Napolitano, Lasasso score wins at Schlitz Park Criterium

The Tour of America's Dairyland returned to downtown Milwaukee for the challenging Schlitz Park Criterium on the west bank of the Milwaukee River.

Only 30 riders finished the Pro Men's event, which featured attrition throughout the day on a technical circuit with a steep climb and descent each lap. Rudy Napolitano (Monster Media) and U.S. Pro Criterium Champ Daniel Holloway (Kelly Benefit Strategies-Optum Health) formed a 2-man break early on, which would go the distance.

Three chasers - Serghei Tvetcov (AeroCat), Luis Alejandro-Zamudio (Herbalife-LaGrange) and Christopher Monteleone (Kenda 5-hour Energy-Geargrinder) - launched off the front for an extended period for an impressive showing but the trio would ultimately be absorbed back into the diminished peloton. Brian Sheedy (Hampton Trails Bike Shop) made a valiant effort as well, as a solitary chaser, with 16 to go which also ended in capture by the field.

Ultimately the two-man break's advantage grew to 1:15, with the duo approaching the back of the field. Napolitano and Holloway never showed any signs of weakness - even though Holloway lost a pedal with four laps to go, leaving him to race the final four 0.8 mile laps with one pedal.

Napolitano bested Holloway for the victory while in the field sprint for third place Rahsaan Bahati (SKLZ-Pista Palace) and overall leader Jonathan Cantwell (V Australia) played cat-and-mouse for the final podium position. In the end, however, AeroCat came around the front with Cantwell on the outside with not enough time or space, giving Serghei Tvetcov third place on the day.

The Pro Women faced a brief delay to their start while rain and lightning passed but the minor time-out didn't seem to halt Mellow Mushroom’s momentum. Kristen Lasasso moved off the front with three to go for a $100 prime and never looked back. Lasasso made her win look effortless as the field was 27 seconds back with one to go.

Mellow Mushroom teammate Laura Van Gilder, the overall women's leader, took the field sprint from Kate Chilcott (FCS/Metro Volkswagen) for the 1-2 Mellow Mushroom punch as they continue their dominant streak.

Full Results