Race Results

Pro 123 Race Report -

An epic day dawned on the Pro/1/2/3 field as gusts of up to 35 mph blew the 60+ rider field all over the course. Such wind helps the strong aggressor and this race blew apart at the seams with carnage rarely seen at this level. Brian Wirtz (Bethel Cycle) started in the leader's jersey, a familiar position for him, with strongmen Scott Bodin and Stephen Gray lining up to support him. These conditions favored a rider like him and he knew it. Another who enjoys tough conditions is Tim Unkert (unattached), looking to repeat his victory from the prior week. Fast man Roselvert Marte (GS Mengoni) wanted to make it to the finish in the front group - he knew that in a sprint few can match him. Verge Sports once again showed up with a number of riders including riders from outside the area like Chad Butts and Dan Staffo. Of course past overall winner Anthony Alessio showed up with his Remax team, and CVC fielded a team led by strongman Mike McGinley.

The attacks went immediately. Bethel Cycle in particular was launching Bodin and Gray off the front, forcing Unkert to chase. After bringing back a few breaks, Unkert decided that he didn't want to drag the field after all the attacks. He promptly launched himself off the front to start a lonely quest for the finish. Behind him, CVC and Bethel made pace, but even with Wirtz giving it a go, Unkert kept clear. Incredibly, about 40 riders got gapped off the aggresive front half early on and found themselves getting lapped. They were pulled from the course to avoid confusion during the finishing laps. One stunned racer admitted he'd never been lapped before.

In front Unkert held his own. Not without threat though - rouler Chris Pile (Remax) and Marte led Gray and a Verge rider on an aggressive chase after Unkert. Gray, after already doing 25 minutes solo in the M40+ race, started to suffer. With 5 to go, Marte, sensing the legs starting to fold around him, attacked the chase group and rocketed up the hill. He halved Unkert's 12 second gap instantly. The next lap he was within 50 feet of Unkert. His 3 former chase companions hanging on about 15 seconds back just a few seconds in front of the field. The bridge by Marte seemed inevitable but Unkert kept up the pressure and, unbelievably, Marte blew. He was still clear at the bell but 20 seconds down on a revitalized Unkert. His three chase companions were dangling a few seconds in front of a frenetically attacking field. Marte was so confident of his sprint he shut it down on the backstretch to let the field catch him. Unkert finished well clear of the rest to take a great win. Marte slayed all in the sprint for second, moving visibly faster than anyone around him. His chase companions were caught on the line, with Pile finishing tenth. Verge did a great race to take third with Butts and fourth with Staffo. Alessio stormed up the hill to take fifth and Mike McGinley rounded out the six points winning places. Gavriel Epstein, the junior sensation, took a strong seventh, with Bethel Cycle teammates Stephen Gray and Wirtz coming in eighth and ninth. Unkert takes the lead with his finish today.

Cat 3/4 Race Report -

A distinct lack of aero wheels indicated that this was one windy day. However, overall leader Aki Sato (Carpe Diem Racing) decided to stick with his Specialized TriSpokes for the day. Dave Kim (Westwood Velo), ably assisted by strongman Morgan Stebbins, preferred his deep dish Zipps. Northeast Bicycles lined up with riders like former semi-pro Fernando Ferreira, a Bethel regular, and Rick Spear, one of the more aggressive team riders. Stage One showed some presence with the aggresive Marc Risigo. Finally, Dominic Gillen (3 Sports) came to see if he could improve his placing from the first week.

The attacks started right away, but after a lot of breaks containing the wrong combination of riders went away, no one could stay clear. Noticeably at the front were Stage One and Northeast Bicycles, both intent on putting their stamp of authority on the race. The wind and a very aggressive field put an end to everything that went up the road. The result was that the front of the field remained fragmented though, making it hard to figure out who was going and who was coming back. Then Gillen attacked. As a triathlete he'd learned how to time trial and he set about to teach the others how it's done. He quickly built up a 35 second lead with 10 minutes plus five laps left in the race.

The field, after collectively catching its breath, started hunting him down with a vengeance. Rider after rider would take huge pulls at the front. With no teammates in the field, Gillen had to earn every second of his lead. Teams like Fiordi Fruitta, protecting Johan Koserius's second GC, Westwood Velo pulling for Morgan Stebbins, Northeast Bicycles, and Bethel Cycle Sport were at the front, stringing out the field. At five to go, Gillen still hung onto a 25 second lead. Stage One, pulling through the headwind when other teams were sitting up, brought the pace up one more notch and did a massive effort to raise the pace. Gillen's lead eroded to 10 seconds. But at the bell the field was gruppo campacto 10 seconds behind the terrifically strong Gillen. A strong leadout would wipe out his lead.

Risigo did a big pull for Stage One, followed by Westwood Velo's Kim. Ferreira and Spear were there for Northeast Bicycles, and Brian Plouffe (Powder Ridge Cycling) and Randel Henderson started going across the gap. Overall contenders Koserius and Sato marked Stebbins who inexplicably eased before the backstretch. After a few cries of panic, Fiordi Fruitta surged to the front, anxious to bring back the six that had just gapped the field. Stebbins, showing incredible teamwork, saw Kim go up the road and figured correctly that if he sat up a bit, the field would fail to respond. The break never looked back and, after Gillen took a strong solo win, Ferreira took a fantastic second, totally clear from that group. Risigo made all of Stage One's efforts worthwhile with third, pipping Kim at the line. Spear, Plouffe, and Henderson followed quickly in that order.

