September 15, 2004 - Green Mtn

Hult and Cassidy Take 4th and 8th at Green Mountain Stage Race, September 3-6

Fiordifrutta sent a four-man team to Vermont’s biggest race of the year, and the squad came through with great results highlighted by Peter Hult’s 4th place finish which placed him as the top amateur. Friday’s mass start hillclimb saw Dan Cassidy off the front of the race, only to be caught inside the final kilometer. The team put in a great ride with Cassidy 11th, Wong 13th and Hult 19th. Saturday’s circuit race was relatively uneventful for the boys in red, but Sunday’s queen stage was a thriller.

Compared to last year, an extra mountain pass and 40 miles of distance had been added to this stage, making for 103 total miles. In the first 10 miles of the race, Chris Peck escaped with 4 other riders and they were soon joined by 6 others. This group gained up to seven minutes on the field, but a chase from Jet Fuel and Louis Garneau brought the remnants of the field up to the break by the final ascent to the summit of Appalachian Gap. Hult and Cassidy were able to stay fresh for the final climb, with Cassidy 4th on the day and Hult in 7th.

Sunday’s Criterium in downtown Burlington saw Hult bridge up to an early breakaway including race leader Mark McCormack (Colavita) and Charles Dionne (Webcor). Hult hung on for 7th place which bumped him up to 4th place in the overall standings. The team looks forward to the Univest race in Souderton, PA this weekend.

Hamblen Wins Winston Salem Criterium, NC, September 11th

Jon Hamblen won the third annual Downtown Winston Salem 4th Street Celebration Criterium. The 30 mile event, run on the same course as last month’s lead up race to the Bank of America Invitational, featured a half mile lap with four corners and two small hills. The race was strung out from the gun with riders trying to escape and lap the field early on the short circuit. Many fast sprinters were in attendance, including Adam Myerson (Mathis Bro's/Sharper Image), Jeff Hopkins(Jittery Joes), and national criterium champion Frank Pipp (Endeavor Cycling).

With constant attacks and chases, most of the riders were fairly tired with 15 laps to go. When a move of five went clear Hamblen bridged across the gap and made contact, but so did four other riders, too many for the break to succeed as some guys would choose to sit on. When the field neared the break Hamblen took off with Charlie Storm in an attempt to get a move going in the last 10 laps. The two stayed out alone pulling terribly hard and gaining a few seconds on the bunch each time around. In the end it was Hamblen who won the race in the two up sprint, commenting afterwards "My Fiordifrutta Cannondale was really dialed in, Michelin tires were gripping and the Spinergy wheels were fast. The bike felt good and was fast in and out of the corners."