Huff blows Van Der Valde away

Jelly Belly’s Brad Huff began his Racine.org criterium by making a six-man break that would go on to lap the star-studded field. He then proceeded to show why he is regarded to be one of US best field sprinters, winning the dramatic sprint at the end of the100km criterium, held in downtown Racine. Ricardo Van der Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) finished second in the race ahead of Ronnie Strange (Team Hotel San Jose).

How it unfolded:

The race began at a blistering pace, as the major teams drove the field at a staggering average speed of 33 miles per hour for the first thirty minutes. The high speed saw a number of riders dropping out early as a major split of 20 plus riders formed as riders scrambled for wheels.

A small breakaway consisting of Jonathon Cantwell (Fly V Australia), Carlos Vargas (Team Hotel San Jose), Daniel Bowman (Kelly Benefit Strategies) and Brandon Gritters (Kahala La Grange) established themselves on the front and looked to have it sewn up when time splits showed they were gaining on the every lap. However, a supreme effort by both Team MTN and Team Geargrinder brought the quartet back to the field, just in time for the APC Nutrition red jersey sprint round. Team MTN's Jay Thompson taking the points on offer.

Three laps later, a counter-attack went and a group of six established itself at the head of the race. The group had an international feel with Dutchman Ricardo Van Der Velde (Garmin Slipstream) and Argentine Juan Pablo Dotti (Aero Cat Cycling) joining four Americans: Ronnie Strange (Team Hotel San Jose) Michael Friedman (Garmin Chipotle) and Andrew Bajadali (Kelly Benefit Strategies) and eventual winner Brad Huff (Jelly Belly). This strong group quickly rolled away from the field and fired on all cylinders to lap the field with 34 laps remaining.

With the breakaway back in the peloton, one lap ahead of the field, the final round of the APC Nutrition sprint points became open again. Jay Thomspon (Team MTN) was once again able to get the best of nearest rival, Rob White (Team Geargrinder).

Immediately after the sprint lap, another breakaway formed containing Bradley Potgieter (Team MTN), Jacob Erker (Kelly Benefit Strategies) and Carlos Calcerrada (Aero Cat Cycling). It soon became just two forging the lead, as Calcerrada dropped back to the peloton.

With a 12 laps remaining four riders, including Jonothan Cantwell (Fly V Australia), attempted to bridge across to the duo up the road, but they were not given much free reign and their attack was short lived.

A counter-move was launched by Robert White (Team Geargrinder) and this was followed by Ryan Fruend (ABD Cycling) and Jorge Alvarado (Kahala La Grange). The three worked well together to bridge across to Potgieter and Erker. This group of five riders established a good 45 second lead with Potgieter sprinting for the late race primes on offer. It was Robert White (Team Geargrinder) who outsprinted Potgieter to the line for 7th position.

It was a chaotic dash on the last lap with teams from Garmin-Slipstream, Aero Cat Cycling, Kelly Benefit Strategies and Team Hotel San Jose all trying to set up lead-out trains for their breakaway teammates. Remarkably, it was Brad Huff, without the assistance of his Jelly Belly Team, who was able to take the win ahead of Ricardo Van Der Velde and Ronnie Strange.

"I was super throttled from the Lake Front Road Race here in Milwaukee," said Huff, after his win. "But I went for a nice two hour spin with Karl Menzies earlier this afternoon and that really helped me to get moving again."

Despite riding for rival teams Huff revealed he had received help from Menzies (Team Ouch Presented by Maxxis) during the race. "[Karl] Menzies helped me to get into a better position in the final laps, without his help I would not have been able to make it up there. Karl Menzies was for sure one of the strongest riders in the race, but he just missed the opportunity to get into the break. In the final lap it was quite sketchy and I had to quite patiently for the right opportunity to make my move.

"I was suffering badly in the break, especially when the Friedman and Van Der Velde were killing it on the front. I got gapped off every time we went through the start finish, it was very painful. I actually yelled at Friedman several times for driving the pace so much that he was dropping me and gapping off other riders in the break. Lucky for me I was able to hang on for dear life."

