Huff steals victory at Dana Point

Brad Huff (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) was crowned the 2011 NRC Dana Point Grand Prix winner on Sunday. The former US pro criterium champion stole the victory ahead of late-race breakaway rider Devon Dunn (Cash Call Mortgage Cycling) in second and another former US pro criterium champion Rahssan Bahati (Pista Palace) in third.

"I tried to follow the moves and the other teams did a great job," Huff said. "When a breakaway is that big it's hard to control it. Dunn's team had a couple of guys in the race and they went for a few primes and then he just went for it, it was a great move. This is a great win for Jelly Belly p/b Kenda."

There were several sprinters called to the line that included Australian National Criterium Champion, Jonathan Cantwell (V Australia), Rahsaan Bahati (Pista Palace) and Brad Huff (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) and former event winner Sterling Magnell (Wonderful Pistachios), among others.

Race organizers offered the field a fast course that averaged roughly a minute and half per lap with a small incline before the last corner. The men were racing for 90 minutes and a $15,000 divided amongst the top 20 places.

Cantwell stretched his legs and attacked in the opening laps. His efforts were short lived and he remained in the field, saved for a possible field sprint at the end of the race.

Several more attacks in the first half of the race until Dunn split the elastic band and gained 15-seconds on the field. He picked up two $100 USD primes along the way before being reabsorbed into the field.

Dunn attacked for a second time and was quickly followed by Jelly Belly p/b Kenda rider for two laps. The field brought the pair back mid-race.

A group of roughly 15 riders split off the front that included Dunn, Bahati and Huff along with Bernie Sulzberger, Ben Kersten and Sean Sullivan (V Australia) and riders from Yahoo! Cycling, RideClean, Wonderful Pistachios and California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized, among others.

"It was really hard and my legs hurt really bad," Dunn said. "I just had fun, it is such a fun race and I've been looking forward to it from the beginning of the year. I'm glad I could do something in the race."

The group gained 25 seconds on the field with 15 minutes to go and it looked probable that the move would stick all the way to the finish line. The gap increased to 35 seconds with 10 laps to go.

Dunn put forth one more attack with four laps to go and gained a sizable lead. Huff jumped out of the chase group and tried to bridge across to Dunn with three laps to go. Dunn remained solo through the final lap, before Huff attacked, caught and passed him in the last few hundred meters.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Brad Huff (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)1:29:56
2Rahsaan Bahati0:00:01
3Ben Kersten (V Australia-Virgin Blue Present)Row 2 - Cell 2
4Nicholas Brandt-Sorenson (Sho-air/Rock 'n Road)Row 3 - Cell 2
5Kayle Leo Grande (Monster Media Racing SCVELO)0:00:02
6Anthony Canevari (CashCall Mortgage)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Collin Samaan (Wonderful Pistachios)Row 6 - Cell 2
8David Santos (CashCall Mortgage)0:00:03
9Devan Dunn (CashCall Mortgage)0:00:04
10Ian Moir0:00:05
11Rudolph Napolitano (Monster Media Racing SCVELO)0:00:07
12Brandon Trafton (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized)Row 11 - Cell 2
13Michael Herdman (Herbalife LaGrange)0:00:10
14Bernard Sulzberger0:00:28
15Sterling Magnell (Wonderful Pistachios)0:00:40
16Kenneth Hanson (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)Row 15 - Cell 2
17Martin Adamczyk (ACQUA AL 2/SDBC)Row 16 - Cell 2
18Michael Larsen0:00:41
19Lee Muse (CashCall Mortgage)Row 18 - Cell 2
20Steve Reaney (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized)Row 19 - Cell 2
21Chris Demarchi (SKLZ p/b PISTA PALACE)0:00:42
22Armin Rahm (Santa Ynez Valley Racing Team)Row 21 - Cell 2
23Jed Rogers (Toyota / Cycling Team)Row 22 - Cell 2
24Sean Mazich (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)0:00:43
25Pierre ZamoranoRow 24 - Cell 2
26Nick WalkerRow 25 - Cell 2
27Brian Cornelius (02 Modern Fitness)Row 26 - Cell 2
28Tyler Brandt (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Danny Kam (Herbalife LaGrange)Row 28 - Cell 2
30Bryan Larsen (A Road Bike 4U Elite Team)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Menso De Jong (Wonderful Pistachios)Row 30 - Cell 2
32James Gunn-Wilkinson (SKLZ p/b PISTA PALACE)Row 31 - Cell 2
33Thomas Robles (Sho-air/Rock 'n Road)0:00:46
34Michael Jacques (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling)0:00:47
35Colt Peterson (VRC)Row 34 - Cell 2
36Austin Carroll (OUCH Pro Cycling)Row 35 - Cell 2
37Andrew Salcedo (ACQUA AL 2/SDBC)0:00:48
38Alex Jarman (Swami's Cycling Club)Row 37 - Cell 2
39Cory Bruno (socalcycling.com)0:00:49
40Mike Tettleton (Full Circle Sports)0:00:50
41Robert Kamppila (CA Pools/DeWalt)Row 40 - Cell 2
42Alexi Martinez (Wonderful Pistachios)Row 41 - Cell 2
43Adam Livingston (SKLZ p/b PISTA PALACE)0:00:51
44Jason Bausch (Velo Club LaGrange)0:00:52
45Rogelio Horta CastroRow 44 - Cell 2
46Emmanuel Gomez (The TEAM)0:00:54
47Mark Shimahara (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling)Row 46 - Cell 2
48Julio Mollindo0:00:55
49William DickesonRow 48 - Cell 2
50Bob Pellkofer (FRANCO MRI Racing p/b Wins Whee)0:00:56
51Randall Coxworth (Breakaway-UBS Elite Masters)Row 50 - Cell 2
52Jonathan Cantwell (V Australia-Virgin Blue Present)Row 51 - Cell 2
53Unknown RiderRow 52 - Cell 2
54Ruben Meza (socalcycling.com)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Trevor Haag (Swami's Cycling Club)Row 54 - Cell 2
56Miles Lamon (Yahoo Cycling Team)Row 55 - Cell 2
57Aaron Schneider (Full Circle Sports)Row 56 - Cell 2
58Tomo Hamasaki (CA Pools Racing/De Walt)Row 57 - Cell 2
59Jonathan Eropkin (SAFEWAY/PureRed Creative/Bicycl)0:01:01
60Joshua Webster (Monster Media Racing SCVELO)0:01:02
61Shawn Vangassen (socalcycling.com)0:01:03
62Jeremiah Wiscovitch (Monster Media Racing SCVELO)0:01:05
63Cameron Peterson0:01:06
64Raul Frias (socalcycling.com)Row 63 - Cell 2
65Brian Mcculloch (CashCall Mortgage)Row 64 - Cell 2
66James Esser (Kretzschmr Steel Racing)0:01:11
67Blake Anton (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling)0:01:16
68Lucas Binder (Pista Palace)Row 67 - Cell 2
69Cody O'reilly (OUCH Pro Cycling)0:01:20
70Nicholas Onate (ACQUA AL 2/SDBC)Row 69 - Cell 2
71Frank Sarate (socalcycling.com)0:01:24
72Anthony Aker (SKLZ p/b PISTA PALACE)0:01:30
73Sean Sullivan0:01:48
74Eric Losak (A Road Bike 4U Elite Team)0:01:57
75Timothy Farnham (Wonderful Pistachios)0:02:05

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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.