Pic, Soladay rip it at Roswell

• Photos
• Results

By JoE Silva

2009 Historic Roswell Criterium: Tom Soladay (Team Mountain Khakis) takes the win.

Photo: Shane Orr

Veteran sprinter Tina Pic (Colavita-Sutter Home) scored a sixth victory in the Historic Roswell Criterium on Sunday while relative newcomer Tom Soladay (Team Mountain Khakis) took a surprise win from a field of hardcore sprinters.

The event was the second in the USA CRITS Speedweek series and the sixth on the 2009 National Racing Calendar.

Pic, who won Roswell last year, got the jump on U.S. national road and criterium champion Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO) and Team Type 1’s Jen McRae for a virtual facsimile podium of the previous night’s result at the Athens Twilight Criterium, which saw Miller and Pic swapping first and second spots, respectively.

Pic was as delighted to have won No. 6 as any of the others.

“This never gets old!” she said. “But it was hard because everyone else (in the move) had help. So I had to watch everything that went.”

2009 Historic Roswell Criterium: Brooke Miller (TIBCO), Tina Pic (Colavita-Sutter Home) and Jennifer McRae (Team Type 1).

Photo: Shane Orr

The move that Pic was in didn’t establish itself until late into the race (50 minutes plus five laps), when an attack by Meredith Miller (TIBCO) finally forged a break that included 2006 Roswell winner Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) and 2008 Athens Twilight winner Rebecca Larson (Jittery Joe’s).

Pic’s Colavita teammates did their best to patrol the front of the field to ensure no one else made the final cut. In the last five laps Kristen Lasasso stayed at the sharp end of the break, but on the final time around the 1-mile, five-turn course Meredith Miller attacked the leaders on the backstretch.

“It took everything I had to get back to her,” Pic said. “And even when I did, it’s long way to go from that last corner.”

At long last, a break

The men’s field were out for 80 minutes of racing, and because of Roswell’s reputation for successful breakaways it took most of that time for a move to establish itself. At one point Championship Porsche rider Yosvany Falcon’s quest for a $350 prime threatened to cause a split, but it wasn’t until his teammate Frank Travieso forced the issue that the divide actually came about.

2009 Historic Roswell Criterium: Kyle Wamsley (Colavita Olive Oil) works his way into the winning break.

Photo: Shane Orr

“Everybody was starting to think that they were really tired from last night (in Athens) and they wanted to save their legs for the finish.” said Colavita’s Kyle Wamsley, who made the split when it finally occurred. “But we just got a group of guys who wanted to go hard, and all of a sudden we had 20 seconds.”

The group, which included Wamsley and Travieso, also contained Team OUCH’s Bobby Lea, Canadian Zack Bell (Kelly Benefit) and Soladay. Over the next few laps, the gap hovered dangerously below 30 seconds, but the group of five was committed to staying away.

With the leaders so tantalizingly close, the Fly V Australia team moved to the front of the field to try to chase down a break in which they had no representation. A serious effort by Hotel San Jose’s Carlos Vargas almost made it across the divide, but what appeared to be a strong bid failed in the final moments of racing.

In the break, Lea seemed to have received orders not to help; he was sitting on and apparently waiting for the finale. This and a $500 prime prompted Soloday to attack his companions with two laps to go.

“I hit it on the backside,” Soladay said. “No one went with me and Travieso couldn’t get me back. It was Bobby Lea who closed the gap eventually and it looked like he was going to try and keep things together. Two turns later everyone was still looking at each other, and I hit it again.”

2009 Historic Roswell Criterium: Wamsley takes the sprint for second.

Photo: Shane Orr

With five ultra-capable sprinters in the group, that turned out to be the smart move. The other three riders assumed Lea would then show his true cards, but as it turns out he didn’t actually have the legs to vie for a victory after that final effort, and Soladay snuck away for the win.

“We came here to initiate the moves, and the game plan worked to perfection.” a breathless Soladay said during the podium presentation. “We belong here and it’s just nice to be able to remind those guys of that.”

