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Results and Reports for May 25-31 2002
USA
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59th Tour of Somerville
New Jersey, May 27, 2002
Win number four for Carney
Report courtesy the Navigators Cycling Team
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Jonas Carney (Prime Alliance) took out his fourth Tour of Somerville victory in today's 59th edition of this prestigious US race. Carney beat Vassily Davidenko (Navigators) and Graeme Miller (Mercury) in a tight sprint that came at the end of a race characterised by numerous attacks and high-speed chases.
The 2002 edition of the race was held on the traditional 2km four-corner course that's recognized as one of the fastest criteriums in North America. Somerville is always a crowd favorite with 25,000 spectators lining the course in a huge block party that sees the prime viewing spots claimed hours before the actual racing begins.
This year's race drew riders from a dozen different countries and representation from most of the major domestic US squads. With many large cash primes on order, the pace was fast and hard from the starter's whistle. With barely a lap under their wheels, a breakaway of three escaped in the hunt for cash, but were quickly brought back into the fold by the nervous field.
In the first hour of racing several breakaways gained a handful of seconds on the peloton, but none had the horsepower to stick it out for more than a few laps. The Navigators were particularly active as the race is held just a short distance from the team's headquarters in North, Central NJ, and a good showing was certainly mandatory. Navigators' Mark Walters (third last year) and Oleg Grichkine represented the blue squad in many of the early breaks, but the speed of the field all but guaranteed that any attempt to stay away would be in vain.
With approximately 25 of the 50 laps remaining, a group of five led by Chris Wherry (Mercury) gained an advantage of 35 seconds on the bunch. Over the next five laps their lead climbed to over 40-seconds. With no representative in the break, and Navigators' Olympic Sprint Champion Marty Nothstein sitting back, the pressure to control the race fell on the Navigators' shoulders. As the men in blue organized at the front of the peloton for the chase, word had come from the officials that Nothstein had received an earlier wheel change in the pit that was now deemed unmerited.
The Chief Referee had determined that Nothstein's front wheel was not damaged badly enough in a collision with another rider to require the use of the free-lap rule, and he had to withdraw from the race, and the expected showdown between Olympic Sprint champ Nothstein and the country's best criterium racers was not to be.
Meanwhile, Chris Wherry was driving the breakaway with speed and power and the chase was starting to run out of laps. With eight laps to go the gap was still 17 seconds. The Navigators ramped the speed up even higher as the laps were coming down and with three laps remaining the breakaway was in their sights. Led by the Navs, the peloton swept up the breakaway, ensuring a mad dash for the line.
In the sprint, Davidenko went shoulder-to-shoulder with Jonas Carney (Prime Alliance) and Graeme Miller (Mercury) in a three-up tussle. When the dust settled, the camera gave the win to Carney, his fourth in Somerville, followed by Davidenko and Miller. The enthusiastic crowd was treated to a truly exciting finish in this long-standing NJ Memorial Day tradition.
Photography
Photos kindly supplied by Phil Marques
- Vassili Davidenko's - scar from the Valley of the Sun race back in February...
- Another Mario - (Bastianelli) of the tiger striped Acqua e Sapone team
- Canadian national road champion - Mark Walters puts the hurt on Matt Decanio
- Jonas Carney - looks like he has spent some time in the gym.
- Always be wary - of someone with a rubber glove.
- Ideal Tile's Johnny Verheul - strings out the field.
- Jonas Carney - being lead down Main St.
- The US Armed Forces Team - was on hand
- Michael Easter leads the break with Chris Wherry in tow.
- The Diet Rite girls - were at the front on the bell lap.
- The Tri-State/Amoroso team - congregate in the crit
- Chris Wherry (Mercury) - carrying a bit of extra weight
These images courtesy Zui Hanafusa
- Team Navigators drives the peloton
- The five-man break works to try and stay away
- The peloton in the women's race
- The junior race saw a strong turnout of young riders - some of whom look to be out-growing their bikes..
- One lap to go and the Navigators were still leading the charge
Results
Men 1 Jonas Carney (Prime Alliance) 2 Vassili Davidenko (Navigators) 3 Graeme Miller (Mercury Cycling) 4 Derek Bouchard-Hall (Mercury Cycling) 5 Sebastian Alexander (Colavita) 6 Kevin Mnahan (7-Up Nutra) 7 Mark Light (Beans Litebites) 8 Peter Rodgers (Team Columbus) 9 Zachary Browne (NCVC Spokes ETC) 10 Joseph Papp (UPMC/FUGI) Women (Mildred Kugler Open) 1 Laura Van Gilder (Trek Plus) 2 Tina Mayola-Pick (Team Ditente) 3 Tania Duff Miller (Freddi Fu Cycling) 4 Christina Underwood (Team Fugi) 5 Rebecca Quinn (Quakertown) 6 Lara Kroepsch (Trek Plus) 7 Charmian Breon (Freddie Fu Cycling) 8 Brooke O’Connor (NEBC Cycle) 9 Lynn Brotzmann (Michela Fanini) 10 Roz Reekie-May (Mercury) Allen Bell Veterans I, II, III 30+ 1 Ramon Benitez (Artemis) 2 Steve Speaks (Mercury Atlantic) 3 Roger Friend (Monticello Velo) 4 John Murray (Beans Lite Bites) 5 Wilson Vasquez (GS Mengoni) 6 Patrick Gellineau (Team Squiggle) 7 Bill Breslin (Wilmington Velo) 8 David Magloire (Atlantic Velo Powder) 9 Aubrey Gordon (Team Squiggles) 10 Glenn Schneider (Montclair Cyclists) Harry Naismith Junior 1 Owen Nielsen (Xaloy Racing) 2 Andrew Tkaczak,Tri State Velo) 3 Mike Rabe (UPMC-Fuji) 4 Paul Ward (Atlantis Velo) 5 Michael Proctor (Fairway CYFAC) 6 Konrad LeBas (CCB Volkswagen) 7 Kareen Harris (NECSA) 8 Ryan Eiler (Tri-State Velo) 9 David Brown (Beans Lite Bites) 10 Matthew Pollard (Team Snow Valley) 11 Hans Hoas (East Coast Velo) 12 Brad Viera (Red Rose Rockets) 13 Dave Neihauer (Tri State Velo) 14 Ben Barczewski (East Coast Velo) 15 Elliot Guant (Susquehanna Valley) Past winners 2001 Eric Wohlberg (Can) 2000 Jonas Carney (USA) 1999 Eric Wohlberg (Can) 1998 Jonas Carney (USA) 1997 Brett Aitken (Aus) 1996 Julian Dean (NZl) 1995 Jason Snow (USA) 1994 Jame Carney (USA) 1993 Gary Anderson (NZl) 1992 Jonas Carney (USA) Past winners by Mario Stiehl, Berlin
