Sunny King Criterium: Cade Bickmore and Lizbeth Salazar win titles in Anniston

Lizbeth Salazar (L39ION of Los Angeles) and Cade Bickmore (Project Echelon Racing) took the crowns for elite women and men at the 2023 Sunny King Criterium. 

With the win, Salazar moved into a tie with teammate Alexis Ryan for second in the women’s individual standings of the American Criterium Cup, a 10-event US racing series which saw Anniston, Alabama, as the second stop last Saturday. Andrea Cyr (Miami Nights) finished fifth in Anniston and jumped into the ACC lead.

Alexis Ryan, who finished third at Sunny King last year, pulled teammates Salazar and Kendall Ryan, the two-time US Pro Crit champion, through the final two corners.  The L39ION duo ignited their pace on the short, uphill finish in downtown Anniston and hit the finish just ahead of Sarah van Dam (DNA Pro Cycling), who took third. The Miami Nights pair of Paola Muñoz and Cyr trailed in fourth and fifth.

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The DNA Pro squad was active mid-race for the chase of intermediate sprint points, with Kimberly Lucie earning top points on the first and second sprints and placing second in the final contest. Lucie moved ahead of Erica Zaveta (Denver Disruptors) for the ACC sprint lead.

On the men’s side, Danny Summerhill (American Cycling) used his fifth-place finish to jump past Athens Twilight Criterium winner Bryan Gomez (Miami Nights) for the men’s lead in the ACC individual standings and also move into the sprint lead. Gomez, who did not race in Anniston, is tied for third in individual points with Bickmore, while Alfredo Rodriguez (Miami Nights) is second.

In the traditional late-evening finish under the lights, the men’s race looked to be a repeat victory for Rodriguez, who won Sunny King last year. With under 50 metres to go on the uphill rise to the line, he raised his arms to celebrate victory, but the post-up came too early, and the Miami Nights rider was pipped by Bickmore. Rodriguez settled for second, and Ty Magner (L39ION of Los Angeles) took third.

The third stop for the American Criterium Cup will be on June 9 at the Blue Dome Criterium in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Results

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