Ronde de Bethel, March 5, 2006

Pro-1-2-3
1.  Mike McGinley, Anthem-CCCC
2.  Chad Butts, Unattached
3.  Chris Peck, Fiordifrutta
4.  Robert Giannini, Sakonnet Technology
5.  Aidan Charles, Anthem-CCCC
6.  Stephen Badger, Sakonnet Technology
7.  Amos Brumble, CCB/Volkswagen

M30+
1.  Kyle Wolf, Unattached
2.  Curtis Easton, Yale University Bulldog Cycling
3.  Tim Unkert, Unattached
4.  Todd Cassan, Rocinante
5.  Chris Pile, Target Training
6.  Peter Petrillo, Anthem-CCCC
7.  Matthew Emeott, Bethel Cycle
8.  Wade Summers, EBCC-Benidorm
9.  Scott Bodin, Target Training
10.  Ian Sinclair, Target Training

3-4's
1.  Peter Morgan, Anthem Rewards - CCCC
2.  John Brehmer, Bethel Cycle
3.  Justin Lindine, Windham Mountain Outfitters
4.  Rickey Visinski
5.  Stanley Lezon, EBCC-Benidorm
6.  Salvatore Abbruzzese, Cafeteros
7.  Adam St Germain, Apex Technologies
8.  Jackson Weber, Essex County Velo
9.  Aki Sato, Carpe Diem Racing
10.  Matthew Emeott, Bethel Cycle

M40+
1.  Morgan Stebbins, Target Training
2.  Curtis Easton, Yale University Bulldog Cycling
3.  Brian Wirtz, Bethel Cycle
4.  Scott Bodin, Target Training
5.  Joe Straub, Skylands Cycling
6.  Joseph Regan, Bethel Cycle
7.  Richard Foley, Bethel Cycle
8.  Tom Officer, Hudson Valley Velodrome
9.  William Thompson, Bethel Cycle
10.  Vassos Kyprianou, Bethel Cycle

Women
1.  Emma Nelson, Team Advil-Chapstick
2.  Heather Labance, Team Advil-Chapstick
3.  Elisa Gagnon, Unattached
4.  Julie Reid, Team Advil-Chapstick
5.  Tania Ayoub, Connecticut Coast Cycling
6.  Diana Panchyk, Team Advil-Chapstick

Juniors
1.  Robert Schmidt, Capital Bicycle Racing Club
2.  Filip Capala, Unattached
3.  Kyle Foley, Cuevas
4.  Ryan Barlow, Cuevas

4's
1.  John-Paul Kaminiski, miyashoji.com
2.  Alistaire Clarke, Unattached
3.  Timothy Thayer, Connecticut Coast Cycling
4.  Jordan Copeland, miyashoji.com
5.  Douglas McKeon, Cyclenauts
6.  Ian Hughes, Liberty Cycle
7.  Brett Carr, Tokeneke Road Clube
8.  Richard Magee, Bethel Cycle
9.  Brian Wood, Target Training
10.  Tom Siano, miyashoji.com

5's A (first race)
1.  Todd Gay, Bethel Cycle
2.  Jonthan Warchol
3.  Matt Pascale, USI
4.  Joe Parker, Bethel Cycle
5.  Patrick Cunningham, EBCC/Benidorm
6.  Richard Patry, Laurel Bicycles

5's B (second race)

1.  Shaun Berard, Unattached
2.  Chris Hayhurst, USI
3.  Simon Bennet, Unattached
4.  Bruce McGalliard, Unattached
5.  Chad Dalles, Unattaced
6.  Chris Bohannon, Unattached
7.  John Ercolani, Unattached
8.  Diego Moraiz, Connecticut Coast Cycling
9.  Howard Livingston, Tokeneke Road Club
10.  Jay Vincent, Cycle Center

Race Reports.  These are compiled from various reports sent in and may in fact be total fiction.  If you would like to contribute to the race reports, please email me your experiences and observations in your race/s and your report will be anonymously included in the appropriate race reports.

