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49th Fitchburg Longsjo Classic - NE
Massachusetts, USA, July 3-6, 2008
Main Page Results Overall standings Next Stage
Stage 1 - July 3: Rindge Road Time Trial, 10 km
CRCA-Empire off to a winning start
By Kirsten Robbins in Fitchburg, Massachusetts
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The 49th annual Fitchburg Longsjo Classic commenced with a 10-kilometre time trial, rolling predominantly upwards from Fitchburg to the small town of Ashby via Ridge Rd.
One of the first riders to roll off the starting ramp, Jonathan Chodroff (CRCA-Empire) did the unexpected when he clocked in at 16:02 and held his early lead to the end. The neo-category 1 rider took his first NRC victory ahead of Graham Howard (Bissell) and Luis Amaran (Colavita/Sutter Home).
"This is my first NRC win," said Chodroff, set back from a mid-season accident which resulted one hundred stitches to his head and a broken nose.
"I didn't get to race all the stage races I wanted to this summer but I knew I was a good time trialist. I've improved a lot and I knew I had the potential and the power to do it."
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The Amateur rider from Delaware is in his first year competing in the Cat 1 field but he is no stranger to the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic leading role, winning both the 2006 and 2007 as a Cat 2/3.
"I knew it was going to be difficult," said the 23 year old who cleared the time trial route well before the late-race heavy rains poured. "I think the weather played a bit of a factor but it was a good course for me I'm good at steady climbs and slower style - that probably helped a bit."
The CRCA-Empire Cycling Team will have their hands full protecting the prestigious leader's jersey against the likes of professional teams Bissell, Colavita/Sutter Home, Kelley Benefit Strategies-Medifast and Team Type 1 who are trailing CRCA-Empire by just a few seconds.
"It's going to be difficult to defend the lead," admitted Chodroff who is regardless optimistic that his eight-man team is ready to take on the task. "We've never been in this position before but we will give it an effort. There are a lot of good teams here and we are an amateur team. But we have a full squad and we'll try our best."
McGrath surprises herself with a win
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NRC newcomer Kristin McGrath (Colavita-Sutter Home) was the only rider to break 19 minutes powering over the demanding route in a time of 18:57. Five seconds separated her from a pair of Cheerwine riders; Catharine Cheatley and Stacey Marple.
Surprised by her own stage victory and taking the Fitchburg Longsjo early lead, McGrath noted her simple winning strategy. "I tried to make up as much ground as I could as quick as I could," said McGrath who has been a consistent top five contender in NRC stage racing this season.
"I wasn't too focused on this one, but I felt like I raced a good race and left it all out there so if it wasn't a win, then there weren't any regrets."
Some 80 riders rolled to the starting ramp in downtown Fitchburg and made there way along Ridge rd, a 10 kilometre individual effort.
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"It was pretty bumpy and I was swerving all over the road but I guess every one was dealing with that so I just kept charging forward," said McGrath who quickly switched to her small ring when she realized the magnitude of the rolling terrain.
McGrath will lead the race into tomorrow's 6 laps, 110.4-kilometre road race finishing atop Mount Wachusett. "I've heard tomorrow's road race is tough and we'll be making decisions on the fly," McGrath said.
Placing two riders in the top three, Cheerwine continued to prove they are the number one ranked NRC team, according to the recently published NRC rankings. While there is no team GC competition held at the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic, the team is sure to provide a strong overall performance.
"I think that our performances in consistently winning the team GC's shows that we are all on good form," said third placed Stacey Marple. "Not having a team GC changes things for us just a little bit. I think it will allows us more liberty to take risks without having to always save riders for the end."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Kurt Jambretz /www.actionimages.cc
- Stacy Marple (Cheerwine) powers along a flat section of the course in the opening miles. She would finish third on the day.
- Catherine Cheatley (Cheerwine) with a bit of a grimace, rides home for second place.
- Kristin McGrath (Colavita/Sutter Home) was in good position and flying on her way to victory.
- Jonathon Chodroff (CRCA/Empire Cycling) wins the day with the ride of a lifetime.
- Luis Amaran (Colavita/Sutter Home) was one of the last riders to enjoy the dry conditions and finished third.
- Graham Howard (Bissell Pro Cycling) battles the course and the driving rain to finish in second place.
