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International Cycling Classic - Superweek - NE
USA, July 11-27, 2008
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Stage 14 - July 23: Volkswagen Whitnall Park Road Race
Columbians racking up wins at Superweek
By Mark Zalewski, North American Editor in Hales Corner, Wisconsin
Yellow jersey changes hands for first time in 13 days
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The Colombian National team sent their track squad up to Milwaukee this summer to train for the Beijing Olympics - but not because Milwaukee has a famous velodrome (which it doesn't) or because the air quality is similar (which it isn't) but because Superweek is known to be 17 days of motor pacing... with a chance to win some cash on the side. Both goals are being accomplished as Juan Esteban Araugo Caruzjul (Colombian National) doubled up on his team-mates fast win yesterday with a solo move in the one of two road races this year. And as is custom with the road races, the omnium points are doubled, which allowed Jonathan Cantwell (Jittery Joe's) to snatch the series leader's jersey from Rock Racing's Sterling Magnell for this first time since day one - but by just a one point margin.
"I never lost the idea to try, and I tried with three laps to go," Araugo told Cyclingnews. "At that moment it was when I was going the fastest and that is when everyone else was looking around for each other. You have to attack from behind when everyone else is rolling slow and wondering who is going to go."
When asked why he decided to attack in the road race compared to the flat and fast track-style criteriums that dominate the series, he said, "They are really small hills and there is the potential to go up them quickly."
Araugo had more than 40 seconds on the field coming into the finish, and spent all but 10 seconds of that celebrating his win. Behind the field was charging hard, no to catch him, but to battle for the remaining double omnium points on the line. Jonathan Cantwell was able to outsprint series leader Sterling Mangell by three places, which resulted in six points for him - enough to put him in the yellow jersey.
"I'm a bit of a road racer so I can get over the climbs a bit easier than other guys, and a big guy like Sterling," said Cantwell. "But to his credit he has been riding incredible! And his team has been defending it really well."
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"We have always had the yellow jersey in our sights. For the first week or so we worked really hard to get Chad in the red jersey and then concentrate on the yellow. We finally got Ryan Sullivan here to give us a hand, since Rock Racing has a whole team of nine riders. The guys rode incredible today to bring the breakaway back and we're happy to be in yellow."
"Tactically from a team standpoint we played our cards perfectly," said Magnell. "I'm just so ridiculously marked I can only wait for the end to do anything. Cantwell is a good sprinter so I have been marking him to either come around him or make sure he doesn't come around me. He has been inching up on me and now he has the jersey by one point, but he deserves it. He has been riding well and cagey in the sprints."
Ever the optimist, Magnell found the upside of the day. "I'm disappointed of course, but it will also allow me more freedom to race more true to my instincts and race from the front. There are still four days left so it could even be a positive thing because maybe I'll be able to actually enjoy racing again!"
For Cantwell and his two team-mates, he said the strategy remains the same. However, their job did get a bit easier as the rider sitting third in the overall, Australian Bernard Sulzberger and his Virgin Blue team are returning to the land down under to compete in a stage race. That leaves just two other riders close enough to realistically contend for the lead.
"We are going to go into it with the same strategy as we have had, keeping our eyes on Adrian Gerrits from Kahala-LaGrange and Sterling - they are the only guys that are close to me - and not let them get away.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mark Zalewski/Cyclingnews.com
- Aussie Peter Dawson (Rock Racing) is having a great Superweek, with two wins already and team-mates in both jerseys.
- Chad Hartley and Ryan Sullivan (Jittery Joe's) are having a tough Superweek, trying to get their only other team-mate Jonathan Cantwell into the lead.
- The Whitnall Park road course has a tough finishing climb.
- Russ Langley (Planet Bike) takes the technical corner into the finish hill.
- The Park is a beautiful backdrop for the race.
- Rock Racing marked Jittery Joe's all day to protect their leader Sterling Magnell.
- Sterling Magnell (Rock Racing) lost his lead, but by only one point with four races to go.
- Juan Esteban Araugo Caruzjul (Colombian National) attacked with two to go and held his lead.
- Rock Racing tries to set-up Magnell with one lap to go.
- Juan Esteban Araugo Caruzjul (Colombian National) takes the road race win.
- Jonathan Cantwell (Jittery Joe's) wins the field sprint, with enough riders between him and Magnell to capture the leader's jersey.
Results
1 Juan Esteban Araugo Caruzjul (Colombian National)
