 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
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
Stage 5 - August 20: USPRO National Criterium Championships, 100 km
Hilton Clarke keeps Navigators winning
Brad Huff upgrades from amateur to USPRO crit champion
by Mark Zalewski, North American Editor in Downers Grove, Ill.
|
Last weekend Hilton Clarke (Navigators Insurance) took the richest win of his career winning $25,000 and the Tour of Elk Grove. But with the domestic peloton spread across three major races, Clarke wanted to win the next weekend in Downers Grove when the best of the best would be battling. Well, he did, showing he is one of the top sprinters in the U.S. and continuing the Navigators Insurance team's steamroll of August. Close behind, but not close enough, was Brad Huff (TIAA-CREF) who won the points sprints in Elk Grove. However, Huff was content with taking the stars and stripes as the first U.S. rider across the line.
"The race was so aggressive!" said Huff. "It was like controlled speed all day. And the final laps were getting sketchy."
The final turn saw Huff and Clarke behind Toyota-United's Tony Cruz, who's team was obviously working for an outright American win and not for Dominguez or Haedo who were close behind. But Huff and Cruz bumped exiting the turn causing a moment of hesitation which Clarke quickly exploited.
"I lead through the second-to-last turn, but I might have been a little too aggressive," said Huff. "Cruz and I bumped and we had to do a little brake check while Hilton flew past us."
|
"When Huff bumped me I lost a little steam," said Cruz. "I tried to go inside but Clarke has the inside and took it from there. I had to touch my brakes and wait until I was straightened out before I could go."
Also coming in fast was Kyle Gritters (Health Net-Maxxis) who was fourth just behind Cruz and Huff when the door was closed. "They just took me all the way to the wall," he said. Luckily the wall was covered with hay bales and Gritters only suffered minor scrapes.
For Huff, the reigning elite amateur criterium champion, the upgrade was a sweet victory. "It was a little sad that I couldn't wear the jersey this whole year," he said. "But being able to wear it next year will be incredible!"
Attacks and breaks
The race seemed to be one of the faster editions in recent memory, which helped keep the crashes to a minimum. Much of the day Health Net-Maxxis set the tone by going with a strategy of sending riders up the road in an effort to get a break off the front. "We were looking for a move all day," said Corbett. "We have a lot of guys who can win out of a break like O'Bee, Henderson, Johnson... Everyone was looking for moves I think."
And the breaks did form, even with all the right teams represented, but apparently not the right riders. At one point, former USPRO criterium champion Kirk O'Bee (Health Net-Maxxis) went on a solo break, but could not keep the fast moving field off his back for long.
|
A dangerous break did form when Mark Walters (Navigators Insurance) won the mid-race prime and kept it rolling. Many team directors could be heard encouraging their riders to work, but even then the break only lasted a few laps. The Toyota-United team strategy was slightly evident at this point when Ivan Dominguez and Ivan Stevic were working hard in a break.
For most of the final laps it was Health Net-Maxxis taking its usual position on the front. On one lap, TIAA-CREF had three of their riders leading up the home stretch. But with one lap to go Navigators sent their international riders to the front, with Sergey Lagutin taking a strong pull through the first turn.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us
- Hilton Clarke (Navigators Insurance) takes the win while Brad Huff (TIAA-CREF) gets the jersey.
- Chris Wherry (Toyota United) happy on the start line.
- The bunch comes through as fans look on.
- Jittery Joes on the climb.
- Ivan Dominguez (Toyota United) coming through fast.
- TIAA-CREFF leads on the back side climb.
- Sergey Lagutin (Navigators picks up the pace after the climb.
- Healthnet comes to the front.
- An AEG-Toshiba rider concentrating on that wheel in front of him.
- Frasier has left the building (this was Gord's last US race), thanks for the years!
- Emile Abraham (AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork) won todays mid-race sprint and came in 5th.
- Kirk Albers Jelly Belly tough guy.
- Jelly Belly working hard on the front.
- Ivan Dominguez (Toyota United) gets a little gap on the field.
- J.J. Haedo (Toyota United) was in town doing work for the US riders.
- Sierra Nevada making everybody work hard.
- The bunch flies past.
- The mid-atlantic based Rite Aid team was on hand for the championships.
- Rahsaan Bahati (TIAA CREFF) looking good early on but ended up not finishing.
- The group coming into the last turn.
- Another one of the Rite Aid riders.
- Coming down to the last laps.
- Hilton Clarke (Navigators) celebrates as he crosses the line.
Images by Mark Zalewski/Cyclingnews.com
- The professional men start.
- Jonathan Vaughters has an unconventional managerial style to motivate his riders -- which he says made the difference today.
- USPRO road champion Chris Wherry gets a change from the Toyota-United mechanic.
- The final turn has Tony Cruz (Toyota-United) sitting pretty with Hilton Clarke (Navigators Insurance) ready to pass on the inside and Brad Huff (TIAA-CREF) coming hard on the outside.
- Huff and Cruz bumped a little, but it was enough to give the advantage to Clarke.
- Kyle Gritters (Health Net-Maxxis) had too much speed and not enough road.
Images by Matthew Moses/www.moses-images.com
- Gord Fraser (Health Net pb Maxxis) at the line for his final US race.
- Elk Grove's big money winner Hilton Clarke (Navigators Insurance Cycling Team) in on a roll in August criteriums.
- An early break attempt had all the teams but just could't get organized.
- Mike Norton (Nerac/Outdoorlights.com) off the front in the hot spot sprint lap.
- Brad Huff and the TIAA-CREF boys were at the front all day long.
- Kirk O'Bee (Health Net pb Maxxis) tries a late race break with a few laps remaining
- Sergey Lagutin (Navigators Insurance Cycling Team) in hot pursuit of Kirk O'bee.
