the Team Time Trial.
The next year he made the World Champ. selection in the senior
category, but broke his wrist just two days before he was scheduled
to leave for the race. The break was just a small road bump in
his career. Two years later, in 1992, he won the National Road
Championship then won it again in 1995.
To date, McRae has competed in 11 World Champ.. One of his career
highlights was placing 5th in the 1999 Professional World Champ.
held in Verona, Italy. McRae was riding professionally for Mapei-Quick
Step at the time, but proudly wore the stars and stripes of team
USA for the day.
McRae's move to the United States Postal Service team brings him
together with a childhood friend… team leader Lance Armstrong.
McRae and Armstrong both grew up in the same Plano, Texas neighborhood.
The two have been competing with or against each other since elementary
school. For 2002, McRae is more than happy to compete with him.
On the personal side of things, Chann is married to Jennifer McRae,
who was a nationally ranked road and track cyclist. In 2001, the
couple brought their daughter Henna into the world. With athletic
parents, it's no wonder that she herself is very active. The McRae's
spend a lot of time hiking and running with her around Austin.
Henna is either riding in the baby jogger or sitting in a backpack.
When Chann's not spending time with his family or on his bike,
he likes to do just about any kind of sport you can think of.
Career highlights
2003
• 12th Ironman Canada / qualified for Hawaii
2002
• US PRO Cycling Champion
2001
• World Road Champ., 25th
• Classic des Alpes, 19th
• Vuelta a España (Spain), 96th
2000
• World Road Champ. (Plouay, France): 8th, (top U.S. rider)
• UCI World rankings: 92nd
• International Hessen Rundfahrt (Germany): 2nd (top U.S. rider)
• Milano-Vignola (Italy): 3rd (top U.S. rider)
• Tour of Romandie (Switzerland): 5th (top U.S. rider)
• Circuit Franco-Belge (Belgium): 12th
• Giro d'Italia: 17th (top U.S. rider)
• Giro del Trentino (Italy): 19th (top U.S. rider)
• Tour of Aragon (Spain): 43rd (top U.S. rider)
• Tour de France participant
1999
• UCI World Road ranking: 108th
• World Time Trial Champ. (Treviso/Verona, Italy): 20th
• World Road Champ.: 5th, (top U.S. rider)
• Giro d'Italia: 48th (top U.S. rider)
• Milano-Torino (Italy): sixth (top U.S. rider)
• Tour of Lombardy (Italy): 13th (top U.S. rider)
• Classic Haribio (France): 15th (top U.S. rider)
• Tour of Spain: 19th (top U.S. rider)
• Vuelta a Burgos (Spain): 20th (top U.S. rider)
• Challenge Mallorca (Spain): 21st (top U.S. rider)
• Paris-Nice (France): 31st
• GP Gippingen (Switzerland): 45th
1998
• World Road Champ. (Valkenburg, The Netherlands): 32nd
• USPRO Criterium Champ.: 2nd
• Killington (Vt.) Stage Race: 2nd
• Tour of Lower Saxony (Germany): 2nd; one stage race win
• Niedersachsen (Germany): 2nd; one stage race win
• GP Cycliste de Beauice (Canada): 6th
• Peace Race (Czech Republic): 6th (top U.S. rider)
• Tour of Denmark: 6th
• Outdoor Life Network Grand Prix (Atlanta): 6th
• Cascade Classic: 8th
• Tour of Langkawi (Malaysia): 14th
• Tour of America Standings: 16th
• Motorola International Classic: one stage win
• USCF National Racing Calendar Standings: 12th
1997
• World Road Champ. (San Sebastian, Spain): 31st
• CoreStates Classic: 1st
• Cologne-Schuld-Frechen (Germany): 2nd
• Killington Stage Race: 2nd
• Cascade Classic: 4th
• Tour de ‘Toona: 4th
• Internationale Hennesee-Rundfahrt-Hochsauerland (Germany): 4th
• Thrift Drug Classic: 5th
• Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic: 5th
• Peace Race (Czech Republic): 8th
• USPRO Criterium Champ.: 13th
• USPRO Tour: 2nd
• USCF National Racing Calendar: 4th
1996
• World Road Champ. (Lugano, Switzerland): team member
1995
• World Road Champ. (Bogota, Colombia): team member
• Pan American Games (Buenos Aires, Argentina): 10th, road race
• Fresca National Road Champ. (Seattle): 1st
• Three Days of August: 1st, road race; ninth, criterium
• 1st Union Grand Prix: 5th
• Tour du Poitu-Charente (France): 5th
• Cascade Classic (ore.): 6th
• Tour DuPont: 19th
• Fresca Men’s Amateur Points Series: 5th
1994
• World Road Champ. (Palermo, Italy): team member
• Fresca National Road Champ. (Seattle, Wash.): 2nd, road race
• Rapport Tour (South Africa): 4th
• Korbel Champagne Cup Series: 2nd; 8th, amateur
1993
• World Road Champ. (Hamar, Norway): 103rd
• Fresca National Road Champ. (Dublin, OH): 9th
• Fresca National Time Trial Champ. (Dublin, OH): 19th
• Korbel Champagne Cup Series: 11th
1992
• U.S. Olympic Team alternate
• U.S. Olympic Road Trials (Altoona, PA): 2nd
• National Road Champ. (Altoona, PA): 1st |
