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USPRO Criterium Championships - 1.1
Chicago, USA, August 20-21, 2005
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Race 2 - August 21: Elite men, 80km
Brad Huff Sprints to Elite Amateur Criterium Title
Huff and Puff for Huff and Puffer
By Mark Zalewski, North American Editor in Downers Grove, Ill.
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Brad Huff and his Mercy Cycling team has had a strong year. A little more than a week ago, Huff won the pursuit event at track nationals, and prior to that he held the green sprinter's jersey at the Tour de Toona for four days, relinquishing it in the end to the Health Net-Maxxis machine. Coming into the criterium nationals the Mercy Team and Brad were likely favourites, and both delivered - the team working to bring a critical breakaway back and Huff turning on the afterburners in the final stretch to take the field sprint ahead of John Puffer (Athletes by Design).
"The team did great today," said Huff. "Everyone got up there one at a time." Mercy was left out of a strong break that contained current Masters road champ Scottie Weiss (Bianchi-Hincapie Sports), Frank Dierking (Athletes by Design), former national champion Paul Martin (Texas Roadhouse) and others. "Bianchi-Grand Performance took over later.
Once the break was safely contained, it was up to Huff to make his own lead-out. "It was a boxing match out there today with guys being stupid," said Huff. "I was third out of the last corner - I went wide and dove inside." Huff was behind Andy Crater and Paul Martin of Texas Roadhouse, but was able to get inside while keeping his speed.
On Huff's wheel was John Puffer who ran out of road before being able to come around Huff. "Martin and Crater flew by me in the second right turn, and I was able to just get on," said Puffer. "I know both of them well so I felt comfortable coming through [the final turn] in second. But today was tough - all of the slowing and reaccelerating took a toll."
Like most amateur champions here, Huff hopes that this jersey will be his ticket to a pro team contract - much like last year's winner Frank Pipp, now riding for Advantage Benefits-Endeavour.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mark Zalewski/Cyclingnews.com
- Two former amateur champs and teammates, Scottie Weiss (Bianchi-Hincapie Sports), and Jim Baldesare (Athletes by Design) say hello.
- Frank Dierking (Athletes by Design) corners in the early break.
- Scottie Weiss (Bianchi-Hincapie Sports) rides like the road race champion he is, off the front.
- Paul Martin (Texas Roadhouse) is no stranger to races of this level.
- The breakaway worked well together for a large part of the race.
- Scottie Weiss (Bianchi-Hincapie Sports) takes the corner in the lead.
- Mercy Cycling Team had the responsibility to bring the break back for their sprinter.
- The break made it tough for others to chase.
- Jeremy Sartain (Bianchi-Grand Performance) pitched in to help chase the break.
- Do you feel lucky? Not with two laps to go and a motivated field right behind you.
- Let me see your war face! Texas Roadhouse's Paul Martin leads teammate Andy Crater with only one-half lap to go.
- Brad Huff (Mercy) wins the elite criterium championship - a possible step up to a pro deal in 2006?
- Brad Huff (Mercy Cycling) knows he just won the stars and stripes.
- Hey, they knew my size!
Images by Matthew Moses/www.moses-images.com
- Brad Huff (Mercy) gets called up to the start line.
- Scottie Weiss (Hincapie Sports/Bianchi) starts one of several break away attempts he particiapted in.
- Scottie Weiss (Hincapie Sports/Bianci) and the rest of his breakaway companions.
- Mercy Cycling Team worked hard to chase down the break captained by Scottie Weiss (Hincapie Sports/Bianchi)
- Crashes near corner 5 at the point seemed to be the order of the day.
- Brad Huff (Mercy) celebrates his Elite Men's Criterium Championship.
