The US Open Championships racing did not disappoint. CNY man Dan Timmerman of Kodak-Sierra Nevada was in an early breakaway when the weather was at its worst. Perhaps he was so used to riding in the snow that he had to show others how it was done. The Mexican Tecos team was said to be begging other teams for spare warm weather gear. The weather in the Richmond Virginia suburbs was nasty, the cobbled roads of Libby hill and some of the industrial sections of town made it feel like a Belgian Classic race. The Richmond circuit could have been more scenic and some of the roads seems to be in back alleys behind giant industrial buildings.

The action in the race was more about attrition. Several breaks tried their luck without getting much of a gap. Alessandro Bazzano of the Successful Living Team seemed to have good form as he lauched repeated attacks. Henk Vogels and Phil Zajicek were part of a break which did not get more than 18 seconds or so. It seemed that Libby Hill did not spring board escapes as much as anticipated. The switchbacks allowed lead riders to see the chasers just behind giving a psychological boost to the chasers. Eventually Pat McCarty of the Team Slipstream Chipotle team was away solo. He was eventually joined by Canadian toughman Svein Tuft who looks like he could ride through a brick wall. The pair managed to get a nice minute plus gap on a chase group that eventually included Cuban Missle Ivan Dominguez. The Cuban Missle caused a crisis in the break since no one wanted to pull the fastest sprinter in the break to the finish. So the gap to McCarty and Tuft grew until the following break caught back on. The larger group included several Toyota-United men who tried to chase the leading duo. They cut down the gap to around 37 seconds on the final run up Libby Hill. This was just after Tuft launched an attack of attrition to shake the fading McCarty off his wheel. From there on Tuft soloed to the finish line while McCarty was able to stay in second place. The Toyotas botched any chance for Dominguez to get a podium as a Rite Aid rider snatched third place.

The minor controversy of the race was the flower girl who stiffed all the podium placers out of a kiss. She did not know the tradition of the two/three cheek kiss, but Tuft managed to get the two cheek kiss when presented with his flowers.

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

Tour of California – 8 stages
Tour de Georgia – 6 stages
Tour de Toona – 7 stages

It looks like there would be many hinderances to setting up a Tour of US. The main would be geography.

I would be against such an idea as I think the regional one week race aspect has better potential. If more areas begin to setup their own stage races, then that would help cycling in the US in several ways:

1) No reliance on a single race as the focus of all cycling means less problems when a sponsor pulls out or event gets cancelled. The cancelling of the Tour Du Pont in 1996 left a void that was not filled until the Tour De Georgia started up.

2) More one week stage races will keep cycling in the public eye and closer to the spectator. Let’s face it, cycling has a hard time getting on TV. The Tour of California is on ESPN2 at 1am. That shows no respect to cycling at all. Only insomniacs are goint tostumble upon the Tour of California. What the US needs is more racing nearby. Who cares if the race is not on TV if you can see it for yourself? Having more races just helps the cause of cycling in general than seeing a single event on TV. True, Armstrong’s performance at the Tour has helped get lots of folks on two wheels, but that is based on a once in a generation type of individual. We need to sustain cycling interest when there is no figure that transcends sport.

3) Setting up a series of races throughout the year will help the domestic cycling scene. More large races will help develop talent and help the entire US Pro Peloton in general. Sponsorship for teams will be easier to get because there will be more opportunities for exposure.

Just a few ideas to think about. Maybe someone in New York State might want to show off the various terrain and great roads we have to offer by sponsoring a Tour of New York?

“United Pro Cycling Team is a new concept, as far as this sport is concerned,” said team owner and founder Sean Tucker. “Our joint fan membership and sponsorship business model is similar to that of NASCAR and Formula 1 and now brings a new look to cycling as well.”

Structured in a manner similar to the fan-inclusive models of NASCAR and Formula 1, where each team is its own individual brand supported by a strong corporate partner, fans of the team will have the opportunity to develop a long-term relationship and support the team by subscribing for membership. It’s a model currently used by the Basque Euskaltel-Euskadi ProTour squad, and with limited success by the former Flanders-iteamNova.com team. — Velonews

The United Pro Cycling Team is loaded with talent so results should not be a problem. Their roster includes:

USPRO road champion Chris Wherry, reigning national time trial champion Chris Baldwin, Pan Am Games champion Ivan Dominguez, former U.S. Olympian Tony Cruz and four-time Argentinean national champion Juan Jose Haedo. Other key additions include Mariano Friedick, Justin England and Ivan Stevic. Sharing team director responsibilities are Frankie Andreu, a nine-time Tour de France finisher and the U.S. Postal Service director of U.S. racing in 2001-2002, and Harm Jansen, a former Saturn rider and the 2001 USPRO criterium winner. — Velonews

The team will be riding United Bikes which is a company created by the team. The bikes are made of Easton Scandium Tubing.

The new kit is heavy on the stars and stripes theme. Chris Wherry’s US National Champion Jersey does not look that different from the rest of the team’s kit.

Toyota United

Velonews Story

When Mike Jones sends in his taxes, he sends blank forms and includes only a picture of himself, crouched and ready to attack. Mike Jones has not had to pay taxes ever.

To prove it isn’t that big of a deal to beat cancer. Mike Jones smoked 15 cartons of cigarettes a day for 2 years and acquired 7 different kinds of cancer only to rid them from his body by flexing for 30 minutes. Beat that, Lance Armstrong.

Mike Jones sleeps with a night light. Not because Mike Jones is afraid of the dark, but the dark is afraid of Mike Jones.

Mike Jones ordered a Big Mac at Burger King, and got one.

Mike Jones can touch MC Hammer.

A blind man once stepped on Mike Jones shoe. Mike replied, “Don’t you know who I am? I’m Mike Jones!” The mere mention of his name cured this man blindness. Sadly the first, last, and only thing this man ever saw, was a fatal roundhouse delivered by Mike Jones.

Mike Jones has a word for a person he puts into a coma; that word is “lucky”.

As a teen Mike Jones impregnated every nun in a convent tucked away in the hills of Tuscon. Nine months later the nuns gave birth to the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only undefeated and untied team in professional football history. Mike Jones once ate three 72 oz. steaks in one hour. He spent the first 45 minutes having sex with his waitress.

Mike Jones is not hung like a horse… horses are hung like Mike Jones.

Mike Jones appeared in the “Street Fighter II” video game, but was removed by Beta Testers because every button caused him to do a roundhouse kick. When asked bout this “glitch,” Jones replied, “That’s no glitch.”

Achilles was supposedly the greatest warrior of all time, but he died because of his weak spot, the Achilles tendon. There is no Mike Jones tendon.

Oxygen requires Mike Jones to live.

If Mike Jones is late, time better slow the f down.

Mike Jones died ten years ago, but the Grim Reaper can’t get up the courage to tell him.

A Handicap parking sign does not signify that this spot is for handicapped people. It is actually in fact a warning, that the spot belongs to Mike Jones and that you will be handicapped if you park there.

At birth, Mike Jones came out feet first so he could roundhouse kick the doctor in the face. Nobody delivers Mike Jones but Mike Jones.

Mike Jones doesn’t read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.

Mike Jones frequently donates blood to the Red Cross. Just never his own.

http://www.theprosstuff.com/gossip.htm