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Fitness Concepts Capital Cross Classic - C2
Reston, Virginia, USA, December 5, 2004
Lozano and Storm Score Big
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The Verge Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-Cross Championship Series made its final stop of the 2004 season in Lake Fairfax Park in Reston, Virginia. Warm temperatures and a beautiful blue sky made it difficult for riders to believe that it was the first weekend in December.
At the start of the Elite Women's race, everyone was talking about the impending battle between current series leader, Betsy Schauer (Fort/GPOA) and Amber Itle (Yellow Breeches Racing). Itle started the race only four points behind Schauer in the series' ranking and had a good shot at claiming her first Verge title. While everyone was expecting a Schauer/Itle showdown other riders had their own ideas of how the race should play out.
On the first lap, a lead group of five formed that contained Itle, Schauer, Kami Tremblay (LSV), Georgia Gould (Alan Mid-Atlantic) and Mandy Lozano (Easton/Kona/CCA). As the race progressed, Tremblay was the first to lose contact. Lozano and Gould then started to pull away from Schauer and Itle. Itle, who appeared to be riding stronger than Schauer early on, started to struggle to hold contact with Schauer and eventually popped off. With Schauer now riding solo, Lozano and Gould continued to pick up time as the laps counted down. As the lead duo hit the barriers for the final time, Lozano was first back on the bike and threw down an attack heading out to the back part of the course. Gould could not match the effort and Lozano held onto a sixteen-second lead to pick up her first Verge Mid-Atlantic win. Gould rolled in for second and Schauer hung tough to pick up third. Itle finished fourth and Tremblay rounded out the top five. Schauer's finish in front of Itle, even though it was only one spot higher, allowed her to claim her second consecutive Verge Mid-Atlantic Series title.
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In a scenario similar to that of the Elite Women's field, two riders came into the final race of the Elite Men's class in a nail biting battle for the Verge series title. Ryan Leech (Fort/GPOA) had the lead coming into Reston but Greg Marini (Coffeeplusinc.com) was sitting right behind him. Although Marini was sitting in second, there were actually several other riders in the field that mathematically had a chance to wrestle the title away from both Leech and Marini.
Lap one saw the formation of an early lead group that contained Leech, Marini, Jon Hamblen (Fior di Frutta), Ben Turner (TIAA-Cref/Clif Bar), Charlie Storm (Fuji/BTD) and Gunnar Shogren (Fort/GPOA). With Hamblen and Turner driving the group, Leech appeared quite comfortable and had his man Marini marked when all of a sudden Leech had a mechanical. A problem with his chain forced Leech off the bike and as he struggled to fix it, the rest of the group took off. Leech's teammate Shogren immediately went to the front, trying to limit Leech's damage but Turner was having none of that. Turner attacked and blew the group apart. The only rider able to go with him was Storm. Behind Turner and Storm, Marini and Hamblen were together and Shogren was alone. Shogren, realizing his teammate Leech was behind him and that a Verge title was on the line, decided to give his all to help Leech regain contact with the leaders. With Leech attached to his wheel, Shogren buried himself to close the gap to Marini.
Two laps to go saw Turner and Storm still together and the duo of Hamblen and Marini still together. Shogren had wasted himself helping Leech and now Leech was left riding solo in fifth. Shogren had dropped off to sixth. As the leaders got the bell, Storm attacked Turner and got a small gap which he held going into the last set of barriers. As soon as he hit the road, he attacked again and got the gap for good. Storm scored the win and Turner, who animated much of the race, picked up second. Marini and Hamblen crossed the line in a vicious sprint that was won by Hamblen for third. Marini was fourth and Leech finished fifth. Quick calculations by those on the sidelines indicated that Leech had held onto his lead and had wrapped up the Verge Mid-Atlantic Elite series title. Greg Wittwer (cyclocrossworld.com) finished in eight place as the top placed U23 rider.
Other winners of the day include Patrick Ryland (Rad Racing) in the Junior class, Nick Bax (Artemis) in the Junior 10-16 class, Ransom Weaver (Guys Bicycles) in the Masters 35+ class, Randall Root (Snow Valley) in the Masters 45+ class, Eric Roman (Independent Fabrications) in the Men's B field, Heidi Von Teitenberg (Alan Mid-Atlantic) in the Women's B field, Kateland Schlemm (unattached) in the Junior Women's field and Robert Campbell (NCVC/Edge) in the Men's C class.
