Atlantic Cup Classic Omnium

USA, May 18-23, 1999

The Stages

  • Round 1 - Northampton
  • Round 2 - New Bedford
  • Round 3 - Providence
  • Round 4 - Salem
  • Round 5 - Somerville
  • Round 6 - Cambridge

    Stage 1, Northampton, MA, 70 kms:

     1. Sylvain Beauchamp (Shaklee)			             1.26.29
 2. Kevin Monahan (Breakaway Courier Systems) 			0.01
 3. Mark McCormack (Saturn) 					0.07
 4. Andrew Randell (Jet Fuel Coffee) 				0.07
 5. Curt Davis (Wheelworks/Cannondale) 				0.07
 6. Mark Walters (Navigators) 					0.07
 7. Cory Asher (Cycle Center) 					0.07
 8. Dirk Friel (Merlin/Hind) 					0.07
 9. Tim Johnson (CCB/Volkswagen) 				0.07
10. Robbie Ventura (Saturn)					0.22
11. Adam Hodges Myerson (Northampton CC) 			0.22
12. Jonathan Page (Wheelworks/Cannondale)			0.22
13. Antoine Varghese (Kissena)					0.22
14. Chad Gerlach (Merlin/Hind) 					0.22
15. Charles Dionne (Team Degree/Radio Energie) 			0.22
16. Giusseppi Giuliano (Jet Fuel Coffee)			0.22
17. Ray Sanchez (Team Extreme)					0.22
18. Chris Baldwin (Navigators)					0.22
19. Todd Littlehales (Navigators) 				0.22
20. Shawn McCormack (Wheelworks/Cannondale) 			0.22

    Stage 1 Report:

    The Atlantic Cup Classic and it's 6 straight days of $2500 criteriums got off to a rainy start in Paradise. Northampton, Massachusetts, known as Paradise City to the locals, played host to a dramatic night of wet racing for just under 60 laps of the downtown 1K course. The crowds defied the inclement weather, however, and came out in droves to take in the racing. They were rewarded with an exciting 2-up finish between last year's winner Kevin Monahan (Breakaway Courier Systems), and Shaklee's new recruit from Quebec, Sylvain Beauchamp.

    The primes started early, and the first $100 bonus won by hometown rider Adam Hodges Myerson (Northampton CC) caused a split of about 15 riders to escape. While the group included riders from Merlin/Hind, Navigators and Saturn, there were still too many fresh legs in the field, and things came back together quickly.

    It was in the constant attacking and counter-attacking that followed around the course's slippery corners and short, steep hill that Beauchamp and Shawn McCormack (Wheelworks/Cannondale) were finally able to launch an attack that stuck. Monahan and Hodges Myerson quickly bridged, and the race was set for the next 30 laps. The foursome worked smoothly, splitting the multiple primes and focusing on increasing their narrow gap. 15 seconds was all it took to get out of site on the technical course, but their lead never increased past 30.

    With no Navigators rider in the break, Matt Koschara and Scott Mercer eventually decided it was time to try to bring things back together for their sprinter, Todd Littlehales. With 10 laps to go, the gap to the break was down to 5 seconds, and the group of four looked to be caught. Beauchamp would have none of it, however, and launched a searing attack on the hill that burned Hodges Myerson and McCormack off the group, and kept the field nipping at his and Monahan's heels. At the same moment, a group of 7 escaped in pursuit, including Shawn's big brother Mark (Saturn), Canandian Mark Walters (Navigators), and the bronze medalist from this years U-23 cyclocross world championships, Tim Johnson (CCB/Volkswagen).

    Their chasing efforts were in vain, however. Beauchamp drove Monahan around the course for the last 7 laps and was rewarded with a 1-second win. 7 seconds later, the middle McCormack took the sprint for third over Andrew Randall (Jet Fuel Coffee) and Curt Davis (Wheelworks/Cannondale). Another 15 seconds back, Robbie Ventura (Saturn) hit out from the top of the hill and held off all comers for the field sprint, grabbing 11th place and valuable omnium points over Hodges Myerson and Jonathan Page (Wheelworks/Cannondale).

