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Kelly Benefits Strategies Cyclo-cross at Rockburn - NE
Elkridge, Maryland, USA, November 2, 2008
Shogren and Wulfkuhle win tactical battles in Maryland
Clear skies and a revised course layout greeted a large field of racers to the second edition of the Kelly Benefits Strategies Cyclo-cross at Rockburn. And while the weather was an improvement from last year's inaugural edition, it was the revised 3.3 km course that drew rave reviews, with many elite riders commenting that it was their favorite course of the year. With a long climb and sections of wooded trail interspersed with typical east-coast technical sections, the course favored no particular kind of rider and lent itself to tactical racing.
In the Women's race, a three-woman break developed almost from the gun. Defending race champion Betsy Shogren (SoBe/Cannondale), Melanie Swartz (Velo Bella / Kona) and perpetual contender Arley Kemmer (Hub Racing) pulled away decisively and left no doubt that the winner would come from that group. Melanie Swartz, who had won the previous day's MAC Powered by SRAM race by patiently riding third wheel, was the early animator.
All three riders swapped the lead, but Shogren clearly had a preference to stay out front and run her own lines and both Kemmer and Swartz were content to let her. Kemmer attacked out of the sand pit, but the move was quickly covered and the three rode as one toward the finish.
Just before the bell, Kemmer crashed when she slid out her front wheel. She recovered quickly, but the 30 meter gap with one lap to go made it a match sprint between Swartz and Shogren.
One lap later, Shogren led-out the sprint and won from the front, but the race had probably been won a kilometer earlier and out of sight. "I wanted to attack on the long downhill," explained Swartz afterward, "but there was a lapped rider there and it was too sketchy to try to pass her like that." Swartz was actually making ground on race-winner Shogren, "but I ran out of gear."
Like the Women, the Men's race came down to a three-rider break and lapped traffic. But there was considerably more drama along the way. Greg Wittwer and Jeff Buckles of ALAN pushed the early pace along with Chris Consoto (Secret Henry's Racing Team).
Wittwer won the first-lap preme, but it took until the middle of the second lap for the first selection to be made as eight riders separated off the front with several more trying to bridge the gap. One rider who did not make it into the break was ‘cross legend Jonny Sundt (Kelly Benefits Strategies/Medifast Pro Team).
Up front, the pace was relentless and the formation of the lead group was ever-changing. There were no attacks in the road racing tradition, just a large group in which everyone was on the rivet and trying not to over-ride the technical sections. Eventually, Consoto cracked and Michael Mihalik (Beaver Valley Velo) surged. Meanwhile, Sundt was surging through the field.
It wasn't until Wittwer pulled his cleat out of his right shoe, leaving it imbedded in his egg-beater pedal, that the personality of the race fully emerged as team C3-Sollay.com and former BikeReg.com MABRAcross champion Sean Galegher (Hunt Valley Bicycles / Marathon Roofing) asserted themselves.
C3-Sollay.com teammates Mike Gallagher and Andy Wulfkuhle, wearing the team's special Halloween edition "Karate Kids Fist of Death" skinsuits, tag-teamed Hunt Valley's Galegher. C3's Mike Gallagher was finally able to put in an attack that stuck, leaving Hunt Valley's Galegher in a conundrum as he wanted to get back to the lead, but he didn't want his adversary's teammate, Wulfkuhle, to get a free ride.
The Hunt Valley rider attacked Wulfkuhle out of the sand pit, starting a long chase by Wulfkuhle to come back. Meanwhile, Sundt was now up to fourth place and appeared to be closing.
On the final, the top three all came back together before the C3-Sollay.com duo gapped Hunt Valley's Sean Galegher. Heading into one of the final turns, C3's Mike Gallagher ran into a lapped rider and crashed. Realizing his teammate Wulfkuhle was still in position to take the win, he yelled "Go! Go!" Wulfkuhle went, Gallagher recovered in time to preserve a 1-2 finish for the karate kids, and a totally spent Sean Galegher held on for third with a thirty second gap over Sundt.
