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International Cycling Classic - Superweek - NE
USA, July 11-27, 2008
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Stage 9 - July 18: Ripon Red Hawk Criterium
Teamwork comes to the front at Superweek
By Mark Zalewski, North American Editor in Ripon, Wisconsin
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Though Superweek is often used by individual pros as 17 days of motor-pacing for the big criterium races coming up in August, a few teams do show with bigger numbers - and the difference shows. Such was the case with the Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast team during Friday's criterium. A three rider break that went in the first 10km contained a newer member of the team, Jake Keough - as well as Bernard Sulzberger (Virgin Blue) and Russ Langley (Battley Harley Davidson). And once the break lapped the field it was six green and gold guys on the front for the final 15 laps of the race, bringing him to the line for the win.
"I couldn't have won the race without them," Keough told Cyclingnews. "They are true professionals and when we caught on they rode the front the entire way. I'm new to the team and having a guy like Alex Candelario leading you out is pretty cool."
A late-race shower significantly affected the racing, as it allowed the break to actually catch the field and made the turns like ice. "Our team is pretty well-known for just loving the rain," Keough said. "It actually helped because it cooled down a little bit and three guys go faster than the field in the rain, so it helped us catch the field."
Conversely Sulzberger, who has been racing in the breaks seemingly every day, was negatively affected by the rain on the final lap. "I hit it on the hill and got a decent gap into the corner. But there was a Columbian guy off the front that we were catching right then and it made me take the corner a bit finer and I dropped myself."
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A few laps earlier Langley succumbed to cramps that come from racing 100km crits in the heat every day. "I cramped up with three to go so I was done," he said. "We rolled the corners a lot better when it was just us, but it was hard out there. A long time to be out there and not a lot of recovery out there today. But everyone was working really well together."
This left the door wide open for Keogh. "I was planning on going a little later and then braking hard into the [final] turn. I saw [Sulzberger] coming in hot and I let off and took it slow through the turn and then gassed it."
Though he crashed out, Sulzberger showed he is one to watch in this series. "I couldn't believe I made the break again!" said the Australian. "I was a bit tired but I had enough for the finish."
Earlier in the race, the series leader Sterling Magnell (Rock Racing) was actually in the three rider break with a half-lap on the field. But an ill-timed rear flat into a turn sent him to the deck and out of the race. However, his lead was such that he kept the jersey and will start the next day's race in Waukesha. His team-mate Rahsaan Bahati also retained his sprint jersey lead. Both riders showed up to the race wearing specially made team shorts to match their jerseys.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mark Zalewski/Cyclingnews.com
- The main break of the day with series leader Sterling Magnell (Rock Racing) still in it.
- Jonathan Page (Battley Harley Davidson) is getting some speed work in before 'cross season starts.
- Sprint leader Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) in his matching team shorts.
- Bernard Sulzberger (Virgin Blue) is riding well at Superweek, and made the break again.
- Jake Keough (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) crashed earlier in the series but is back on form.
- Russ Langley (Battley Harley Davidson) also made the break.
- Russ Langley (Battley Harley Davidson) leads the break up the finish stretch.
- Rain, rain, go away...
- Sprint leader Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) lets some pressure out of his tires for the rain.
- Chad Hartley (Jittery Joe's) slows things down in the field.
- Daniel Chavez (Preferred Alliance) must not be used to riding in the rain, crashing twice.
- Bernard Sulzberger (Virgin Blue) was also a victim of the crash and gets some words of wisdom from SRAM's Jose Acala.
- Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast on the front with just a few laps to go.
- Jake Keough (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) takes the win.
- Skye-Lee Armstrong (Bicycle John's Serious Cycling) going for a prime.
- Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Verducci/Breakaway) stayed in her top spot today.
- Kacey Manderfield (Verducci/Breakaway) also retained her lead.
- Julie Bishop (Revolution) took the field sprint.
- Sterling Magnell (Rock Racing) had a bad crash but will keep on racing at Superweek where he the leads overall.
