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US Air Force Cycling Classic - (1.2)
Crystal City, Virginia, USA, May 4, 2008
Results Start list Past winners 2007 Results Live Coverage
Younger Haedo keeps family's winning ways strong
Colavita-Sutter Home goes one-two at finish, Symmetrics most aggressive
By Mark Zalewski, North American Editor in Crystal City, Virginia
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The updated Crystal City Classic, now known as the US Air Force Classic, became a UCI rated circuit race on the North American calendar this year. However, the quality of the peloton was affected by three other major races on the same day -- the Tour of Gila, Roswell Criterium and the finish of Speed Week. With only a handful of pro teams attending a half-amateur filled field meant that control of the peloton was up for grabs with no attacks able to stay away. Finally as the racers saw one lap remaining Andrew Randall (Symmetrics) rolled off the front of a small split and held a thirty second lead around the 12.5 mile course. But rounding the final turn and with less than 100 meters to go he was caught by the hard-charging Colavita-Sutter Home train, with Sebastian Haedo as the winning conductor.
"The guy was still at 20 seconds and we lost three guys bringing him back, but we were confident in the last kilometer that we would catch him," Haedo told Cyclingnews after the race. "Kelly Benefits was doing the lead out but we passed them into the corners and got the lead with two turns to go. After the last turn we caught [Randall] and went through first and second and that's how it ended."
Sebastian Haedo is the younger brother of CSC sprinter Juan Jose Haedo, and it looks like younger brother is following in JJ's American domestic footsteps.
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Haedo's team-mate Kyle Wamsley, last year's winner here, was the final lead-out for Haedo, and led all the way past the final turn up to Randall. "Sebastian told me it was going to be a headwind on the final straight and that he couldn't do the whole 200 meters alone, so I made sure I took it through the final turn and gave it a little bit of gas out of the corner to give him a clean shot.
"Davide took it from four turns to go and we passed Kelly," Wamsley said. "Then we got to three turns to go and Enevio went to the front. He had a clean run and we could see Randall really close. He took me through the second to last turn, then I almost overcooked it in the last turn because I didn't want to lose any momentum and slow Sebastian down!"
Andrew Randall not only won the hard luck award, but his almost full-lap solo break earned him the Cyclingnews most aggressive rider award. He was part of a four-rider group that had rolled off the front of the field in the intermediate sprint on the start/finish line with one to go. But none of the other riders wanted to roll, and since the team was without any true sprinter he just put his head down and did not look back.
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"Everyone was getting tired and it was a bit of a headwind," Randall said. "Sundt and [Chris Jones] didn't want to roll, and I think Barrajo only took one pull and rolled off my wheel. I was thinking I wasn't going to make it in that last sprint because of the last corner!"
"I thought if I could make it to the hill and have a gap I would have a pretty good shot. But they caught me right on the line!" he said, a little bit frustrated. When asked if he was too cross-eyed to see the finish line he replied, "I was crossed eyed for the entire last lap!"
Jonny Sundt (Kelly Benefits-Medifast) had the opportunity to go with Randall, but team director Jonas Carney vetoed the move to set-up the planned field sprint for Martin Gilbert. "Jonas told me not to ride, so I didn't ride. I would have like to ride but it wasn't what the plan was. In the confusion of me deciding not to ride and Chris Jones not to ride, Randall snuck off and that was that."
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The result was that the team rode the front for the last lap, along with Team Type 1, to bring Randall back. This negatively affected their lead-out, which was also hampered by a last-minute switch from Gilbert to the other sprinter Alex Candelario.
"Our lead out kinda fell apart," said Candelario, who still finished on the podium in third place. "We were going to lead out Martin but Lacombe kinda panicked with about 3km to go and he hit out early. We talked about it before and knew Colavita would have guys lined up behind us. I was trying to tell him not to go, but he went and left it short -- then Martin said he wasn't good, so all of a sudden we go into the last four corners and I have four Colavita guys in front of me!"
