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U.S. National Criterium Championships - NE
Downer's Grove Village, Illinois, USA, August 18-19, 2007
Main Page Results Overall standings Stage Details Previous Stage
Stage 5 - August 19: USPRO National Criterium Championships,
Gilbert nets huge win for first year team
By Mark Zalewski, North American Editor in Downers Grove, Illinois
O'Bee adds second crit jersey to closet
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Kelly Benefits/Medifast's team director Jonas Carney has raced on the Downers Grove USPRO criterium championship course so many times that he really should write a book on how to win here -- or maybe on how not to lose. Not only did he give pointers to the 20 year old who won the elite amateur men's race, but his pro team controlled the last laps of the race with seven riders to set-up Canadian Martin Gilbert for the sprint win, just in front of American Kirk O'Bee (Health Net-Maxxis) who claimed his second stars and stripes jersey here.
"There are some things you can do to minimize your chances of crashing in the final lap," said Carney, who finally pulled off the win here in his final year as a pro. "You are not going to automatically win but you increase your chances. I made the mistakes ten years ago -- like ending up with two corners to go in twelfth place and not being able to make it up."
Carney went so far as to pre-ride the course with the team's newest edition Kevin Lacombe, showing him the important spots as he was tapped to be the set-up an for either fellow Quebecor Gilbert or American Dave McCook. "I told Jonas that he was fast," said Gilbert who was responsible for getting Lacombe on the team. "He was my teammate back in Quebec. He was the last guy and led it out for me. But every guy on the team did great for me today."
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Challenging Gilbert all the way to the line was Health Net-Maxxis' Kirk O'Bee, who was trying desperately to make up the ground on Gilbert from the final turn up the hill to the finish. "I just let Gilbert have too much room but I wanted to be safe," said O'Bee.
Health Net was clearly going for the jersey today as O'Bee's lead out man, Tassie Karl Menzies, gapped the American in the final two turns. Menzies' monster acceleration past Gilbert allowed him to slot into the gap in front of O'Bee, which he rode to the final turn. "From ten to go I was on [Menzies'] wheel and he kept me out of trouble," said O'Bee. "When he jumped I couldn't even go with him! With two turns to go he jumped and I let Gilbert in front of me. I was okay with that because I looked back and I knew I had the jersey."
Gilbert jumped on the opportunity and rode it all the way to the victory. "A Health Net guy [Menzies] passed me so I just took his wheel and passed him in the final turn to take the lead. I had a pretty small gear because I didn't know what to take here, but it ended up being enough."
How it unfolded
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The rain soaked race was riddled with crash after crash, turning into a race of attrition. In some instances teams only had three or four riders left for the finale. Toyota-United only had two riders left and sprinter Ivan Dominguez out at the mid-race point. Much of the reason for this was hard-riding by defending champion Brad Huff's Slipstream-Chipotle team early in the race, with the strategy of capitalizing on riders trying to cruise on the back.
"I had an incredible team -- we only had six guys but rode like we had ten!" said Huff. But he and teammate Mike Friedman, both riding well, were on the wrong side of luck today. "It's just a hazardous condition day," said Huff. "It's not unlucky so much as when it is going to happen. People get the hero effect and feel like they are going to win, and not keep it safe. There are times to take risks when it is dry, but not when it is wet."
Friedman, riding well after a second place at the Tour of Elk Grove, was at the front for most of the day today. "With four laps to go I was feeling good and on the right train," he said. "All I had to do was let Brad come up to me. But for some reason I went through a turn just a half kilometer too fast and went down."
Late in the race, the Kelly Benefits/Medifast team was the only team to take any semblance of control -- though it was more than just a semblance with seven riders.
"Last week we rode a train for 18km and McCook just got beat by Freddie Rodriguez so I knew the guys could do it," said Carney. "The sprint it going to be a crap shoot no matter what you do. But it wasn't for show, it was to keep the guys safe and to give them an arm chair ride."
