Velochimp: Astrochimp on Cycling

In very wet conditions, competition is fierce on 6-corner Thater course
By Matt Howey

Hilton Clarke (Navigators) Salutes Victory at Chris Thater

Binghamton, NY (August 27, 2006) – In pouring rain and cooler temperatures, many of the United States’ brightest cycling stars stood at attention as the national anthem was played in anticipation for the start of the men’s professional race at the 2006 Chris Thater Memorial Criterium. The race, in its 23rd edition, is held on a tough and semi-technical 1.2 mile course around Binghamton’s Recreation Park. With a short climb, substantial prize money (to the tune of $20,000 for the pros alone), and a stop on the national racing calendar, the Chris Thater Criterium has become known as one of the toughest events of the year to win.

Brandon Chricton (Symmetrics) Took 25% of Available Primes

In the early going, a group of three riders including Brandon Chricton (Symmetrics Cycling), Hilton Clarke (Navigators), and Scott Zwizanski (Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada) ventured off the front of the pack and very quickly built a sizeable lead of over 30 seconds with 30 laps to go in this 40-lap, 50 mile race. They were soon joined by three others: David Frattini (Colavita/Sutter Home), Chris Jones (Navigators), and Ciaran Power (Navigators). The six continued building their lead to over a minute by 24 laps to go.

Walters Chasing

With the announcers, Joe Saling and Mike Tacci, rattling off $100 primes every couple laps, Brandon Chricton was up in the breakaway making some cash as he took 25% of the available primes and snatched up $500 from his breakaway companions. “Chricton, from Ontario Canada, will surely figure out a way to spend those US Dollars”, Saling announced over the loudspeakers.

Zwizanski was Prominent in theDays Big Breakaway

When asked after the race what he thought about winning $500 in primes, Chricton said, “Pretty good, to come out here at a big money crit like this, you take what you can get, right? In a break like that, most of the guys are pretty good. We pretty much knew who was going to take a prime coming through there. There wasn’t too much competition coming through for the primes, so you know, you just judge it. They were letting everyone take some primes. It was pretty good, nice little payday.”

Chricton continued, “I saw Hilton go just two laps into the race. He’s on fire the past month now, winning races all over the place. You don’t let a guy like that go away alone, especially with the rain. You’re going to go faster with two or three guys than you are with a big pack.”

Behind, Mark McCormack (Colavita/Sutter Home) and Mark Walters (Navigators), both former Chris Thater victors, had leapt out of the field in hot-pursuit of the leading six. Although they were cutting into the leading six’s lead, which was closing in on a minute-and-a-half by the time they started their pursuit, it was doubtful that they would actually make the junction. Ahead, Zwizanski was putting the hammer down to make sure that the Colavita and Navigator riders in his front group didn’t slow up and wait for the two big Mark’s (McCormack and Walters) to catch up.

Walters and McCormack SpentSome Time in No-Man’s Land Before Lunging for the Line

In the final 6 laps, the pace quickened with the main field starting to splinter under the pressure of small groups trying to jump off the front, and perhaps join McCormack and Walters, who appeared to be racing for 7th in no-man’s land half-way between the pack and the six-strong break. With the breakaway group a solid minute ahead of them and less than 10 miles to race, the duo’s lead over the main field had grown to about a minute, negating any attempts to join them.

Eneas Freyre (Targetraining), who finished 14th, said this about the final 5 laps, “Splits were happening left, right and center. I really love this race because in the end, during the last 5 laps of this race, it becomes a lot of fun. Only the strong guys are around in the end.” Freyre’s Targettraining teammate, Chris Jones, made the break and finished 5th on the day.

Scott Zwizanski (Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada) brought home second place and commented about his strategy in the final laps of the race, “I definitely wanted it to be broken-up. We probably started a little late, but we started attacking with around six laps to go. I think we went all-out up the hill every time. Navigators obviously wanted a sprint, they had a couple guys and Hilton is a good sprinter. They were trying to hold it together. Most of the rest of us wanted to be away from the Navigators. This made the last five laps pretty tough because half of us wanted to solo in, and half of us wanted to sprint.”