Texan Ronnie Strange (Team Hotel San Jose), who took third, explained that he had been uncertain that the break would survive. "It was my turn to cover an attack when Van Der Velde and Friedman both went up the road, so I was on their wheel. It was Friedman and Van Der Velde who drove the break so hard and nearly dropped everyone, because of this I was initially unsure if the break would stick.

"I felt great in the break, I took the day before off, so my legs were well rested. My team-mates Sullivan and Vargas tried to help me out and keep me at the front [in the last lap], but we kept getting swarmed, so it made things difficult. I found a gap and just made sure I was in the top three of the six that lapped the field."

 

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Elite men
1Brad Huff (Jelly Belly Cycling Team)
2Ricardo Van Der Velde (GARMIN SLIPSTREAM PRO-TOUR)
3Ronnie Strange (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)
4Juan Pablo Dotti (AeroCat Cycling Team)
5Michael Friedman (Garmin Chipotle)
6Andrew Bajadali (Kelly Benefit Strategies)
7Robert White (Team Geargrinder)
8Bradley Potgieter (Team MTN)
9Jacob Erker (Kelly Benefit Strategies)
10Jorge Alvarado (Kahala La-Grange)
11Ryan Freund (ABD Cycling Team)
12Matthias Schroger (Gourmetfein)
13Jonathan Cantwell (Fly V/Australia)
14Jay Thomson (Team MTN)
15Bernard Sulzberger (Fly V Australia)
16Hans Dekkers (GARMIN SLIPSTREAM PRO-TOUR)
17James Stemper (Team Geargrinder)
18Jonathan Atkins (TEAM LATINO)
19Michael Van Eerd (Team YRC Now MS)
20Chad Cagle (Mercy Cycling Team)
21Carlos Vargas (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)
22Chun-Kai Feng (TEAM EXUSTAR TAIWAN)
23Andreas Muller (No Radunion)
24Derek Dixon (HDR P/B LOMBARDIS SPORTS)
25John Bergmann (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling)
26Emile Abraham (AeroCat Cycling Team)
27Jason Allen (Subway-Avanti)
28Carlos Calcerrada (AeroCat Cycling Team)
29Chad Hartley (Team Geargrinder)
30Neil Shirley (Kelly Benefit Strategies)
31Joshua Carter (ABD CYCLING TEAM)
32Dan Lionberg (Team Rio Grande)
33Wei-Cheng Lee (TEAM EXUSTAR TAIWAN)
34Stephen Kincaid (Empire)
35Culyar Conly (Team Seaskatchewan)
36Andreas Graf (Gourmetfein)
37Alex Wieseler (Nova Cycle Sports Foundation Inc.)
38Mike Tettleton (TEAM BEARCLAW)
39Brandon Gritters (Kahala La-Grange)
40Chris Winn (Mob Cyclery Racing / RMCEF)
41Steve Scholzen (Nova Cycle Sports Foundation Inc.)
42Christopher Wherry (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)
43Daniel Bowman (Kelly Benefit Strategies)
44Sean Sullivan (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)
45Derek Laan (Panther/RGF Cycling p/b Felt Bicycles)
46Karl Menzies (Team Ouch Presented by Maxxis)
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Sprint 1
1Brandon Gritters (Kahala La-Grange)
2Daniel Bowman (Kelly Benefit Strategies)
3Jay Thomson (Team MTN)
4Robert White (Team Geargrinder)
5Bradley Potgieter (Team MTN)
6Jonathan Cantwell (Fly V/Australia)
7Neil Shirley (Kelly Benefit Strategies)
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Sprint 2
1Ricardo Van Der Velde (GARMIN SLIPSTREAM PRO-TOUR)
2Ronnie Strange (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)
3Juan Pablo Dotti (AeroCat Cycling Team)
4Michael Friedman (Garmin Chipotle)
5Brad Huff (Jelly Belly Cycling Team)
6Andrew Bajadali (Kelly Benefit Strategies)
7Jay Thomson (Team MTN)
