Luke Keough crowned Terrapin Twilight Criterium king

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With the daylight completely gone, downtown Athens, Georgia was in full party mode – just in time for the men's Terrapin Twilight Criterium. The field was racing for 80 laps on the one kilometer rectangular course.

Blasting out of the shadows Luke Keough (Team Mountain Khakis-SmartStop) threw his bike to the line barely beating John Murphy (Kenda/5 Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder) and Emile Abraham (Rossetti Devo Cycling Team) just after reeling in a late solo move.

Just like the women's edition, the prime bell was constantly rung throughout the men's race. With each clang a rider rolled off to grab the cash. However, they never got any more than a handful of seconds advantage on the strung out field.

Constantly monitoring the front was Competitive Cyclist, Team Mountain Khakis-SmartStop, Exergy and Kenda/5 Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder, of defending champion Luca Damiani.

By lap 40 small gaps were forming in the peloton. While each of the big teams took swings at each other, Ty Magner (BMC-Hincapie Development Team) was saying active, jumping onto each break – hoping that it was the one that would stick. But because of the constant high speed no one could get away.

With 32 laps remaining the first significant break rolled off the front: Ben Zawacki (Team Mountain Khakis-SmartStop) and David Wenger (Bicycle Sport Shop p/b Integrity Solutions).

With the prime bell clanging, the duo shared the work, splitting the cash. Behind them the peloton slowed, fanning out across the road. But when the time gap got into double figures and seemed stable, Kenda/5 Hour Energy went to the front drilling it.

Finally the duo was brought back and the counter moves returned. The only crash of the night was with 20 laps to go in turn four, bringing down many riders, flooding the neutral support area. Perhaps because of the crash the break of Jackie Simes (Jamis-Sutter Home) and Cole House (Competitive Cyclist), who had attacked earlier, grew to 22 seconds.

"I thought it was a good time to go," said Simes. "I went up to Cole [House] and I was hoping we'd get a little company from guys that had full squads, but it ended up just being the both of us."

With 13 laps remaining, House pulled the ripcord and was absorbed by the Kenda/5 Hour Energy-led peloton. Simes continued off the front.

"At that point I figured I'd keep going. When I made that move I put it all out there to make it stick. I wasn't going to get anything by sitting up and going back to the pack – might as well keep on going and give the sponsors some exposure."

Kenda/5 Hour Energy kept the pressure at the front of the peloton. But lurking about fourth wheel was the one-man cycling team Ivan Dominguez (Franco Bicycles).

With eight laps to go Simes' solo effort was squashed and it looked like it was going to end in a field sprint.

But no sooner was Simes caught than Bobby Lea (Pure Energy Cycling-ProAirHFA) attacked gaining a few seconds lead. Lea will be representing the U.S. at the upcoming London Olympics in the omnium and has the capacity to put out a hard effort for short periods of time.

Kenda/5 Hour Energy was not having all their work go down the drain and Lea was caught with three laps remaining. Athens Twilight was going to be decided in a field sprint.

On the bell lap Dominguez launched a hard attack on the backside of the course.

"Dominguez went up the back straight and wanted to take it from far out because he's got a long sprint," said Keough. "I got on his wheel before the last turn and kept my momentum rolling. Everyone was fighting for a position, so I went early and held it to the line."

A clearly disappointed Murphy described his second place in two words - heart breaking.

"The guys were perfect – they set me up with four to go," said Murphy. "We used up all our guys in the chase, but honestly I had a perfect lead-out – Dominguez hit out on the last lap and I followed him. He took me through the last turn and I followed him. I hesitated for a moment and Mountain Khakis got the jump on me.

"I asked the boys if they'd let me go for it here and they were all about it. I gave it everything and try to deliver. I feel real bad to come up with second, but when it's a bike throw for the finish, that's racing."

Oscar Clarke (United Healthcare of Georgia p/b the 706 Project) retains the USA CRITS series lead, with Colin Jaskiewicz (Champion Systems p/b Stan's NoTubes/ CRCA) in second and Luke Keough moves into third.