Trying to upset that rhythm was another French Canadian, Dominque Rollin (Kodak Gallery-Sierra Nevada), jumping out on a surprise solo attack with less that five laps to go. A surprise as Rollin is the team's designated sprinter. However, the frequency of crashes canceled out any patience he had to stay in the pack. "I know I should have stayed in the field but I got nervous ," he said. "I saw with six laps to go I almost crashed into a guy who hit his head. I know I am a sprinter but I felt everything was going too slow and that nobody could follow me in those corners. I attacked and got five meters -- by the next corner I had fifty. Unfortunately the guy from Navigators caught me and slowed it down in the corners and that cost us."
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But the Kelly Benefits team did not panic, and let Rollin have enough rope to hang himself. "I saw Dominque going -- he is a good friend," said Gilbert. "But we all stayed calm and caught him at the end. He is a good contender for the sprint so that was good for us to see him off the front."
Into the final lap it was still Kelly Benefits on the front, though with understandably dwindled numbers. Only Lacombe was left to escort Gilbert, and he did all he could. "I was really well positioned -- I was second behind Kevin coming down the hill, and he died between turn 6 and 7."
Ready to pounce on the moment was Health Net-Maxxis with Menzies leading out O'Bee. But the lead out was too fast and Gilbert was the beneficiary instead of the American O'Bee. Menzies saw this starting to happen, sitting up after the final turn to yell into his radio for O'Bee not to wait any longer. But as soon as Menzies got the 'GO, GO, GO!' out he was slammed into from behind by the rest of the field exiting the turn at full sprint -- causing a massive pile-up that put the icing on the crash-tastic day.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us
- It was anyone's guess on the line but Martin Gilbert (Kelly Benefit Strategies) ended up taking it over Kirk O'Bee (HealthNet-Maxxis).
- Focusing on what lies ahead.
- Good crowds at the start of the pro mens race.
- Things getting scary because of the rain.
- Chris Wherry (Toyota United) sitting in the middle of the bunch.
- Toyota United cruising along.
- Tim Johnson (Healthnet) leads a group.
- Speeding through Downers Grove.
- BMC leads the group up the climb.
- Adam Bergman (Colavita-Sutter Home) tried hard to get away today.
- Tight quarteres getting through the turns.
- Things start to get a little strung out after the climb.
- Dan Schmatz BMC Racing leans over through a turn.
- Mike Sayers BMC Racing makes the chase.
- Anthony Jesse (Kodak/Sierra Nevada) moving fast.
- Dominique Rollin (Kodak/Sierra Nevada) goes solo.
- Slipstream/Chipotle did lots of work to keep things under control.
- Riders decend after the hill on the back side.
- Dominique Rollin (Kodak/Sierra Nevada) still off the front.
- Kelly Benefits comes to the front to control the pace.
- Kelly Benefits on the front.
- The pace picks up closer to the end.
- Another group tried to get up the road.
- The front of the race with 1 lap to go.
- Kirk O'Bee, (Healthnet) , looks over as Martin Gilbert (Kelly Benefits), gets the win.
- Emile Abraham (AEG/Toshiba) was determined to cross the finish line no matter what.
- The mens final podium.
