August 18, 2006 - Another Crit Win

Cody Wins Collar City Criterium, Troy, NY, August 13

Fiordifrutta expanded its empire northward to Troy, NY following in the wake of Whitey the rabbit winning Friday Nights' NJ State Fair cross race and Josh Dillon wielding his fiery sword of doom brought down upon the poor souls at the Albany road race Saturday.

Curt Davis led the team announcing his return to big league racing in the upcoming GMSR. The goal for the day was 50% saturation levels in all moves in an effort to dominate the racing, not just win. The team left little time for warming up and took off from the gun, attacking the early laps on the narrow, bumpy, 7 corner course. Josh Gewirtz and Matt White started things off early and drew Mike Jones (HealthNet p/b Maxxis) out of the field.

Gewirtz used his reinvigorated sense of humor and impeccable sense of direction to get the rest of the field lost as he dropped off the pace with a broken cleat. Cody followed the move and after a few laps the small gap grew quickly. The group shed a few riders, with White, Cody, Jones, and Nick (Anthem-Blue Cross-Blue Shield) making the group. White was fresh from his Rabbit Judging contest at the New Jersey State Fair on Friday night and eager to make the move stick. Cody was looking to hone his sprint and form for the following weekends Criterium Nationals in Chicago, IL.

Back in the field the racing was heating up. Curt Davis and Chris Rozdilsky slipped up the road with two other riders and sat 30 seconds down on the break, but 30 up on the field. Davis and Roz ganged up on the break which included future guest rider Cory Burns (UNH) who dutifully (and wisely) rode a solid race impressing his potential employers.

Buck Miller, still high from his venture to 3000 meters in China and nearly losing his life to a hoard of Mongolian Bar-B-Quers, covered moves and avoided 'death by Ben's coach. Zawacki had his bars slip way down and toughed the race out to the finish and is probably eager to turn into a frat boy at Clemson this fall. With 10 to go Davis out foxed his breakaway companions by telling them he was going to go up the road just to change his kids diaper and would be back shortly.

Jones sensed Davis coming and pedaled 'harder' for a lap to prevent the catch. With two laps to go, Nick slipped up the road from the break and gained a few seconds, but Whitey timed his chase well pulling him back for a Jones-Cody sprint fest rematch from nearly a year ago. Cody forced Jones to lead it out, and passed him in the finale for the win with Whitey coming in 4th. Davis held on for 5th after soloing for 10 laps. The boys proved they are ready to take on the best amateurs in the country next weekend in Chicago, IL.