Pipp pips the rest in Crit champs curtain raiser

Frank Pipp (Bissell) played the perfect tactical game in a late-race, three-man break to capture victory at the Downers Grove ‘warm up’ criterium held on the eve of the US Pro Criterium Championships. He outpaced Tasmanian, Karl Menzies (OUCH p/b Maxxis) and Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly) in third place.

"I know a lot of people in this area so it was nice to win in front of these crowds," said Pipp who has spent a lot of time racing in the Chicago area. "Jeremy was in the wind for the last half a lap and I was fresh from sitting on Karl’s wheel."

Pipp attacked a mid-race break of some 20 riders during the final three laps of the race. He was quickly followed by Powers, a savvy cyclo-cross rider keen to make a debut podium in a criterium.

"This is the first time I’ve ever had a podium at a big race on the road so it’s awesome and I’m so happy," said Powers, who captures plenty of podium time during the cyclo-cross season. "Danny Van Haute, our directeur, said to do what we wanted tonight and I moved forward to start covering moves. I was psyched because I saw Frank go and I knew that was the move."

Menzies jumped out of the chase group in pursuit of the two escapees on the last lap. He successfully made it across, however, it was so close to the finish line that his effort to connect may have come at the cost of his notoriously snappy sprint. Power attacked with half a lap to go and Pipp played his cards right again, looking at Menzies, the strongest sprinter in the group, to chase.

"He’s [Karl Menzies] not the kind of rider you want to bridge across to the break," said Pipp. "He’s a great friend of mine but head-to-head Karl is very tough to beat. Luckily he had to do a lot of work to bridge across to us and his tank might have emptied a little bit. Jeremy and I were not going slow. Jeremy attacked, I watched him go and looked at Karl to chase it. I knew which ever one of us tried to chase would be hard-pressed to get the win."

The Downers Grove warm-up race is traditionally held on the eve of the championship event. Many of the fastest sprinters in the nation started the race torn between wanting to win and saving their legs for the more important race held the following day. Some 160 riders lined up to start but only a handful finished.

"On Bissell, we said we weren’t going to contest the win if it was a field sprint." said Pipp. "It’s too crazy, especially if you think you have a shot tomorrow."

Notorious speedsters caught sitting up before the race ended included Defending Champion Rashaan Bahati (Rock Racing), Sebastian Haedo and Alejandro Borrajo (Colavita-Sutter Home) and Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies).

"I told my guys to try to get in the break, but if they didn’t make it then to sit up from the field and save their legs for tomorrow," said former US Pro Criterium Champion Jonas Carney, who now directs the Kelly Benefit Strategies team. "It’s too dangerous and tomorrow is important. It’s good for the guys to race, to get ready for tomorrow."

A highly active first half of the pro-men’s 50-kilometre race resulted in a breakaway of some twenty riders. They included Powers, Pipp and Menzies along with Bernard Van Ulden and Matt Crane (Jelly Belly), Luis Amaran (Colavita-Sutter Home), Ivan Dominguez (Rock Racing), Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies), Michael Creed (Team Type 1), Clayton Borrows and Stephen Kincaid (CRCA-Empire), Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell), Andrew Pinfold (OUCH p/b Maxxis) and Chad Hartley (Geargrinders).
 