The field launched their sprint from pretty far out but could not catch anyone from the last group. The finish, merely a formality since all the points were up the road, was led in by three riders, all throwing their bikes, all three separated by half a wheel. Sato, slowing dramatically at the line, barely nipped Sean Marvel (AXIS) and John Mattio (Northeast Bicycles). They finished eighth, ninth, and tenth. Kim, by virtue of his points earned today, takes the overall lead.

M40+ Race Report -

Once again, Morgan Stebbins (Westwood Velo) lined up to do battle with rival team Bethel Cycle Sport. However, this time Stebbins lined up with a number of strong teammates, evening out the odds. Bethel went on the attack right away, their plan to try and isolate Stebbins. After attacks by both Scott Bodin and Greg Pelican, Stephen Gray (Bethel Cycle Sport) escaped the attentive field and built up a 25 second gap. But the heavy wind wore on his legs. Behind, Westwood Velo put a few men at the front, aggresively chasing Gray. A few individuals put in a go too, including the powerful time trialer Nelson Macy. Their efforts actually brought a number of riders clear of the field. Finally one of the Westwood Velo riders escaped the small front group, and after a strong three lap effort, bridged to Gray. Of course the Westwood Velo rider refused to pull so Gray sat up, his break over.

Pelican went away late in the race with a Junior with three to go. Pelican jumped on the hill to get clear and started time trialing for the line. Behind, Stebbins was too marked to make any moves. Pelican quickly built a gap with his team covering behind. Stebbins, with his closest rivals around him, hunkered down for the field sprint. A ferocious fight saw him triumph over an amazing Gray followed by Bodin. David Williams (CRCA) took fifth, with Skip Foley (Bethel Cycle Sport) in sixth. Chris Ryan (CRCA) followed closely for seventh and Bethel Cycle Sport took the next couple spots with William Thompson and Joseph Regan. Macy took the tenth spot. Stebbins retains his stranglehold on the leader's jersey.

Womens Race Report -

Jen Magur (Verge Sports) was on a roll Sunday and took the women's race in a bunch sprint. Before the race she'd graciously donated her prior winnings back into the prize pot. Payback? Another first place! Dale Malkames (USI) managed to best the rest in second spot. Among those were Robyn Passander (Laurel) in third and HVVC regular Penny Buchar in fourth. Cheryl Wolf (Bethel Cycle Sport) took the fifth and final place awarded today. Magur has no increased her lead for the leader's jersey.

Junior Race Report -

A spirited Junior race saw the dominant Gavriel Epstein (CC Evesham) infiltrate the winning break of the day (the rest of the break being M40+ racers chasing a M40+ break). The former Toronto native was competing against an old foe, Quebec resident Francis Martin (Espoirs de Laval). The two had raced in the Canadian National Championships the prior year and both recognized the other. Martin missed the move though and Epstein won the race. Behind, Barry Miller (USI) joined forces with Martin and took off on their own with two to go. Incredibly Miller beat the hardened Martin in the hard fought sprint to take second place. Kyle Foley (NECSA) took fourth with Philip Brunjes (Fiordi Fruitta) taking a hard earned fifth.

Cat 4 Race Report -

A team mentioned only briefly prior to this week, CogWild Cycling Team arrived with a massive and strong Cat 4 squad. They and the similarly colored Cycle Center team launched attack after attack, stringing out the 4 field. Eventually, strongman Dan Davenport (Cogwild Cycling Team) got away with another rouleur Dan Zelinski (Cycle Center) and a third rider. As the strong winds melted the riders strength, Davenport dispatched his two break companions to go it alone. His team massed at the front making chase attempts futile. Although he eased towards the end, Davenport took a well deserved and powerful victory. Behind him, CogWild Cycling wasn't finished. Only Johan Koserius (Fiordi Fruitta) could beat their sprinter Matthew Jamieson. Koserius was preparing to defend his second overall in the 3/4 race later that day. Northeast Bicycles, after countless chase attempts, swarmed the finish four riders finishing close together - Ian Sinclair taking fourth, Istvan Benyei fifth, John Mattio seventh, and Andrew Kalter eighth. Barry Miller (USI) split the Northeast Bicycles quartet and behind them were the NJRR/Signature Cycles duo of George Meyer and Paul Levine. Davenport's win catapaults him into the lead overall.

Cat 5 Race Report -

The first Cat 5 race was aggressive as usual, but some regular names came to the foreground. Winning the race was Dana Alia (Kingston Cyclery) who with his seven points pulls a huge lead on the overall standings. In second was HVVC sprinter Richard Magee. Matthew Pearson (Sleepy Hollow) took a third place after spending a couple hours the day before riding with, and learning from, some former overall contenders in the 3/4 and 1/2/3 races. Joe Straub finished fourth, and Tom Arcari (Pedal Power) finished fifth to tie up second with Travis Turner. Ryan Barlow (NECSA) made a showing for the junior squad in sixth place.