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Tulsa Tough - NE
USA, May 29-31, 2009
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Stage 3 - May 31: Riverview Criterium
Huff wins Tulsa Tough omnium title; Ramsey captures finale
Olds taks home final sprint and omnium
By Kirsten Robbins
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Daniel Ramsey scored the biggest win of his new team's existence at the Tulsa Tough's finale Riverview Criterium. The three-year-old Team Mountain Khakis has been knocking on victory's door since the beginning of this year. Ramsey granted that victory when he soloed in to the finish line ahead of a charging sprint won by US National Criterium Champion Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) and Australian National Criterium Champion Bernard Sulzerberger (Fly V Australia).
"This win is awesome," said Ramsey who held off the charging field by a mere five metres. "I'd say this was one of the best fields of all my other victories with riders like Bahati and Sulzberger. It's an honour to be on a podium like that. So I think it is the quality of the field that made my win so impressive to me."
Brad Huff (Jelly Belly) captured the Tulsa Tough omnium title by virtue of winning the first two rounds held on Friday and Saturday. "My team did an amazing job getting me into good position this weekend," Huff said.
"To be honest I was tired on the last day. But, you just have to get out there, put your big boy pants on and suffer like everyone else. This was a great victory. Our team is riding so well together and that always helps the sprinter to rise to another level. My team was supportive and confident. I have a great group of guys."
Van Ulden highlights
The final showdown took place on Sunday afternoon at the Riverview Criterium. The circuits had three distinct corners but was haled as the event's most dangerous circuits. Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly) kicked off the men's 80-minute criterium with a flyer that resulted in a solo breakaway for more than 60-percent of the race.
"The most impressive thing was Van Ulden because he was off the front so long and on a really hard circuit," Ramsey said. "Guys were chasing hard but he was phemonenal."
Van Ulden broke away five laps into the race and maintained a nearly 40-second advantage on the field. OUCH p/b Maxxis recruited several riders to help in the chase while Fly V Australia sent single riders off the front in an attempt to bridge across.
Jonathan Cantwell (Fly V Australia) used his second place in the omnium as ammunition against Jelly Belly. Cantwell reach Van Ulden forcing Jelly Belly to kick in and help chase. The pair were reeled in with ten laps to go, opening the gate for the next flurry of attacks.
"There was some re-shuffling and a rider ended up getting a small lead," said Ramsey. "I attacked on the down hill corner, probably a little too fast. I rode past him and I think I died about 100 dealths before I crossed the line. With one lap to go, I thought I was going to get caught."
Ramsey rounded the final corner with a mere 30 metres ahead of the peloton charged for a field sprint. "With two corners to go there was a false flat, a hill and a headwind where I was just crawling to get to through it," said Ramsey, whose teammate Mark Hekman was ready for the bunch sprint if he was brought back. "I think at that point you just give it what I had."
Olds crowned Tulsa Tough Champion
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The stars aligned for Shelley Olds (Proman) as she rounded the final corner in first position as sprinted to her second National Racing Calendar (NRC) victory of the season at the Tulsa Tough. Her experience from winning the bunch sprint in the previous year's event gave her the edge over runner-up Carmen McNellis (Colavita-Sutter Home) and Jen McRae (Team Type 1).
"This was a breakthrough weekend for me with double wins," Olds said. "The final turn was 180 degrees on a descent. I knew I needed to jump before the last corner, that's how I won the bunch sprint last year, but it was luck too. I had a broken shifter yesterday from the crash, and I didn't know if I could race up that hill today. SRAM took care of me and fixed everything up before the race."
Olds start the race only eight points behind American legend Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom). In order to win the overall she not only needed to win the last race but Van Gilder needed to place outside of the top three. The odds of Van Gilder not sprinting within the top three were slim to none – but it happened, and Olds won the Tulsa Tough omnium series.
