The Crossroads Classic is a 5 race series in the week leading up to the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium. Each race course is fast, technical, and serves as good opening for the race on Saturday evening. The series started off on great foot when Isaac and Neil went 1-2 in the Downtown Mocksville Criterium. The next night in the Cabarrus Creamery Criterium the team rode smart and aggressive but Isaac saw misfortune come when he was taken out with only one lap remaining. On Wednesday on a rainy an cold night at the Downtown Salisbury Criterium Will Hoffarth finally wrested the Sprints leader jersey from former team rider Logan Loader. Read the rest of this entry »
Archive for the ‘Race Report’ Category
Capital Criterium
On July - 12 - 2010
The professional men’s field was treated to a challenging 1.3-kilometer circuit that included seven corners with the start-finish line located on the famed Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC. The race had some stellar backdrops and many points of interest but the guys did not have much of a chance to enjoy them.
After an aggressive race, a breakaway containing six riders snapped off the front with six-laps to go and included both Jackie Simes and Booby Lea. Lea attacked over the circuit’s short hill with three laps to go and Simes was the only one able to follow. The pair maintained a slim 10-second margin ahead of the field for the remaining two laps. Isaac was held in position by the team and was once again up there with some of the fastest men in the country earning a well deserved 6th. Mark and Thomas held onto places in the top 15 after protecting Isaac on the run into the finish.
Although Isaac was not able to overtake Clayton Barrows for the overall USACrits series lead he did make a dent into the points difference and made a statement that he was not intending to just let the jersey go without a fight.
A sincere congratulations to CapCrit winner and former team Mountain Khakis team member Jackie Simes on a great and well deserved victory.
1 Jackie Simes (USA) Jamis Sutter Home 1:47:05
2 Bobby Lea (USA) Start Cycling-Bahati Composite- 0:00:01
3 Frank Travieso (USA) Jamis Sutter Home 0:00:05
4 Yosvany Falcon (USA) Start Cycling-Bahati Composite-
5 Anibal Borrajo (Arg) Jamis Sutter Home
6 Isaac Howe (USA) Mountain Khakis
7 Mauricio Frazer (Arg) Start Cycling-Bahati Composite-
8 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Kelley Benefits Strategies
9 Nick Bennette (USA) Metlife P/B Grosolar 0:00:06
10 Diego Garavito (Col) Aerocat
14 Mark Hekman (USA) Mountain Khakis
15 Thomas Brown (USA) Mountain Khakis
The professional men’s field was treated to a challenging 1.3-kilometer circuit that included seven corners with the start-finish line located on the famed Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC. The race had some stellar backdrops and many points of interest but the guys did not have much of a chance to enjoy them.
After an aggressive race, a breakaway containing six riders snapped off the front with six-laps to go and included both Jackie Simes and Booby Lea. Lea attacked over the circuit’s short hill with three laps to go and Simes was the only one able to follow. The pair maintained a slim 10-second margin ahead of the field for the remaining two laps. Read the rest of this entry »
Iron Hill Twilight Criterium
On July - 11 - 2010
On a short and fast course havoc and confusion was the rule of the night for the 4th race in the USA Crits Series. The team who was leading the Series was really motivated to defend that lead. Isaac, Neil, Mark, Gutt, Thomas, and Johnny Fox (Hamblen) had their work cut out for them defending the lead especially without Adam. Adam who was currently in 4th overall remained sidelined with a fractured wrist. He will be back soon but not this weekend. Very quickly in the race a group of 13 riders lapped the field. Mark and Neil made the move but the combination was not ideal. With 21 laps remaining the group lapped the field and shortly after another 7 set off on attack. Mark, determined to repeat his winning performance in 2008, once again made this group. 5 of the 7 riders in this group were part of the original 13. As the laps counted down is obvious that the winner would come from this group of 5 and Mark was happy with the odds. Unfortunately misfortune one again struck and he crashed on the last corner! He quickly got up and was able to mount his bike in time for 8th. Neil always was able to come in for a top 10.