Results
Pro 1 Men 1 Jonathan Chodroff (USA) CRCA/Empire Cycling 16.02 (37.422 km/h) 2 Graham Howard (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0.01 3 Luis Amaran (USA) Colavita Sutter Home 0.09 4 Justin Spinelli (USA) KBS/Medifast Pro Cyc 0.13 5 Andrew Talansky (USA) Toshiba-Santo p/b He 0.21 6 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0.26 7 Kyle Wamsley (USA) Colavita Sutter Home 0.27 8 Matthew Crane (USA) Health Net presented 9 Ted (edward) King (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0.32 10 Russell Langley (USA) Battley HARLEY-DAVID 11 Matthew Johnson (USA) CRCA/Empire Cycling 0.33 12 Matt Cooke (USA) Navigators Insurance 0.35 13 Eneas Freyre (USA) TARGETRAINING 0.36 14 Anthony Colby (USA) Colavita Sutter Home 0.38 15 Jesse Anthony (USA) Team Type 1 0.39 16 John Murphy (USA) Health Net Presented 0.40 17 Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1 0.41 18 Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita Sutter Home 0.43 19 Gregory Christian (USA) Turin/Barker+Nestor 20 Michael Olheiser (USA) Marx and Bensdorf/Tr 0.45 21 Michael Norton (USA) CALYON PRO CYCLING T 0.49 22 Clayton Barrows (USA) Rite Aid pb Shebell 0.52 23 Tim Johnson (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis 24 Joshua Liberles (USA) Colavita NM p/b JNF 0.53 25 Travis Burandt (USA) FT / IF pb Lionette' 0.55 26 Gustavo Artacho (Arg) Colavita Sutter Home 0.56 27 Patrique Azevedo (Bra) garneau-crocs 0.57 28 Toby Walch (USA) Kenda/Raleigh Cyclin 0.58 29 Dan Vaillancourt (USA) Toshiba/Santo Presen 0.59 30 Richard England (Aus) Bissell Pro Cycling 31 Lisban Quintero (USA) CRCA/FOUNDATION 1.00 32 Daniel Cassidy (USA) CCB Volkswagen 33 Matthew Busche (USA) Nova Cycle Sport Fou 1.03 34 Jake Hollenbach (USA) CCB Volkswagen 1.04 35 Peter Salon (USA) VMG/Felt 1.06 36 Craig Luekens (USA) TARGETRAINING U-25/E 1.07 37 Frattini Davide (Ita) Colavita Sutter Home 1.08 38 John Minturn (USA) CRCA/Empire Cycling 1.11 39 Stefan Rothe (USA) Marx & Bensdorf/Tris 1.16 40 Daniel Holt (USA) Team Type 1 41 Ian Holt (USA) US Armed Forces 1.17 42 Tom Burke (USA) West Michigan Coast 1.19 43 Garrett Peltonen (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 1.22 44 Robbie King (USA) Rite Aid pb Shebell 1.23 45 Robert McConville (USA) Aero Cat/ Latino Cyl 46 David Glick (USA) OrganicAthlete's Tea 1.25 47 Ryan Baumann (USA) FT / IF pb Lionette' 1.27 48 Ian Macgregor (USA) Team Type 1 49 George Ganoung (USA) US Armed Forces 1.29 50 Cory Burns (USA) Fiordifrutta Cyling 1.30 51 Michael Mathis (USA) CRCA/Empire Cycling 1.31 52 Todd Yezefski (USA) FT / IF pb Lionette' 1.32 53 Andrew Guptill (USA) Colavita Sutter Home 1.34 54 Joao Correia (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 55 Peter Ladd (Aus) garneau-crocs 1.36 56 Shawn Milne (USA) Team Type 1 57 Winston David (USA) Toshiba- Santo p/b H 1.37 58 Eric Brownell (USA) CRCA/Empire Cycling 1.43 59 Richard Geng (Ger) Rite Aid pb Shebell 60 Jonathan Page (USA) Battley HARLEY-DAVID 1.44 61 Alejandro Borrajo (Arg) Colavita Sutter Home 62 Lee Rosenthal (USA) TARGETRAINING U-25/E 63 Adrian Gerrits (USA) Kahala-LaGrange 1.45 64 Sean Barrie (USA) Battley HARLEY-DAVID 65 Emiliano Jordan (USA) Colavita NM p/b JNF 1.46 66 Aaron Olson (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 1.48 67 Michael Margarite (USA) CRCA/Empire Cycling 1.49 68 Joseph Whitman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strate 69 Patric Roessel (USA) ccb volkswagen 1.50 70 Alec Donahue (USA) Nerac 71 Keck Baker (USA) Battley HARLEY-DAVID 72 