- Kyle Gritters (Health Net pb Maxxis) bounces into the hay bales, as the rest of the field sprints the last 100 meters.
- Brad Huff (TIAA-CREF) out-sprints Tony Cruz (Toyota United) for second place and the title of USPRO Criterium Champion.
- Once again a Downers Grove Champion Brad Huff (TIAA-CREF) upgraded his Elite Men's title to the USPRO Men's Championship title.
Images by
Beth Seliga/
- TIAA-CREF team director Jonathan Vaughters gathers the troops before battle.
- Under-23 US Cyclocross Champion Troy Wells (TIAA-CREF) with teammate Brad Huff before the race.
- Brad Huff (TIAA-CREF) leads the field through a turn, with TIAA-CREF and Toyota-United massing at the front.
- Some of the Midwest scenery of Downers Grove.
- Mike Friedman (TIAA-CREF) did yeoman's work for his team today.
- The peloton takes another turn around the church.
- Brad Huff looked composed all day.
- Mark McCormack (Colavita - Sutter Home) took the crowd prime for his team.
- Former Under-23 national champ Ian MacGregor worked hard for his team all day.
- Team mechanics Damieon Shanks (TIAA-CREF) and Jordan Schware(Toyota-United) take a break from wrenching.
- US Road Champion Chris Wherry (Toyota-United) gets thrown back in after a puncture.
- Hilton Clarke (Navigators) had the right line through the final turn and avoided all the carnage behind to take the win.
- Brad Huff (TIAA-CREF) outkicks Tony Cruz (Toyota-United) for the national title.
- Huff shows the emotion of his team's first pro-level championship title.
- New National Criterium champion Huff is interviewed by the press.
- Out with the bubbly!
Results
1 Hilton Clake (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 2.15.33 2 Brad Huff (USA) Team TIAA-CREF 3 Tony Cruz (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 4 Dan Schmatz (USA) Kodakgallery.Com/ Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling 5 Emile Abraham (Tri) AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork Pro Cycling Team 6 Jeffery Hopkins (Aus) Jittery Joe's - Zero Gravity Pro Cycling Team 7 Alex Candelario (USA) Jelly Belly Cyling Team 8 Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home Winery C.T. 9 Frank Pipp (USA) Targetraining Cycling Team 10 Mark McCormack (USA) Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home Winery C.T. 11 Zach Bell (Can) Rite Aid Pro Cycling 12 Pete Lopinto (USA) Kodakgallery.Com/ Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling 13 Juan Haedo (Arg) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 14 Rob King (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 15 Todd Yezefski (USA) Nerac/ Outdoorlights. Com Pro Cycling 16 Eneas Fryne (USA) Targetraining Cycling Team 17 Alex Boyd (USA) VMG Racing 18 Ted King (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 19 Chris Frederick (USA) AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork Pro Cycling Team 20 Jackson Stewart (USA) Kodakgallery.Com/ Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling 21 Josh Thornton (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 22 Neil Shirley (USA) Jittery Joe's - Zero Gravity Pro Cycling Team 23 Jacques-Maynes (USA) Kodakgallery.Com/ Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling 24 Jonathon Page (USA) Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home Winery C.T. 25 Mariano Friedick (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 26 Peter Penzell (USA) Rite Aid Pro Cycling 27 Bryan Smith (USA) Team TIAA-CREF 28 Daniel Holt (USA) Nerac/ Outdoorlights. Com Pro Cycling 29 Peter Hatton (Aus) Jittery Joe's - Zero Gravity Pro Cycling Team 30 Justin Spinelli (USA) Nerac/ Outdoorlights. Com Pro Cycling 31 Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 32 Rudy Robaina (USA) VMG Racing 33 Chris Wherry (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 34 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 35 Garrett Peltonen (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 36 Brice Jones (USA) Jelly Belly Cyling Team 37 Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 38 Hayden Godfrey (NZl) Team Monex 39 Jake Rytlewski (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 40 Adam Myerson (USA) Nerac/ Outdoorlights. Com Pro Cycling 41 Nebojsa Jovanavic (SCG) AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork Pro Cycling Team 42 Martin Gilbert (Can) Kodakgallery.Com/ Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling 43 Yosvani Falcon (Cub) AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork Pro Cycling Team 44 Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 45 Mike Friedman (USA) Team TIAA-CREF 46 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Jelly Belly Cyling Team 47 Alejandro Acton (Arg) Targetraining Cycling Team 48 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 49 Jonathan Wirsing (USA) Rite Aid Pro Cycling 50 Todd Henriksen (USA) VMG Racing 51 Greg Henderson (NZl) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 52 Keith Norris (USA) AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork Pro Cycling Team 53 Devon Vigus (USA) Team Monex 54 Kirk O'Bee (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 55 Mike Norton (USA) Nerac/ Outdoorlights. Com Pro Cycling 56 Vassili Davidenko (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 57 Michael Creed (USA) Team TIAA-CREF 58 Dominique Perras (Can) Kodakgallery.Com/ Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling 59 Shawn Miline (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 60 Hugh Moran (USA) AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork Pro Cycling Team 61 Dustin Macburnie (Can) Targetraining Cycling Team 62 Michael Jones (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 63 Frank Travieso (Cub) AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork Pro Cycling Team 64 Prokic Predrag (USA) AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork Pro Cycling Team 65 Gordon Fraser (Can) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 66 Steven Cozza (USA) Team TIAA-CREF 67 Viktor Rapinski BIR Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home Winery C.T. 68 Siro Camponogara (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 69 Blake Caldwell (USA) Team TIAA-CREF 70 Ian Macgregor (USA) Team TIAA-CREF