Photo Gallery

Results

Women
1. Tina Pic, Colavita-Sutter Home in 12:47.4
2. Brooke Miller, Team Tibco, s.t.
3. Jennifer Mcrae, Team Type 1, s.t.
4. Laura Van Gilder, Juice Plus Cycling, s.t.
5. Rebecca Larson, Jittery Joe’s U-25 p/b Kudzu.co, s.t.
6. Carla Swart, Lip Smacker, s.t.
7. Kristen Lasasso, Kristen Lasasso, s.t.
8. Meredith Miller, Team Tibco, s.t.
9. Kori Seehafer, Team Type 1, s.t.
10. Jennifer ? Wilson, Vanderkitten Racing, s.t.
11. Kelly Benjamin, Colavita-Sutter Home, s.t.
12. Lauren Tamayo, Team Tibco, s.t.
13. Joanne Kiesanowski, Team Tibco, s.t.
14. Samantha Schneider, Team Type 1, s.t.
15. Anna Mcloon, Altarum Women’s Cycling Team, s.t.
16. Tiffany Pezzulo, DFT p/b Treads, s.t.
17. Kirsten Davis, BMW-Bianchi, s.t.
18. Jennifer Rasmusson, Cyclelife p/b Specialized, s.t.
19. Carrie Cash Wootten, Team Revolution, s.t.
20. Veronica Martinez, Hub Racing, s.t.
21. Erica Allar, Colavita-Sutter Home, s.t.
22. Carmen Mcnellis, Michela Fanini Record Rox, s.t.
23. Mary Pat Jones, Blue Competition Cycles, s.t.
24. Sheba Farrin, Hub Racing, s.t.
25. Sally Annis, Hub Racing, s.t.
26. Linsey Bradshaw-Sandoval, DFT p/b Treads, s.t.
27. Jenette Williams, Altarum Women’s Cycling Team, s.t.
28. Christy Blakely, BMW-Bianchi, s.t.
29. Dana Martin, BMW-Bianchi, s.t.
30. Melissa Sanborn, Vanderkitten Racing, s.t.
31. Morgan Patton, Team Type 1, s.t.
32. Nicole Wangesgard, Colavita, s.t.
33. Verînica Leal, Team Type 1, s.t.
34. Jacquelyn Crowell, Team Type 1, s.t.
35. Jennifer Reither, Vanderkitten Racing, s.t.
36. Christy Keely, Team Kenda, s.t.
37. Silke Wunderwald, Team Kenda, s.t.
38. Leslie Jennings, Cyclelife p/b Specialized, s.t.
39. Rebecca Blatt, Team Kenda, s.t.
40. Sonja Evers, Cyclelife p/b Specialized, s.t.
41. Dale Tye, Altarum Women’s Cycling Team, s.t.
42. Krystal Mcnutt, Team Kenda, s.t.
43. Jacqueline Kurth, Team Kenda, s.t.
44. Kathryn Clark, Team Kenda, s.t.
45. Michelle Hart, Cyclelife p/b Specialized, s.t.
46. Amy Mcguire, Hub Racing, s.t.
47. Heather Davis, Naples Cyclery-gulf Coast Racin, s.t.
48. Christi An Hansley, , s.t.
49. Elizabeth Morse Hill, Hub Racing, s.t.

