Men Pro1/2/3

The Harlem Pro 123 race figured to be a battle of the sprinters, with Roosevelt Marte (GS Mengoni), Melito Heredia (Toga), Jason Snow (Cycling Science), Alejandro Acton (SBR), Kevin Molloy (CRCA/Axis), and Anthony Lowe (CRCA/Visit Britain) set for a major throwdown. The subtext for local fans was whether or not the mighty ‘Pollo’ Marte had lost a step after suffering a few uncharacteristic losses.

The race started with a lot of attacking from different riders. Partway through, Heredia (who won New York City’s last big showdown-the Mengoni Grand Prix in Central Park last fall) was away in small groups and then alone.

Jason Bremer (GS Mengoni) did a lot of the chasing after the breaks to try to set up Marte, who was also covering moves. In the end, Marte stymied the other sprinters: he and UPMC-ACT’s Alvaro Tardaguila got away with about six laps to go and stayed away. Though they never built a big gap, Mengoni and UPMC-ACT had enough manpower to block the chase. Marte took the win with ease, jumping out of the last corner and rolling in with a good gap. In the field sprint behind, Acton looked to have third place sewn up but Molloy (who had with helped run registration for earlier fields as part of the promoting club) came around to take third. Acton was fourth with Snow in fifth. The great sprinter showdown will have to wait ’til another day.

Thanks to JT for help with this report.

1. Roosevelt Marte (Mengoni)

2. Alvaro Tardaguila (UPMC-ACT)

3. Kevin Molloy (CRCA/Axis)

4. Alejandro Acton (SBR)

5. Jason Snow (Cycling Science)

Primes:

Eric Murphy

Roosevelt Marte

Melito Heredia

Jose Coronado (Strictly Bicycles)

Alejandro Guzman (Foundation)

Roosevelt Marte

Photos here.

(photo Jaime Garcia)

Women Open

With four out of ten starters from the Colavita/Cooking Light team, the outcome of the Harlem Women’s race seemed a fait accompli. However, Megan Esmonde still managed to make it exciting. Right off the bat, Hannah Long (CRCA/Metro Sanchez) read the race right and got off the front with three Colavita’s. Unfortunately for Hannah, two of them sat up with Hannah behind them, and the writing was on the wall. Esmonde rolled away from the break and the race was decided. She rode solo for more than half the race, eventually lapping the field.

With Esmonde firmly esconced in the field, Colavita launched Rebecca Larson off the front. Larson would hold on easily for second, while Long showed her mettle by nipping Lenore Imhof (Colavita–who else?) at the line for third.

1. Megan Esmonde (Colavita/Cooking Light)

2. Rebecca Larson (Colavita/Cooking Light)

3. Hannah Long (CRCA/Sanchez Metro)

4. Lenore Imhof (Colavita/Cooking Light)

5. Alane Ballweg (Atomic)

Photos here.

Men 3/4

Ken Harris (CRCA/Merrill Lynch–Hincapie Sportswear) is always a threat in a crit, and today was no different. Harris was aggressive right from the gun, putting in several exploratory moves. When none of them stuck, teammate Tony Falk launched a counter and drew four breakaway companions, one of them sprinter extraordinaire James Joseph.

When that break failed, Marco Quezada (Gotham) initiated the winning attack with Harris, Hammesh Walker and Matt Ferrari (Mt. Nittany). Unfortunately for Quezada, he worked too hard to establish a gap and couldn’t hang on once Harris took the front. The three remaining riders worked well together and soon had a comfortable lead. Back in the main field, Harris’ teammates Falk, Jaime Garcia, and Tim Nilson blocked while a game Ray Alba (Champion Systems) tried to bring the break back.

Harris’ companions were happy to receive a ride to the podium and didn’t sprint against him, with Walker taking second and Ferrari third. Schmalz pre race favorite Mattew Casey broke away and just hung on for fourth, while Joseph and Clifton Cargill (Team Tam) reprised their Tuesday night battles, taking first and second in the field sprint.

1. Ken Harris (CRCA/Merrill Lynch–Hincapie Sportswear)

2. Hammesh Walker

3. Matt Ferrari (Mt. Nittany)

4. Matthew Casey (Columbia)

5. James Joseph

Primes:

Ken Harris

Ken Harris

Photos here.

Masters Men 35+

An early break formed in the Harlem’s Masters Race, featuring Peter Vollers (Trek/VW), Xavier Melendez, Rob Lattanzi (both CRCA/Next), and Paul Carbonara (CRCA/Axis). With so much firepower in the break, it wasn’t long before the chase lost impetus, and the only remaining suspense would be whether the Next duo could shed Vollers, the superior sprinter. In the end, Vollers proved too tenacious, beating Melendez in the finale. Further down the road, Carbonara held off Lattanzi for third. Back in the main field, Kurt Gustafsson (CRCA/Axis) and Tony Settel (Deno’s Wonder Wheel) both got away to claim fifth and sixth solo.

1. Peter Vollers (Trek/VW)

2. Xavier Melendez (CRCA/Next)

3. Paul Carbonara (CRCA/Axis)

4. Rob Lattanzi (CRCA/Next)

5. Kurt Gustafsson (CRCA/Axis)

Primes:

Xavier Melendez

Xavier Melendez

Photos here.

Ken Harris, Megan Esmonde, Alvaro Tardaguila, Roosevelt Marte, and Kevin Molloy. (photo Marco Quezada)