    The racing continues Wednesday night in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and follows with stages in Providence, Salem, Somerville and Cambridge.

    Stage 2, New Bedford, MA, 70 kms:

     1. Mark Walters (Navigators) 			     1.27.44
 2. Chad Gerlach (Merlin/Hind) 				0.32
 3. Todd Littlehales (Navigators)			1.06
 4. Kevin Monahan (Breakaway Courier Systems)		1.06
 5. Mark McCormack (Saturn)				1.06
 6. Shawn Willard (Breakaway Courier Systems)		1.06
 7. Sylvain Beauchamp (Shaklee)				1.06
 8. Dirk Friel (Merlin/Hind)				1.06
 9. Jonathan Page (Wheelworks/Cannondale)           at 1 lap
10. Chris Fisher (Merlin/Hind)
11. Charles Dionne (Team Degree/Radio Energie)
12. Ray Sanchez (Team Extreme)
13. Curt Davis (Wheelworks/Cannondale)
14. Adam Hodges Myerson (Northampton CC)
15. Czeslaw Lukascewicz (Kissena)
16. Jim Copeland (Merlin/Hind)
17. Chad Matteson (Merlin/Hind)
18. Jim Carothers (Colorado Cyclist)
19. Chris McDonald (DMS/Bicycle Renaissance)
20. Peter Wedge (Team Degree/Radio Energie)
21. Cory Fisher (Cycle Center)
22. Scott Mercer (Navigators)
23. Bill Innes (Kissena)
24. Don Mills (Wheelworks/Cannondale)
25. Ainslie MacEachran (Colorado Cyclist)
26. Andrew Randell (Jet Fuel Coffee)

    Stage 2 Report:

    The Atlantic Cup Classic week of $2500 criteruims continued in the Whaling City on Tuesday night. A full field of 125 riders lined up to do battle on the cobbled hillside streets of New Bedford, Massachustts, a town familiar with international bike racing from its years as host of the Whaling City Pro-Am in the 1980's. The riders faced a 1/2-mile, 4-corner circuit with a less-than-gentle incline through the start/finish and a 200-meter stretch of ancient, gnarled cobbles after the 3rd turn and into the sprint. It was a day of attrition which left a mere 26 riders left for the finish, and only Mark Walters (Navigators) and Chad Gerlach (Merlin/Hind) in contention for the win.

    The danger of the cobbles was lost on no one, and many riders voiced their lack of motivation for a race that would obviously be so difficult. With that in mind, those willing to attack did so early; staying at the front and out of trouble, and thinning the field with every lap. The difference in ability required to glide over the cobbles compared to gliding up the hill meant a strange mix of riders who survived, and also seemed to prevent the cohesiveness required for a group to stay away. Short lived solo or two-up attacks netted riders like last year's winner Peter Wedge (Team Degree/Radio Energie) some cash in hand from the generous primes, but each time the small moves came back, albeit to a smaller field than the one they left.

    Fatigue set in on the remaining riders once the halfway mark was passed, and each new attack stuck just a little longer than the once before. Finally, with 20 laps remaining, Dirk Friel (Merlin/Hind) launched the protagonistic move, followed shortly by Walters and last years overall champion Kevin Monahan (Breakaway Courier Systems). Before the three could settle in, however, word came that Friel's teammate Gerlach was on his way across. Monahan and Walters continued to work while Friel waited for Gerlach to catch.

    No sooner was Gerlach on, though, that Walters realized he had a teammate on his way up as well. The next group of four contained Navigators' Todd Littlehales, along with Monahan's Breakaway Courier cohort Shawn Willard, race leader Sylvain Beauchamp, and the omnipresent Mark McCormack (Saturn). Walters sat on; soon the break was eight and the real action would begin.