Photography
Images by Dennis Smith/www.dennisbike.com. Click here for a thumbnhail gallery of these images
- Georgia Gould (Alan) leads the women up the hill for the start
- Neo-Elite Lynda Maldonado (Amorosos) in the mix early on
- Amber Itle (Yellow Breeches) comes round turn for the long downhill
- Betsy Shauer (Fort-GPOA) and Kami Trembley (LSV) battle for inches after barriers
- Georgia Gould (Alan) leads Amber Itle (LSV), Betsy Shauer (Fort) and Mandy Lozano (Easton/Kona)
- Megan Clark (Cycle-Smart) on the barrier run up
- Mandy Lozana (Easton/Kona) Celebrates the win
- Jon Hamblen (Fior di Frutta) and Ben Turner (TIAA-CREF) lead the early selection to the hill
- Charlie Storm (Fuji) follows ben Turner (TIAA-CREF) down the technical descent
- Ben Turner (TIAA-CREF) in full flight
- Ryan Leech (Fort-GPOA) 5th for the day but takes the MAC series overall win - finally!
- Charlie Storm (fuji) atop the Elite Mens podium at Capital Cross Classic
Results
Elite Men 1 Charlie Storm (Fuji/BTD) 57.39 2 Ben Turner (TIAA-CREF/CLIF BAR) 0.24 3 Jon Hamblen (Fior di Frutta) 1.12 4 Greg Marini (COFFEEPLUSINC.COM) 5 Ryan Leech (FORT-GPOA) 2.26 6 Gunnar Shogren (FORT-GPOA !) 3.15 7 Nathan Chown (St.Catharines C.C./Fuji Canada) 3.31 8 Greg Wittwer (Cyclocrossworld.com) 4.15 9 Mike Yozell (fort-gpoa !) 4.40 10 Andrew Wulfkuhle (Alan Mid-Atlantic) 11 Nathan Deibert (Evolution Racing) 12 Jacob Stechmann (Subway-Express) 5.54 13 Joseph Piccillo (Evolution Racing) 6.13 14 Joe Reynolds (Wissahickon) 6.41 15 Weston Schempf (FORT-GPOA!) 6.55 One lap behind 16 Jon Hansen (Richmond Ciclismo/Embestida!) 17 Michael Magur (Vergesport.com) DNF Leslie Leach (Wissahickon) Elite Women 1 Mandy Lozano (Easton/Kona/CCA) 42.57 2 Georgia Gould (Alan Mid-atlantic) 0.16 3 Betsy Schauer (FORT-GPOA!) 0.54 4 Amber Itle (Yellow Breeches Racing) 1.23 5 Kami Tremblay (LSV) 1.45 6 Melissa Maurer (Evolution Racing) 1.58 7 Melanie Swartz (Squadra Coppi / IM Saab) 2.57 8 Lisa Most (Wissahickon) 4.11 9 Megan Clark (Cycle-Smart) 5.42 10 Lynda Maldonado (Amoroso's/Victory Brewing/Tri State Velo) 6.26 11 Lesley Honsberger (St.Catharines C.C.) 7.36 12 Tammy Ebersole (Evolution Racing) UCI Juniors 1 Patrick Ryland (rad racing) 42.21 2 Paul Davis (tripower) 7.46 One lap behind 3 Jason Vantine (trail's end) 4 Nick Divito (trail's end) 5 Jordan Rice (Trails End) Juniors 10-16 1 Nick Bax (artemis) 26.04 2 Michael Garretson (Yellow Breeches Racing) 0.17 3 Morgan Gerlak (LSV/Kelly) 1.50 4 Zach Adams (Yellow Breeches Racing) 3.09 5 James Wittwer (Charlottesville Racing Club) 3.29 6 Brad Quinnan (Evolution Cycling Club) 4.19 7 Robby McElfresh (Yellow Breeches Racing) 6.14 One lap behind 8 Justin Mauch Masters 1 Ransom Weaver (Guys Bicycles) 40.51 2 Randall Root (Team Snow Valley / SIBEX) 0.04 3 Kirk Reisinger (Club Wissahickon) 0.34 4 Martin Jones (somerset wheelmen) 1.09 5 Mike Hebe (FORT-GPOA!) 1.26 6 Fred Wittwer (Charlottesville racing