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The National Racing Calendar enters the hot season with Somerville, Leelanau and the Kelly Cup.

Published: May. 23, 2008
The Tour of Somerville is the oldest race in the U.S.
The Tour of Somerville is the oldest race in the U.S.
Photo: courtesy

The 2008 National Racing Calendar turns a page into the summer season this weekend with a trio of NRC events in New Jersey, Michigan and Maryland.

The three races

Baltimore's Kelly Cup
Saturday's Kelly Cup criterium is held on a fast 1-mile course in Baltimore's Patterson Park near the city's Inner Harbor. The race boasts a stellar list of former winners, including Ivan Dominguez, Jonas Carney, Henk Vogels, Lynn Gaggiolo, Tina Pic and Joanne Kiesanowski.

Team Type 1, Colavita Sutter Home and Kelly Benefits are among the top mens teams expected this year, while on the women's side Tibco, Colavita and Advil-Chapstick are among the heavy hitters.

Tour de Leelanau
Sunday's Tour de Leelanau is tough hilly road race in Michigan. Then men race a 109.5-mile course that includes several major climbs, including the Tower Road climb at mile 60 that includes grades to 21 percent. The women do a 70-mile route that includes most of the same climbs, including Tower Road.

Among the teams lining up will be Bissell, the second ranked team on the NRC. Bissell's Teddy King, the second ranked individual man, also will line up. Top ranked Rory Sutherland and his Health Net- Maxxis team is taking the weekend off from NRC, although some Health Net riders are expected at the Iron Horse Classic in Colorado.

Other top teams at Leelanau are Rite Aid, BMC and Successful Living, for the men, and Colavita, Cheerwine and Tibco, for the women.

Tour of Somerville
Monday's Tour of Somerville, the oldest race in the U.S., is a true classic, a summer-opening tradition for fans and racers along the mid-Atlantic region.

Colavita will be the team to watch in the 20-mile women's race, with 2006 winner Tina Pic bringing six teammates. Other top women's teams on the roster are Advil-Chapstick and Cheerwine.

In the 50-mile men's race, a top rider to watch will be Alejandro Borrajo (Colavita), who was second in 2006. Besides Colavita, TIME, Rite Aid, Team Type 1 and Kelly Benefit Strategies are sending squads.

The NRC Rankings

Men's Individual NRC Standings
1. Rory Sutherland (AUS/Health Net-Maxxis) 976
2. Ted King (Brentwood, N.H./Bissell) 407
3. Darren Lill (GBR/BMC) 350
4. Ben Jacques-Maynes (Watsonville, Calif./Bissell) 338
5. Bradley White (Ventura, Calif./Successfulliving.com) 321

Men's Team Standings
1. Health Net Pro Cycling Team presented by Maxxis 1726
2. Bissell Pro Cycling Team 1214
3. Colavita/Sutter Home Men's Cycling Team presented by Cooking Light 1092
4. Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 992
5. Successfulliving.com presented by Parkpre 840

Women's Individual Standings
1. Leah Goldstein (CAN/Valueact Capitol) 596
2. Felicia Gomez (CAN/Aaron's) 576
3. Mara Abbott (Boulder, Colo./High Road) 550
4. Julie Beveridge (CAN/Aaron's) 547
5. Leigh Hobson (CAN/Cheerwine) 450

Women's Team Standings
1. Cheerwine Professional Cycling Team 1926
2. Aaron's Cycling Team 1617
3. Colavita/Sutter Home Women's Cycling Team presented by Cooking Light 1204
4. Team Tibco 910
5. High Road 888

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