After all this hard racing in rain, that at times was monsoon-like, it was the Aussie, Hilton Clarke, who took the final victory. Clarke said, “The pace was really hot. I’ve had some good success of late sitting in a bit and winning some races. Today, because of the conditions, there was no way I could sit-in so I went on the offensive straight-away and really made it hard on myself, but I got the win. It was a really hard win, but in the end I took it easy in the finish.”

Clarke, talking about his success from the break, said, “That was me that started the original break. I was on the attack from the word ‘go’. I was happy when the other three riders joined because my teammate Ciaran Power was there with me and he rode perfect for me. He covered everything, I did nothing all the way to the finish, he took me to the line, and I won easy.”

Italian, David Frattini took the final podium position in third place just ahead of Chricton and Chris Jones (Navigators). Clarke’s workhorse, Ciaran Power (Navigators), brought up the rear of the breakaway in sixth. Former Thater winners, McCormack and Walters came in 7th and 8th between the field and the break. Another Navigator, Ben Brooks brought home the sprint from a field that had been blown apart in the final laps. Jackson Stuart (KodakGallery.com/Sierra Nevada), who had to pit for a mechanical early in the race (35 to go), managed to round out the top-10.

Winner Clarke heads to Belgium to face the Europeans, taking with him some good form, while second-place Zwizanski plans to head out to the US Professional road and time trial national championships this coming weekend.

Final Results – Men’s Pro/1/2
Chris Thater Memorial Criterium, Binghamton, NY

1 Clarke Hilton Navigators
2 Zwizanski Scott Kodakgallery/Sierra Nevada
3 Frattini David Colavita/Sutter Home
4 Crichton Brandon Symmetrics Cycling
5 Jones Chris Targetraining
6 Power Ciaran Navigators
7 McCormack Mark Colavita/Sutter Home
8 Walters Mark Navigators
9 Brooks Ben Navigators
10 Stewart Jackson Kodakgallery/Sierra Nevada
11 Roth Ryan Team R.A.C.E.
12 Gilbert Martin Kodakgallery/Sierra Nevada
13 Abraham Emile AEG-Toshiba-JetNetworks
14 Freyre Eneas Targetraining
15 Beers Mike Rite Aid Pro Cycling
16 Fillion Aaron Ottawa Bicycle Club
17 Hollenbach Jake CCB/Volkswagon
18 Davidenko Vassili Navigators
19 Camponogara Siro Navigators
20 Menzies Karl Healthnet/Maxxis
21 Acton Alejandro Targetraining
22 Myerson Adam Nerac/Outdoorlights.com
23 Kincaid Stephan Meredith Group/GPOA
24 Walsh Patrick CCB/Volkswagon
25 Miller Buck Team FiordiFrutta
26 Wiswell David CRCA/Sakonnet Tech
27 Sanowar Peter Ital Pasta
28 Richter Dave Ital Pasta
29 Brumble Amos CCB/VW
30 Dewald Ryan Rite Aid Pro Cycling
31 Castro Gerardo Natures Path/Fuji
32 McMaster Derek Ital Pasta
33 Epstein Gavriel GS Mengoni USA
34 Wren Tyler Colavita/Sutter Home
35 Johnson Kenneth M Street Racing
36 Bakker Osmond The Cyclery
37 Norton Michael Nerac/Outdoorlights.com
38 Quintero Lisban GS Mengoni
39 Blanco Alberto GS Mengoni
40 Devil Shaun Panda Cycling Club
41 Perras Dominic Kodakgallery/Sierra Nevada
42 Guse Matt Team R.A.C.E.
43 Cody Michael Team FiordiFrutta
44 Gaunt Elliot High Gear