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McCormack, Pic net CSC Invitational wins

by VeloNews.com

• June 03, 2006
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By Ryan Newill, Special to VeloNews

McCormack celebrates his win

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Veteran campaigner Mark McCormack (Colavita-Sutter Home) drew on years of criterium experience to win the 9th edition of the CSC Invitational in Arlington, Virginia, on Saturday. The 35-year-old led out the sprint in front of a decimated field and held off Carl Menzies (Health Net) and Alex Candelario (Jelly Belly) to give the Colavita men’s squad its second win in three days. Davide Frattini (Colavita) won the CapTech Classic in Richmond on Thursday. CapTech winner Tina Pic (Colavita) rounded out the Colavita squad’s day by taking her second victory of the week in a bunch-sprint win over Laura Van Gilder (TEAm Lipton) and Gina Grain (Colavita).

Though McCormack went home with the victory, TIAA-CREF’s Brad Huff was the man everyone was watching for much of the day. The 27-year-old neo pro jumped away alone just minutes into the 100 kilometer race, and stayed away until just 12 kilometers remained. Shortly after his solo move, Huff was joined by Brent Bookwalter of the Priority Health squad, and the two built a lead of 30 seconds over the field. A Toyota-United-led pursuit began to whittle the gap down after 30 kilometers, but a large crash in the last of the circuit’s five corners created enough chaos to restore the pair’s lead.

Huff takes a flyer

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

That crash would end the day for 2003 winner Lars Michaelson (CSC), who retired with cuts and bruises, but served as a launching pad for Navigator’s Hilton Clark, who bridged the gap to add some fresher legs to the leading duo. At the halfway point, Huff, Bookwalter, and Clarke had 40 seconds in hand over a disorganized peloton, but just five laps later, Bookwalter disappeared, leaving Clarke and Huff alone. The fifth turn had claimed another victim, and Bookwalter pulled out immediately due to his injuries.

A solo flyer by Tony Cruz (Toyota-United) at the 72 kilometer mark signaled the beginning of the end for Huff and Clarke. Though Cruz didn’t complete his bridge attempt before being swallowed up, his move kicked off of a wave of aggression that would sweep up the break with 12 kilometers remaining and whittle the 140-man field down to just 26 finishers.

Following a concerted chase by Toyota-United and Health Net, McCormack followed the fierce pace set by TIAA-CREF’s Danny Pate in the closing laps before taking over on the front on the windy back stretch. To his own surprise, it proved to be the winning move.

“I lead it out from two corners to go thinking that if I gave it all I had, I could get second or third, which would be a great result,” said McCormack. “[Colavita] played a conservative role today knowing that this race is really difficult and we don’t really have a super sprinter, so it’s not really in our favor in any situation.”

The situation played out perfectly for Colavita, however, which did not burn too many matches before tomorrow’s Philly Week kickoff in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “We were lucky, to say the least, with the way the race played out the last five, ten laps. The race just blew to bits. I just followed the wheels, and made a few turns trying to cover a few attacks, and I was in the right place at the right time.”

McCormack bides his time

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Despite his early aggression and the pace of the closing laps, Huff was able to hold on for a hard-earned eighth place finish.

The women’s race was a tactical battle fought out between powerhouse squads TEAm Lipton, Colavita-Cooking Light, and Victory Brewing, but it was Diet Cheerwine’s Charm Breon who animated much of the 50 kilometer contest.

After several probing attacks by Lipton and Colavita, Breon jumped away around the halfway point, and spent several laps solo before being joined by Lipton’s Sarah Tillotson. With Tillotson working in the interests of proven sprinter and past CSC winner Van Gilder, the move came back, but Breon was on the attack again with 7 kilometers remaining. Following a prime, Breon, Meshy Holt (Colavita), and Sarah Caravella (Lipton) jumped to a small gap before being retrieved. Breon still wasn’t content, however, and with 5 laps to go, she stretched out a five second gap over the Colavita-led chase before being caught for the final time with just 3 kilometers remaining.

Coming into the sprint, it was Van Gilder sitting second wheel behind teammate Lara Kroepsh, with Pic lined up just behind.

“Tina and I were kind of swapping spots. Neither of us really care who’s in front of the other,” said Van Gilder, who made her move as Victory Brewing brought its train through on the left. That was Pic’s cue.

“It was so long and windy this stretch, I just waited until Laura went. I was just hoping to time it right,” said Pic, who will now look towards next weekend’s Liberty Classic in Philadelphia. “If I can hold this form for two more weeks, that would be awesome.”

Diet Cheerwine’s Kelly Benjamin finished third.

CSC Invitational
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Arlington, VirginiaMen
1. Mark McCormack (Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home Wines)
2. Karl Menzies (Health Net presented by Maxxis)
3. Alex Candelerio (Jelly Belly)
4. Tony Cruz (Toyota-United Pro)
5. Matti Breschel (CSC)
6. Jeff Hopkins (Jittery Joe’s-Kalahari)
7. Rashaan Bahati (TIAA-CREF)
8. Brad Huff (TIAA-CREF)
9. Shawn Milne (Navigators Insurance)
10. Jackson Stewart (KodakGallery-Sierra Nevada)

Women
1. Tina Pic (Colavita-Cooking Light)
2. Laura Van Gilder (TEAm Lipton)
3. Gina Grain (Colavita-Cooking Light)
4. Kelly Benjamin (Diet Cheerwine)
5. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Verducci-Breakaway Bikes)
6. Laura Yoisten (Victory Brewing Company)
7. Lara Kroepsh (TEAm Lipton)
8. Shannon Hutchinson-Krupat (Aaron’s Corporate Furnishings-L5 Flyers)
9. Brenda Lyons (Victory Brewing Company)
10. Laura Bowles (Victory Brewing Company)

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