Images by Kurt Jambretz/Action Images
- The Men’s Pro peloton lined up for the start
- Mike Friedman (Slipstream/Chipotle) heads into the first turn
- Scott Szizanski (Priority Health pb Bissell) chooses an outside line through the turn
- Kayle Leo Grand’s (Rock Racing) face shows the signs of intense effort
- Chris Wherry (Toyota-United) coasts safely through the first turn
- Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United) rolls carefully into turn one on wet pavement
- The peloton snakes out of turn four and bunches up on the descent
- Karl Menzies (Health Net) crests the small hill on the back side of the course
- Stefano Barberi (Toyota-United) and Burke Swindlehurst (Toyota-United) protect Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United) in the early going
- Ryan Miller (Toyota-United) picks his line carefully on the wet pavement
- The peloton bunches up on the downhill while the teams execute their strategy
- Phil Zajicek (Navigators) doesn’t seem to mind the wet conditions
- Kodak Gallery-Sierra Brewing rode aggressively at the front for most of the race
- Tim Johnson (Health Net) powers through turn four
- Darren Lill (Navigators) attempts a breakaway with a couple of riders in tow
- Martin Gilbert (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) tests the field with a small attack
- Dominique Rollin (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Brewing) attempts a solo move midway through the race
- A Kodak Gallery/Sierra Brewing rider goes to the front to control the pace for his teammate off the front
- Ivan Dominguez (Toyota- United) removes his ear piece as his day comes to an early end
- Jackson Stewart (BMC Pro Cycling) is pelted with rain from all sides
- Martin Gilbert (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) takes off with great intensity after the solo rider up the road
- The Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast team slowly began to assemble at the front of the peloton
- There were a few more Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast at the front a lap later
- The Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast team went to the front with twelve laps to go and stayed there
- Yes, count them..... seven Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast riders create a train on the front
- Soon Dominique Rollin (Kodak Gallery-Sierra Brewing) was absorbed by the field
- Jordan Schware (Chief mechanic- Rock Racing) prepares to reinsert Kayle Leo Grand after a mechanical
- Martin Gilbert (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) sprints home for the win over Kirk O’Bee (Health Net) with a massive pile-up in the background
- The Men’s podium (left to right) Kirk O’Bee (Health Net), Martin Gilbert (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast), and Shawn Milne (Health Net)
Results
1 Martin Gilbert (Can) Kelly Benefit 2.17.44 2 Kirk O'Bee (USA) Health Net presented by 3 Shawn Milne (USA) Health Net presented by 4 Alex Candelario (USA) Jelly Belly 5 Antonio Cruz (USA) Discovery Channel Team 6 Ben Raby (USA) Kodak/Sierra Nevada Brewing 7 Evan Elken (USA) Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling 8 Bobby Lea (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling 9 Jake Rytlewski (USA) Rite Aid Cycling 10 Robert King (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 11 Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling 12 Oleg Grishkin (Rus) Navigators 13 Garrett Peltonen (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 14 Darren Lill (RSA) Navigators 15 Ian MacGregor (USA) Slipstream-Chipotle 16 Neil Shirley (USA) Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling 17 Mark Walters (Can) Kodak/Sierra Nevada Brewing 18 Morgan Schmitt (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 19 Scottie Weiss (USA) AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork 20 Daniel Holt (USA) Nerac Pro Cycling 21 Josh Thornton (USA) Kodak/Sierra Nevada Brewing 22 Sean Sullivan (Aus) Toyota-United Pro Cycling 23 Keven Lacombe (Can) Kelly Benefit 24 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Jelly Belly 25 Bernard VanUlden (USA) Navigators 26 Chris Wherry (USA) Toyota-United Pro Cycling 27 Jonathon Clarke (Aus) Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home 28 Chris Frederick (USA) AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork 29 Charles Dionne (Can) Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home 30 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Health Net presented by 31 Gustavo Artacho (Arg) Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home 32 Yosvany Falcon (Cub) AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork 33 Dan Timmerman (USA) Kodak/Sierra Nevada Brewing 34 Richard England (Aus) Priority Health Cycling Team 35 Ken Hanson (USA) BMC Racing 36 Heath Blackgrove (NZl) Toyota-United Pro Cycling 37 Matthew Rice (Aus) Jelly Belly 38 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 39 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net presented by 40 Tim Johnson (USA) Health Net presented by 41 Ian McKissick (USA) BMC Racing 42 Graham Howard (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 43 Rahsaan Bahati (USA) Rock Racing 44 Dominique Rollin (Can) Kodak/Sierra Nevada Brewing 45 Jeremiah Wiscovitch (USA) Rock Racing 46 Frank Pipp (USA) Health Net presented by 47 Edward King (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 48 Emile Abraham (Tri) Priority Health Cycling Team 49 Alejandro Borrajo (Arg) Rite Aid Cycling 50 Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net presented by 51 John Murphy (USA) Health Net presented by 52 Todd Henriksen (USA) AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork
