Craig conquers short track race

Adam Craig (Rabobank-Giant) is back. After months of rehabilitation following ACL surgery, he won today's short track race in typical Adam Craig style. Craig waited until mid-race to launch his attack, and nobody could hold his wheel from thereon.

Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Trek) finished second after making a late-race surge that nearly caught Craig. After winning Saturday's cross country race Sam Schultz (Subaru-Trek) finished third, with Derek Zandstra (3 Rox Racing) and Todd Wells (Specialized) rounding out the podium.

"I was surprised that I dropped everyone," said Craig. "I figured that Jeremy would get back to me, but whoever got to the bridge at the top first was going to win. I had maybe five metres at the bridge. I rested a bit on the last lap figuring that if he catches me I can always counter him."

Horgan-Kobelski had the large crowd screaming as he attempted to chase down Craig. "I was thinking maybe I had it because Adam was coming back quick but he had a little bit left in the tank," said Horgan-Kobelski. "I made a big move with two laps to go but I didn't have enough to get around him. I was a little cooked from closing that gap."

The short track racing today was easily the most exciting of the year. No less than eight different riders led laps. The attacking was viscous, and almost always took the form of out-of-the-saddle hammerfests up the mountain.

Ryan Woodall (Beick City Bicycles) took the hole shot off the start and led the first lap. Jonathan Page (Planet Bike), racing in the home state of his sponsor, attacked and took the lead while climbing the ski trail.  Page’s lead did not last, however, as Sid Taberlay (Sho-Air/Specialized) took over before the end of the second lap.

Schultz decided to stretch his legs on lap three, but Wells jumped him just before the bridge at the top of the course. On lap five Ryan Trebon (Kona) laid down one of the patented attacks he has used to win many cyclo-cross races, prompting Schultz, Carl Decker (Giant), and Wells to take up the chase.

By this time Taberlay, Max Plaxton (Sho-Air/Specialized), and Page had been dropped from the lead group. Decker made a move just after the start/finish area on lap seven and led until teammate Craig decided to give it a whirl.

Once Craig went off the front, only JHK seemed to have any chance of reeling him back in. Craig crossed the finish first, so surprised that he had won, that he forgot to do his iconic wheelie for the cheering crowd.

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