"I knew it was with in reach but not likely," Olds said. "This win is awesome. It is very cool to win the overall here and it's huge for my team. I think this will start to open the doors for more people consider supporting our program."
With the field in tact on the last lap, Alison Powers (Team Type 1) lead the field toward the final corner and Olds positioned herself on Van Gilders wheel. Olds jumped first, taking the inside line and punched it out of the corner with a commanding lead and headed straight toward the finish line.
"I knew that it was a really tough corner, one that forces people to want to slow down," Olds said. "I knew I could go faster through it if I was out front able to take my own line."
The race started out fast as Amanda Miller (Lip Smackers) jumped ahead of the field to capture several of the early, lucrative primes offered by the organization. US National Time Trial Champion, Alison Powers and Katharine Carroll (Tibco) took individual stabs at victory with solo flyers mid-race. There were multiple breakaway attempts but all were short lived.
"The heat and the nature of the course were the biggest factors today," said Laura Van Gilder. "WIth three laps to go Stacey Marple made an attack but we caught her before the bunch sprint. It had to be the right mix because everything was really close in the omnium."
Van Gilder went into the final race determined to watch her nearest competitors in order to protect her overall omnium lead. "It was important for me to win," she said. "I'm disappointed to lose the overall, but that's bike racing – sometimes you get it, and some times you don't. I'm glad to have raced Tulsa Tough and I'm excited to come back and win this one in the future."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Rob Evans /www.otbphoto.com
- And drops the hammer up the hill.
- Only the strong would survive a very selective course.
- Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushrooms) scouts out the final 110 degree downhill off-cambre corner 250 metres from the finish.
- Stacy Marple (Colavita) puts in a convincing attack with two laps to go.
- Only to get caught and countered by Oliva Dylan (Touchstone) with one to go.
- Shelley Olds (Proman Hit Squad) closes the gap to Dylan...
- And puts daylight between herself and the rest over the final 200m.
- Shelley Olds (Proman Hit Squad) celebrates back to back NRC wins and the overall Tulsa win.
- A Metro VW rider attacks with five laps to go.
- Daniel Ramsey (Mountain Khakis) attacks the field.
- Jelly Belly gives chase.
- Caleb Manion tries to get across.
- Fly V Australia's Curtis Gunn gives chase.
- Nor Cal's finest Steve Reaney (California Giant Berries) sits in comfortably.
- As Fly V Australia continues to chase Ramsey.
- Emile Abraham sits just behind the chase.
- 1-to-go-1-to-go-1-to-go-1-to-go... as Ramsey has visions of glory.
- However Fly V Australia had other plans with Ramsey dangling at six seconds.
