Kabala brothers, MSU Cycling Team enter conference with tons of confidence

Andy Newberry
11 April 2024

General Student Life Sports

MSU Texas to hold criterium races on campus Saturday

Andy Newberry
11 April 2024
2 min read

The Dušan Kalaba-led Midwestern State University Cycling Team will charge into the South Central Collegiate Conference Championships event in Wichita Falls with a lot of confidence.

The event will be on the MSU Texas campus from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, April 13, with criterium races set up. The cycling team encourages students and local fans to come see the action in person. Admission is free.

Kalaba and his brother, Pavle, were first and second in all three races at a recent event hosted by Texas State University in San Marcos.

MSU Texas Cycling Team director Pablo Cruz Trochez is excited to see his team race this week in front of hometown fans as they get ready for Collegiate Nationals in May in New Mexico. The event begins Saturday with time trials at the Upper Charlie course north of Wichita Falls and concludes with a road race at Upper Charlie on Sunday morning.

“Dušan is preparing to defend his collegiate champion title,” Cruz Trochez said. “After his experience from last year, he feels confident with what he can achieve for this year.”

Jacelyn Reno on medal stand at San Marcos — Jacelyn Reno of MSU Texas placed second at San Marcos.

Molly Hayes of MSU Texas won first place in the race at Texas State.

Other standouts in the Texas State race were Carlos Maldonado (fourth overall), Jadiel Moreno (Men’s B winner), Joaquin Traslosheros (second in B category), and Sebastian Restrepo (fifth). The team won first over competitors like Texas Tech, UTA, UTSA, Rice, Texas A&M, Texas State, and UT-Dallas.

Spectators on the MSU Texas campus will witness criteria races “like NASCAR for bikes,” Cruz Trochez said. “We opened this race to collegiate racers and domestic riders, and we hope that helps for a better racing experience. It is fast bicycle racing and very entertaining.”

In the women’s A Division, MSU Texas freshman Molly Hayes from New Zealand won all three events (road, time trial, criterium) at the Texas State race. Jacelyn Reno was second in the C category. “It’s important to show that we’re growing the women’s side of the team and this helps our team standing,” said Cruz Trochez, who hopes to increase the number of women even more over the next year.