Jake Rytlewski (USA) Rite Aid pb Shebell 73 Emile Abraham (Tri) Team Type 1 74 Benjamin Showman (USA) Pennsylvania Lightni 75 Aidan Charles (USA) Nerac Cycling 1.52 76 Zachary Zimmerman (USA) C3-Sollay.com 1.54 77 Steven Howard (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 1.56 78 Kleber Ramos (Bra) garneau-crocs 1.59 79 Steve Scholzen (USA) ISCorp 80 Joshua Lipka (USA) Fiordifrutta Elite C 2.01 81 Nicholas Keough (USA) FT/IF pb Lionette's 82 Anthony Aker (USA) Kahala-LaGrange 2.02 83 Guido Palma (Arg) Rite Aid pb Shebell 2.03 84 Ryan Fleming (USA) MetLife p/b unlose.i 2.04 85 Nick Friesen (Can) GS Mengoni USA 2.05 86 Brian Butts (USA) Battley HARLEY-DAVID 2.06 87 Justin Lindine (USA) TARGETRAINING 88 Ryan Dewald (USA) Battley HARLEY-DAVID 2.09 89 Diego Garavito (USA) Aero Cat/ Latino Cyl 2.12 90 Eugene Boronow (USA) GS Mengoni 2.13 91 Thomas Githens (USA) Kahala-LaGrange 2.14 92 William Dugan (USA) CCB/Volkswagen 2.23 93 Eric Tremble (USA) Kenda/Raleigh Cyclin 94 Matthew O'Keefe (USA) CCB/Volkswagen 2.28 95 Thom Coupe (USA) MetLife p/b Unlose.i 96 Jonathan Bruno (USA) FT / IF pb Lionette' 2.31 97 Adam Sullivan (USA) Kenda/Raleigh Cyclin 98 Sean O'Rourke (USA) Kenda/Raleigh Cyclin 2.33 99 William Elliston (USA) Rite Aid pb Shebell 2.36 100 Amos Brumble (USA) CCB Volkswagen 101 Noah Singer (USA) Kahala-LaGrange 2.37 102 Ben Zawacki (USA) TARGETRAINING U-25/E 103 Jason Baer (USA) Kenda/Raleigh Cyclin 2.40 104 Shawn Forsythe (USA) ccb/volkswagon 105 Gerardo Castro (USA) Richmond Pro Cycling 106 Stephen Delisle (USA) Richmond Pro Cycling 2.41 107 Jonathan Erdelyi (USA) Rite Aid pb Shebell 2.42 108 Igor Misicki (USA) CRCA/FOUNDATION 2.48 109 Matthew Belcher (USA) Turin/Barker+Nestor 2.51 110 Travis Sherman (USA) Marx & Bensdorf/Tris 111 Esteban Jukich (USA) Richmond Pro Cycling 2.53 112 Jared Gilyard (USA) Colavita NM p/b JNF 2.54 113 Jeff Buckles (USA) Richmond Pro Cycling 2.55 114 Tim Hucker (Aus) garneau-crocs 2.58 115 Michael Lanham (USA) Marx & Bensdorf/Tris 116 William Jacobus (USA) US Armed Forces 3.00 117 Matthew Baldwin (USA) TARGETRAINING 3.01 118 Colin Jaskiewicz (USA) CCB Volkswagen 3.02 119 Christopher Uberti (USA) Turin/Barker+Nestor 120 Markus Weinberg (Ger) Kahala-LaGrange 3.03 121 Mukunda Feldman (USA) Kenda/Raleigh Cyclin 3.05 122 Yahor Buben (USA) CCB/VW/Time 3.06 123 Robert Giannini (USA) Locos Cycling Team 3.08 124 Nick Bennette (USA) MetLife p/b unlose.i 3.10 125 Jason Beerman (USA) Kenda/Raleigh Cyclin 126 Salvatore Scotto Divetta (USA) Sommerville Sports 3.23 127 Brian Toone (USA) Marx & Bensdorf/Tris 128 Adam Branfman (USA) FT / IF pb Lionette' 3.31 129 Ben Renkema (USA) Turin/Barker+Nestor 3.53 130 Sam Silvey (USA) Marx & Bendsdorf/Tri 131 Noah Metzler (USA) RGF Solutions 3.56 132 Samuel Silver (USA) FT / IF pb Lionette' 3.58 133 Sebastian Sinisterra (USA) Aero Cat/ Latino Cyl 4.10 134 Derek Laan (USA) Turin/Barker+Nestor 4.14 135 Martin Lechowicz (USA) CRCA/FOUNDATION 4.20 136 Sheldon Deeny (USA) CRCA/Empire Cycling 4.32 137 John Hanson (USA) FT / IF pb Lionette' 4.36 138 Matt Seagrave (USA) Kahala-LaGrange 4.41 139 Jesus Zapata (Mex) Colavita NM p/b JNF 4.51 DNS Timothy Hargrave (NZl) Team Type 1 DNS Joe Eldridge (USA) Team Type 1 DNS John Loehner (USA) CRCA/Empire Cycling DNS Ben Raby (USA) Marx & Bensdorf / Tr DNS Joseph Kukolla (USA) Mesa Cycles DNS Kip Spaude (USA) nova/IScorp DNS Jon Hamblen (USA) Time Pro Cycling Cat 1/2 Women 1 Kristin McGrath (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home 18.57 2 Catherine Cheatley (NZl) Cheerwine