"We screwed up the lead out," the rarely cryptic Sundt said plainly. "Usually this is a perfect course for us to lead-out being so technical. I don't think there is any other way to put it, Colavita snuck around and we just didn't execute."
Regardless of the outcome Candelario, who won the first race for the team at Speed Week this week, said he was happy with the team's performance on the day. "It was a little frustrating, but we got on the podium. And the guys are riding a lot better now. Our team is so young - we have really talented guys so this was a great race to get some experience!"
How it unfolded
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The day began at the US Air Force memorial with a send-off from the Air Force's Vice Chief of Staff General Duncan McNabb, who followed an impressive fly over from two F-15 fighter jets. The riders began a long 3.6 mile neutral parade lap. This was half of the course, but since it was mostly a two-way run course, it gave the riders a view of the entire circuit. And this information was useful as there were many tight and technical turns, including a perilous three-turn chicane that was barely wide enough for the race caravan to manoeuvrer.
With the half-lap complete it was off to the races. Each lap was a points sprint and Toshiba-Santo's Colombian sprinter Carlos Alzate Escobar made an early run at the first sprint. He followed that with four more first places of the eleven sprints over the day to seal the points jersey with a double-digit lead.
The speed was not necessarily blistering, mostly due to a hefty wind, but also with the plethora of regional pro and amateur teams chasing any break attempts down. The lack of a significant climb, plus the lack of a high-speed peloton, kept many of these teams in contention well into the race.
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"The wind made it hard, but you need more of a selection," said Alex Candelario about the small hill up to the memorial on the back end of the circuit. "With the amateur teams in there it's not full-on racing either."
The most any break would get was 10 or fifteen seconds before the wind, or a highway on-ramp ascent, would allow the field to catch up. No clear organization took hold in the first half of the race, except for the relentless attacking of the entire Symmetrics squad -- earning them the most aggressive award on the day.
Later in the race a break with all the major pro teams except Team Type 1 formed, and it looked like the real racing had begun. But Team Type 1 knew this was likely to stick and six of their riders got on the front and chased the escapees down.
Entering the final turns with the bell lap looming it was four riders rolling off the front for the sprint, including Chris Jones (Team Type 1), Jonny Sundt (Kelly Benefits-Medifast), Alejandro Barajjo (Colavita-Sutter Home) and Andrew Randall (Symmetrics). The main field had shrunk significantly to about half the starting size and it seemed that this break might have a chance.
"All the amateur guys wanted to weld things back together, which is pretty typical of them," said Sundt. "After 100km they have no legs left and that is when the real racing starts. That was real racing but it just didn't work out for us."
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But Sundt was under orders and sat-up, as did Jones. Barrajo thought about it for a moment, but saw the chances of a two rider break succeeding in the day's wind as rather small.
Randall soldiered on along and quickly built a 20 second lead. The reaction from the depleted field was slow and the gap went up to 30 seconds out on the open part of the course, when the wind finally helped cap the gap. On top of the memorial Randall managed to keep his 30 seconds, the biggest break of the day, and the hopes for a spoiler grew.
Back around the Pentagon Randall's lead began to slowly recede, down to 20 seconds and the field could see him ahead on the long road stretches. But back into the city the twists and turns helped hide Randall. With 2km to go he had 15 seconds and the field smelled blood in the water. Around the four 90-degree turns inside the last kilometer the Kelly Benefits-Medifast lead-out was trumped by Colavita-Sutter Home -- as was the solo effort by Randall, who managed to hang on long enough to see the finish line before the sprinters passed him like he was standing still.
On the line it was Sebastian Haedo off the wheel of team-mate Kyle Wamsley, who hung on to beat Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefits-Medifast) for second place. Randall was close enough to the line that he still finished fourth. The aggressive riding by Symmetrics all day was reflected in winning the team classification, ahead of Colavita-Sutter Home.
Also see: Live coverage of the US Air Force Cycling Classic.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by
Jonathan Devich/
- Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Colavita) claims victory in a one-two for his team.
- The US Air Force color guard got things rolling today in Arlington.
