September 21, 2006 - 2 Wins and Univest

Fiordifrutta continued its winning ways in September, and attached are some great photos from Mike Cody winning the final stage of the Green Mountain Stage Race.

Cody Wins York Beach Criterium, September 15th

Cody writes: Have you ever had some much caffeine you couldn't sit still? Well I did before the crit that evening and evidently it paid off. An impromptu combine by other locals fell through as no break would stick through the 30 laps on the ocean front course. In the end it came down to a field sprint, but not one with a sprint to the line, rather one with a sprint to the last corner. Down the back straight, Ted King was lead out by his brother Robbie. Cody jumped them both and took the last corner with a bike length on the competition and extended it to two lengths by the line to win over Adam Myerson and Ted King. Thank god for Michelin Pro Grip tires...it’s like riding on rails.

White Wins Northfield Cyclocross, September 10th

At his season opening big win down at the NJ fair White relied on his “crit” fitness to hold onto to the win. Northfield was another story, and coming off a R/R period he saw the race as an early training opportunity. Matt White and Johannes Huseby lined up mid pack, where they hopefully won’t need to line up for the rest of the season once the coveted UCI point accumulation begins, which will likely put our star riders on the front row.

The pace was kept civil for a couple laps, a long line of riders stretching single file around the course with Huseby and White somewhere in the middle. By the third lap the front group had formed including professional rider Adam Hodges Myerson from the Nerac squad, Matt Kraus the yoga man, Johs, and White of Fiordifrutta. Huseby and White attacked the group, but the Nerac rider was on fire, he had the answer to every attack. Finally Myerson slipped on an off camber section, and forced a dismount. White capitalized, pulling away from the group.

Moments later Huseby was out of the race with a double flat. White had assumed the Viking would forge the gap as he so often did, and the two would spend the last third of the race in TTT situation. Huseby was out, and it was up to White to take on the NE cross legend that is the “Hodge”. It was easy, Adam got tired, the gap opened to 30 or 40 second in about a lap, and White rolled through in victory, now riding an undefeated cross season with TWO wins.

Miller 11th in Univest Grand Prix, September 9th

A six man Fiordifrutta squad raced in Souderton, PA at this invitational UCI race that included most of the nation’s top professional teams. Michael Cody was active in the opening 70 miles, and picked up a win and a second place finish at some of the intermediate sprints. As the race begin 35 miles of circuits back in Souderton, Dan Timmerman and Buck Miller both made the front group and went on the attack.

Miller stayed at the front for a fine 11th place finish, while in the next group back the team rode to make sure that Cody made the time cut since he had a number of points in the sprint competition. But unfortunately the points win was not to be, as although Cody tied Mike Friedman (TIAA-CREF) on points, the tie was broken based on the last sprint of the day which put Cody in second. The overall race was won by Shawn Milne (Navigators) who spent two seasons riding for Fiordifrutta in 2002 and 2003.

Cody 11th in Univest Criterium, September 10th

Cody writes: Empty legs and a cloudy head had me in a daze for the crit on sunday. My sole motivation was to try to redeem my tie in the sprint competition for such a great effort my teammates put in during the road race. Buck was smoked from an unbelievable performance in the road race Saturday, while Dan, Jamey, and Cory with tired from their efforts the day before. Unfortunately I didn't have the legs to race off the front, so I tail-gunned for 50 of 55 laps. In the end I was able to get up there for the field sprint in 6th, with a 5 riders off the front for 11th place.