    Littlehales attacked immediately upon bridging. The group brought him back quickly, but were rewarded for their efforts with a counter-attack by Walters. This was the deciding move; Walters was free, and lapped the field solo with 4 laps remaining in the race.

    "I didn't know how close the group behind was, or if anyone was coming, so I just went to the front of the field and tried to keep the tempo high until the finish. I didn't even put my hands up at the line because I still wasn't sure if I had won," Walters said. He had indeed won, though, beating a solo Gerlach by 32 seconds. Over a minute down, Littlehales took the remaining podium place over Monahan and McCormack, while a full lap down, Jon Page (Wheelworks/Cannondale) won the field sprint for 9th from Chris Fisher (Merlin/Hind) and Charlie Dionne (Team Degree/Radio Energie).

    The result left Monahan and Walters tied on points for the overall, but Walters was given the jersey based on his higher placing. Monahan was second the day before in Northampton. Former leader Beauchamp dropped to third.

    Thursday night the National Calendar racing continues in downtown Providence, Rhode Island.

    Stage 3, Providence, RI, 70 kms:

     1. Robbie Ventura (USA) Saturn				     1.14.42
 2. Todd Littlehales (USA) Navigators
 3. Kevin Monahan (USA) Breakaway Courier Systems
 4. Giusseppe Giuliano (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee
 5. Sylvain Beauchamp (Can) Shaklee
 6. Chad Gerlach (USA) Merlin/Hind
 7. Jonathan Page (USA) Cannondale/Wheelworks
 8. Charles Dionne (Can) Team Degree Radio Energie
 9. Jason Snow (USA) Fugi
10. George Neuman (Can) ItalPasta
11. Mark McCormack (USA) Saturn
12. Antoine Varghese (USA) Kissena Cycling Club 
13. Keith Berger (USA) Cyclonauts
14. Paul Collins (USA) Colorado Cyclist
15. Hugh McEachran (USA) CCT-Vitamin
16. Andrew Donaldson (USA) Hind/Ner
17. Paul Curly (USA) World Team
18. Bill Skinner (USA) Hot Tubes/CRCA
19. Joe Ackerman (USA) Toko/STC
20. Seigfried Froelich (USA) True Value
21. Cory Fisher (USA) Cycle Center
22. Robert Coulton (USA) Allens Bicycle/BBC
23. Kyle Gates (USA) Boston Bicycle Club
24. John Walrod (USA) Shaklee
25. Tim Hancock (USA) DMS/Bicycle Renaissance
26. Amos Brumble (USA) Sons of Italy/Rhygin
27. Ainslee MacEachran (USA) Colorado Cyclist
28. Mark Walters (Can) Navigators
29. Tom Kalstrop (USA) Porter Field Tire
30. Chad Matteson (USA) Merlin/Hind				s.t.

    Stage 3 Report:

    The Atlantic Cup Classic continued Thursday night with a stop in Providence, RI. After two difficult courses in Northampton and New Bedford, the fast, mostly flat d-shaped course in this capitol city would provide many tired riders a chance to sit in, and field sprinters like Robbie Ventura (Saturn) a chance to redeem themselves.

    The speed of the race and the ease of following wheels made it extremely difficult to get Most of the action came on the $50-$100 prime laps, taken by the usual suspects like Ventura and Breakaway's Tom Davis. It wasn't until the last 15 laps that things started to get heated, but when they did it was a strange race that cooked up.

    First, a crash occured at about 15 laps to go that took down about 10 riders at the front of the field, though everyone was able to get back in. When they did, they found a single-file field, strung out by riders attempting a last-ditch effort to avoud a field sprint. When a lull in the attacking came in the final 4 laps, Mark McCormack took advantage and rocketed away with local star Amos Brumble (Sons of Itlay/Rhygin) in tow. With 2 laps to go, Brumble was dropped, leaving McCormack to finish the job alone.

