North Hampton Spring Series #2

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Northampton Cycling Club Spring Series #2
March 13, 1999
Hatfield, MA

Race Report and Results by Adam Myerson

Mark and Frank McCormack, after using the Tour of Mexico and Redlands respectively to prepare for the more important NCC SpringSeries, arrived in top form for the event, and showed everyone they meant business from the start. After the first, relatively tame lap, Frankie decided it was time to start training, and began stringing the field out at over 30 mph. "The average speed was dropping below 20 miles and hour on the first lap," he said after the race in his usual, jovial manner. "If we're racing, we've got to go above 20, know what I mean?"

Before that lap had ended, brother Mark had jumped away from the already suffering field with Northampton CC rider Steve Roszko in tow. They were quickly joined by former IME professional Peter Vollers, now riding for Sons of Italy, Kyle Gates (BBC/Community Bicycle Center) and another Northampton CC rider (and the day's race promoter), Adam Hodges Myerson. The five put the hammer down, and stayed away for the lap.

The field was still close, though, and through the finish stretch on the third lap, Curt Davis (WheelWorks/Cannondale) made an impressive solo bridge. A half lap later, using the one small hill on the mostly flat, windy circuit, Frank McCormack began his bridge, taking Kevin Monahan (Breakaway Courier Systems), last week's winner Tom Stevens (Gearworks), Junior World Cyclocross Championship participant Bill Skinner (HotTubes), and perpetual Yalie Luke Rice (Sons of Italy) along with him. With half the race to go, the group was 11 riders strong, and would not be seen by the field again.

The break worked smoothly and evenly until one and one half laps to go. On the same small hill he launched his bridge attempt, Frankie let loose again. His move was quickly covered by the group, but Mark's inevitable counterattack was not. Like clockwork, Mark sped away, with only Curt Davis responding, albeit belatedly. Myerson reacted even later that Davis, and while Davis went across to McCormack, Myerson went back to the break.

With Frankie sitting on in defense of his brother's expanding gap, the break continued to roll through and remain cohesive. On the last lap, Monahan opened the attacking again, mirroring Frank's attack the lap earlier. This one stuck, and Monahan held on to a 5 second for the next kilometer. One by one, Vollers, Stevens, and finally Frank McCormack bridged to Monahan, and second group was finalized.

At the finish, Mark McCormack handled Curt Davis easily in the sprint. Davis was pleased with his result, though, noting that this was his first race of the season. Vollers took the sprint for third from the second group, perhaps avenging his loss to Stevens the week before. Frank McCormack did not contest the sprint, and rolled in ten seconds behind the group. Kyle Gates came around Myerson and Skinner to claim 7th place, and the honors of the third group. Justin Kasunik (Cyclonauts), finding his racing legs again after a near-death run it with a car two years ago, took the field sprint for 12th.

A race 80k in 1:55:14

1 Mark McCormack Saturn 1:55:14
2 Curt Davis Wheelworks @ :05
3 Peter Vollers Sons of Italy :45
4 Kevin Monahan Breakaway s.t.
5 Tom Stevens Gearworks s.t.
6 Frank McCormack Saturn :52
7 Kyle Gates BBC/Community 1:11
8 Adam Myerson Northampton CC 1:13
9 Bill Skinner Hot Tubes 1:17
10 Luke Rice Sons of Italy 1:22
11 Steve Roszko Northampton CC 2:42
12 Justin Kasunik Cyclonauts 4:12
13 William Kirousis Team Horst
14 Brett Collin Capitol Velo
15 Keith Berger SLCC
16 Chris Ramadon NECSA
17 Theo Padnos DreamBikes
18 Steve Lombardo SLCC
19 Kris Hedges NECSA
20 Justin Manville Shoreline CC all same time

Sixteen-year-old local rider Matt Wilson (NECSA) broke away from the field with two laps to go to win the B race. He was joined on the last lap by another sixteen-year-old: mountain bike racer Matt Hawkins (SOBE/Headshok). The two drag raced to the finish, with Wilson narrowly taking the sprint.

Fourteen-year-old junior Oliver Stiler-Cote (Grimace) snuck away from the field before the finish to take third. The large number of juniors in the field (who only paid $5 to race) was encouraging, and is hopefully a sign of things to come.

B race 60K in 1:36:05

1 Matt Wilson NECSA 1:36:05
2 Matt Hawkins SOBE/Headshok s.t.
3 Oliver Stiler-Cote Grimace @: 19
4 David Rusnak Union Velo s.t.
5 Doug Gowen Cyclonauts :22
6 Ross Fleichman Harvard
7 Chris Jordan Arc-En-Ciel
8 Mason Chen unattached
9 Nicolay Ferrari CycleLoft
10 Tom Scotto BBC/Community
11 Michael Parr NEBC
12 Ian Baker BBC/Community all s.t.