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Roy Knickman thinks Jonas Carney is fast

By Chris Baldwin, cyclingnews.com correspondent

"Right now I'd say he's one of the fastest, if not the fastest sprinter in the States," said Prime Alliance's General Manager Roy Knickman to Cyclingnews on Thursday. "So it's going to be up to us to keep him at the front."

Knickman was talking about this weekend's US Pro National Criterium Championship in Downer's Grove, Illinois. 130 very fast professional cyclists will be pushing and shoving around a one-mile circuit just west of Chicago for the Stars and Stripes Jersey and bragging rights as the fastest crit rider in America.

With a two-block rise in the middle, a figure-eight crossing, tight turns both left and right, and a wide-open finishing lane, riders from US Postal, Mercury, Saturn, Navigators and eight other teams, including Knickman's Prime Alliance, will be out in force Sunday, trying to claim those palmares.

"It's all a matter of going faster than everybody else," said Knickman. "Getting through those turns, riding the sidewalls of the tires and not crashing, and then sprinting on in for the win. Jonas has been having a lot of success lately and we're hoping the momentum carries on through."

Carney won the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix Criterium in California last weekend, putting the hurt on some serious competition and establishing himself as the pre-race favorite going into Downers Grove.

"He's definitely the one to beat," said Ken Carl, the Sports Grand Prix race coordinator. "Other riders to watch are last year's winner Derek Bouchard-Hall (Mercury), and two-time winner Frank McCormack from Saturn. Local boy Robbie Ventura (US Postal) is a real crowd favorite, but it could be anybody's race."

Another rider to watch will be Russian Vasili Davidenko of Navigators. A pro since 1993, Davidenko has racked up win after win in America this year, relying on a super strong team and a rocket sprint that has put him atop the podium repeatedly.

"He's as fast as Carney,' said Knickman of the Russian. "And if he's in a breakaway we will have to do everything we can to bring him back," he laughed. "We'd better!"

"We are a start-up team, just in our first year, so we don't have the kinds of depth that other teams that have been around longer might have. That's why Prime Alliance will have to watch the breaks and make sure that nobody dangerous gets away. We'll have to use everything we have to keep Jonas at the front and bring him around 3rd or 4th wheel after the last turn," he added. "He can beat anybody to the line. It's our job to get him there."

Van Gilder tunes up

Defending national criterium champion Laura Van Guilder (Verizon) decided to sharpen up for this weekend's Downer's Grove event by riding the 3rd Annual Cycling Challenge in Denville, New Jersey. Although she skipped the higher profile Manhattan Beach Grand Prix in favour of a more local event, she did at least race in the men's Pro 1/2 event.

While this is not unheard of, Laura surprised a few observers (and riders) by winning the race, which had around 35 starters. In a fast race, Van Gilder bridged up to the winning break with three laps to go, and outsprinted John Verheul (Ideal Tile) for the win, with Wilson Vasquez taking third.

Place your bets for Sunday!

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