    As the field came through start finish, disaster struck. An apparently mentally ill local spectator decided to try to run through the field as it passed. Before anyone could stop him, the man was surrounded by riders, most of whom were staring at the hub in front of them due to the high tempo. Jon Deschau (DMS/Renaissance) was unable to avoid the man, and both went crashing to the pavement, with Bill Innes (Kissena) t-boning the pair and going over the top himself. The man was arrested, Deschau went to the hospital with minor injuries and a mangled helmet, and Innes escaped with a totaled bike. As the riders saw one to go, McCormack was caught, partially by the chasing of Paul Martin (Navigators) and Jason Gould (Breakaway), and partially by the confusion on the side of the road. The race was on, though, and McCormack managed to slot in near teammate Vetura's wheel, heavily marked by Kevin Monahan (Breakaway).

    As the riders rounded the hairpin at the top of the course and turned into the headwind, the race seemed to stop. The chase for McCormack was over, and there was no one left to provide a strong leadout into the breeze. Instead, individual riders would hit the front and pause, realizing it was much to soon to start the sprint alone. The mob-style racing led to the inevitable crash with 2 turns to go, a result of too many bodies trying to fit into too small a space. The important players made it through unscathed though, and Ventura took it from 2 turns and about 500 meters to go. Monahan, playing the waiting game on Ventura's wheel, waited too long and couldn't finish off the Saturn rider out of the last turn. He settled for second, but was rewarded with the overall leaders jersey.

    "There'll be no ties after today I don't think," an excited Monahan said on the podium. He'll go into Friday's race in Salem, Massachusetts with a 3-point lead over Shaklee's Sylvain Beauchamp.

    Stage 4, Salem, MA, 70 kms:

     1. Sylvain Beauchamp (Can) ShakleeCanada 		     1.15.41
 2. Robbie Ventura (USA) Saturn
 3. Jonathan Page (USA) Wheelworks/Cannondale
 4. Kevin Monahan (USA) Breakaway Courier Systems
 5. Ray Sanchez (USA) Team Extreme
 6. Charles Dionne (Can) Team Degree Radio Energie
 7. Mark McCormack (USA) Saturn
 8. George Neuman (Can) ItalPasta
 9. Tom Kalstrup (USA) Porter Field Tire
10. Chad Gerlach (USA) Merlin/Hind
11. Antoine Varghese (USA) Kissena Cycling Club
12. Allen Richburg (USA) 7UP
13. Jean Pinsonneault (Can) Chas2Team Degree Radio Energie
14. Gustavo Carillo (USA) True Value
15. Chris Fisher (USA) Merlin/Hind
16. Tim Hancock (USA) DMS/Bicycle Renaissance
17. Jason Snow (USA) Fuji Racing Team
18. Giusseppi Giuliano (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee
19. Shawn Willard (USA) Breakaway Courier Systems
20. Donny Lopes (USA) Kissena Cycling Club
21. Josh Frick (USA) Snow Valley
22. Jay Moglia (USA) NCVC/Metropolis
23. Andrew Donaldson (USA) Hind/NER
24. John Frey (USA) Northampton CC
25. Chris Baldwin (USA) Navigators Cycling Team
26. Cory Fisher (USA) Cycle Center
27. Peter Vollers (USA) Sons of Italy/Rhygin
28. Dave Edry (USA) Wheelworks/Cannondale
29. Matt Svatek (USA) STC Pro Cycling
30. Stephen Kincaid (USA) Exctie/Smartfuel			s.t.

    Stage 4 Report:

    The National Racing Calendar continued with another $2500 stage of the 1999 Atlantic Cup Classic, this time around the town green of historic Salem, Massachusetts. It was again a day for the sprinters and the magical skills they require to slide through tight turns and a tighter field on this bumpy, 3-corner, half-mile course. When the spells were cast, Sylvain Beauchamp would rise to the top of the podium with a new yellow leaders jersey on his back.