After the race, Wulfkuhle revealed that the tone of the race had been set before the end of the short prologue loop that started the race. "When we saw that Jonny Sundt wasn't there, we just went for it," he said. When asked if "we" meant he and his teammate Mike Gallagher, Wulfkuhle laughed, "Me, Mike, Sean, Greg and everyone. We all knew who we didn't want up there!"
Results
Elite Cat 1/2/3 Men 1 Andrew Wulfkuhle (C3-Sollay.com) 2 Michael Gallagher (C3-SOLLAY.COM) 3 Sean Galegher (Hunt Valley Bicycles/Marathon Roofing) 4 Jonny Sundt (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast Pro Cycling) 5 Jeff Buckles (ALAN) 6 Michael Mihalik (Beaver Valley Velo) 7 Greg Wittwer (ALAN North America Cycling Team) 8 Christopher Consoto (Henry's Secret Team) 9 Mason Hatmes (Altir Cycling Team) 10 Brian Fouche (AVC/Team Hagerstown-Washington Co) 11 Dave Fuentes (Betty Cycles Harley Davidson) 12 Andrew Mckeegan (Kelly Benefit Strategies/LSV Amateur Cycling) 13 Steven Black (National Capital Velo Club/Inova Health) 14 Taylor Jones (Inland Construction/BTD) 15 Brett Kielick (Drexel Cycling) 16 Dan Tille (Fulcrum Coaching) Todd Hesel (Hunt Valley Bicycles/Marathon Roofing) Dave Weaver (ALAN N. America Cycling Team) Joseph Dombrowski (Haymarket Bicycles p/b Function Drinks) John Brewer (Haymarket Bicycles p/b Function Drinks) Michael Davis (Bike Doctor) Stuart Louder (ALAN North America Cycling) Adam Driscoll (Adventures For the Cure) Evan Faber (Batley Harley Davidson) Alex Driscoll (Adventures For the Cure) Elite Cat 1/2/3 Women 1 Betsy Shogren (Sobe/Cannondale) 2 Melanie Swartz 3 Arley Kemmer (Hub) 4 Cheryl Sornson (Trek VW/East Coast) 5 Julie Kuliecza (ALAN North America Cycling) 6 Jennifer Maxwell (team kenda tire) 7 Terri Spanogle (NCVC/Inova Health System) 8 Elizabeth Harlow (C3-Sollay.com) 9 Kristina Adams (All American Bicycle Center) 10 Diane Grim (C3-Sollay.com) 11 Mari Harlu (Team Kenda Tire) Sarah Caravella (ALAN North America Cycling) Masters Cat 1/2/3 Men 35+/45+ 1 Gunner Shogrun 2 Kristopher Auer (C3-Sollay.Com) 3 Michael Kolb (C3-Sollay.com) 4 5 Randall Root (Evolution Cycling Club) 6 Michael Birner (Ben's Performance Bikes/BMC) 7 Bernie Shiao (Kelly Benefit Strategies/LSV Amateur Cycling) 8 Chris Nystrom (C3-Sollay.com !) 9 Marc Vettori (C3-Sollay.com !) 