- Riders lined up next to the Air Force Memorial.
- Just before the race starts the riders were treated to a fly by.
- One arm of the Air Force Memorial frames the peloton on the first lap.
- A break tries to get organized on an earlier lap.
- The Pentagon, the Washington Memorial and the Capitol provided the scene for today’s race.
- Riders get stretched under the backdrop of Washington DC and the Washington Monument.
- A junior rider watches as the pros go by.
- Riders can just be seen in the reflection of the Air Force Memorial wall.
- A close up look at the wall and the riders.
- The group does a hard 180 around the back side of the Air Force Monument,
- The peloton gets strung out on the slight climb along the route.
- A large break gets a gap on the main bunch.
- Andrew Randell (Symmetrics) going hard before ending up as today's most aggressive rider.
- The field slows and bunches up a bit.
- Mark Walters (Team Race) getting up the climb.
- Riders pass by the prison-like walls of the Pentagon.
- Davide Fratini (Colovita/Sutter Home) ready to make a move.
- Things get strung out again as riders ride along the Potomac.
- The field was flying as it came into downtown Crystal City.
- Kelly Benefits was going hard for the win today.
- Richmond Pro Cycling tried to get riders to the front.
- A Toshiba rider lays way over in a turn.
- Kyle Wamsley (Colovita-Sutter Home) came to the front for a third place finish by the end.
- Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefits) sits on the wheel of eventual race winner Sebastian Haedo (Colovita - Sutter Home).
- Two riders got a gap as the race left downtown Crystal City.
- The field didn’t seem too eager to chase when the riders got up the road.
- Coming through the finish line with two laps to go.
- Riders begin to fight for position on the last lap.
- Andrew Randell (Symmetrics) had about a 10 second gap with only three corners to go.
- Podium: Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefits) third, Kyle Wamsley (Colovita-Sutter Home) second and winner Sebastian Haedo (Colovita-Sutter Home).
Images by Bill McCarrick/www.buffalo2step.com
- Last year’s winner Kyle Wamsley (Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home) looks relaxed at the start.
- The race begins with the Air Force Memorial in the background.
- The riders climbed up the small hill to the Air Force Memorial 12 times.
- The race was aggressive from the gun.
- Small groups formed and were quickly reeled in.
- Russ Langley (Battley Harley Davidson) pushes the pace.
- Last year’s runner up Jon Hamblen (Time Pro Cycling) attacked repeatedly.
- Neo-Pro Ben King (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) rode well for his team.
- The peloton rolls by the Pentagon...
- ...and by Arlington National Cemetery.
- A late attack of four contained Andrew Randell (Symmetrics) and Nick Waite (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast).
- Andrew Randell (Symmetrics) attacked the group and rode the final lap solo.
- Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) had his team chase down the break.
- Sebastion Haedo (Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home) and Kyle Wamsley (Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home make it a Colavita one-two.
Images by Fj Hughes/www.fhughesphoto.com
- Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Colavita/Sutter Home) is relaxed before the start.
- Local Virginia team Richmond Pro Cycling member.
- Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Colavita/Sutter Home) corners during the race...
- ...and is followed by team-mate Davide Frattini.
- Davide Frattini (Colavita/Sutter home) chases a small break.
- A Canadian team Symmetrics rider.
- Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefit Stratagies/Medifast) claimed third place.
- A Rite Pro Cycling team rider breathes hard.
- Gustavo Artacho (Colavita/Sutter Home) rode strongly.
- Several small break formed but were caught by the peloton.
- Kyle Wamsley (Colavita/Sutter Home) celebrates team-mate Haedo's win.
- The Podium.
- After the race, Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Colavita/Sutter Home) is congratulated by spectators.
