Kelly Benefit Strategies ready for NRC weekend

The American Kelly Benefit Strategies team heads to North Carolina this weekend to compete in back to back National Racing Calendar (NRC) events. The Continental professional squad will field a team of six riders for the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational criterium in Charlotte on Saturday, August 8 followed by the Hanes Park Classic in Winston-Salem on Sunday, August 9.

"We are sending a great squad to Charlotte," said performance director Jonas Carney. "We have a strong roster for a field sprint with Cando [Alex Candelario, ed.], [Jake] Keough, [Zach] Bell and [David] Veilleux. We also have real strength when it comes to any potential breakaways which is always a real possibility with only six-man rosters. It should be an exciting event as Charlotte always has a huge prize list and attracts the best racers in North America."

"We feel we could win either race and doing so would really be great preparation for the US Professional Criterium Championships coming up fast," said general manager Ken Mills. "Our team is firing on all cylinders. It should be an exciting weekend of racing in Charlotte and Hanes Park as Charlotte has really become one of the higher quality events on the calendar over the past few years."

The Presbyterian Hospital Invitational, now in its sixth year, offers a total purse of $75,0000 with $50,000 for the men's 50-mile twilight criterium and $25,000 for the women's 25-mile event in downtown Charlotte.

Held annually since 1977, the Hanes Park Classic takes place on a 1.3-mile circuit through Winston-Salem's historic West End district.

The Kelly Benefit Strategies team for both events includes Zach Bell, Alex Candelario, Jake Keough, Reid Mumford, David Veilleux and Scott Zwizanski.