- Brad Huff (Mercy) in his new Stars and Stripes Jersey
Results
1 Brad Huff (Mercy) 2 John Puffer (ABD/Trek-VW) 3 Andrew Crater (Texas Roadhouse) 4 Todd Hancock (Advantage Benefits Endeavour) 5 Jamiel Danesh (Hammer Nutrition) 6 Chad Cagle (Mercy) 7 Robbie King (Louis Garneau Racing) 8 Jason Snow (Cycle Science) 9 Dean Laberge (GS LOMBARDI SPORTS) 10 Mark Hekman (Savage Hill Cycling) 11 Philip Wikoff (Cane Creek) 12 Karl Bordine (Velo RPM/ Helens Cycle) 13 Ben Raby (Biarchi/Grand Performance) 14 Mike Friedman (Northwestern Mortgage) 15 Todd Yezefski (TIAA-CREF) 16 Paul Martin (Texas Roadhouse) 17 Aaron Smathers (GS Tenzing) 18 Jed Schneider (AG Edwards) 19 Scott Edge (outdoorlights.com) 20 Jared Babik (Meredith Group-GPOA) 21 Jim Baldesare (ABD/Trek-VW) 22 Shawn Willard (Bikesource) 23 Ryan Gamm (Savage Hill) 24 Ryan Barnett (Blue Competition Cycles) 25 Aron Huerta (California Giant/Village Peddler) 26 Michael Kehrberg (Dogfish Indy) 27 Joseph Hill (Big Shark Racing) 28 David Guttenplan (AG Edwards) 29 Randall Coxworth (Karl Stauss / SDBC) 30 Brian Adams (Ford/ Giant) 31 Jonathan Card (CANE CREEK/HEALTH-FX) 32 Rob Daksiewicz (Ford/ Giant) 33 Daniel Larson (Cycle Science) 34 Stephen Spencer (Mesa Cycles Racing Team) 35 Reed Tanger (Transrapid-USA.com) 36 Karim Abdelkader (Duke/Big Brothers) 37 Darren Pipp (abg-endeavor) 38 Peter Andersen (TEAM CARINA HOMES) 39 Scottie Weiss (Hincapie Sports / Bianchi) 40 Kurt Fletcher (dent wizard) 41 Nick Kiernan (4STZ) 42 Skylere Bingham (Northshore/Binghams) 43 Jeremy Grimm (Savage Hill Cycling Team) 44 Johnny Merli (dogfish apparel) 45 Martin Adamczyk (DHL/Servisco) 46 Skiles Keith (kentucky flyers) 47 Tim Swain (Savage Hill) 48 Mat Ankney (Mercy) 49 Nicholas Trusty (team carina homes) 50 John Seehafer (Pro Peleton) 51 Billy Masterson (Excel Sports) 52 Craig Snydal (Transrapid-USA.com) 53 Luca Fagundes (Mesa Cycles Racing Team) 54 Ryan Rish (Savage Hill) 55 Chris Strout (Team MACK Racing Ltd.) 56 Christopher Jones (Karl Strauss/ SDBC) 57 Chris Tirone (BBC/NOCO Express) 58 Todd Shaker (Honey Stinger Spinergy) 59 Nathan Piekielek (Meredith Group-GPOA) 60 Andre Sottile (Whole Foods / WSC) 61 Brian Bibens (AG Edwards) 62 Denny Vaughan (flag velo) 63 Abe McNutt (Team Dayton Cycling) 64 Steve Cate (Mercy) 65 Mat Stephens (Mercy) 66 Ryan Nenninger (ABD/Trek-VW) 67 Jake Stevens (Team Cobblestone) 68 Paul Swinand (VOX) 69 Andrew Lister (Proctor) 70 John Semmelhack (Transrapid-USA.com) 71 Michael Weiss (big shark racing) 72 David Gustafson (Vegas Velo/ Team Carina) 73 Bob Newman (G.S. Lombardi) 74 Michael Ebert (ABD/Trek-VW) 75 Max Clauson (GS CIAO) 76 Brian Dziewa (Mercy) 77 Joseph Siciliano (Team Rio Grande) 78 Jon Stierwalt (Team Rio Grande) 79 David Sachs (Advantage Benefits Endeavour) 80 Marco Aledia (Texas Road House Cycling Team) 81 Paul Sumner (GS Lombardi) 82 Brandon Gavic (Bianchi/Grand Performance) 83 Aric Hareland (Biarchi/Grand Performance) 84 Trevor Lister (Mesa Cycles Racing Team) 85 Harry Clark (TEXAS ROADHOUSE) 86 Bryce Mead (ABD/Trek-VW) 87 Adam Switters (Lombardi Sports) 88 Billy Innes (G.S. Lombardi Sports) 89 Chadwick Thompson (Honey Stinger-Spinergy Elite Cycling Team) 90 Reid Mumford (ABD/Trek-VW) 91 Morgan Wiswall (Wheel and Sprocket)