- Ramsey was just too good on this day... holding off the charging pack by metres.
Results
Elite men 1 Daniel Ramsey (Mountain Khaki P/B EP-NO) 1.17.25 2 Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) 0.01 3 Bernie Sulzberger (Fly V Australia) 0.01 4 Carlos Vargas (Hotel San Jose) 0.01 5 Charles Huff (Jelly Belly) 0.02 6 Jonny Cantwell (Fly V Australia) 0.02 7 Mark Hekman (Mountain Khaki P/B EP-NO) 0.02 8 Emile Abraham (Trinikal Wheelmen) 0.02 9 Chad Cagle (Mercy) 0.02 10 Yosvany Falcon (Champion Porsche P/b Herbalife) 0.02 11 Andrew Crater (Team Wheel & Sprocket) 12 Johnny Clark (Jelly Belly) 0.02 13 Jared Barrilleaux (California Giant Berry Farms/s) 0.02 14 Philip Wikoff (Super Squadra) 0.03 15 Phillip Mann (Ciclismo Racing) 0.03 16 Benjamin Baumgartner (Metro Volkswagen Cycling Team) 0.03 17 Sheldon Deeny (Bissell Pro Cycling Team) 0.03 18 Stephen Tilford (Trek) 0.03 19 Justin England (California Giant Berry Farms/s) 0.04 20 Roman Kilun (Ouch Presented By Maxxis) 0.04 21 Caleb Manion (Rock Racing) 0.04 22 Adam Bergman (Kentucky Flyers) 23 Kirk Albers (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team) 0.04 24 Gavi Epstein (Raft Genius) 0.05 25 Jeremiah Wiscovitch (Sc Velo) 26 Kyle Gritters (Southern California Velo) 0.05 27 Kevin Attkisson (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team) 0.05 28 Nick Clayville (Hagens Berman Llp) 0.06 29 Joey Rosskopf (Jittery Joe's U-25 P/b Kudzu.c) 0.06 30 Jonathan Baker (Vitamin Cottage P/b Xp Compani) 0.07 31 Jeff Hartman (Big Shark Racing) 0.07 32 Randy Reichardt (Natural Grocers P/b Xp Compani) 0.07 33 Mat Ankney (Mercy Cycling) 0.08 34 Chris Winn (Rmcef/ Westside Cycling) 0.08 35 Chris Hall (Hrrc/ Trek Stores) 0.08 36 Victor Gil Llorens (Mercy Cycling) 0.08 37 Oscar Clark (Jittery Joe's U-25 P/b Kudzu.c) 0.08 38 Brian "Hamfist" Forbes (Rideclean P/b Patentit.com) 39 Jesse Moore (California Giant Berry Farms/s) 0.09 40 Christian Helmig (Metro Volkswagen Cycling Team) 0.11 41 David Wenger (Bicycle Sport Shop Pb Girling) 0.12 42 Adrian Hegyvary (Hagens-berman) 0.12 43 Jonathan Mccarty (Ouch Presented By Maxxis) 44 Floyd Landis (Ouch Presented By Maxxis) 0.12 45 Matty Rice (Jelly Belly) 0.17 46 Curtis Gunn (Fly V Australia) 0.25 47 Joseph Schmalz (Mercy Cycling) 0.29 48 Victor Ayala (Kahala Lagrange) 0.44 49 Chris Wherry (Hotel San Jose) 0.44 50 Jared Gilyard (Rideclean P/b Patentit.com) 0.47 51 Scott Davis (Fly V Australia) 1.19 52 Ben Kersten (Fly V Australia) 1.21 53 John Murphy (Ouch Presented By Maxxis) 2.10 54 David Guttenplan (Mountain Khaki P/B EP-NO) 2.19 DNS Marco Aledia (Kenda Pro Cycling P/b Spinergy) DNS Michael Creed (Rock Racing) DNS Freddie Cruz (Rock Racing) DNS Danny Finneran (Rock Racing) DNS Cesar Grajales (Rock Racing) DNS Nick Kiernan (Morgan Stanley/24 Hr Fitness/s) DNS Bill Stolte (Tradewind Energy/trek Stores) DNS Paul Thomas (Rideclean P/b Patentit.com) DNF Jorge Alvarado (Kahala Lagrange) DNF Emilio Asgoneguy (Aerocat Cycling Team) DNF