June 22, 2004 - 2 Wins for Hamblen

Hamblen Wins Cox Charities Cycling Classic, June 13th

Jon Hamblen continued to take advantage of his excellent form to win this big-money criterium in Providence, Rhode Island. With ten riders taking the start line for Fiordifrutta, the team’s goal was to be in every move of the race and prevent a field sprinter from taking the victory. Mike Dietrich, Peter Hult, Dan Cassidy, Johs Huseby, Phil Wong and Dan Cassidy all rode aggressively in the first half of the race, but no group was able to stay away from the field. Chris Peck and Josh Gewirtz attacked after one of the bonus sprints and made it into a group of thirteen riders that put 30 seconds on the field by 12 laps to go in the race. Because strong sprinters Jon Page (Hot Tubes), Oscar Pineda (Stelvio Teamware) and Emilito Heredia (TOGA) were not contributing to the efforts of the break, Gewirtz joined them at the back of the break, while Peck contributed to the break’s forward progress.

At this point, Hamblen was itching to try to get across to the break, and with the help of Rob Hult, he was able to ride across the gap during the next two laps. After Hamblen joined the break, an attack by Peck set up a solo move for Hamblen and he jumped away with 9 laps to go. His initial goal was to hold on for one of the biggest bonus sprints in New England history for a total of $853. After taking the cash with 5 laps to go, Hamblen was able to motor onward for the win! Gewirtz was able to outsprint Mark McCormack (Colavita) for 6th, after McCormack made it across to the break on the last lap.

You can see a podium shot here.

Hamblen Wins Ninigrit Criterium, June 12th

Fiordifrutta had another good day racing in New England at the Ninigrit Criterium, part of Pave Production's Cox Charities Rhode Island weekend. The race started fast as usual on the flat and windy 3/4 mile loop at Ninigrit State Park in Kingston, RI. Fiordifrutta's Mike Dietrich launched an attack that could only be followed by Bobby Bailey of the Racksmith/Land Rover team, but would soon be joined by a rider from Marian College and a few laps later by Jon Hamblen. Dietrich and Hamblen worked with the group, winning several primes in the process, before launching a series of attacks that put Hamblen ahead solo.

Hamblen soon lapped the field and had teammate Johs Huesby to pull him away from the bunch and bridge up to the chase group which contained Pete Hult. Hult and Huseby put in tremendous pulls before Hult flatted. Dietrich lapped the field as well and had to duel with his two breakaway companions for second place, while Huseby helped Hamblen ride further up the road to secure the win after 30 miles of racing.