Peck Podiums in Maine, June 7th

Johs Huseby, Mike Dietrich, Josh Gewirtz, and Chris Peck traveled to Auburn Maine for a weekend of racing, in preparation for their upcoming trip to the Tour of Ohio later in the week. Saturday’s Sun Journal Lake Auburn Road Race was extremely hilly and Josh and Johs covered many early breakaway attempts. On the last of the four laps, Peck and Dietrich sprung loose a group of 12 riders that battled it out the finish. Peck escaped with Rob Hult (ProCycles-Giant) and the two former cyclocross team mates held on to a slim lead for much of the last lap, with Dietrich and Hult’s brother Peter saving energy since they did not have to chase. Peck and Hult were caught with two miles to go, and Dietrich and Peck took turns covering moves in the final downhill dash to the sprint where Peck took 2nd with Dietrich in 10th.

Sunday’s Country Kitchen Great Falls Criterium saw a field that was reluctant to let any groups escape on the relatively flat course. Huseby and Peck worked hard late in the race to bring back a small group that was dangling off the front, and Gewirtz sprinted to a 9th place finish.

Tour of Ohio: Two Stage Wins so Far, June 13-21

A seven-man squad including Dietrich, Gewirtz, Huseby, Mills, Davis, Peck and guest rider Chris Rozdilski is currently in control at the Tour of Ohio. Friday’s first stage was a road race that started in the small town of Wilkesville. A mid-race attack by Mills and Rozdilski put them a minute up on the peleton. But with a final climb just 10k from the finish, the team looked to get strong man Dietrich up to the leaders. Davis and Peck rode an extremely strong tempo up most of the climb, allowing Dietrich to attack over the top and jump across to the front group. Dietrich held on to win the group sprint and the leader’s jersey, and the team orchestrated a great leadout train for Gewirtz who took second in the field.

Saturday’s criterium was a flat 1k course with four corners, making it difficult for any groups to get away. Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks controlled the tempo for much of the race, but the field sprint was won by former Redland’s street sprint winner Marco Aledia (Team Columbus), who took over the leader’s jersey thanks to time bonuses.

Sunday was another criterium on a flat course, and pouring rain and man hole covers made for a slippery race. Thanks to their sticky Michelin tires (and a front row start), Dietrich, Gewirtz, and Mills finished in the main field. But they could not prevent three riders from escaping mid-race and putting 40 seconds on the field. Dietrich sprinted in for ninth and maintained his top 5 GC position. After the race, one of the team’s new sponsors Alan Romick of www.headsweats.com showed great hospitality by having the team over for a fantastic dinner at his nearby home. Clothes were washed, bikes were washed, and bellies filled – thanks Alan! Headsweats makes innovative headgear using premium wicking material that keep us warm and dry.

The team was happy on Monday to get back to one its strengths, road racing. The course was in Hocking Hills, the site of the Elite National Road Race Championships in the late 90’s. The 100k course included a couple of tough climbs toward the end, and the team set up another great leadout train up the climb to springboard Dietrich and Brian Sheedy (West Virginia) away from the field. They were joined by a Saturn Development team rider and a couple of others, but were caught with just 500 meters to go. Davis put together a perfect leadout for Gewirtz, who won the uphill sprint to the line. This was the third year in a row that the team has won this stage.

There are two more criteriums and three road races, and the team looks to move either Gewirtz or Dietrich into the top spot on GC.