Another week, Another Win for Hamblen

Tour of the Hilltowns, July 27

A powerful Fiordifrutta/Wheelworks team dominated last Sunday’s Tour of the Hilltowns road race in western Massachusetts. Don Mills escaped with a small group before the steep 4-mile climb, which came at the midway point of the race. Once the field hit the climb, Hamblen was quick to bridge across to the front group, but when he arrived, Canadian rider Martin St-Laurant (Trek/VW) had already flown to a 1-minute gap.

Hamblen’s group was caught by the rest of the field which numbered only 25 riders, including teammates Mike Dietrich, Josh Gewirtz, and Chris Peck. Mills and Peck took up the chase of any escaping riders, knowing that Dietrich, Gewirtz, and Hamblen would focus on the finish. Hamblen put in brutal attack on the final roller of the day with just 1 mile to go, and held a slim 20-yard gap all the way to the finish. Dietrich won the sprint for 2nd, with Peck and Gewirtz just behind in 5th and 6th respectively.