Cycling 0.05 3 Stacy Marple (USA) Cheerwine Cycling 0.11 4 Laura Van Gilder (USA) Cheerwine Cycling 0.27 5 Robin Farina (USA) Cheerwine Cycling 0.28 6 Silke Wunderwald (USA) Independent Fabricat 7 Andrea Dvorak (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home 0.47 8 Tina Mayolo-Pic (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home 0.48 9 Jacquelyn Crowell (USA) Team Kenda Tire 0.49 10 Rachel Warner (USA) Juice Plus 0.50 11 Kate Veronneau (USA) Kutztown Cutters 0.51 12 Anne Guzman (Can) Team Kenda Tire 0.53 13 Kathleen Billington (USA) CONNECTICUT COAST CY 1.03 14 Iona Wynter Parks (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home 1.05 15 Kathryn Bertine (USA) St. Kitts and Nevis 16 Paolina Allan (Can) Cyclissimo 1.06 17 Sally Annis (USA) NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devo 1.16 18 Anna McLoon (USA) Colavita Racing Inc. 19 Kristin Wentworth (USA) Team Kenda Tire 1.18 20 Susan Haywood (USA) HPC powered by Altar 1.34 21 Sonja Evers (USA) C3-Sollay.com 1.38 22 Laura Cook (USA) Juice Plus Guest Rid 1.44 23 Rebecca Wellons (USA) NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devo 24 Lorena Candrian (USA) HPC powered by Altar 1.52 25 Megan Guarnier (USA) PROMAN Racing 1.54 26 Mary Zider (USA) NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devo 1.58 27 Kerry Litka (USA) Terry Precision 2.01 28 Elena Leznik (USA) CRCA/Radical Media 29 Yvette Labombard (USA) JW Dundee's - Home P 2.03 30 Ashley James (USA) Iscorp 2.06 31 Kelly Benjamin (USA) Cheerwine Cycling 2.07 32 Rae Brownsberger (USA) Stanford University 33 Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Terry Precision 2.09 34 Maria Quiroga (USA) CRCA/Radical Media 35 Nichole Wangsgard (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home 2.10 36 Carla Swart (USA) Team Kenda Tire 2.18 37 Genevieve Whitson (USA) HPC powered by Altar 2.21 38 Jenette Williams (USA) HPC powered by Altar 39 Dale Tye (NZl) Hub Racing 2.24 40 Christy Keely (USA) Priority Health 2.28 41 Debony Diehl (USA) Sunapee/S&W Racing T 2.42 42 Lesley Golenor (USA) HPC Powereed by Alta 2.44 43 Rebecca Koh (USA) CRCA/Comedy Central- 2.48 44 Sarah Sauvayre (USA) CRCA/Comedy Central- 45 Sara Schewel (USA) Human Zoom/ Pabst Bl 2.49 46 Jacqueline Kurth (USA) Team Kenda Tire 2.50 47 Melissa O'Reilly (USA) Van Dessel Factory T 2.52 48 Karin Holmes (USA) CCB/Volkswagen 3.02 49 Amy McGuire (USA) Team Kenda Tire 3.03 50 Liz Leyden (Aus) Hub Racing 3.06 51 Kathryn Clark (USA) Team Kenda Tire 3.10 52 Cecelia Pleva (USA) CRCA/Radical Media 3.11 53 Ann Hansgate (USA) Terry Precision Cycl 54 Arley Kemmerer (USA) Hub Racing 3.12 55 Bonnie Bourque (USA) Acqua Al 2/SDBC 3.17 56 Rose Long (USA) UVM cycling 3.24 57 Nicole Bossie (USA) hincapie-barkleydevo 3.29 58 Hannah Kirshner (USA) Bikeworks/Hallamore 3.30 59 Natalie Dumont (USA) NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devo 3.35 60 Kathryne Carr (USA) Sunapee/S&W Racing T 3.38 61 Emma Giddens (NZl) Hub Racing 3.39 62 Tami Buhr (USA) NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devo 3.42 63 Bianca Grecu (USA) Human Zoom/Pabst Blu 3.59 64 Kristine Church (USA) Human Zoom/ Pabst Bl 4.12 65 Eve McNeill (USA) Sunapee/S&W Racing T 4.31 66 Samantha Newman (USA) Sunapee/S&W Racing T 6.10 DNS Andrea Myers (USA) Team Kenda Tire DNS Liz Cash (USA) Colavita NM p/b JNF DNS Dotsie Bausch (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home DNS Sheba Farrin (USA) Hub Racing DNS Samantha Dery (USA) NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devo