    Similar to what was seen in Providence, it was a fast night of racing, making it extremely difficult to escape the field, but very easy to sit in. The race was defined mostly by the plethora of primes and the counter-attacks that would follow them. Adam Hodges Myerson (Northampton CC) managed to escape a group of three that went away for the halfway bonus, while 7Up's Allen Richburg seemed be thirsty for cash as he drunk up almost every other prime that was offered.

    None could eacape the power of the field in Salem, though. A late dangerous move by local hero and international star Tim Johnson (CCB/Volkswagen) was brought back by the Merlin/Hind team in order to set up their g.c. man Chad Gerlach. When the move was caught, they stayed on point for as long as possible, but in the end had gone too early. The waves of riders rushing to the front begin to overwhelm the train, and the melee began.

    With one lap to go, Mark McCormack (Saturn) managed to hit out with teammate Robbie Ventura in tow. With only 1/2-mile laps, it seemed to be perfectly timed. Ventura couldn't hold back, and took off out of the second turn, gapping everyone in the process.

    "I was getting so antsy back there, just wanting to go, so I took off. I don't know what made me do it but I just took off."

    The move was timed perfectly, just not for Ventura. Beauchamp was able to keep the elastic from breaking, and while he did get gapped, he managed to re-accellerate into Ventura's draft and pip him at the line. Sylvain was pleased, to say the least.

    "I had a nice draft on his wheel, but I was nervous. Everyone knows Ventura has a huge sprint."

    It was a bit of redemption for Beauchamp, who had lost a $100 prime to Ventura earlier in the race, but was awarded the money when it was ruled that Ventura had taken the Canadian into the curb. This time there was no protest, and Beauchamp took a slim 2-point lead in the overall over Kevin Monahan (Breakaway). Beauchamp was looking forward to defending the jersey over the next few days.

    "I'm going to give it my best shot. That's my trademark, I guess." Monahan stayed close for fourth, but was not happy. "I lost the leaders jersey in the last two corners. But we'll see. There's two days left, and a lot of racing."

    On Saturday the action moves Davis Square in Somerville, Massachusetts, for a spectacular 8:30 PM under the city lights. Sunday's finale is on the old Wheat Thins course in Harvard Square, Cambridge.

    Stage 5, Davis Square, Somerville MA

     1. Kevin Monahan (USA) Breakaway Courier Systems	     1.15.03
 2. Martin Paul (USA) Navigators Cycling Team
 3. Chad Gerlach (USA) Merlin/Hind 			    at 1 lap 
 4. Robbie Ventura (USA) Saturn
 5. Charles Dionne (Can) Team Degree/Radio Energie
 6. Jonathan Page (USA) Wheelworks/Cannondale
 7. Mark McCormack (USA) Saturn
 8. Ray Sanchez (USA) Team Extreme
 9. John Frey (USA) Northampton CC
10. Sylvain Beauchamp (Can) Shaklee
11. Adam Myerson (USA) Northampton Cycling Club
12. John Harris (Can) ItalPasta
13. Giusseppi Giuliano (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee
14. Jason Snow (USA) Fuji racing Team
15. Cory Fisher (USA) Cycle Center
16. Gustavo Carillo (USA) True Value
17. Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Cycling Team 
18. Chris Fisher (USA) Merlin/Hind 
19. Scott Mercer (USA) Navigators Cycling Team
20. Randy Rusk (USA) Arc-En-Ciel 
21. Zack Browne (USA) NCVC/Metropolis 
22. Ainslie MacEachern (USA) Colorado Cyclist 
23. Robert Coulton (USA) Alan's Bicycle/BBC 
24. Shawn Willard (USA) Breakaway Courier Systems
25. Jason Gould (USA) Breakaway Courier Systems

    Stage 5 Report:

    The racing continued Saturday night under the streetlights of bike-crazy Somerville Massachusetts. With Redbones restaurant hosting registration and providing their usual valet parking for bicycles most spectators rode into Davis Square rather than fight the Boston-area traffic. Fans lined the course 5-deep lit up with with an excitement ignited by race announcers Dick Ring and Ride Magazine editor Rich Fries. Only Breakaway Courier System's Kevin Monahan and Navigator's Paul Martin were able to see themselves clear of the field in a race that was ultimately decided in the first 10 laps.