Results
Pro/1/2 men 1 Jake Keough (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 2 Russell Langley (Battley Harley Davidson / Planet Bike) 3 Bernard Sulzberger (Virgin Blue Cycling Team) 4 Jonathan Cantwell (Jittery Joe's) 5 Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 6 Chad Hartley (The Jittery Joes Pro Cycling Team) 7 Ben King (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 8 Andrew Dahleim (txTough/Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors) 9 Jairo Perez Suarez (Colombia) 10 Thacker Reeves (Matrix/Richardson Bike Mart) 11 Victor Ayala (Kahala-LaGrange) 12 Adrian Gerrits (Kahala-LaGrange) 13 Carlos Vargas (txTough/Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors) 14 James Stemper (velo trocadero cycling) 15 Zachary Davies (RockyMounts~Izze Racing) 16 Max Taam 17 Joey Rosskopf (Kudzu.com U-23) 18 Chris Keane (Preferred Alliance Cycling Team) 19 Sean McBride (BPG/ Montano Velo) 20 Matthew Brandt (Mesa Cycles Racing Team) 21 Emiliano Jordan (Colavita Racing) 22 Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 23 Tyler Jewell (txTough/Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors) 24 Jonathan Sundt (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 25 Aram Dellalian (Bearclaw) 26 Pat Lemieux (Bianchi/Grand Performance) 27 Craig Streit (Procon / 1st National Bank of Arizona) 28 Erik Loberg (Team Beans & Barley) 29 Brett Stewart (ABD/Geargrinder) 30 Derek Laan (Turin/Barker+Nestor) 31 Luis-Alejandro Zamudio (American RADD Presented by AGEL) 32 John Bergmann (BPG / Montano Velo) 33 Andy Bestwick (Allegiant Air) 34 Matt Seagrave (Kahala-LaGrange) 35 Anthony Dust (Dogfish Racing Team) 36 Ryan Gibson (Allegiant Air) 37 Tyler Jenema (ACE) 38 Christopher Chartier (Alderfer Bergen) 39 Ross White (Gear Grinder) 40 Patrick Fasse (Ski Utah Cycling Team) 41 Tim Finkel (Wolverine Sports Club) 42 Erik Meier (Baraboo Sharks) 43 Ted Hopkins (Cycles Veloce Simple Green) 44 David Kay (Great Dane) 45 Kenneth Statz (LAPT) 46 Tim Clark (Great Dane) 47 Ben Renkema (Turin/Barker+Nestor) 48 Thomas Clark (Great Dane) 49 Matt Waite (UW-Madison) 50 Jason Landretti (Great Dane Velo Club) 51 Seth Eckert (Great Dane Velo Club) 52 Chris Klem (Myogenesis.com) 53 David Haase (Attitude Sports) 54 Tom Githens (Kahala-LaGrange) Bianchi Sprints - Men - Round 1 1 Russell Langley (Battley Harley Davidson / Planet Bike) 2 Jake Keough (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 3 Bernard Sulzberger (Virgin Blue Cycling Team) 4 Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) 5 Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 6 Jonathan Page (Battley Harley Davidson / Planet Bike) 7 Chad Hartley (The Jittery Joes Pro Cycling Team) Bianchi Sprints - Men - Round 2 1 Jake Keough (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 2 Russell Langley (Battley Harley Davidson / Planet Bike) 3 Bernard Sulzberger (Virgin Blue Cycling Team) 4 Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 5 Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) 6 Chad Hartley (The Jittery Joes Pro Cycling Team) 7 Jonathan Page (Battley Harley Davidson / Planet Bike) Bianchi Sprints - Men - Round 3 1 Bernard Sulzberger (Virgin Blue Cycling Team) 2 Jake Keough (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 3 Russell Langley (Battley Harley Davidson / Planet Bike) 4 Jairo Perez Suarez (Colombia) 5 Jonathan Sundt (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 6 Thacker Reeves (Matrix/Richardson Bike Mart) 7 Sean McBride (BPG/ Montano Velo) Bianchi Sprints - Men - Round 4 1 Jake Keough (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 2 Bernard Sulzberger (Virgin Blue Cycling Team) 3 Russell Langley (Battley Harley Davidson / Planet Bike) 4 Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) 5 Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 6 Carlos Vargas (txTough/Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors) 7 Jairo Perez Suarez (Colombia) Women 1 Sydney Brown (Team Revolution) 2 Kristin Wentworth (Team Kenda Tire) 3 Samantha Schneider (Mesa Cycles) 4 Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Verducci/Breakaway) 5 Christine Dekracy (Team 19) 6 Briana Kovac (Team Revolution) 7 Karla Kingsley (Easton/ Sugar CRM/ Specialized) 8 Flavia Lepene (Team 19 Cycling) 9 Katie Weber (Team Revolution) 10 Kacey Manderfield (Verducci/Breakaway) 11 Ashley Dymond (Team Rock) 12 Laurel Green (Dolce Vita Cycling) 13 Lisa Jellett (Verducci/Breakaway) 14 Susan Hefler (HPC Powered by Altarum) 15 Anne Guzman (Team Kenda Tire) 16 Christine Roettger (Team Revolution) 17 Carrie Cash (Team Revolution) 18 Brooke O'Connor (Hub Racing) 19 Sherri Stedje (Hub Racing) 20 Krystal Lacy-McNutt (Team Kenda Tire) 21 Arley Kemmerer (Hub Racing) 22 Priscilla Calderon (Team Rock) 23 Shana Sturla (Flanders) 24 Skye-Lee Armstrong (Bicycle John's Serious Cycling) 25 Molly Vetter-Smith (Mesa Cycles Racing Team) 26 Whitney Schultz (txTough/Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors) 27 Amy McGuire (Team Kenda Tire) 28 Jessie Maclean (Verducci/Breakaway) 29 Elizabeth Morse Hill (Hub Racing) 30 Jane Riessen (Team Kenda Tire) 31 Leeanne Manderson (Hub Racing) 32 Lori Barrett (txTough/Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors) 33 Anne Meyer (Mercy-Specialized) 34 Liz Leyden (Hub Racing) 35 Sheba Farrin (Hub Racing) 36 Carol Lynn Neal (CA Pools Racing) 37 Emma Giddens (Hub Racing) 38 Hadley Trotter (Team 19)