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Sprint 3
1Jay Thomson (Team MTN)
2Robert White (Team Geargrinder)
3Bradley Potgieter (Team MTN)
4Chad Hartley (Team Geargrinder)
5James Stemper (Team Geargrinder)
6Carlos Calcerrada (AeroCat Cycling Team)
7Ricardo Van Der Velde (GARMIN SLIPSTREAM PRO-TOUR)
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Sprint 4
1Jay Thomson (Team MTN)
2Robert White (Team Geargrinder)
3Bradley Potgieter (Team MTN)
4Chad Hartley (Team Geargrinder)
5James Stemper (Team Geargrinder)
6Carlos Calcerrada (AeroCat Cycling Team)
7Emile Abraham (AeroCat Cycling Team)
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Pro women
1Nicky Wangsgard (COLAVITA SUTTER HOME P/B COOKING LIGHT)
2Sally Annis (Hub Racing)
3Sydney Brown (MERCY CYCLING TEAM)
4Kate Ross (Lip Smacker)
5Karla Kingsley (SUGARCRM)
6Mei-Yu Hsiao (TEAM EXUSTAR TAIWAN)
7Emma Petersen (TEAM ULTRALINK)
8Shontell Gauthier (COLAVITA SUTTER HOME P/B COOKING LIGHT)
9Mary-Ellen Ash (SUGARCRM)
10Elizabeth Morse Hill (Hub Racing)
11Sheba Farrin (Hub Racing)
12Amy Mcguire (Hub Racing)
13Carrie Cash Wootten (Team Revolution)
14Trish Black (MORGAN STANLEY/TEAM SPINE/SPECIALIZED)
15Kate Ligler (DOLCE VITA)
16Kimberly N. White (DOLCE VITA)
17Kristen Meshberg (BH USA)
18Ho-Hsun Huang (TEAM EXUSTAR TAIWAN)
19Lauren Liscinski (NOW-MS Society)
20Josephine Giddens (Hub Racing)
21Jeannie Kuhajek (Team Mack)
22Sarah Caravella (Alan)
23Janelle Kellman (DOLCE VITA CYCLING)
24Jennifer Johansen (NOW-MS Society)
25Liz Leyden (Hub Racing)
26Anne Meyer (BH USA)
27Mary Magnani (DOLCE VITA CYCLING)
28Priscilla Calderon (NOW-MS Society)
29Julia Lafranchise (NOW-MS Society)
30Karlee Gendron (Woodcock Cycle Works/Team Manitoba)
31Christi An Hansley (Bike America)
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Sprint 1
1Shontell Gauthier (COLAVITA SUTTER HOME P/B COOKING LIGHT)
2Sally Annis (Hub Racing)
3Veronica Martinez (Hub Racing)
4Carrie Cash Wootten (Team Revolution)
5Jeannie Kuhajek (Team Mack)
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Sprint 2
1Shontell Gauthier (COLAVITA SUTTER HOME P/B COOKING LIGHT)
2Veronica Martinez (Hub Racing)
3Carrie Cash Wootten (Team Revolution)
4Jeannie Kuhajek (Team Mack)
5Amy Mcguire (Hub Racing)
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Sprint 3
1Sally Annis (Hub Racing)
2Sydney Brown (MERCY CYCLING TEAM)
3Nicky Wangsgard (COLAVITA SUTTER HOME P/B COOKING LIGHT)
4Kate Ross (Lip Smacker)
5Veronica Martinez (Hub Racing)
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Category 3 men
1Chris Padfield (Team Get A Grip Cycles)
2Chazz Martin (Nova Cycle Sports Foundation Inc.)
3Ricardo Otero (WDT International Cycling Team)
4Peter Beels (LEADOUT/CHICAGO DRIVE CYCLING)
5Randall Rodd (Wolverine Sports Club)
6Geoff Kuyper (LEADOUT/CHICAGO DR. CYCLING)
7Peter Carlos (Team Paisa)
8Nathan Longley (Team Beans & Barley)
9William Vazquez (Purdue University)
10Keaton Hanson (DENT WIZARD CYCLING)
11Tom Theisen (NOVA CYCLE FOUNDATION)
12Jordy Wetzel
13Connor Meznarich (ROCKY MOUNTS/IZZE)
14Marc Howe (Team Geargrinder)
15Martin Lang (MESA CYCLES RACING TEAM)
16Eric Blankinship (DePaul University)
17Addison Faul (Team Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare)
18Justin Armstead (Team Mack)
19Mark Hotchkin (LEADOUT RACING/CHICAGO DRIVE CYCLING)

 

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