club) 1.30 7 John Lux (First Capital velo) 2.15 8 Roger Masse (All American Bicycles) 2.29 9 Stephen Caffrey (First State Velo Sport) 2.42 10 Rob Frederick (Evolution Racing) 2.55 11 Jim Bronson (LSV/Kelly Racing Team) 2.04 12 Sean McCormick (Colonels Army) 3.07 13 Marc Gwadz (City Bikes) 3.29 14 Mark Laser (Yellow Breeches Racing) 3.33 15 Chris Huhn (Evolution Cycling) 3.34 16 Mike Buchness (Bike Doctor/Bayside Velo) 3.49 17 John Miller (Guys Bicycles) 3.53 18 Albert Greene (Yellow Breeches Racing) 19 Kevin Breckenmaker (Team Harrisburg) 3.54 20 Bob Piacine (Guys Bicycles) 21 Karl Kensinger (ALAN Mid-Atlantic) 5.06 22 Mike Connair (First State Velo Sport) 5.22 23 Brian Poochigian (City Bikes) 5.45 24 Scott Reynolds (Tailwind) 6.36 25 Henry Tremper (First State Velo Sport) 7.03 26 Tony Thompson (Whole Wheel Velo Club) 7.07 27 Rolf Windh (Guy's Racing) 7.14 28 Brad Lang (Team Cobblestone) 7.36 29 Guy Perotti (Snow Valley) 7.43 30 Richard Bauch (Colavita-Bolla Racing) 7.45 31 John McGill (ncvc) 32 Cary Hunter (PVC/A-1) 8.35 33 Donald Morrison (Wissahickon) 9.18 34 Kelly Cline (Wissahickon) 9.38 One lap behind 35 Paolo Torchio (Mirage) 36 Gary Kelly (Yellow Breeches Racing) 37 Nunzio Dibiasi (Team Harrisburg) 38 Mike Jinks (Essex Co Vello) 39 Brian Davenport (Atlantic Cycling) dnf Harry Sherrill (Mt Nittany wheelworks) dnf Jay Downs (FORT-GPOA!) 45+ 1 Randall Root (Team Snow Valley / SIBEX) 40.55 2 Fred Wittwer (Charlottesville racing club) 1.26 3 Rob Frederick (Evolution Racing) 2.51 4 Jim Bronson (LSV/Kelly Racing Team) 2.00 5 Kevin Breckenmaker (Team Harrisburg) 3.50 6 Karl Kensinger (ALAN Mid-Atlantic) 5.02 7 Mike Connair (First State Velo Sport) 5.18 8 Scott Reynolds (Tailwind) 6.32 9 Brad Lang (Team Cobblestone) 7.32 10 Richard Bauch (Colavita-Bolla Racing) 7.41 11 Cary Hunter (PVC/A-1) 8.31 12 Donald Morrison (Wissahickon) 9.14 One lap behind 13 Gary Kelly (Yellow Breeches Racing) 14 Nunzio Dibiasi (Team Harrisburg) Men B 1 Eric Roman (IF) 39.16 2 James W. Wagner (No Club) 0.09 3 Patrick Cusack (Rockville Harley-Davidson/Bicycle Pro Shop) 0.43 4 Chris Mayhew (FORT-GPOA !) 1.10 5 Brent Biddle (FSVS) 1.28 6 Evan Ellicott (City Bikes) 1.33 7 Adam Szczepanski (Yellow Breeches Racing) 1.57 8 Eric Ragot (Kissena Cycling Club) 2.07 9 Girts Gibietis 2.08 10 Todd Pittman (unattached) 2.21 11 Andres Wright (AABC) 2.23 12 Brad Kirley (speedgoat) 2.37 13 Chip Hoover (NCVC/Edge Technologies) 2.38 14 Elliot McAllister (Ardmore Bike Line) 2.39 15 John McKenna 2.46 16 Chris Nystrom (LSV/Kelly) 3.11 17 John Hostetter Iii (ALAN Mid-Atlantic) 18 Christopher Johnson (Nittany Velo Club) 3.47 19 Wade Hess (team beacon) 4.19 20 Hawker Dawes (Mapei-Team Diabetic) 4.23 21 Sean Pfaff (LSV/Kelly) 22 James Revere (Team Cobblestone) 4.29 23 David Lowe (Ardmore Bike Line) 4.34 24 Dusty Labarr (The Elephants Perch, Hammer Gel) 4.48 25 Steve Fife (Route 1 Velo) 5.12 26 Jeff Guy (FORT-GPOA !) 