    A tight 7-corner course done 50 times added up to 350 turns in the dark and an exceptionally nervous field. The first race of the day was to the start line and after a number of miss-starts and re-starts things finally got under way. The second race of the day was to the first turn and only those who made it to the front early would be in contention; within 2 laps the lead group of ten riders was established. Revealingly the group contained a large number of top-level cyclocross riders: former national champion Mark McCormack (Saturn) world U-23 bronze medallist and national champion Tim Johnson (CCB/Volkswagen) former junior national champion Jon Page (Wheelworks/Cannondale) former collegiate national champion Adam Hodges Myerson (Northampton CC) and perennial nationals top-10 Jason Snow all of whom seemed to revel in the course's tight turns and constant speed changes. Before 10 laps were done Paul Martin had set out on his own about 10 seconds in front of the group. Monahan took what he thought was simply a hard pull at the front of the chasing group. Before he knew it he had joined Martin and the two were away. The gap remained steady for the next few laps until the chasers came upon what they thought was a group of lapped riders. Instead it was a group of 20 that had been delayed by a crash in a further back in the field. Somehow they managed to abuse the free lap rule and not only get back to lead group but in front of it! By the time the riders in pursuit of Martin and Monahan had made it through the impediment the pair was gone and on their way to lapping the field.

    When they finally made contact with the back of the field at 15 to go the battle between the amateur Breakaway Courier Systems and professional Navigators teams began. While at the front Merlin/Hind's Chad Gerlach had dumped the field to solo in for third at the back Monahan was just trying to follow Martin confident he could pass him in the last few hundred meters. What he had to deal with was a pummeling from the rest of the Navigators team who did all they could to keep Monahan off the wheel and put as many riders as possible between the two.

    In the end Monahan would not be intimidated. He easily disposed of Martin in the sprint taking the race win and the leader's jersey in the process. Robbie Ventura (Saturn) took his 3rd field sprint of the week for 4th place ahead of Charlie Dionne (Team Degree/Radio Energie) and Jon Page.

    Stage 6, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA

     1. Mark McCormack (USA) Saturn 			     1.18.26
 2. Robbie Ventura (USA) Saturn
 3. Charles Dionne (Can) Team Degree Radio Energie
 4. Jonathan Page (USA) Wheelworks/Cannondale
 5. Sylvain Beauchamp (Can) Shaklee
 6. Scott Mercer (USA) Navigators Cycling Team
 7. Kevin Monahan (USA) Breakaway Courier Systems
 8. Ray Sanchez (USA) Team Extreme
 9. Shawn Willard (USA) Breakaway Courier SystemsC
10. Zack Browne (USA) NCVC/MetropolisC
11. Yannick Cojan (Can) Kissena Cycling Club
12. Chad Gerlach (USA) Merlin/Hind
13. George Neuman (Can) ItalPasta
14. Giusseppi Giuliano (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee
15. Chris Baldwin (USA) Navigators Cycling Team
16. Todd Littlehales (USA) Navigators Cycling Team
17. Amos Brumble (USA) Sons of Italy/Rhygin
18. David Edry (USA) Wheelworks/Cannondale
19. Antoine Varghese (USA) Kissena Cycling Club
20. Tom Davis (USA) Breakaway Courier Systems
21. Jason Snow (USA) Fugi racing Team
22. Czeslaw Lukascewicz (Can) Kissena Cycling Club
23. Keith Berger (USA) Cyclonauts
24. Matt Koschara (USA) Navigators Cycling Team
25. Seigfried Froelich (USA) True Value
26. Tim Hancock (USA) DMS/Bicycle Renaissance
27. Allen Richburg (USA) 7UP
28. Chris Fisher (USA) Merlin/Hind
29. Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Cycling Team
30. Peter Stokoloza (USA) Wheelworks/Cannondale			s.t.

