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Bryan Park Cycling Series
June 8, 2004
By Tom Houff
Zack Zimmerman powered to the front of a three-man with two laps to go and won Tuesday night's Bryan Park Cycling Series race. The three men, Zimmerman of Bike Doctor, Kyle Mendenhall of SP Imports / Palani Drive, and Dennis Raineer of Conte's / Cycor held about a 20 second gap for the last 10 laps.
Maybe Zimmerman remembered last week's breakaway. The speeding pack blew past a two-man break with one lap to go. But, things were different then. This evening saw Team Cobblestone and Richmond Ciclismo working together (gasp) to chase the break for almost two-thirds of the race.
That explains the 26 mph average.
With one lap to go, Zimmerman bolted past his group. He rode alone to the finish. Raineer held on for fifth and, last year's overall Bryan Park Series champ, Mendenhall finished in the pack.
Like last week, Matt Mega of Ciclismo followed his team for the final sprint. Mega's team-mates Matt Dinsmore and John Schindler led the charge. He placed second. Team Cobblestone sprinter Bill Malone placed third, Sean Tunstall of SP Imports / Palani Drive placed fourth in a close field sprint with sixth place Jon Gaudio of Ciclismo and Raineer.
Chip Goble of Team Cobblestone won the 20-lap B-race in a field sprint. He won this race through brute force. None of his team-mates could get into position to help.
"I just hung in the pack the whole race and took it on the sprint," Goble said. "My team did an excellent job going after breaks all day,"
Three riders exploded out of the pack during the sprint. Andrew Wolack of Three Sports placed second and 17-year-old Ryan Elliot of Monticello Velo took third. Ciclismo sponsor and team physician Matt Marchal let up at the finish to be passed. Marchal placed fifth even though he raced some tough mountain bike races this past weekend.
The strength of local cycling is the emphasis on teamwork. Anyone, new to cycling, learns quickly that this is a team sport.
Cobblestone's Dan Trisnic and Wes King worked hard to chase a solo effort by Ciclismo's Mark Connelly. His effort lasted about five laps midway in the race. And that was the plan. Many individual riders who aren't affiliated with the teams are forced to work hard during the race. Their energy is spent by the end of the race.
Tink Stead of Richmond Ciclismo broke away with two laps to go. That forced many of the riders to react or lose. Stead's break caused other teams to not get organized for the last lap. Though, Ciclismo couldn't take advantage of the situation.
"I guess I was a half lap too soon," Stead joked after the race.
Results
A Race, 30 laps 1 Zack Zimmerman (Bike Doctor) 2 Matt Mega (Richmond Ciclismo) 3 Bill Malone (Team Cobblestone) 4 Sean Tunstall (SP Imports/Palani Drive) 5 Dennis Raineer (Conte's / Cycor) B Race, 20 laps 1 Chip Goble (Team Cobblestone) 2 Andrew Wolak (Three Sports) 3 Ryan Elliot (Monticello Velo)