Pro-1-2-3:
When someone shows up at a race with a UCI license, it's obvious that they showed up to do some hard training.  Chris Peck (Fiordifrutta) did just that and as soon as the race started, he was on the attack.  Peck and a small group of  savy and fit racers (and those not shattered by the M30+ race just prior to this one) eventually broke clear of the field.  Although initially numbering eight, the high pace toasted three, leaving five to fight out a hard-fought victory.  In the end, it was 2005's overall Bethel Series winner Mike McGinley, racing for a new powerhouse team, Anthem Rewards - CCCC, taking a clear victory.  Chad Butts (Unattached) took an equally decisive second.  Peck, heavily marked by the rest of the break, managed to take third, with Robert Giannini (Sakonnet Technology) taking fourth.  Bringing up the rear of the break was Aiden Charles, McGinley's teammate and one that looked after him in the windswept course.  Behind them two races broke clear of the field and time trialled in no-mans land right to the finish.  Stephen Badger (Sakonnet Technology) eventually left behind hard working Amos Brumble (CCB/Volkswagen), finishing in sixth and seventh respectively.

M30+:
What do you get when you mix a relatively small field (just over 30 racers), very windy conditions, and a lot of racers fit and willing to work?  Total devastation.  There is no other way to describe the small groups of racers circling the course.  The key was the gusty winds which made it difficult to hide from the wind.  Racers intent on working hard at the front were rewarded with opening gaps.  A group of racers pulled clear of the chaos and rode a grim ride till the final lap where it all came apart.  They crossed the line one at a time with Kyle Wolf (Unattached) earning a tough victory.  Curtis Easton (Yale University Bulldog Cycling) placed in the second of three races he did today.  Tim Unkert, former Bethel Series P/1/2/3 winner, took third, with Todd Cassane (Rociante), fourth.  A Bethel regular, Chris Pile (Target Training), finished fifth with Peter Petrillo of Anthem-CCCC in sixth.  Rounding out the top ten were strong races like Matthew Emeott (Bethel Cycle) in seventh, Wade Summers (EBCC-Benidorm) in eighth, and Target Training teammates Scott Bodin and Ian Sinclair in ninth and tenth.

3-4's:
The 3-4 race was preceded by a one lap neutral start in memory of one of its former members, Kurt Marino of Tokeneke Road Club.  He died of an anneurism at the start of a century ride during 2005.  After a short explanation by promoter Gene Pringle, Kurt's Tokeneke Road Club teammates led the field for a lap at a neutral pace.  Honorably they eased back into the field before the racing began.

Immediately the pace went up a few notches.  With three large teams in Anthem Rewards CCCC, Bethel Cycle, and Target Training, any successful break would probably have to have members of each in there.  So when a break went up the road without a Target Training member in it, it seemed like they would bring it back.  But without a lot of help, and some effective disruptions from Bethel and Anthem, the break managed to hang onto a rapidly shrinking lead.  Anthem capped off a strong ride with their rider Peter Morgan taking the win.  John Brehmer (Bethel Cycle) took second, with  Justin Lindine (Windham Mountain Outfitters) in third.  Rickey Visinski, Stanley Lezon (EBCC-Benidorm), and Salvatore Abbruzzese (CRCA) took fourth, fifth and sixth to round out the break members.  The field was led in by Adam St Germain (Apex Technologies), well clear of a close finish between  Jackson Weber (Essex County Velo) for eighth and Aki Sato (Carpe Diem Racing) for ninth.  Matthey Emeott (Bethel Cycle) rounded out the top ten to cap off a strong ride by Bethel.

