Rainy conditions soiled Saturday’s pro/am “test-run” criteriums in Downers Grove, Illinois, prompting many riders to either pull out early or opt out of racing altogether in order to save themselves for Sunday’s national-championship events.

At the end of the day a pair of winners — Ken Hanson (BMC) and Brooke Miller (TIBCO) — each emerged from breakaways to take waterlogged wins.

Rain was heaviest during the women’s 40-minute race, where Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home rider Alison Powers slipped off the front early. Miller was first to jump across, followed by Katharine Carroll (Aaron’s Corporate Furnishings) and Laura Bowles (Advil-Chapstick), who joined the pair to make a four-woman breakaway. Given the wet conditions, the rest of the field appeared content to let the four riders stay away.

Frischkorn in the men's break

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Carroll slipped in a corner early on, but resumed with the break after a free lap. Powers was first through the final left-hand turn of the 1.2-mile figure-eight course, and Miller narrowly powered past the Colavita rider at the line.

“It seemed like a good day for a breakaway, and when I saw Alison go, that was perfect,” Miller said. “I haven’t won in a while, so this was nice.”

Four-time national criterium champion Tina Pic (Colavita) took the field sprint for fifth.

In men’s racing, Health Net-Maxxis, one of the favorite teams for a win Sunday, started only one rider, Matt Crane. Meanwhile, the sprinter everyone will be watching — Toyota-United’s Ivan Dominguez — pulled the plug after just three laps, as did many others.

Midway through the 50km race a break of riders escaped, including Hanson, Will Frischkorn (Slipstream-Chipotle), Dominique Rollin (Kodakgallery-Sierra Nevada), Darren Lill (Navigators Insurance) and Dan Bowman (Kelly Benefits-Medifast) and Chris Jones (Nerac). Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home, the top team without representation, took up the chase in hopes of setting up its sprinter Charles Dionne.

A crash halfway through the chase nearly derailed the Colavita train, however — not because its riders went down, but because half the field went into the mechanical pits for a free lap, forcing the chasing peloton to weave its way through the slow-moving back of the pack. After a few moments of chaos order was restored, and the breakaway’s 30-second gap began to drop.

With just three laps remaining the break’s advantage was less than 10 seconds, and on the final lap it was hovering at five seconds, leaving the finale in question until the final corner, where Rollin emerged first, followed by Hanson and Frischkorn, with the peloton on their heels.

Hanson, a first-year pro with BMC, took the win ahead of Rollin, with Lill third and Frischkorn fourth while last year’s national criterium champ Brad Huff (Slipstream) led the peloton through for fifth, catching Frischkorn at the line.

Hansen wins

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

“It’s definitely the biggest individual win of the year for me,” said Hanson, who also was a member of the BMC squad that won the team time trial at the Giro del Friuli Venezia Giulia in May.

Racing resumes Sunday morning with the elite women’s and men’s national criterium championships, followed by the pro men’s championship. Rain is expected. Check back to velonews.com for a full report, results and photos.

Pro/Am Challenge
Men
1. Ken Hanson (USA) BMC, 1:08:19
2. Dominque Rollin (Can) Kodak Gallery-Sierra Nevada
3. Darren Lill (USA) Navigators
4. William Frischkorn (USA) Slipstream
5. Brad Huff (USA) Slipstream
6. Charles Dionne (USA) Colavita Sutter Home
7. Emile Abraham (USA) Priority Health-Bissell
8. Alejandro Borrajo (Arg) Rite Aid Pro Cycling Team
9. Chad Hartley (USA) BMC
10. Daniel Schmatz (USA) BMC
Women
1. Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO 44:46
2. Alison Powers (USA) Colavita Sutter Home
3. Katharine Carroll (USA) Aaron's Pro Cycling
4. Laura Bowles (USA) Team Advil
5. Tina Pic (USA) Colavita Sutter Home
6. Shontele Gauthier (USA) Austin Flyers
7. Samantha Schneider (USA) Mesacyles
8. Carmen McNellis (USA) Aaron's Corporate Furnishings
9. Shannon Hutchison-Krupat (USA) Aaron's Corporate Furnishings
10. Heather Sborz (USA) Team Kenda Tire