Men
1. Thomas Soladay, Team Mountain Khakis, in 23:32.7
2. Kyle Wamsley, Colavita-Sutter Home, s.t.
3. Zack Bell, Kelly Benefit Strategies, s.t.
4. Frank Travieso, Champion Porsche p/b Herbalife, s.t.
5. Bobby Lea, Ouch-Maxxis, s.t.
6. Aldo Ilesic, Team Type 1, s.t.
7. John Murphy, Ouch-Maxxis, s.t.
8. Ben Kersten, Fly V Australia, s.t.
9. Mark Hekman, Team Mountain Khakis, s.t.
10. Carlos Vargas, Hotel San Jose-Redbudsports, s.t.
11. Jonathan Clarke, Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team, s.t.
12. Kenneth Hanson, Team Type 1, s.t.
13. Adam Myerson, Team Mountain Khakis, s.t.
14. Chad Burdzilauskas, Kenda Pro Cycling, s.t.
15. Matt Winstead, Kenda Pro Cycling, s.t.
16. Rafael Meran, GS Mengoni USA, s.t.
17. Logan Loader-mooney, Team Mountain Khakis, s.t.
18. Chad Hartley, Team Geargrinder, s.t.
19. Jonathan Cantwell, Fly V Australia, s.t.
20. Lisban Quintero, Foundation, s.t.
21. Daniel Holt, Team Type 1, s.t.
22. Jacob Keough, Kelly Benefit Strategie, s.t.
23. Thomas Brown, Jittery Joe’s U-25 p/b Kudzu.com, s.t.
24. Robert Giannini, Locos, s.t.
25. Sean Sullivan, Team Hotel San Jose, s.t.
26. Oneal Samuels, Myogenesis.com p/b United Health, s.t.
27. Craig Dodson, Richmond Pro Cycling, s.t.
28. Nicholas Reistad, Endeavour Cycling Club, s.t.
29. Amaury Perez, GS Mengoni USA, s.t.
30. Joey Rosskopf, Jittery Joe’s U-25 p/b Kudzu.com, s.t.
31. Emilio Asconeguy, Aerocat Cycling Team, s.t.
32. Brendan Cornett, Richmond Pro Cycling, s.t.
33. Tyler Hawes, Team Globalbike, s.t.
34. David Guttenplan, Team Mountain Khakis, s.t.
35. Andrew Crater, Team Wheel & Sprocket, s.t.
36. Patrick Weddell, Globalbike, s.t.
37. Heath Blackgrove, Team Hotel San Jose, s.t.
38. Brian Toone, Tria Market-Donohooauto, s.t.
39. Barry Lee, Team Hotel San Jose, s.t.
40. Steven Gordon, DLP Racing, s.t.
41. Boyd Johnson, DLP Racing, s.t.
42. David Forkner, Globalbike, s.t.
43. Philip (alder) Martz, DLP Racing, s.t.
44. Bernard Sulzberger, Fly V Australia, s.t.
45. Adam Bergman, Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team, s.t.
46. Eric Murphy, Myogenesis.com p/b United Health, s.t.
47. Ryan Anderson, Kelly Benefit Strategies, s.t.
48. Jared Nieters, Haymarket-function Drinks, s.t.
49. David Hutton, Myogenesis.com p/b United Health, s.t.
50. Chad Madan, Pacesetter Steel Service, s.t.
51. Ryan Nye, Preferred Care Elite Cycling, s.t.
52. Jordan Heimer, Team Geargrinder, s.t.
53. Benjamin Renkema, Kenda Pro Cycling, s.t.
54. Christopher Schmidt, The Bike Rack Of Wash Dc, s.t.
55. Cesar Grajales, Pacesetter Steel Service, s.t.
56. Dirk Pohlmann, Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team, s.t.
57. Karel Sumbal, Lindner Capital Advisor, s.t.
58. Robert White, Team Geargrinder, s.t.
59. Adrian Hegyvary, Hagens Berman Cycling, s.t.
60. Jafer Beizer, Jittery Joe’s U-25 p/b Kudzu.com, s.t.
61. Christopher Butler, Hincapie Development Team, s.t.
62. Tyler Stanfield, Kenda Pro Cycling, s.t.
63. Aaron Johnson, Hagens Berman Cycling, s.t.
64. Christopher Bogedin, Wolverine Sports Club, s.t.
65. Evan Fader, Richmond Pro Cycling, s.t.
66. Joseph Collins, Locos, s.t.
67. Yosvany Falcon, Champion Porsche p/b Herbalife, s.t.
68. Joshua Carter, Abd Cycling Team, s.t.
69. Sam Silvey, Pacesetter Steel Servicei, s.t.
70. D Tyler Grahovec, Pacesetter Steel Service, s.t.
71. Isaac Howe, Team Mountain Khakis, s.t.
72. Steven George, Fly V Australia, s.t.
73. Jonathan Sundt, Kelly Benefit Strategies, s.t.
74. Matt Seagrave, Richmond Pro Cycling, s.t.
75. Lang Reynolds, Hagens Berman Cycling, s.t.
76. Casey Magner, Locos, s.t.
77. Stephen Housley, Myogenesis, s.t.
78. Jeff Buckles, Richmond Pro Cycling, s.t.
79. Tim Hargrave, Team Type 1, s.t.
80. Whit Clifford, Locos, s.t.
81. Shawn Gravois, Lindner Capital Cycling, s.t.
82. Andrew Baker, Team Mountain Khakis, s.t.
83. Robert Mcconville, Aerocat-Latino Cycling, s.t.
84. David Veilleux, Kelly Benefit Strategies, s.t.
85. Michael Stoop, Team Mountain Khakis, s.t.
86. Alan Tripp, s.t.
87. Noah Metzler, s.t.
88. Luke Servedio, Krystal Cycling Team, s.t.
89. Eugene Boronow, GS Mengoni USA, s.t.
90. Santiago Rosell, Johan Bruyneel Cycling Academy, s.t.
91. David Wiswell, GS Mengoni USA, s.t.
92. Marco Aledia, Kenda Pro Cycling Presented By, s.t.
93. Harold (phil) Southerland, Team Type 1, s.t.
94. R Curtis Gunn, V Australia-Virgin Blue, s.t.
95. Bennet Van Der Genugten, Kenda Pro Cycling Prese, s.t.
96. Ryan Sullivan, Myogensis.com p/b United Health, s.t.
97. Matthew Hansley, Locos Cycling, s.t.
98. Alejandro Borrajo, Colavita-Sutter Home, s.t.
99. Seth Hansley, VC La Pomme, s.t.