Results
1 Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light 3.27.41 2 Kyle Wamsley (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light 3 Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 4 Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics 0.01 5 Francois Parisien (Can) Symmetrics 0.02 6 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics 7 Jacob Erker (Can) Symmetrics 8 John Fredy Parra (Col) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 0.03 9 Thomas Soladay (USA) Time Pro Cycling 0.04 10 Emile Abraham (Tri) Team Type 1 0.05 11 Erik Barlevav (USA) Time Pro Cycling 0.06 12 Mele Ryan (USA) Richmond Pro Cycling 13 John Durango (Col) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 0.07 14 Carlos Eduardo Alzate Escobar (Col) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 15 Christian Meier (Can) Symmetrics 16 Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 0.08 17 Mark Walters (Can) Team R.A.C.E Pro 18 Ryan Roth (Can) Team R.A.C.E Pro 0.10 19 Dan Timmerman (USA) Team R.A.C.E Pro 20 Anibal Andres Borrajo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light 0.12 21 Esteban Jukich (Uru) Richmond Pro Cycling 0.13 22 Boyd Johnson (USA) DLP Racing 23 Dustin Macburnie (Can) Team R.A.C.E Pro 0.23 24 Nick Frey (USA) Time Pro Cycling 25 Kevin Miller (Can) Team R.A.C.E Pro 0.26 26 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 0.28 27 Chuck Hutcheson (USA) Battley Harley Davidson 0.29 28 Gerardo Castro (Uru) Richmond Pro Cycling 0.35 29 Glen Alan Chadwick (NZl) Team Type 1 0.36 30 Daniel Ramsey (USA) Time Pro Cycling 31 Robert Lea (USA) Rite Aid Pro Cycling 0.40 32 Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light 33 Andy Baker (USA) Time Pro Cycling 34 Thad Dulin (USA) DLP Racing 0.43 35 Martin Gilbert (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 0.54 36 Daniel Vaillancourt (USA) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 1.05 37 Jonathan Sundt (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 1.31 38 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 1.49 39 Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1 40 Benjamin Brooks (Aus) Team Type 1 41 Benjamin King (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 2.07 42 Gustavo Artacho (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light 2.16 43 Jonathan Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 2.44 44 Keven Lacombe (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 45 Joel Dion-Poitras (Can) Team R.A.C.E Pro 2.52 46 David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast DNF Tucker Brown (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light DNF Luca Damiani (Ita) Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light DNF Rodney Santiago (PuR) Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light DNF Andrew Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast DNF Spencer Beamer (USA) DLP Racing DNF Matthew Howe (USA) DLP Racing DNF Joey Coddington (USA) DLP Racing DNF Christopher Judy (USA) DLP Racing DNF Owen Nielsen (USA) DLP Racing DNF Jeff Sherstobitoff (Can) Symmetrics DNF Moises Aldape Chavez (Mex) Team Type 1 DNF Jesse Anthony (USA) Team Type 1 DNF Jered Gruber (USA) Time Pro Cycling DNF Jonathan Hamblen (USA) Time Pro Cycling DNF Clayton Barrows (USA) Rite Aid Pro Cycling DNF Jonathan Erdelyi (USA) Rite Aid Pro Cycling DNF Richard Geng (Ger) Rite Aid Pro Cycling DNF Stephen Kincaid (USA) Rite Aid Pro Cycling DNF Jake Rytlewski (USA) Rite Aid Pro Cycling DNF Miles Watson (NZl) Rite Aid Pro Cycling DNF Keir Plaice (Can) Team R.A.C.E Pro DNF Mark Pozniak (Can) Team R.A.C.E Pro DNF Craig Dodson (USA) Richmond Pro Cycling DNF Jeff Buckles (USA) Richmond Pro Cycling DNF Stephen Delisle (USA) Richmond Pro Cycling DNF Paul Ward (USA) Richmond Pro Cycling DNF George Ganoung (USA) U.S. Armed Forces Cycling DNF Kenneth Young (USA) U.S. Armed Forces Cycling DNF William Jacobous (USA) U.S. Armed Forces Cycling DNF Sean Coleman (USA) U.S. Armed Forces Cycling DNF Zachary Garrett (USA) U.S. Armed Forces Cycling DNF Keck Baker (USA) Battley Harley Davidson DNF Brian Butts. (USA) Battley Harley Davidson DNF Ryan Dewald (USA) Battley Harley Davidson DNF Evan Fader (USA) Battley Harley Davidson DNF Russ Langley (USA) Battley Harley Davidson DNF Andrew