10 Sean Mealey (Hunt Valley Bicycles/Marathon Roofing) 11 Roger Masse (Trek/VW East) 12 Michael Runnals (Human Zoom/PBR) 13 Chris Newell (Sublime Athletics Velo) 14 15 Marc Gwadz (DCMTB/City Bikes) 16 Ron Huebner (Potomac Velo Club) 17 Rodger Carter (Kelly Benefit Strategies/LSV Amateur Racing) 18 Judd Milne (Squadra Coppi/IM Saab) 19 James W. Wagner 20 Chris Mcgill (WV29er/CANNONDALE MTB TEAM) 21 Shawn Downing (Chesapeake Wheelmen/King Pawn) 22 Karl Connolly (Kelly Benefit Strategies/LSV) 23 Christopher Clarke (DCMTB/CityBikes) 24 Jonathan Houghton 25 Cameron Holland (JRVS/Casey Auto Group) 26 Anthony Van Lierop (Hunt Valley Bicycles-Marathon Roofing/HVB) 27 Barry Holman (Team Fuji) 28 Karl Kensinger (NCVC/Inova Health System) 29 Fred Wittwer (Van Dessel Factory Team) 30 Michael Buchness (PedalShop) 31 Albert Greene (Yellow Breeches Racing) 32 33 Erik Leaver (NCVC/Inova Health System) 34 35 Keith Rohr (Adventures for the Cure) 36 37 Jay Downs (Fort Factory Team/Wvu Healthcare) 38 Peter Czapiewski (AMVC/DND Inc) 39 40 James Saunders (Route 1 Velo/Arrow Bicycles) Michael Davis (Bike Doctor) Scott Paisley (Monticello Velo Club/Blue Wheel Bikes) Chad Culbertson (Guy's Racing) Dave Fuentes (Battley Harley Davidson pb Van Dessel) Cat 4 Men 1 Paul Rades (Artemis) 2 Patrick Blair (Adventures For The Cure) 3 Ryan Douglas (Route 1 Velo/Capitol Hill Bikes) 4 James Kralec (Team BBC) 5 Allan Wallace (Kelly Benefit Strategies/LSV Amateur Cycling) 6 Matt Carroll (Evolution Cycling) 7 Jay Morali (C3/Sollay) 8 Gregoire Faber (NCVC/Inova Health System) 9 Zachary Rogers (GP Velotek) 10 John Glodek (NCVC/Inova Health System/Twin Six) 11 Chris Carraway (North Carolina State University) 12 Craig Grube (Bayside Velo / Bike Doctor) 13 Michael Giancoli (Hup United) 14 Geoffrey Frost (Team BBC) 15 David Battan (Squadra Coppi/IM SAAB) 16 Scott Cernich (Route 1 Velo/Arrow Bicycle) 17 Paul Bayne (LSV/Kell) 18 Thori Wolfe 19 Christopher Price (CRCA/South Africa.net) 20 Scott Stahl (SEAVS RACING) 21 Elliott Caldwell 22 John Scott (Team BBC) 23 Brian Schmierer 24 Jason Pearlman (The Bike Rack) 24 Timothy Phillips (Team BBC) 25 Micah Smith (Cumberland Transit) 26 John Heywood (1412 Velo Club) 27 Eric Bae (Kelly Benefit Strategies/LSV Amateur Cycling) 28 Todd Gue (dhbd /bicycle place velo) 29 Douglas Owens (NCVC/Inova Health System) 30 Danny Koniowsky 31 Bill Wheeler 32 Arthur Mitchell (Squadra Coppi / IM Saab) 33 James Carlisle (Battlefield Velo) 34 John Ludicke 35 Adam Lewandowski (The Bike Lane) 36 Gary Sterner 37 Chris Adair (ABRT/latitude) 38 Conor O'brien (Bicycle Place Velo Club -- BPVC) 39 Brown Sharp Ii 40 Greg Capelle 41 Joshua Nadas (Proteus) 42 Lyal Tressler 43 Jason Kamps (C3/Sollay) 44 Glenn Humphrey 45 Rick Webb (Baltimore Bush Doctors) 46 Sean Price (Chesapeake Wheelmen/King Pawn) 47 Tchad Moore (Bicycle Place Velo Club (BPVC)) 48 Brian Archer 49 Rodges Ankrah (Route 1 Velo /Capitol Hill Bicycles) 50 Joseph Ventosa (proteus bicycles) 51 Craig Wharton (Family Bike Shop) 52 Christopher Barnes (baltimore