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July 10, Elite men:

Bevin holds off experienced Aussies for victory

By:
Kirsten Frattini
Published:
July 11, 2010, 13:25,
Updated:
July 11, 2010, 15:29

Sulzberger secures second from Clarke

UnitedHealthcare's three man attack (l-r): Karl Menzies, Jake Keough and Hilton Clarke.

UnitedHealthcare's three man attack (l-r): Karl Menzies, Jake Keough and Hilton Clarke.

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Bissell Pro Cycling team’s newest recruit Patrick Bevin proved to be a worthy signing after capturing a solo victory at the National Racing Calender’s Grand Cycling Classic held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bernie Sulzberger (Fly V Australia) won the bunch sprint for second place ahead of Hilton Clarke (UnitedHealthcare-Maxxis) in third.

“I was picked up by Bissell in June,” Bevin said. “I had a strong season as a junior last year and Bissell was at a couple of races this year down where I live. I came up here and had a really rough month with getting sick and missed some racing.

“When you have a team like Bissell you want to do well,” he added. “They don’t put pressure on me but I put pressure on myself. To win a race for them is positive and a great way to show the team that I mean business.”

The professional men’s field was stacked full of criterium talents with Sulzberger and Jonathan Cantwell (Fly V Australia), Clarke and Karl Menzies (UnitedHealthcare-Maxxis), Rob Bush (Kenda-Geargrinder) and Alejandro Borrajo and NRC individual leader Luis Amaran (Jamis Sutter Home). However, it was Bissell that fielded a team of 10 riders on the hunt for a victory on home turf.

Bevin countered a series of attacks and landed in the most significant breakaway of the race. He was off the front and on his own fighting to hold a slim lead ahead of the peloton for nearly 30 minutes.

“We had a solid team and they were all over the front of the bike race all day,” Bevin said. “It got to the point where guys were sick of chasing and I went. I got a gap quite quickly and managed to keep it out front.”

With one rider up the road, Bissell was absolved from having to chase. Strong teams Fly V Australia and UnitedHealthcare harboured proven winning sprinters back in the bunch and each team organised themselves in anticipation of a bunch sprint. Bevin crossed the finish line with a victory salute a mere two or three bike lengths ahead of the peloton.

“There were a couple of groups that got established at the front of the field but nothing really go established,” Bevin said. “My time yo-yoed a lot because of that and the time always drops fast when the sprinter teams start getting organised. I was almost caught at the line.”

Results

# Rider Name (Country) Team Result
1 Patrick Bevin (Bissell)    
2 Bernard Sulzberger (Fly V Australia)    
3 Hilton Clarke (Unitedhealthcare P/B Maxxis)    
4 Johnathon Cantwell (Fly V Australia)    
5 Jake Keough (Unitedhealthcare P/B Maxxis)    
6 Chad Burdzilauskas (Kenda P/B Geargrinder)    
7 Karl Menzies (Unitedhealthcare P/B Maxxis)    
8 Ben Kersten (Fly V Australia)    
9 Jeremy Grim (Rgf Sports Marketing)    
10 Luis Amaran (Jamis/Sutter Home)    
11 Robert Bush (Kenda P/B Geargrinder)    
12 Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell)    
13 Kyle Wamsley (Bissell)    
14 Andrew Gonzalez (Mero Volkswagon)    
15 Chad Hartley (Kenda P/B Geargrinder)    
16 Chris Uberti (Panther/Competitive Cyclist)    
17 Jim Stemper (Kenda P/B Geargrinder)    
18 Jonathon Card (Team Card)    
19 Jeff Schroetun (Texas Roadhouse)    
20 Hayden Brooks (Fly V Australia)    
21 Joseph Kukolla (Is Corp)    
22 Gregory Christian (Panther/Competitive Cyclist)    
23 Zach Allison (Echelon Energ)    
24 Rob Daksiewicz (Lathrup Industries/Giant Bicycles)    
25 Bradley White (Unitedhealthcare P/B Maxxis)    
26 Christopher Aten (Bicycle Haus Racing)    
27 Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell)    
28 Robert Foshag (Lathrup Industries/Giant Bicycles)    
29 Derek Graham (Bissell/Abg)    
30 Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell)    
31 Shane Kline (Bissell)    
32 Frank Pipp (Bissell)    
33 Daniel Lam (Priority Health Cycling Team)    
34 Luis Amaran (Jamis/Sutter Home)    
35 Alan Antonuk (Cleveland Clinic Sports Health  Rgf Pb Felt Bicycles)    
36 Brian Rach (Is Corp)    
37 Jake Rytlewski (Kenda P/B Geargrinder)    
38 Rob White (Kenda P/B Geargrinder)    
39 Bryan Mcvey (Recycling)    
40 Nathaniel Williams (Bissell/ Abg Cycling)    
41 Unidentified    
42 Adam Leibovitz (Cleavland Clinic/Rgf)    
43 Peter Latham (Bissell)    
44 Mac Brennan (Priority Health Cycling Team)