    Final GC and Progressive Points Aggregates: 

     1. Kevin Monahan (USA) Breakaway Courier Systems         23    20   21    20   25   17   126
 2. Sylvain Beauchamp (Can) Shaklee                       25    17   19    25   14   19   119
 3. Mark McCormack (USA) Saturn                           21    19   13    17   17   25   112
 4. Robbie Ventura (USA) Saturn                           14     0   25    23   20   23   105
 5. Jonathan Page (USA) Wheelworks/Cannondale             12    15   17    21   18   20   103
 6. Chad Gerlach (USA) Merlin/Hind                        10    23   18    14   21   12    98
 7. Charles Dionne (Can) Team Degree Radio Energie         9    13    0    18   19   21    80
 8. Ray Sanchez (USA) Team Extreme                         7    12    0    19   16   16    70
 9. Todd Littlehales (USA) Navigators Cycling Team         5    21   23     0    0    8    57
10. Giusseppi Giuliano (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee               8     0   20     6   11   10    55
11. Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Cycling Team            18    25    0     0    7    0    50
12. Antoine Varghese (USA) Kissena Cycling Club           11     0   12    13    0    5    41
13. George Neuman (Can) ItalPasta                          0     0   14    16    0   11    41
14. Shawn Willard (USA) Breakaway Courier Systems          0    18    0     5    0   15    38
15. Adam Myerson (USA) Northampton Cycling Club           13    10    0     0   13    0    36
16. Dirk Friel (USA) Merlin/Hind                          16    16    0     0    0    0    32
17. Jason Snow (USA) Fugi racing Team                      0     0   15     7   10    0    32
18. Curt Davis (USA) Wheelworks/Cannondale                19    11    0     0    0    0    30
19. Chris Fisher (USA) Merlin/Hind                         0    14    0     9    6    0    29
20. Cory Fisher (USA) Cycle Center                        17     0    0     0    9    0    26
21. Paul Martin (USA) Navigators Cycling Team              0     0    0     0   23    0    23
22. Scott Mercer (USA) Navigators Cycling Team             0     0    0     0    5   18    23
23. Andrew Randell (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee                  20     0    0     0    0    0    20
24. Gustavo Carillo (USA) True Value                       0     0    0    10    8    0    18
25. Tim Johnson (USA) CCB/Volkswagon                      15     0    0     0    0    0    15
26. Tom Kalstrup (USA) Porter Field Tire                   0     0    0    15    0    0    15
27. John Frey (USA) Northampton Cycling Club               0     0    0     0   15    0    15
28. Chris Baldwin (USA) Navigators Cycling Team            6     0    0     0    9    0    15
29. Zack Browne (USA)                                      0     0    0     0    0   14    14
30. Yannick Cojan (USA) Kissena Cycling Club               0     0    0     0    0   13    13
31. Allen Richburg (USA) 7UP                               0     0    0    12    0    0    12
32. John Harris (NZ) ItalPasta                             0     0    0     0   12    0    12
33. Keith Berger (USA) Cyclonauts                          0     0   11     0    0    0    11
34. Jean Pinsonneault (Can) Team Degree Radio Energie      0     0    0    11    0    0    11
35. Paul Collins (USA) Colorado Cyclist                    0     0   10     0    0    0    10
36. Czeslaw Lukascewicz (Can) Kissena Cycling Club         0     9    0     0    0    0     9
37. Hugh McEachran (USA) CCT-Vitamin Cottage-Twinlabs      0     0    9     0    0    0     9
38. Jim Copeland (USA) Merlin/Hind                         0     8    0     0    0    0     8
39. Andrew Donaldson (USA) Hind/NER                        0     0    8     0    0    0     8
40. Tim Hancock (USA) DMS/Bicycle Renaissance              0     0    0     8    0    0     8
41. Chad Matteson (USA) Merlin/Hind                        0     7    0     0    0    0     7
42. Paul Curly (USA) World Team                            0     0    7     0    0    0     7
43. Amos Brumble (USA) Sons of Italy/Rhygin                0     0    0     0    0    7     7
44. Jim Carothers (USA) Colorado Cyclist                   0     6    0     0    0    0     6
45. Bill Skinner (USA) Hot Tubes/CRCA                      0     0    6     0    0    0     6
46. David Edry (USA) Wheelworks/Cannondale                 0     0    0     0    0    6     6
47. Chris McDonald (USA) DMS/Bicycle Renaissance           0     5    0     0    0    0     5
48. Joe Ackerman (USA) Toko/STC                            0     0    5     5    5    5     5
49. Shawn McCormack (USA) Wheelworks/Cannondale            4     0    0     0    0    0     4
50. Peter Wedge (Can) Team Degree Radio Energie            0     4    0     0    0    0     4
51. Seigfried Froelich (USA) True Value                    0     0    4     0    0    0     4
52. Donny Lopes (USA) Kissena Cycling Club                 0     0    0     4    0    0     4
53. Randy Rusk (USA) Arc-En-Ciel                           0     0    0     0    4    0     4
54. Tom Davis (USA) Breakaway Courier Systems              0     0    0     0    0    4     4

