Battley Harley, Kelly Benefit Strategies / LSV and Artemis Power to Poolesville Podiums3

As ever, the strongest showing at NCVC's esteemed Poolesville H.S. Road Race was made by the course itself. Attrition rates of 50% or more laid fields low, with mechanicals, crashes, flats, dehydration and too-friggin-hard being the principal culprits of truncated race days.

Battley Harley-Davidson avoided most major mishaps to dominate the elite men's field. The break of three containing Dave Fuentes (Battley Harley), Ryan Dewald (Battley Harley) and R Muoio (Kelly Benefit / LSV) proved decisive, and they took podium spots in that order. Battley Harley seems to be pursuing an inverted BAR championship strategy. Whereas most clubs with Team BAR aspirations aim to capture about 20% of the points in 80% of the different category events, Battley Harley appears to be on track to capture 80% of the points in 20% of the category events. The team went on to capture 4th, 5th, 7th and 12th at Poolesville as well.

R Muoio's podium in the Men's Elite race wasn't LSV's first trip up the steps at Poolesville on Saturday. Earlier in the day teammate Susanna Matsen Nazarian claimed the coveted Box-of-Rox trophy in the Women's Elite event, soloing to victory ahead of Kate Flore (HPC p/b Altarum) and Leslie Jennings (Team CycleLife). Last year's winner Marjan Huizing (Team Kenda Tire) finished 6th.

The purple of Artemis stormed the under categories. Jorge Marccenaro (Artemis) and James Drane (Artemis) powered to 1st and 2nd in the Men's 4/5 event, with Manny Samaniego (HPC p/b Altarum) rounding out the podium. And Amanda Watson (Artemis) claimed top honors in the Women's Cat 3/4 race, ahead of Ainhoa Perez-Diez (NVRC) and Joyce Gearhart (unattached, but what a great cyclist's name).

Kevin Gottleib (Squadra Coppi) continued to show great form, leading home a late 2-man break in the Men's 3/4 race, and outkicking Ben King (Guy's Racing) for the win. Russell Weber (Cycles 54 / YSG Racing) won the field sprint for 3rd overall.

Spared the pain of Speed Week that his teammates endured, Haymarket Bicycles' Chris Hayes stayed home and won the 40+/50+ race, ahead of Arthur Brown (ABRT / Latitude) and Paul Morse (Clean Currents p/b Don Beyer Volvo).

Full results are available at NCVC.net.

Additional Coverage:

• Bryan vs the Poison Ivy
• Brian Fouche found the butter line in the dirt, only to get caught in a crash coming out of it.
• Il Nessie battled to an impressive top 10 for the home team in the Men's Elite race.
• Flamenco Chuckwagon ended up one of the course's many statistics.
• So did RayMan.
• And Nick Mulder.
• TerribleCyclist finished, at least.
• Says Indy, "I have a love-hate relationship with Poolesville. I think she’s trying to break up with me."
• Gay Bike Racer adds his Cat 4 Race Report to the Poolesville Mix. But more importantly he vows, "I'm going to start checking you boys out a little more closely and will come out with a palmares based entirely on looks, musculature and tan lines." So we've got another competition within a competition - a prime for sexy.
• Keep the Shiny Side Up has an insider's perspective on the 40+/50+ race.
• 1km2go details his podium-worthy effort in the 4/5 race.
• Followed closely by Bryan of On Cycling in 4th.
• The C-3 Sollay.com Chicks in Black have race reports from the Women's 3/4 and Women's 1/2/3 events, and also a bunch of pictures.
• Compare their notes with perspectives from the same events from Team CycleLife.
• Anna Kelso points out that in 1760, John and Joseph Poole bought 160 acres of land which would ultimately become Poolesville. (At least one road surface since then has remained virtually unchanged.)
• Jim Wilson (naturally) has photos from the race, and also an update on his blog.