Applegate (USA) Team Inferno Pro Cycling DNF Joe Cooper (NZl) Team Inferno Pro Cycling DNF Ryan Gamm (USA) Team Inferno Pro Cycling DNF Jaime Gandara (USA) Team Inferno Pro Cycling DNF Christian Parrett (USA) Team Inferno Pro Cycling DNF Tim Swain (USA) Team Inferno Pro Cycling DNF Matthew Winstead (USA) Team Inferno Pro Cycling DNS Torsten Wambold (Ger) DNS David Fuentes (USA) Sprints Sprint 1 1 Carlos Eduardo Alzate Escobar (Col) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 5 pts 2 Benjamin King (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 3 3 Stephen Kincaid (USA) Rite Aid Pro Cycling 1 Sprint 2 1 Jonathan Sundt (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 5 pts 2 Martin Gilbert (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 3 3 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics 1 Sprint 3 1 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 5 pts 2 Jonathan Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 3 3 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 1 Sprint 4 1 Christian Meier (Can) Symmetrics 5 pts 2 Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light 3 3 Stephen Kincaid (USA) Rite Aid Pro Cycling 1 Sprint 5 1 Carlos Eduardo Alzate Escobar (Col) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 5 pts 2 Nick Frey (USA) Time Pro Cycling 3 3 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 1 Sprint 6 1 Carlos Eduardo Alzate Escobar (Col) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 5 pts 2 Esteban Jukich (Uru) Richmond Pro Cycling 3 3 Jonathan Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 1 Sprint 7 1 Robert Lea (USA) Rite Aid Pro Cycling 5 pts 2 Francois Parisien (Can) Symmetrics 3 3 John Fredy Parra (Col) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 1 Sprint 8 1 Carlos Eduardo Alzate Escobar (Col) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 5 pts 2 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics 3 3 Esteban Jukich (Uru) Richmond Pro Cycling 1 Sprint 9 1 Mark Walters (Can) Team R.A.C.E Pro 5 pts 2 Jonathan Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 3 3 Benjamin Brooks (Aus) Team Type 1 1 Sprint 10 1 Carlos Eduardo Alzate Escobar (Col) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 5 pts 2 Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics 3 3 David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 1 Sprint 11 1 Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics 5 pts 2 Jonathan Sundt (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 3 3 Anibal Andres Borrajo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light 1 Sprint classification 1 Carlos Eduardo Alzate Escobar (Col) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 25 pts 2 Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics 8 3 Jonathan Sundt (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 8 4 Jonathan Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 7 5 Mark Walters (Can) Team R.A.C.E Pro 5 6 Robert Lea (USA) Rite Aid Pro Cycling 5 7 Christian Meier (Can) Symmetrics 5 8 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 5 9 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics 4 10 Esteban Jukich (Uru) Richmond Pro Cycling 4 11 Francois Parisien (Can) Symmetrics 3 12 Nick Frey (USA) Time Pro Cycling 3 13 Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light 3 14 Martin Gilbert (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 3 15 Benjamin King (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 3 16 Anibal Andres Borrajo (Arg) Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light 1 17 David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 1 18 Benjamin Brooks (Aus) Team Type 1 1 19 John Fredy Parra (Col) Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 1 Most aggressive 1 Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Team classification 1 Symmetrics 10.23.08 2 Colavita / Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light 0.07 3 Toshiba-Santo Pro Cycling P/B Herbalife 0.12 4 Team R.A.C.E Pro 0.23 5 Time Pro Cycling 0.28 6 Richmond Pro Cycling 0.49 7 Team Type 1 1.04 8 Kelly Benefit Strategies / Medifast 2.20
Startlist
Not available.
Past winners
2008 (Crystal City Classic) Men: Kyle Wamsley (USA) Navigators Insurance Women: Laura Van Guilder (USA) Cheerwine