bush doctors) 53 Gary Hugles 54 Bill Davis (Potomac Velo Club) 55 Jonathan Ivins (Squadra Coppi/IM Saab) 56 Anthony So 57 Mathew Gayford (Team Slow) 58 Matt Baker 59 Josh Cohen 60 Andres Correal (Team BBC) 61 Stephen Gualano 62 Leon Chou (Prince William Elite Racing) 63 James Briggs 64 Rick Mellendick 65 Paul Herdener 66 Eric Wills (Baltimore Bush Doctors) 67 Michael Caputi (Adventures for the Cure) Mike Krawczel (Artemis) Timothy Paul (Battlefield Velo) James Kline (Artemis) Henry Schlitzer (Whole Wheel Velo) Craig Daly Thom Moore (Potomac Velo/Bike Lane) Colin Fergus (Adventures For the Cure) Keith Esham (Team Army) Sean Eustis (Proteus) Michael Tonkinson (Alta Velo) Masters Men Cat 3/4 35+ 45+ 1 Joe Lillibridge (Kelly Benefit Strategies/LSV Amateur Cycling) 2 Chris Huhn (Evolution Cycling) 3 Paul Wahner (DrWahner.com) 4 Jonathan Seibold (Family Bike Shop) 5 David Blodgett (All American Bicycle Club) 6 Peter Jensen (Lattitude/ABRT) 7 Johnny May (C3-Sollay.com!!) 8 Chip Lortz (kelly benefit strategies/lsv amateur racing) 9 Frederick Klenk (Evolution Racing) 10 James Revere (Altius Cycling Team) 11 David Kay (Clean Currents p/b Don Beyer Volvo) 12 Norman Kreiselmeier (Team Army) 13 Chris Macon (Kelly Benefits/LSV) 14 Michael Beshore 15 Norman Brach (C3-Sollay.com) 16 James Johnson (Battlefield Velo) 17 Raul Rojas (DC MTB/City Bikes) 18 George Schulz (Evolution Cycling/Better Termite) 19 John Rogers (Clean Currents p/b Don Beyer Volvo) 20 David Troop (First State Velo Sport) 21 Ken Woodrow (Squadra Coppi/IM Saab) 22 Marc Frazer (Kelly Benefit Strategies/LSV Amatuer Racing) 23 Phil Smith 24 Eric Sloman (NCVC/Inova Health System) 25 Thor Engblom (NCVC/Inova Health System) 26 Aaron Hofelt 27 Bryan Billington (Racing Union) 28 William Schieken (Unattached) 29 Mike Heffernan (Latitude/ABRT) 30 Todd Bickling (Bike Doctor/Bayside Velo) 31 Joseph Kotun (Evolution Cycling) 32 Thori Wolfe 33 Sapp Neal (Ben's Performance Bikes / Jamis SuperNova) 34 Robert Bradley (Lanterne) 35 Chris Zangmeister (All American Bicycle Club) 36 Chris Schaefer (Yellow Breeches Racing) 37 David Tambeaux (Adventures for the Cure) 38 Mark Drajem (DCMTB/City Bikes) 39 Bill Okeefe (C3-Sollay.com) 41 Matthew O'byrne 42 Mark Wanco (HUP United) 43 James Carlisle (Battlefield Velo) 44 Michael Mathias (DCMTB/Citybikes) 45 Michael Zoeller (RacerHeads SLC) 46 Trevor Miller (Family Bike Shop) 47 Rodney Williams (C3 - Sollay) 48 Dave Vannier (DCMTB/City Bikes) 49 Ronne Irvine (T.E.A.M. Fuji) 50 Jim Klender (AdventuresfortheCure/TMR) 51 Michael Taylor (Yellow Breeches Racing) 52 Mark Stahl (SEAVS Racing) 53 Carlos Gonzales (All American Bicycle Club) 54 Alexander Meller (Latitude/ABRT) 56 Dave Baumgardner (Tri State Velo) 57 Paul Patarini 59 Conor O'brien (Bicycle Place Velo Club -- BPVC) 60 James Mcneely (Squadra Coppi) 61 Damien Clark (Clark Custom Cycles) 62 Joseph Ventosa (proteus bicycles) 63 Randall Nixon (Chesapeake Wheelmen) 65 Gary Kelley (Bean's Bikes) 66 Tim Johnson (Vertigo Cycles) 67 J.r. Petsko (Cannondale WV 29er's) 69 Todd Gue (dhbd /bicycle place velo) Patrick Cusack (Silver Cycles) Scott Thompson (Squadra Coppi/IM Saab) Jeff Anderson (HPC/List) Joseph Traill (C3-Sollay.com) Michael West (adventuresforthecure/tmr) Jason Trust (NCVC/Inova Health System) Darren Bernard (Haymarket Bicycles p/b Function Drinks) William Browne (Bike Doctor/Bayside Velo) Daniel Gilman (Squadra Coppi/IM SAAB) Steve Klose (Adventures for the Cure) Mike Zaloudek (Adventures For The Cure) Robert Bradley (Lanterne) James Mcneely (Squadra Coppi) Dave Baumgardner (Tri State Velo) Carlos Gonzales (All American Bicycle Club) Chris Schuerwer (Yellow Breeches Racing) Masters Cat 1/2/3/4 Men 55+ 1 Nunzio Dibiasi (Yellow Breeches Racing) 2 Rob Lea (T.E.A.M FUJI) 3 James Carlson (Potomac Velo Club) 4 James Wagner (Clean Currents p/b Don Beyer Volvo) 5 Frank Krawjel Category 3/4 Men 1 Alex Driscoll (Adventures For the Cure) 2 Ian Mathias (Hunt Valley Bicycles / Marathon Roofing) 3 Mark Broadwater (C3-Sollay.com) 4 Matt Parse (Route 1 Velo / Capitol Hill Bikes) 5 Evan Fader (Battley Harley Davidson pb Van Dessel) 6 Matt Spohn (Dynaflo) 7 Stuart Louder (ALAN North America Cycling) 8 Luke Sandusky 9 Steve Fife (Bike Doctor) 10 Andrew Troy (Virginia Commonwealth University) 11 Matthew Panas (Adventures for the Cure) 12 John Hostetter Iii (C3-Sollay.com) 13 Jim Mudd (Hunt Valley Bicycles/Marathon Roofing) 14 Charly Hermanson (Kelly Benefits Strategies/LSV Amateur Cycling) 15 Sam Okeefe (C3-Sollay.com) 16 Peter Kennedy (C3-Sollay.com) 17 Alex Monte-Sano 18 Trevor Shattuck (Hunt Valley Bicycles/Marathon Roofing) 19 Matthew Donahue (DCMTB/City Bikes) 20 Ryan Bannon (The Bike Lane) 21 Joseph Ashman 22 William Kanteres (RIV) 23 Andrew Chamberlin 24 George Milinkovic (Squadra Coppi/IM Saab) 25 Judd Walencikowski (Bike Doctor) 26 Stephen Wahl (AVC/ Team Hagerstown-Washington Co) 27 Matthew Hennessy (Team BBC) 28 Andrew Welch (Squadra Coppi/IM Saab) 29 Christopher Price (CRCA/South Africa.net) 30 Colin Fergus (Adventures for the Cure) 31 Jonathan Foley (DCMTB/City Bikes) 32 Ryan Hards (C-3) 33 Shaun O'bryan (Proteus Bicycles) 34 Creedence Shaw (On The Couch) 35 Phil Smith 36 Peter Henry (Team Carytown Bicycle Company) 37 Mark Wigfield (DCMTB?City Bikes) 38 Stephen Riskus (AABC) 39 Ryan Douglas (Route 1 Velo/Capitol Hill