Jim Baldesare (Kenda Pro Cycling P/b Spinergy) DNF Justin Beard (Hincapie/gary Fisher Pb Barkle) DNF Heath Blackgrove (Cycling Timara) DNF Thomas Brown (Jittery Joe's U-25 P/b Kudzu.c) DNF James Carney (Rideclean P/b Patentit.com) DNF Joshua Carter (Abd Cycling Team) DNF Micah Cloteaux (Great Eagle) DNF Nicholas Coil (Tradewind Energy / Trek Stores) DNF Matthew Crane (Jelly Belly) DNF Warney Crosby (Tx Tough Cycling) DNF Andrew Dahlheim (Metro Volkswagen) DNF Ben Day (Team Fly V Australia) DNF Ian Dille (Bicycle Sport Shop Pb Girling) DNF Bill Elliston (Van Dessel) DNF James Esser (Southern California Velo) DNF Diego Garavito (Aerocat Cycling Team) DNF Steve George (Fly V Australia) DNF John Grant (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team) DNF Brandon Gritters (Kahala Lagrange) DNF Seth Hansley (Champion Porsche P/b Race Edge) DNF Tyler Jewell (Txtough P/b Hybridsports) DNF Aaron Johnson (Hagens-berman) DNF Brice Jones (Mercy Cycling) DNF Danny Kam (Bearclaw) DNF David Kemp (Fly V Australia) DNF Joseph Kukolla (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team) DNF Cooper Lange (Hagens Berman) DNF Bobby Lea (Ouch Presented By Maxxis) DNF Barry Lee (Hotel San Jose) DNF Pat Lemieux (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team) DNF Sterling Magnell (Sc Velo) DNF Bill Marshall Jr (Team Kenda) DNF Alexi Martinez (Kahala Lagrange) DNF Bryce Mead (Jelly Belly) DNF Rand Miller (Webcor/alto Velo) DNF Adam Mills (Mercy Cycling) DNF Adam Myerson (Mountain Khaki P/B EP-NO) DNF Tucker Olander (Team Einstein's Racing) DNF Ryan Parnes (Webcor/alto Velo) DNF Joseph Pinkerton (Natural Grocers P/b Xp Compani) DNF Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly) DNF Steve Reaney (California Giant Berry Farms/s) DNF Nicholas Reistad (Jelly Belly) DNF Stefan Rothe (Txtough P/b Hybridsports) DNF Rodney Santiago (Champion Cycling) DNF Cody Stevenson (Team Budget Forklifts) DNF Sean Sullivan (Hotel San Jose) DNF Frank Travieso (Champion Porsche P/b Race Edge) DNF Bernard Vanulden (Jelly Belly) DNF Bigdaddy Walker (Txtough P/b Hybridsports) DNF Alex Welch (Mercy/specialized) DNF Andrew Wetherington (Team FlyAM) DNF Steven Wheeler (Super Squadra) DNF Robert Bush (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team) DNF Kurt Fletcher (St John's Cycling) DNF Jason Allen (Rock Racing) Elite women 1 Shelley Olds (Proman Hit Squad) 57.05 2 Carmen Mcnellis (Colavita/Sutter Home) 0.01 3 Jennifer Mcrae (Team Type 1) 0.01 4 Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) 0.01 5 Alison Powers (Team Type 1) 0.01 6 Jen Purcell (Colavita/Sutter Home) 7 Rebecca Larson (Jittery Joe's) 0.01 8 Lauren Ellis (Jazz Apple) 0.01 9 Christina Smith (Veloforma) 0.02 10 Olivia Dillon (Touchstone Climbing) 0.02 11 Ally Stacher (Team Kenda) 0.02 12 Amanda Miller (Lip Smacker) 0.03 13 Kristen Lasasso (Mellow Mushroom) 0.03 14 Casey Gale (Tulsa Tough Racing) 0.03 15 Tiffany Pezzulo (Dft P/b Treads) 16 Stacy Marple (Colavita/Sutter Home) 0.04 17 Katherine Sherwin (Team Advil-chapstick) 0.05 18 Katharine Carroll (Team TIBCO) 0.05 19 Shannon Koch (Metro Volkswagen Cycling Team) 0.05 20 Melodie Metzger (Vanderkitten) 21 Erika Graves (Kahala Lagrange) 0.05 22 Meredith Miller (Team Tibco) 23 Toni Bradshaw (Lip Smacker) 0.06 24 Dotsie Bausch (Jazz Apple) 0.06 25 Leigh Hopkins (Vanderkitten) 0.06 26 Anne Samplonius (Lip Smacker) 27 Daniele Wikoff (Austin Flyers) 0.06 28 Kristin Wentworth (Team Kenda) 0.12 29 Liza Rachetto (SugarCRM) 0.48 30 Jacquelyn Crowell (Team Type 1) 0.57 31 Melissa Sanborn (Vanderkitten) 1.04 DNS Rushlee Buchanan DNS Marina Duvnjak DNS Ashley James DNS Veronica Leal DNS Hélène Carabin (Tulsa Tough Racing/tulsa Wheel) DNF Lauren Hecht (ValueAct Capital) DNF Mary Ellen Ash (SugarCRM) DNF Lori Barrett (Team Hotel San Jose) DNF Christy Blakely (Bmw-bianchi) DNF Holly Borowski (Touchstone Climbing) DNF Linsey Bradshaw-Sandoval (Dft P/b Treads) DNF Sydney Brown (Mercy Cycling) DNF Rachel Byus (Team Hotel San Jose) DNF Carrie Cash Wootten (Team Revolution) DNF Priscilla Cazer (Carve) DNF Kathryn Clark (Team Kenda) DNF Kathryn Donovan (Kahala Lagrange) DNF Vanessa Drigo (Touchstone Climbing) DNF Shontell Gauthier (Colat) DNF Monique Hanley (Team Type 1) DNF Elizabeth Hatch (Vanderkitten) DNF Monique Hein (Dft P/b Treads) DNF Jennifer Herrell-Rhoades (Mercy) DNF Cari Higgins (Proman Hit Squad) DNF Carol Irving (Touchstone Climbing) DNF Michelle Jensen (Mercy Cycling Team) DNF Marina Duvnjak (Jazz Apple) DNF Karla Kingsley (Team Sugarcrm) DNF Jill Kislia (Team Kenda) DNF Bri Kovac (Alderfer Bergen) DNF Malindi Maclean (Jazz Apple) DNF Kacey Manderfield (Lip Smacker) DNF Brooke Miller (Team Tibco) DNF Michelle Montoya (Moritz Chevrolet Cycling) DNF Rachel Neylan (Proman Hit Squad) DNF Lise Olivier (Tulsa Tough Racing) DNF Martina Patella (ValueAct Capital) DNF Morgan Patton (Team Type 1) DNF Virginia Perkins (Vanderkitten Racing) DNF Jennifer Reither (Momentum Cycling Powered By Ha) DNF Lauren Robertson (Metro Volkswagen Cycling Team) DNF Beatriz Rodriguez (Kahala Lagrange) DNF Christine Roettger (Team Revolution) DNF Steph Roorda (Jazz Apple) DNF Kate Ross (Lip Smacker) DNF Christina Ruiter (ValueAct Capital) DNF Sabrina Savage (Veloforma) DNF Samantha Schneider (Team Type 1) DNF Whitney Schultz (Metro Volkswagen Cycling Team) DNF Kori Seehafer DNF Tammy Wallace (Moritz Chevrolet Cycling) DNF Starla Teddergreen (Sugarcrm) DNF Kendi Thomas (Hagens Berman) DNF Catherine Walberg (Team Kenda) DNF Melinda Weiner (Kahala Lagrange) DNF Jennifer Wilson (Vanderkitten Racing) DNF Emily Zell (ValueAct Capital) DNF Susy Pryde DNF Louise Turner (Alderfer Bergen) Final omnium Elite Men 1 Charles Huff (Jelly Belly) 83 pts 2 Jonny Cantwell (Fly V Australia) 69 3 Bernie Sulzberger (Fly V Australia) 64 4 Carlos Vargas (Hotel San Jose) 64 5 Mark Hekman (Mountain Khaki P/B EP-NO) 64 6 Emile Abraham (Trinikal Wheelmen) 53 7 Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) 51 8 Chad Cagle (Mercy) 45 9 Stephen Tilford (Trek) 40 10 Jeremiah Wiscovitch (Sc Velo) 33 11 Daniel Ramsey (Mountain Khaki P/B EP-NO) 31 12 Ben Kersten (Fly V Australia) 30 13 Kyle Gritters (Southern California Velo) 26 14 Benjamin Baumgartner (Metro Volkswagen Cycling Team) 24 15 Philip Wikoff (Super Squadra) 23 16 Kirk Albers (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team) 23 17 Andrew Crater (Team Wheel & Sprocket) 21 18 John Murphy (Ouch Presented By Maxxis) 21 19 Matty Rice (Jelly Belly) 19 20 Jeff Hartman (Big Shark Racing) 19 21 Cody Stevenson (Team Budget Forklifts) 19 22 Rodney Santiago (Champion Cycling) 18 23 Victor Ayala (Kahala Lagrange) 18 24 Yosvany Falcon (Champion Porsche) 16 25 Jared Barrilleaux (California Giant Berry Farms) 16 26 Johnny Clark (Jelly Belly) 14 27 Sheldon Deeny (Bissell Pro Cycling) 12 28 Phillip Mann (Ciclismo Racing) 11 29 Joey Rosskopf (Jittery Joe's U-25 P/b Kudzu.c) 9 30 Nicholas Reistad (Jelly Belly) 9 31 Chris Wherry (Hotel San Jose) 8 32 Justin England (California Giant Berry Farms) 7 33 Nick Clayville (Hagens Berman Llp) 7 34 Roman Kilun (Ouch Presented By Maxxis) 6 35 Alexi Martinez (Kahala Lagrange) 6 36 John Grant (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team) 5 37 Adam Myerson (Mountain Khaki P/B EP-NO) 5 38 Caleb Mannion (Rock Racing) 5 39 Adam Bergman (Kentucky Flyers) 4 40 Gavi Epstein (Raft Genius) 2 41 Kevin Attkisson (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team) 2 42 Bernard Vanulden (Jelly Belly) 2 43 Chris Hall (HRCC/Trek Stores) 1 Elite Women 1 Shelley Olds (Proman Hit Squad) 68 pts 2 Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) 65 3 Jennifer Mcrae (Team Type 1) 58 4 Carmen Mcnellis (Colavita/Sutter Home) 51 5 Jen Purcell (Colavita/Sutter Home) 51 6 Alison Powers (Team Type 1) 34 7 Rebecca Larson (Jittery Joe's) 33 8 Christina Smith (Veloforma) 26 9 Liza Rachetto (SugarCRM) 25 10 Samantha Schneider (Team Type 1) 23 11 Olivia Dillon (Touchstone Climbing) 18 12 Tiffany Pezzulo (Dft P/b Treads) 18 13 Meredith Miller (Team Tibco) 16 14 Martina Patella (ValueAct Capital) 15 15 Anne Samplonius (Lip Smacker) 14 16 Lauren Ellis (Jazz Apple) 13 17 Starla Teddergreen (Sugarcrm) 13 18 Shontell Gauthier (Colavita/Sutter Home) 11 19 Ally Stacher (Team Kenda) 10 20 Malindi Maclean (Jazz Apple) 10 21 Amanda Miller (Lip Smacker) 9 22 Catherine Walberg (Team Kenda) 9 23 Kacey Manderfield (Lip Smacker) 9 24 Kristen Lasasso (Mellow Mushroom) 8 25 Carol Irving (Touchstone Climbing) 8 26 Carrie Cash Wootten (Team Revolution) 8 27 Casey Gale (Tulsa Tough) 7 28 Shannon Koch (Metro Volkswagen Cycling Team) 7 29 Cari Higgins (Proman Hit Squad) 6 30 Stacy Marple (Colavita/Sutter Home) 5 31 Katherine Sherwin (Advil/Chapstick) 4 32 Katharine Carroll (Team TIBCO) 3 33 Magen Long (Team Pg13) 2 34 Melodie Metzer (Vanderkitten) 1 35 Jacquelyn Crowell (Team Type 1) 1 36 Beatriz Rodriguez (Kahala Lagrange) 1
