Scoping other major media, purple motes offers a special report on the 10’th Annual CSC Invitational bicycle races. The racing took place on a tight one kilometer course right here in the middle of Arlington, Virginia. Mark McCormack, former USPRO National Champion and 2006 CSC Invitational Winner, described the race:
It’s savagely hard. You have to close the gaps, you have to have the right positioning, it is incredibly technically challenging with all the turns and there is always wind that blows you over between turn 2 and 3. [CSC Press]
It’s NASCAR with no pollution and a lot more muscle.
In the elite amateur men’s race, former Lanterne Rouge rider and crowd favorite Todd Hipp (Battley Harley-Davidson) took third. A former Marine Corp swimmer who pulled boats onto the enemy’s shore, Hipp has switched tactics on land. He looks to his Harley teammates to pull him close to the line, and then he launches a ferocious sprint to get there first. But today, Hipp didn’t have the legs, and had to settle for third.
In the women’s pro race, Laura Van Gilder (Cheerwine) won to become the only three-time CSC winner. Van Gilder got away early with Rebecca Larson (Aaron’s Corporate Furnishings). The pair left the field in the distance for the rest of the rest. On the final lap:
Larson [refused] to come around Van Gilder despite slowing to a crawl. With no other choice save a trackstand, Van Gilder led out the sprint just after the final corner. Larson drew nearly even with just meters to the line, but didn’t have the extra punch to topple the two-time CSC Invitational champion. [VeloNews]
Congratulations to Van Gilder. Some of the guys I ride with also refuse to come around.
The CSC Invitational included for the first time the U.S. Handcycling Criterium Championship. Seth Arseneau, a former U.S. army soldier, finished first. His teammate, Oscar “Oz” Sanchez, a former Marine, finished third. The guys are fantastic athletes who give cycle racing another whole dimension. A great addition to the CSC Invitational.
In the men’s pro race, Rashaan Bahati sprinted for the win at the end of the hot, fast, 100 km distance. Bahati was looking spent in the middle of the race. His teammate, Kayle LeoGrande, was coming off a tactical mistake that may have cost him a win earlier this May. On his blog, Bahati described his moves on the final lap:
Crossing the finish line with one lap to go, I had made up in my mind what I was going to do and I did it. Going into the second to last turn, we have a straightaway of about 200m and when I got there I started my sprint. Moved from 10th to 4th with Kayle 2 guys back. I went through the second to last corner so fast I think other riders stopped and looked to see if I would crash or not.
I’m in to the last turn and I’m 4th wheel…I’m thinking…well if Kayle is here, we could get 1st and 2nd. I started to sprint and I quickly moved into 2nd position right behind Ivan Stevic of (Toyota) who beat me in stage 3 of Tri-Peaks Stage race. 150m to go and I pop out to close the deal and my first 4-5 pedal strokes I came neck and neck with Ivan and from that point on, I knew I had it. LeoGrande finished 8th giving us 2 guys in the top ten. Not bad for a new team.
A brilliant performance by Bahati, Leogrande, and the Rock Racing team.
Thanks to all the participants and organizers for bringing the best of cycling to Arlington this past Saturday. For more exciting cycling action, head to the Crystal City Classic on June 16. Or come out and ride with the Lanterne Rouge.
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