Holloway secures Park Circle Criterium title

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Daniel Holloway (AltoVelo-SeaSucker) and Lauretta Hanson (Fearless Femme) won their respective events at the third USA Crits speedweek, Park Circle Criterium in North Charleston, South Carolina. 

Following some confusion at the conclusion of the women’s race at the Historic Roswell Criterium on Sunday, Pic once again took the start as the overall series leader’s after a correction in the points tabulation had been made. As the pro women's field took to the streets, the usual collection of heavy hitters could be seen taking turns at the front of the field. After a day off, it almost appeared that the Mellow Mushroom and Fearless Femme p/b Haute Wheel squads were testing one another’s recovery.

With 18 laps remaining however, Sara Tussey was apparently pushing the pace in an attempt to split the field across the .68-mile rectangular course. Four laps later a few new faces appeared at the front of the peloton including Vanessa Drigo (ARGON 18 RACING p/b November), Laura Jorgensen (Pepper Palace Pro Cycling), and Fearless Femme’s Christy Keely.

As it came closer to the wire, Lauretta Hanson began to tangle with Pic in the hopes of shoring up the 22 point defecit she started the evening off with in the chase for the orange leader’s jersey. With three laps to go, Jamie Gilgen (Rise Racing p/b Cyclepath Woodbridge) also threw her hat into the proceedings. DOM360.com rider Debbie Milne answered that challenge and lead the pack with one lap left until they saw they checkered flag.

First out the final turn, however, was Keely who there in order to drop off her teammate Lauretta Hanson. Up the long straightaway to the finish Hanson didn’t look back and didn’t disappoint. Showing a powerful turn of speed, the Fearless Femme rider held off Pic, who would take second and Angie Gonzalez who grabbed the last spot on the podium.

“I was a little anxious coming in but it’s been a fantastic series so far,” Hanson said. Hopefully we can continue and finish off the remainder of the week strong.”

Holloway wins men's criterium

When the pro men rolled from the start line, Marco Aledia showed the Alto Velo-Seasucker colours early on in the race, along with Rafael A. Meran (CRCA/Foundation) and Ben Renkema (Team Finish Strong Elite Cycling). Also in the mix was Tour de Georgia star Cesar Grajales.

After only 14 laps, the field grew anxious and the beginnings of an honest separation seemed to be forming. With six riders starting to go up the road it was Christian Grassman of the German Maloja/Pushbikers who capitalized on the effort and seemed to be going away on his own. The track specialists had been expected to do significant damage on the trip through the Southeast but with three events in, they had yet to even capture a podium spot.

The move, however, was not to be and midway through the event it was David Guttenplan (Isagenix/SeaSucker/Guttenplan) who took max series points. That effort attracted the attention of Athens Orthopedic Clinic Twilight Criterium winner and current national criterium champ Daniel Holloway. The two were reeled in, however, and from there, it was a case of the sprinters eyeing one another with only 10 laps to go.

With darkness now having settled on the course Grajales gave it one last shot at snatching points and premes. But all the reshuffling just served to ignite Holloway’s Alto Velo-Seasucker squad, who launched himself out of the shadows from the final corner to take the win. Meran trailed just 0.288 seconds behind him for second and Roswell champion Hector Aguilar (South Crescent Cycling) followed in for third.

“Marco did an amazing lead out all the way from corner two until basically the last corner and he just made it an easy job.” Holloway said before taking the podium. “Those guys (in my team) can carry a lot of weight and when you see the work they do during the race, it’s just extra motivation and I enjoy that pressure.”

That pressure may be exacerbated somewhat as the Speedweek peloton heads on to Walterboro, South Carolina for the penultimate day of racing. With rain in the forecast, those riders who don’t fancy the wet might see some of the points they’ve accumulated thus far potentially washed away.

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