Jamis Sutter Home/Colavita, Team Vera Bradley Foundation lead NRC standings at halfway point

USA Cycling continued its 2010 National Racing Calendar with two events over the weekend. Hilton Clarke (Santa Monica, Calif./United Health Care p/b Maxxis) won the men’s race at the Air Force Cycling Classic Clarendon Cup Saturday (June 12) in Arlington, Va., while Brooke Miller (Sebastopol, Calif./TIBCO) finished first on the women’s side. St. Louis hosted the Tour de Grove on Sunday (June 13), as Scott Zwizanski (Mill Valley, Calif./Kelly Benefit Strategies) took the men’s contest and Laura Van Gilder (Cresco, Pa./Mellow Mushroom) topped the women’s podium.

The pre-race favorite in Arlington, Clarke lapped the field with six other riders, holding off runner-up Valodymyr Starchick (UKR/Amore e Vita) and third-place finisher Daniel Holt (UAE/Team Type 1). A former national criterium champion, Miller navigated a crash-filled final lap to finish ahead of Van Gilder and Erica Allar (AUS/Team Vera Bradley Foundation).

The following day, in the heat and humidity of the Gateway City, Van Gilder finished 59 seconds ahead of hometown favorite Carrie Cash Wootten (St. Louis, Mo./Team Vera Bradley Foundation), while Nichole Wangsgard (Cedar City, Utah/Roosters p/b Edge Composite Wheels) came in third. Heavy rain and wind plagued the riders for the final 24 miles of the race, which officials shortened by about four laps because of the bad weather. In the men’s race, Zwizanski finished a fraction of a second ahead of teammate David Veilleux (CAN/Kelly Benefit Strategies), as the two riders had agreed to do. Mike Sherer (Bloomington, Ind./Verizon U23 p/b ABD) beat Michael Friedman (Broomfield, Colo./Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) for the final podium position. More than half the men’s field failed to complete the race because of the poor conditions.

Clarke moved up to seventh in the overall men’s NRC standings with his win Saturday, while Zwizanski sits 15th following his Sunday victory. Overall men’s leader Luis Amaran (CUB/Jamis Sutter Home/Colavita) holds a 235-point lead over Ben Day (Boulder, Colo./Fly V Australia), with Ben Jacques-Maynes (Watsonville, Calif./Bissell Pro Cycling) in third. On the women’s leader board, Miller stands seventh after her Arlington triumph, and Van Gilder is second behind overall leader Allison Powers (Pinecliffe, Colo./Team Vera Bradley Foundation). Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (GER/HTC Columbia) sits in third place.

Halfway through the 24-event season, the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar standings are as follows:

Men’s Individual Standings
1. Luis Amaran (CUB/Jamis Sutter Home-Colavita) 663
2. Ben Day (Boulder, Colo./Fly V Australia) 428
3. Ben Jacques-Maynes (Watsonville, Calif./Bissell Pro Cycling) 365
4. Alejandro Borrajo (ARG/Jamis Sutter Home/Colavita) 272
5. Levi Leipheimer (Santa Rosa, Calif./Team Mellow Johnny’s) 265

Women’s Individual Standings
1. Allison Powers (Pinecliffe, Colo./Team Vera Bradley Foundation) 568
2. Laura Van Gilder (Cresco, Pa./Mellow Mushroom) 459
3. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (GER/HTC Columbia) 424
4. Mara Abbott (Boulder, Colo./Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty 12) 381
5. Katheryn Mattis (Mountain View, Calif./Webcor) 335

Men’s Team Standings
1. Jamis Sutter Home/Colavita 1152
2. Fly V Australia 1072
3. Bissell Pro Cycling 790
4. United Health Care p/b Maxxis 755
5. Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 732

Women’s Team Standings
1. Team Vera Bradley Foundation 1506
2. TIBCO 941
3. Colavita/Baci p/b Cooking Light 940
4. Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty 12 926
5. Webcor 661