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Results
1Frank Pipp (Usa) Bissell1:09:00
2Karl Menzies (Aus) Ouch Presented By MaxxisRow 1 - Cell 2
3Jeremy Powers (Usa) Jelly BellyRow 2 - Cell 2
4Clayton Barrows (Usa) Crca/Empire Cycling TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Mike Creed (Usa) Team Type 1Row 4 - Cell 2
6Bernard Van Ulden (Usa) Jelly BellyRow 5 - Cell 2
7Eric Barlevev (Usa) Team Mtn Khakis Pb EpnoRow 6 - Cell 2
8Chad Hartley (Usa) Team GeargrinderRow 7 - Cell 2
9Mark Hekman (Usa) Team Mtn Khakis Pb EpnoRow 8 - Cell 2
10Jeff Schroetlin (Usa) Abd Cycling TeamRow 9 - Cell 2
11Andy Jacques-Maynes (Usa) BissellRow 10 - Cell 2
12Stephan Kincaid (Usa) Crca/Empire Cycling TeamRow 11 - Cell 2
13Ben Kersten (Usa) Fly-V AustraliaRow 12 - Cell 2
14Adam Bergman (Usa) Texas Roadhouse Cycling TeamRow 13 - Cell 2
15Isaac Howe (Usa) Team Mtn Khakis Pb EpnoRow 14 - Cell 2
16Kyle Gritters (Usa) Southern California VeloRow 15 - Cell 2
17Ben Renkema (Usa) Kenda Pro Cycling P/B SpinergyRow 16 - Cell 2
18Ronnie Strange (Usa) Team Hotel San Jose/RedbudspRow 17 - Cell 2
19Adam Myerson (Usa) Team Mountain KhakisRow 18 - Cell 2
20Yosvany Falcon (Usa) Champion PorscheRow 19 - Cell 2
21Phillip Mann (Usa) Ciclismo RacingRow 20 - Cell 2
22Freddie Rodriguez (Usa) Rock RacingRow 21 - Cell 2
23Brad Huff (Usa) Jelly BellyRow 22 - Cell 2
24Jim Stemper (Usa) Team GeargrinderRow 23 - Cell 2
25Ivan Dominguez (Usa) Rock RacingRow 24 - Cell 2
26Eric Schildge (Usa) Bikereg.Com/CannondaleRow 25 - Cell 2
27Jaime Gandara (Usa) Kenda Pro Cycling P/B SpinergyRow 26 - Cell 2
28Steve Tilford (Usa) Tradewind Energy/The Trek StoRow 27 - Cell 2
29Davide Frattini (Usa) Colavita Sutter HomeRow 28 - Cell 2
30David Wiswell (Usa) Gs Mesgoni UsaRow 29 - Cell 2
31Zach Watson (Usa) Abd Cycling TeamRow 30 - Cell 2
32Robert Scheffler (Usa) NoneRow 31 - Cell 2
33Adam Carr (Usa) Ten Speed Drive/Bh BicyclesRow 32 - Cell 2
34Chad Cagle (Usa) Mercy CyclingRow 33 - Cell 2
35Corey Steinbrecher (Usa) Waste ManagementRow 34 - Cell 2
36Rob Evans (Usa) Rhvilla/IasRow 35 - Cell 2
37William Marshall (Usa) Mercy Elite Cycling TeamRow 36 - Cell 2
38Seth Hansley (Usa) Champion PorscheRow 37 - Cell 2
39Justin Williams (Usa) Rock RacingRow 38 - Cell 2
40Matthew Spohn (Usa) Dynaflo RacingRow 39 - Cell 2
41Tom Soladay (Usa) Team Mtn Khakis Pb EpnoRow 40 - Cell 2
42Ryan Freund (Usa) Abd Cycling TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
43David Mcneal (Usa) Blue Chip RacingRow 42 - Cell 2
44Mathew Ankney (Usa) Mercy Cycling TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
45Matt Crane (Usa) Jelly BellyRow 44 - Cell 2
46Rob White (Usa) Team GeargrinderRow 45 - Cell 2
47Justin England (Usa) Cal GiantRow 46 - Cell 2
48Michael Margarite (Usa) Crca/Empire Cycling TeamRow 47 - Cell 2
49Elliot Gaunt (Usa) Gpoa CannondaleRow 48 - Cell 2
50Latham Peter (Nzl) BissellRow 49 - Cell 2
51Sean Mazich (Usa) Waste ManagementRow 50 - Cell 2
52Austin Roach (Usa) Metlife Cycling TeamRow 51 - Cell 2
53Andrew Pinfold (Can) Ouch Presented By MaxxisRow 52 - Cell 2
54Alder Martz (Usa) Dlp RacingRow 53 - Cell 2
55John Murphy (Usa) Ouch Presented By MaxxisRow 54 - Cell 2
56Roman Kilun (Usa) Ouch Presented By MaxxisRow 55 - Cell 2
57Bryan Mcvey (Usa) Vision QuestRow 56 - Cell 2
58Luis Amaran (Usa) Colavita Sutter HomeRow 57 - Cell 2
59Josh Carter (Usa) Abd Cycling TeamRow 58 - Cell 2
60Gregg Brandt (Usa) Bianchi/GpRow 59 - Cell 2
61David Hackworthy (Usa) Bianchi/Grand PerformanceRow 60 - Cell 2
62Eric Marcotte (Usa) Bicycle HausRow 61 - Cell 2
63Jake Hollenbach (Usa) Crca/Empire Cycling TeamRow 62 - Cell 2
64Alex Welch (Usa) MercyRow 63 - Cell 2
65Nick Reistad (Usa) Jelly BellyRow 64 - Cell 2
66Bobby Lea (Usa) Ouch Presented By MaxxisRow 65 - Cell 2
67James Mattis (Usa) Cal Giant/SpecializedRow 66 - Cell 2
68Bryce Mead (Usa) Jelly BellyRow 67 - Cell 2
69Scott Zwizanski (Usa) Kelly Benefit StrategiesRow 68 - Cell 2
70Luca Damiani (Usa) Colavita Sutter HomeRow 69 - Cell 2
71Anibal Borrajo (Usa) Colavita Sutter HomeRow 70 - Cell 2
72Frank Travieso (Usa) Champion PorscheRow 71 - Cell 2
73Nicholas Bennette (Usa) Metlife Pro-Am CyclingRow 72 - Cell 2
74Pat Lemieux (Usa) Texas RoadhouseRow 73 - Cell 2
75Joseph Schmalz (Usa) Mercy Cycling TeamRow 74 - Cell 2
76Benn Van Der Genugten (Usa) Kenda Pro Cycling P/B SpinergyRow 75 - Cell 2

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Kirsten Frattini
Deputy Editor

Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.

Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.

She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.

Latest on Cyclingnews