Bikes) 40 Scott Cernich (Route 1 Velo/Arrow Bicycle) 41 Ryan Newill (Squadra Coppi/IM Saab) 42 Adam Driscoll (Adventures For the Cure) 43 Michael Scardaville (DCMTB/City Bikes) 44 John Kamenick (evolution cycling) 45 Syd Lea (T.E.A.M. FUJI) 46 Richard Zachary (NCVC) 47 Ryan Dudek (Racing Union) 48 Benjamin Bassett (Proteus Bicycles) 49 Patrick Blair (Adventures for the Cure) 50 Jonathan Moncton 51 JOhn Rohrer (Kelly Benefit) 52 Matthew Brancheau (Kelly Benefit Strategies/LSV Amateur Cycling) 54 David Mal (Kovarus) 55 Greg Mazur 56 Bill Blondford 57 James Carlson (Potomac Velo Club) 58 Warren Chambers 59 Sean Yeager (Altius Cycling Team) Rob Campbell (NCVC/Inova Health System) Steven Kendall (NCVC/Inova Health System) Bradley Kendall (NCVC/Inova Health System) John Bavier (The Bike Rack) Darren Biggs (DCMTB\City Bikes) Stephen Gualano Read Porter Nathan Chenenno MABRA Juniors 18 & Under 1 Steven Black (National Capital Velo Club/Inova Health) 2 Jimmy Klose (Adventures for the Cure) 3 Charles Lortz Iii (Kelly Benefits Strategies/LSV) 4 Justin Mauch (NCVC) 5 Lars Tambeaux (Adventures for the Cure) Wilson Hale (JRVS/Casey Auto group) Cameron Thoma Category 3/4 Women 1 Jessica Gallagher (C3 Sollay .com) 2 Jean Colsant (Squadra Coppi) 3 Lindsay Bayer (Potomac Velo) 4 Lindsey Hillesheim (Squadra Coppi/IM Saab) 5 Allyson Tufano 6 Lynda Artusio 7 Angela Vavasori (Hunt Valley Bicycles) 8 Kathleen Wulfkuhle (C3-Sollay.com) 9 Cynthia Anderson (AMVC/DND Inc.) 10 Mary Alex 11 Kay Tsui (HPC/LIST) 12 Christine Wehbure (NCVC) 13 Tracy Lea (T.E.A.M. FUJI) 14 Doron Petersan (C-3 Sollay) 15 Lindsay Dugovich (Hunt Valley Bicycles) 16 Cathy Large (YBR) 17 Rebecca Frederick (Kelly Benefit Strategies/LSV Amateur Cycling) 18 Mary Zadnik Newell (Sublime Athletics Velo) 19 Ashley Hudson (Feedback Sports) 20 Ellen Kessell (Artemis) 21 Denise Clearwater Madeline West (AdventureForTheCure/TMR) Kathrin Schumacher (Guy's Racing) Christine Williamson (Rostello presented by Fiorucci/Cycor) Heather Ross (The Bike Rack) Noelle Schlegel Christina Huebner (Potomac Velo Club) Jennifer Franko (Proteus Bicycles) Lisa Kilday (DC Triathlon Club) Nicole Shue (Velo Bella-Kona) Juniors 16 and Under 1 Jimmy Klose (Adventures for the Cure) 2 Justin Mauch 3 Max Byer (Artemis) 4 Noah Bell (RacerHeads SLC) 5 James Lortz 6 Holden Rohr (Adventures for the Cure) 7 Jake Thompson (Squadra Coppi/IM Saab) 8 Tommy Klose (Adventures for the Cure) 9 Ethan Revere (Altius Cycling Team) 10 Daniel Bell 11 Avy Rohr (Adventures for the Cure) 12 Nicholas Engblom (NCVC/Inova Health System) 13 Nash Johnson 14 ? Alec West (AdventureForTheCure/TMR) Casey West (AdventuresForTheCure) Cameron Thoma