    Stage 6 Report:

    Historic Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts hosted the final stage of the 1999 Atlantic Cup Classic. 50 laps of a rolling, D-shaped course that circled the famous university awaited a field of riders tired from a late race the night before and an early start today. Weary legs and stong winds combined to keep the field together and set the stage for a Saturn 1-2 in a tricky bunch sprint.

    As usual, multiple primes kept the action hot and the crowds excited. Most of the bonuses went 2 and 3 deep, guaranteeing big sprints where everyone felt they had a chance to make a buck. Scott Mercer (Navigators) showed his best form of the week, supplementing his income seemingly every time the bell rang, and taking primes at will.

    It wasn't until the last 10 laps that anyone was able to escape the field in a dangerous way. Navigator's Russian rider, Vasily Davidenko, snuck off the front and established himself a 15-second gap. Just as in previous stages, it was Merlin/Hind to the rescue, in support of Chad Gerlach. Dirk Friel lined his troops up at the front and steadily chipped away at the solo rider's lead. By 5 laps to go, the group was intact, but the orange and black Merlin/Hind train kept rolling, with Saturn's Robbie Ventura as the caboose. The train lost it's steam with 1 to go, and Ventura found himself at the head of the rush for the second turn. With the slight downhill and sweeping curve through a dark underpass facing the riders for the final time, Navigators' Mercer decided to hit out early and take it into the final bend. Ventura held onto his wheel as he went, finding his position protected from behind by teammate Mark McCormack. As they came into the final 200 meters, McCormack sprang first on Mercer's left, while Ventura took the high road on Mercer's right. The two Saturn riders went toe to toe, with McCormack the surprising winner over his speedy friend Ventura.

    "I didn't really plan anything in the sprint; I just let it happen and it worked. I've been helping out Chris (Wherry) in the hilly races and Robbie and Frank (McCormack) in the sprints. It's nice to finally win."

    The race-at-large came down to the final sprint as well. If Sylvain Beauchamp (Shaklee) had won the stage, Kevin Monahan (Breakaway Courier Systems) could be no worse than 6th and hold on to the lead. The Breakaway rider marked Beauchamp well in the last lap, making sure he was as close as possible across the line. In doing so, Monahan took his second Atlantic Cup Classic overall win in a row, and left the same question on everyone's lips: who will finally give this talented amateur a chance to turn pro?

    Thanks to Adam Hodges Myerson, Atlantic Cup Classic Results Coordinator