5.56 27 Marco Fanari 6.05 28 Eric Morgan (Wissahickon) 6.14 29 Gregory Thomas (Bicycle Pro Shop) 6.22 30 Nate Seymour (PVC/A-1) 6.23 31 Michael Hicks (University of Delaware Cycling Team) 6.24 32 Chris Evans (Wissahickon) 6.48 33 Matt Michael (squincher) 6.51 34 Rob Campbell (NCVC/Edge Technologies) 6.52 35 John Linvill (Main Line CC) 7.03 36 Jay Downs (FORT-GPOA !) 7.18 37 Darren Crupi (Heart Of New England/Peerless) 7.27 38 Michael Hosany (tripower) 7.34 39 Chris Cusack (M Street Racing) 7.41 40 Kevin McCarthy 8.14 41 George Milinkovic 8.55 42 Greg Troyer (north hills velo) 9.30 43 Michael Babcock (Yellow Breeches Racing) 9.31 44 Chris Harshman (LSV/Kelly) 9.58 One lap behind 45 Kevin Horvath (tripower) 46 Ray Ignosh (Gotham Cyclists) 47 Ed Fisher (ShoreVelocity) 48 Brad Quinnan (evolution) 49 Abby Raymond (Route 1 Velo) DNF Alvaro Arnal (Ardmore Bike Line) DNF Brad Devries (Squadra Coppi/IM Saab) DNF Geoff Beaty (WWVC) Women B/Junior 1 Heidi Von Teitenberg (Alan/MidAtlantic) 29.01 2 Marilyn Galegher (first capital velo) 0.48 3 Tracy Lea (fuji) 2.14 4 Karen Tourian (Club Wissahickon) 5 Pamela Zimmerman (James River Velo Sport) 3.33 6 Kateland Schlemm 3.45 7 Susan Revere (cobblestone) 4.09 8 Nina Santiago (Liberty Cycle) 6.01 9 Marisa Peacock (PVC) 7.08 One lap behind 10 Amber Bobb (yellow breeches) 11 Beatrice Newbury (more) Junior women 1 Kateland Schlemm 32.46 2 Nina Santiago (Liberty Cycle) 2.16 3 Amber Bobb (yellow breeches) Men C 1 Robert Campbell (ncvc/edge) 25.39 2 Steven Dontigny (Evolution Cycling/Pedal N Spoke) 0.22 3 Marco Fanari 1.19 4 Scott Thompson (Squadra Coppi/IM Saab) 1.25 5 Bernard McDonald (LSV/Kelly) 1.57 6 Seth Turn (lantern Rouge) 2.00 7 Mark Kerlin (evolution) 2.01 8 Moonyong Park (Charlottesville Racing Club) 9 Joe Foley (City Bikes) 2.16 10 Kevin Dillon (ncvc/edge) 11 Larry Von Moss 2.26 12 Syd Lea (Fuji Racing T.E.A.M.) 2.35 13 Mark Drajem 2.38 14 Bernard Harmon 15 Joseph Pelz (andante bikes) 3.01 16 Jamie Debuque (Evolution Racing) 3.02 17 Art Mitchell (Squadra Coppi) 3.03 18 Thor Engblom 3.08 19 Roderick Schlemm 3.09 20 Geoff Beaty (wwvc) 3.11 21 Rob Lea (Fuji Racing T.E.A.M.) 3.15 22 Ron Hermann (Lateral Stress Velo) 3.17 23 Yoav Gery 3.30 24 Andrew Satinsky (Organ Donors) 3.59 25 Ronne Irvine (Fuji Racing T.E.A.M.) 4.10 26 Larry Mauch 4.28 27 Emerson Loustav (Organ Donors) 4.33 28 Thom Moore 4.34 29 Michael Schneider 4.45 30 Todd Chewning (LSV/Kelly) 4.54 31 David Jones (ncvc/edge) 4.55 32 Abby Raymond (Route 1 Velo) 5.10 33 John Nusbaum 5.44 34 Paul Depenning (CSH Racing) 6.07 35 Eric Ciccoretti 6.15 36 Patrick Phillips 6.36 37 Carlos Castro 6.53 38 Rodges Ankrah (Route 1 Velo) 7.02 39 Dave Herring 7.28 40 Cesar Picco (Route 1 Velo) 7.50 41 Mike Whitman (TEAM Fuji) 9.31 42 Brian Goldsten (Bike Lane) 10.49 43 David Givens 13.01 One lap behind 44 Jim Dowell 45 Daniel Bissel DNF Richard Bilson DNF Benjamin Weiner (Team Santa Cruz) DNF Wm Cusmano (squadra coppi)