M40+:
This race, as usual, contained Morgan Stebbins (Target Training), who apparently finds this course to his liking.  His past results reflect this - winner overall of the 40+ for at least the last four years, and winner of virtually all the races he entered in this category.  This makes him a marked man and as usual, there were teams and riders trying to escape him within a few laps of the start.  With Stebbins in the break and willing to drive it, other powerhouse racers also worked hard.  They included the likes of Brian Wirtz (Bethel Cycle), Curtis Easton (Yale University), Stebbin's teammate Scott Bodin, and a familiar name to those around for a while, Tom Officer (Hudson Valley Velodrome).  At the finish, Stebbins finished off the race as usual, rocketing up the hill to take the win.  Easton took second with Wirtz just behind.  Bodin finished fourth, Joe Straub (Skyland Cycling) fifth, and Joseph Regan (Bethel Cycle) sixth.  Rich Foley (Bethel Cycle) and Officer brought up the rear of the strong break.  Behind, two Bethel teammates finished together ahead of the field - William Hudson and Vassos Kyprianou.

Women:
The women's race garnered a lot of comments as there were a lot of women there and conspicuously, a lot of women in the Team Advil-Chapstick outfit.  Looking fit and aggressive, they rode like they looked.  In the end, they swarmed the front of the race.  Emma Nelson won for them, with teammates Heather Labance in second, Julie Ried in fourth, and Diana Panchyk in sixth.  Only two women could break in to the top six - Elisa Gagnon (Unattached) in third and Tania Ayoub (Connecticut Coast Cycling) in fifth.

Juniors:
A small field, partially because a number of Juniors were in the 5 races, took part in the Junior race.  To their credit, they were not afraid of attacking the combined M40/W/Jr field.  In the end, Robert Schmidt (Capital Bicycle Racing Club) took the win, followed by Filip Capala (Unattached).  Cuevas teammates Kyle Foley and Ryan Barlow finished just behind in third and fourth respectively.

4's:
The 4's race was quite aggressive and the tactics displayed could have been used to describe a pro race.  First a flurry of attacks at the start, then a diet of steady attacks, followed by the proverbial flyer.  Gerry Clapper (Benidorm) managed to eke out a 25 second gap or so after a couple attempts to get off the front.  His break lasted till 2 to go when the field, strung out by racers committed in the chase, finally latched on - just like the pros.  After a breather to sort things out, the field went into the last lap full steam.
Curb to curb at the bottom of the hill, the massive headwind killed a lot of hopes as the field narrowed at the line.  Miyashoji.com did extremely well with John-Paul Kaminiski taking the win, Jordan Copeland taking fourth, and Tom Siano in tenth.  Alistaire Clarke (Unattached) took second with Timothy Thayer (Connecticut Coast Cycling) in third.  Douglas McKeon (Cyclenauts) earned fifth with Ian Hughes (Liberty Cycle) in sixth.  Brett Carr (Tokeneke Road Club) finished seventh followed by Richard Magee (Bethel Cycle) and Brian Wood (Target Training).

5's (first race):
It was quite cold at the start of the 5's but a field of almost 40 racers were off for the first race of the Bethel Spring Series.  The chill and the newness of the racing made for some nervous racers.  Some worked too hard, others learned the hard way how important it is to draft.  In the end Bethel Cycle launched one of their riders, Todd Gay, who took the win.  Leading the field in behind him was Jonathan Warchol (Unattached) and Matt Pascale (USI).  Bethel teammate Joe Parker took fourth while
Patrick Cunningham (Benidorm) took fifth.  Richard Patry (Laurel Bicycles) finished off the top six.

5's (second race):
The second five race was dominated by unattached riders, if their licenses are correct.  Someone pick them up!  Shaun Berard won, followed by Chris Hayhurs.  Simon Bennet took third with Bruce McGalliard in fourth.  Chad Dalles finished fifth with Chris Bohannon sixth.  John Ercolani, one of the people who helped sweep and shove the course the day before, took seventh.  Diego Moraiz (Connecticut Coast Cycling) was the first attached rider in eighth, followed by Tokeneke Road Club racer Howard Livingston.  Jay Vincent (Cycle Center) rounded out the top 10.