A Santa Rosa physician won three first places and a second to take the overall cycling title at the Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George, Utah.

Steve Palladino, 55, was first in the overall cycling championship after placing first in the hill climb, road race and 40-kilometer time trial and second in the criterium in the 55 to 60 age division.

“I had a good games, it came together,” said Palladino, a podiatrist at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Rosa.

Palladino was a competitive runner before turning to cycling in 2002, in part because of running injuries.

“I work with cyclists in Kaiser, there are a lot who are active cyclists, and when I got injured, I thought I would try to stay fit and do cycling as cross training,” Palladino said. “It was being surrounded by cyclists who encouraged me and running injuries catching up to me.”

Doug McKenzie of Santa Rosa, who competes in the 50 to 54 age group, finished fifth in the criterium, sixth in the hill climb, sixth in the road race, and ninth in the 40-kilometer time trial.

Another Sonoma County resident, Harry Williamson, 63, of Santa Rosa, placed sixth in the criterium and eighth in the road race in the 65 to 69 age division.

Cycling was one of 27 sports that drew more than 1,800 athletes at the St. George competition, which was started in 1987.

You can reach Staff Writer Bob Norberg at 521-5206 or bob.norberg@pressdemocrat.com.

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