John Hamblen Back on Squad

Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks is pleased to welcome Jon Hamblen back into the squad for the remainder of the 2003 season. Hamblen began the season on the West Virginia Pro Team, but is overjoyed to be back with his friends from New England. Hamblen spent the 2001 and 2002 seasons on Wheelworks squad with an amazing 17 wins to his name. He honored his new jersey with a win in his first race back this past weekend in Maine.

Hamblen Wins Yarmouth Clam Festival Circuit Race, July 20

Yarmouth, Maine - home of one of the Northeast's most famous one-day bicycle races and the best damn fried clams in the world. With its challenging 3.6-mile circuit and large enthusiastic crowd, the Clam Festival is in its 23rd year as a crowd favorite. Early Sunday morning Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks sent their crack New Hampshire and Maine squads, along with half of the Massachusetts team, to this prestigious New England Classic.

The race started in typical Maine summer weather, 65 degrees and sunny. Right from the line several attacks came from ex team rider now present team rider Jon Hamblen, who was eager to show his new jersey to the large field (and show his new teammates he deserves to wear the red jersey). The attacks came non-stop for the next three laps but were all handily covered by Oliver Stiler-Cote, Mike Dietrich, and team founder Dave Edry. Just after a mid race prime Hamblen took off solo and was soon joined by Bill Yabroudy. The duo set a fast pace for the next lap and a half before being joined by a five man group containing USPRO Crit Champ Kevin Monahan (7Up/Maxxis) and Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks New Hampshire resident, but Maine racing specialist, Don Mills. Meanwhile, in the main bunch Ollie, Dave, and Mike followed all the moves and frustrated any attempts to catch the break.

As usual at this race the front group hovered at only one minute ahead the field, so the hard work by our boys in the field kept the gap large enough for Jon and Don to be comfortably in charge out front. Don, a former champion of the Clam Fest, made sure to keep the pace high in the last two miles to keep the charging field at bay and set up Jon for the sprint. Hamblen came from the back the of the group in the last 200 meters of the downhill sprint and quickly accelerated past all of his breakaway companions for the third Yarmouth Clam Fest win or his career. The team took many of the top 20 spots with Mills in 7th, Stiler-Cote in 14th, and Dave Edry in 19th.

Peck Second at Union Vale Road Race, July 20

The southern division of the Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks team converged on the Poughkeepsie, NY area for a weekend of racing. Sunday’s road race saw Curt Davis jump into the early move in the first two miles of the race. This set up Josh Gewirtz, Johs Huseby, and Chris Peck for a relaxing first half of the 72 mile event as the field saw little attacking, but lots of pulling from Mike Jones (West Virginia Pro Team). Davis was eventually caught, but he was able to help launch Huseby across to the break with just 14 miles to go. The race ended on a 2.5 kilometer climb which ensured that the break would need a healthy gap to hold off the fresh legs from the field. But despite Huseby’s best efforts, the four-man escape only held a 40 second gap going into the climb, and Peck was able to catch all but one rider for second place on the day.

Gewirtz Fourth at Poughkeepsie Criterium, July 19

Saturday’s downtown criterium saw Josh Gewirtz show off his sprinting legs in a dramatic finale. Earlier in the race, Peck and Gewirtz were forced into a draining chase to try to get across to the breakaway led my Adam Myerson (Sportsbook.com). Gewirtz was finally able to leap across with just 8 laps to go, and managed an excellent fourth place finish in the 20 rider group sprint.