Check Your Legs Road Race 2002

New Lisbon, April 7th 2002

Brought to you by CNYC and $5 a Day Racing Inc.

70 riders riders braved the near freezing but sunny conditions to compete in this year's CYLRR. All participants riding in either an A, B or Women's category did two laps of the 20 kilometer course. The CYLRR has established itself as the season opener for upstate NY USCF racing and riders were eager to show off their early season form.

In the Cat 1-3 "A" race Rob Coapman decided to make things tough on the first hill of the first lap. Coapman strung out the small field with a wicked turn of speed at the front. Going up the second climb Rob would pay for his efforts as a 3 man break containing CNYC's Nick Suozzo, People's Cycling Team's Chris Harnish and unattached rider Dan Opdyke powered off the front. From that point on it was a three man time trial against a one man solo chase by Coapman. The three riders up the road knew who was chasing them and worked smoothly together but Coapman was able to bridge the gap and the race was all together heading into the second lap. The final time up the hills Coapman was dropped again but this time the three escapees put their heads down and headed for home. Their move worked and Opdyke took the sprint victory with Harnish placing second and Suozzo taking 3rd.

The Category 4-5 "B" race saw 57 riders take the start line. After a mild 4 mile cruise to the first corner in Garrattsville CNYC's David Ryther (Owner of Velosophy Bike Shop) decided to start the fireworks. Dave strung the pack out into single file climbing out of G'ville and onto the day's first hill. As the pack regrouped and hit the bottom of the second climb MVBC's Josh Benson rocketed out of the group and flew up climb gaining a solid gap. But the day's windy and cold conditions was not the type of weather where a single rider was going to outrun a pack. On the backside descent the front group swelled to about 25 riders. By the start of the climbs on the second lap 2 or 3 more small groups had rejoined and a only a killer attack by a pure climber was going to avoid a sprint finish. No such move was made and the remaining CNYC riders had a plan for the sprint. In the closing kilometer Rich Karaz set a wicked tempo to the course's final corner and from there CNYC's Dutch Sprinter Ad Stabel was on autopilot. Drawing on his vast racing experience and knowledge of the course Ad cruised to CNYC's first major victory of 2002. The top 3 was rounded out by Cory Burns (Unattached) in second and CNYC's latest recruit Josh Friedman in 3rd.

Only 5 women took the start and thus were combined into the "B" race. The women's race was handily won by Maria Klemperer Johnson- who beat all but about 15 of the "B" men. Followed in by HVVC's Sara Barker and CNYC's Michelle Costello.

CNYC will host another USCF sanctioned event on the same course the weekend of June 2nd. The Butternut Valley Bike race will offer racing from 40 to 80 kilometers in 5 different USCF categories: Cat. 1-3, Cat. 3-4, Masters 35+, Women and Cat. 5. For further information please contact Peter Martin at geotoro@wpe.com or Dave Ryther at dave@velosophy.com.

(Race report written by PJM Press Inc.)

Related Pages at Velosophy.com:

Upcoming events in the area