American racing took a turn for the serious this weekend with three major races spread across the continental United States: from New York, to Alabama, to California.
Tour of the Battenkill
Sunday's, UCI 1.2 ranked Tour of the Battenkill was the premiere race of the weekend and is one of the key one-day races on the American calendar. Rejuvenated returner, Floyd Landis (Bahati Foundation), showed some real signs of life with a great effort at the Tour of the Battenkill. After the day's break returned to the fold of the vastly trimmed field of around 40 with 50 km remaining, Landis made the race-winning move with training partner and eventual winner, Caleb Fairly (Holowesko Partners) as accompaniment. On the final dirt section, with 10 km to go, Fairly rode away from his erstwhile companion, and pushed forward to a huge lead on the line, almost two and a half minutes ahead of Landis.
When Landis and Fairly flew the coop with 50 km to go, two more tried to follow, but left a few moments too late. For their slight hesitation, Jay Thomson (Fly V) and Luca Damiani (Kenda Pro Cycling) were sentenced to a lonely pursuit match against the two leaders, one which they would not win, but one that would yield the final podium spot - to Thomson.
1. Caleb Fairly (Holowesko)
2. Floyd Landis (Bahati Foundation) 2:24
3. Jay Thomson (Fly V) 2:43
4. Luca Damiani (Kenda Pro Cycling)2:43
5. Ken Hanson (Team Type 1) 3:46
Sunny King Criterium
1100 miles to the southeast and the evening before, the National Racing Calendar made its first steps eastward in preparation for a lengthy East Coast swing. The first stop outside of California was Anniston, Alabama for the Sunny King Criterium. The 60 lap twilight crit started fast and stayed fast.
Groups constantly formed and came back until finally, 14 riders merged, formed a semi-truce, and lapped the field. Fly V, Kenda, United Healthcare, and Jamis Sutter Home all had two apiece in the move, so the big teams were content to let the break do its thing.
In the eventual chaotic field sprint, Ben Kersten (Fly V) proved yet again that his evolution from track to road sprinter has been a successful one with yet another big win. He led home another Aussie, Hilton Clarke (Bahati Foundation). Alessandro Bazzana rounded out the podium for Fly V to make for a solid weekend on two fronts for the Australian team. Bahati Foundation didn't fair too poorly either - 2nd at Battenkill and 2nd at Anniston.
1. Ben Kersten (Fly V)
2. Hilton Clarke (Bahati)
3. Alessandro Bazzana (Fly V)
4. Chad Burdzilauskas (Kenda Pro Cycling)
5. Karl Menzies (United Healthcare)
The next day continued the theme of Fly V on top with Bahati right behind. Alessandro Bazzano took the non-NRC road race ahead of his breakmate, former Brasstown Bald stage winner at the Tour de Georgia, Cesar Grajales, of Bahati Foundation.
Sea Otter
Many miles to the west, there was one team in effect, and one team only: Bissell. Bissell swept the podium at the Sea Otter Road Race with Paul Mach leading the way home. The next day, Mach repeated his result from the road race on the Laguna Seca Race Track in the famed Sea Otter Circuit Race. It was a tour de force for the Bissell team in their backyard and certainly an omen for the weeks to come when they head eastward to do battle with the likes of Fly V and Bahati Foundation.
April 16th Road Race
1. Paul Mach (Bissell)
2. Rob Britton (Bissell)
3. Ben Jacques Maynes (Bissell)
1. Carmen Small (Colavita)
2. Dotsie Bausch (Southern California Velo)
3. Rebecca Much (TIBCO)
April 17th Circuit Race
1. Paul Mach (Bissell)
2. Jared Barrilleaux (Cal Giant)
3. Evan Huffman (Yahoo!)
1. Alison Powers (Vera Bradley)
2. Katharine Carroll (Peanut Butter & Co.)
3. Katheryn Mattis (Webcor)