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U.S. National Criterium Championships - NE
Downer’s Grove Village, Illinois, USA, August 19-20, 2006
Main Page Results Overall standings Stage Details Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 2 - August 19: Men’s Pro 1/2 International Challenge, 50 km
Dominguez takes the warm-up race
by Mark Zalewski, North American Editor in Downers Grove, Ill.
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The men only raced half the distance of tomorrow's championship race which could have explained the high speeds. Or it could have been the hefty tailwind from the passing thunderstorm up the home stretch which gave the riders an extra boost. Regardless, the high speeds insured a safer race with the nearly 200 large peloton strung out single file most of the time.
A lot of the fireworks in the race came courtesy of Health Net-Maxxis which established itself as one of the strongest teams coming off a defeat last weekend in Manhattan Beach where a shorthanded Greg Henderson was bested by Toyota-United's Juan Jose Haedo. Henderson even tried a solo attack in the first half of the race and was later joined by teammate Mike Sayers and other riders to form a threatening move.
About half-way through the thirty-one miles a crash on the far side of the course aided the breakaway's advantage over the field which took down Tim Johnson and Alberto Tiberio (Health Net-Maxxis) as well as Jackson Stewart and Pete Lopinto (KodakGallery-Sierra Nevada.)
The breakaway looked to be working well but the fast moving peloton was slowly inching its way back. With five laps to go the break was caught and Health Net-Maxxis put six riders on the front. For the next five laps Health Net owned the front every time out of the last turn and up the uphill home stretch -- until the last time, when Ivan Dominguez and Tony Cruz (Toyota-United) hijacked the train and rode away to the win.
"Cruz went in the third-to-last turn and I was too slow to react," said third place Karl Menzies (Health Net-Maxxis). "He gapped it before two to go with Dominguez. But the important thing for us it that it was a safe race."
Cruz said the team did not talk much during the race, just being patient and letting the race unfold. "I went a couple of times earlier in the race to test the legs, but the wind really neutralized things," said Cruz. About the strong showing by Health Net-Maxxis in the final laps, Cruz responded, "It's always a worry. Health Net has the experience leading out. But I could see Menzies getting ready to sweep near the third-to-last turn, and we took advantage of their lead out when Hendey swung off."
"[Health Net] raced great," said Dominguez after the race. "That is the best way to win. It's not easy following that, but it's better than being in the middle! I knew the only way to win was to lead through the last two corners. Hendey saw me go earlier in the lap and covered it, but Tony gapped him with three to go."
Notably absent from the field sprint, and even the front of the race, was ace sprinter Juan Jose Haedo. "Yeah, he was going easy today," said Dominguez. You can bet he will not be going easy tomorrow.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us
- The men are off.
- Sierra Nevada putting the hammer down.
- Tight cornering
- Ivan Dominguez (Toyota United) todays eventual race winner.
- Ivan Stevic (Toyota United) working hard today.
- The cruiser crowd was out to watch the races.
- The men get strung out on the back side.
- Fans watch the action in small town Downers Grove.
- The huge mens field heads toward the land mark water tower.
- Healthnet-Maxxis winds up heading into the finish.
Images by Matthew Moses/www.moses-images.com
- Gord Fraser (Healthnet pb Maxxis) in one of his last races before he retires at the end of the season.
- The 150+ rider men's Pro-Am fields bolts from the line
- Chris Wherry (Toyota United) one of the many champions present today.
- The boys in blue from TIAA-CREF were always present at the front of the race.
- Third on the day , Karl Menzies (Healthnet pb Maxxis)
- Adam Bergman (Bianchi/Grand Performance) back to racing after having served out his two year suspension.
- The Healthnet train looking solid with 2 laps to go.
- The old guard , former USPRO criterium champ Dave McCook (Jelly Belly) with Steve Tilford (Trek/VW) fighting for position on the bell lap.
- The Pro-Am podium (L-to-R) Tony Cruz (Toyota United), Ivan Dominguez (Toyota United), and Karl Menzies (Healthnet pb Maxxis)
Results
1 Ivan Dominguez (Toyota United) 2 Tony Cruz (Toyota United) 3 Karl Menzies (Health Net Presented by Maxxis)
