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Van Gilder and Damiani score at Iron Hill USA Crits race

By Chris Spaeth
Published: Jul. 12, 2009

Veteran sprinter Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushrooms) lit up the night at the fifth annual Iron Hill Twilight Criterium Saturday, taking the win and the lead in the USA Crits series.

In the men's race at the Westchester, Pennsylvania, event, Luca Damiani (Colavita-Sutter Home) took a hard-fought victory from a field of hardcore sprinters. Tom Soladay (Team Mountain Khakis) took the lead in the men's USA CRITS overall standings.

Early break in the women's race

The fireworks started early in the women’s event when on the third lap of the 40km race. A five-rider break containing Cath Cheatley (Colavita), Laura Bowles (Vanderkitten Racing), Gemma Dudley (Bikeenz), Christina Smith (Veloforma) and Jesse Maclean (Verducci Breakaway Racing) slipped away from the field.

Van Gilder attacked two laps later, dragging with her Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Verducci Breakaway Racing) to bring the lead group to seven. Race announcer Joe Jefferson nailed it when he told the crowd, “There is too much juice in that caboose.” Once the lead group settled into a rhythm, the race was theirs, and with 22 laps to go the lead group had lapped what was left of the main field.

With 18 laps to go Cheatley attacked and was followed by Van Gilder, who made the junction on the following lap. From there they were never seen again until they lapped the field for the second time with eight laps to go.

Van Gilder and Cheatley watched each other for the remaining few laps, and on the last go-round Van Gilder jumped early out of the last turn and took an easy victory.

Van Gilder, who had just one teammate at Iron Hill, said she did not intend to simply “wait until the end of the race and sprint.” Without a full team to support her, she needed to follow the attacks and look for a break.

Sparks in the men's race

In the men’s race, Russ Langley (Battley Harley-Davidson) attacked on the first lap of the 60km race to win a $250 prime. Langley opened up a good gap and stayed off the front until 16 to go, when he lapped the main field.

“I had no intention to go from the gun and ride all the way to the finish. I just got a gap and then decided to put my head down and go. I just followed my instinct,” he said.

The field seemed content to let Langley dangle out front. Not until 32 laps to go did the chase start in earnest when Mike Friedman (Garmin-Slipstream) hit the front and started to chase, taking with him Damiani, Josh England (Subway Avanti), Tom Soladay and Will Hoffarth (Team Mountain Khakis) and David Fuentes (Evolution Cycling Team).

At 11 laps to go, Friedman and his comrades joined Langley in lapping the main field. This group of seven sprinted to the finish with Damiani winning by several bike lengths after being led out by teammate Alejandro Borrajo. Soladay finished second and Langley third.

“Once the race came back together, it was a bit confusing and it took me three more laps to work my way back to the front,” said Damiani. "Then it was between us and Mountain Khakis. Our team was great: we are all like brothers and I am happy to win for them."

With six events remaining, the USA Crits series heads to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational on August 8.

For more information on the USA CRITS Series, visit www.usacrits.com.

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