Isaac sprinted home for 16th. Not bad considering there were 13 riders in the field and 2 who made the second break . Unfortunately this was not enough to hold his overall lead in the serried which transferred to the shoulders of the race winner Clayton Barrows.
On a short and fast course havoc and confusion was the rule of the night for the 4th race in the USA Crits Series. The team who was leading the Series was really motivated to defend that lead. Isaac, Neil, Mark, Gutt, Thomas, and Johnny Fox (Hamblen) had their work cut out for them defending the lead especially without Adam. Adam who was currently in 4th overall remained sidelined with a fractured wrist. He will be back soon but not this weekend. Very quickly in the race a group of 13 riders lapped the field. Mark and Neil made the move but the combination was not ideal. With 21 laps remaining the group lapped the field and shortly after another 7 set off on attack. Read the rest of this entry »
Tour of the Valley Stage Race
On July - 9 - 2010
The weekend started well for the Mountain Khakis squad at the second annual Tour of the Valley. Joey earned the inaugural Tour of the Valley’s yellow jersey last year and he came out roaring in the opening 9.6 mile time trial on Friday. The torrential rain in the area eased up a lot by the time the Pro,1,2’s started the 9.6 mile test but it was still a wet and windy affair. In the end the team had a near podium sweep with Joey in 1st, Matt in 2nd, and Oscar in 4th. Of his winning time, Rosskopf said: “I was surprised and I think everyone on my team was surprised that I went that fast. I felt really good about it.” To be honest, we were not that surprised.
Saturday was a hilly 75 mile road race. The guys felt good about their overall positions but this road race was going to be the deciding factor in this stage race and with a field containing such notables as multi-time National Champion Paul Martin (Panther Racing) they could take nothing for granted. The race starts quickly and hits the first hill at about 7 miles out. The guys drove it up the hill dropping a few riders but the main field remained in tack. The second major hill (the KOM climb) the guys drove it and the field got a lot smaller. This is a very tough course and as the field went around for a second lap the continuous rolling terrain began to take a bigger toll on the field. In the end a select group of riders mades it way into downtown for 10 one mile finishing loops. With plenty of attacks to cover the guys rode smart but let Kirk Albers of Panther Racing slip away in the final meters for the victory. Cooke stressed that he and Rosskopf and their Mountain Khakis teammates were in control of the race, especially in the finishing loops. “We weren’t worried at all. We didn’t get the win though, which is disappointing.” In the end, Matt took 2nd, Joey came across a gap to finish 3rd and Oscar was 7th. What no one realized is that the team was now 1, 2, and 3 in the overall standings.
The final day was a 90 minute criterium in downtown Youngstown. The goal was to try and get the stage victory and to hold on to 1, 2, 3 overall. A very tough assignment. In the end, Paul Martin was a little too strong in the mid-race sprints which enabled him to overtake Oscar in the final standings. Joey did however secure the stage victory for the team by winning a tight field sprint ahead of Chris Gruber and Paul Martin.
1st, 2nd, and 4th overall and 2 stage victories is a fantastic result.
The second running of the Tour of the Valley was just as well run and organized as the first. It is a first class race with tremendous courses and support of the community. It was an honor for the team to be in attendance and defend Joey’s victory. We hope to be there and be welcomed back in 2011!
The weekend started well for the Mountain Khakis squad at the second annual Tour of the Valley. Joey earned the inaugural Tour of the Valley’s yellow jersey last year and he came out roaring in the opening 9.6 mile time trial on Friday. The torrential rain in the area eased up a lot by the time the Pro,1,2’s started the 9.6 mile test but it was still a wet and windy affair. In the end the team had a near podium sweep with Joey in 1st, Matt in 2nd, and Oscar in 4th. Of his winning time, Rosskopf said: “I was surprised and I think everyone on my team was surprised that I went that fast. I felt really good about it.” To be honest, we were not that surprised. Read the rest of this entry »
