Breakaways the Order of the Day at Inaugural Fort Ritchie Criterium

Corroborating the stereotype that road racers are largely anti-social beings, small groups of racers repeatedly peeled off from the community of the peloton-at-large and rode into their respective finishes at Fort Ritchie alone. Despite the open views of two and even three corners ahead afforded by the serpentine course, stiff winds and smallish fields contributed to the success of breaks in nearly every race.

In the Women's Open, a group of 7 rolled clear. Powered with two racers each from C3-Sollay.com and HPC p/b Altarum, and with representation also from Team CycleLife, Artemis and Team Kenda Tire, the group comprised all of MABRA's heavy-hitting women's teams. C3-Sollay.com went 1-2 with Janet Olney towing new teammate Sonja Evers across the line. Kenda's Heidi Goldberg rounded out the podium in third.

In the Men's Elite race, the two-man break of Ryan McKinney (Clean Currents p/b Don Beyer Volvo) and Nate Coleman (Immediate Mortgage / Artemis Elite) reached escape velocity with about 12 to go. McKinney won the sprint to the final corner and hung on down the short straight for the win. The field sprint for third was won by David Bozak (Clean Currents p/b Don Beyer Volvo).

Battley Harley-Davidson had to content themselves with a single podium placing on the day: California transplant Chuck Hutcheson won the 30+ event.

A group of 3 rolled clear in the opening laps of the Men's Cat 3 race. Containing talent from Bike Doctor / Bayside Velo, Haymarket Bicycles and LSV, the group was quickly afforded some respect and more racers bridged to join it. Ultimately the break settled into 6, which proved to be the magic number. With about 10 laps to go they had lapped the field. Josh Kahney (Bike Doctor / Bayside Velo) was catapulted to the win off a Wrobtastic leadout. Bruno Neto (LSV / Kelly Benefit Strategies) sprinted home for 2nd, and Ian Morrison (Bike Doctor / Bayside Velo) claimed the podium's third step.

Complete results are already up on AVC's website.

Additional Coverage:

• The Chicks in Black earn their chocolate chipotle cookies.
• Chick in Black vonteity offers another perspective, but fails to disclose the recipe for said cookies.
• girloffroad notes the aggregation of power among the MABRA women's elite teams and lobbies for a TTT. But not on the Fort Ritchie course, I expect.
• Pete Rides Bikes makes the point that when it's 20 guys in a field of 40 starters, it's not a "break" - it's a "field split."
• Brian at racing and all that other stuff makes a similar point, and goes on to question the strategic wisdom of blocking in the back group.
• Nick Mulder's recount is shinier and happier. And with good reason. His teammate got the win, another won the field sprint, and he followed in for fourth.
• The Wrob opens the Bike Doctor kimono and alludes to the secret team strategy. The one that didn't work. But then he shows us what did.
• Top 10 finishes in stereo for Estebe.
• And finally, think racing is hard? Try your hand at a long day as a Moto Ref.