Press Release 07.28.2005

The Cobblestone Crit - Ashland, VA

by Tom Houff

Ward Solar of Team Cobbestone / Nature’s Path won his team’s own race last Saturday on the campus of Randolph Macon in Ashland, Va But it wasn’t like it was some sort of set up. Really good bike racers came to race. Solar just rode away from them.

But anyone who raced the Cobblestone Classic Criterium should have known what to expect. The Cobblestone elite team has raced all over the country all year. Solar’s picture is plastered in cycling magazine ads for Nature’s Path cereals. Saturday was Team Cobblestone / Nature’s Path’s homecoming. With the sponsor’s shop around the corner and the boss with the spectators, they raced hard from the starting gun. Everyone should have known Team Cobblestone would race like this was the only race on the schedule.

“Basically, we didn’t want the race to come down to a sprint,” said Craig Dodson of Team Cobblestone.  He described the team tactics as an effective “blue print” to work the flat, one-mile rectangular course.

Sometime on the third lap, Dodson jumped to the front and broke away from the field.

“I stayed out for 2 laps, and Ward countered as soon as I came back,” Dodson said.

“I originally thought it was too early for the attack to stick,” Solar said.  “But I put in a hard three laps to test the waters. Once I gained a minute on the field, I knew the move was for the win.”

Caption:  Ward Solar of Team Cobblestone / Nature’s Path surveys the race intensity from the front of the peloton. (photo courtesy of Richmondciclismo.com)

“When Ward went, we shut down the front and marked Cam (Holland) and Paul Ward (both for Snow Valley presented by Seal-On),” Dodson said.  “When we saw the rider who was originally with Ward come back to the field, Jake Stephens (also of Team Cobblestone) went to the front and set up Jerry Castro for the sprint.

It worked.  Team Cobblestone also won the field sprint for second.

“My form is getting better everyday,” said Castro. “After a couple of hard days at Super Week in Wisconsin, my legs felt sharp and the sprint was a lead-out to perfection from Jake.”

Team CSK / Central Virginia Cycling Club set up Mason Haymes for his third place sprint.

Top local riders’ place, name and team for the Cobblestone Classic Criterium include:

Cat. 1, 2 and 3

1. Ward Solar – Team Cobblestone

2. Jerry Castro – Team Cobblestone

3. Mason Haymes – Team CSK / CVCC

5. Rob Suydam – Virginia Beach Velo

6. Jon Gaudio – Richmond Ciclismo

7. Craig Dodson – Team Cobblestone

9. Jake Stephens – Team Cobblestone

Cat. 4

4. Matthew Carlton – 3-Sports

6. Jamie Davidson – Richmond Ciclismo

Cat. 5

3. Tim Reams – 3Sports

4. Roderick Moore – Richmond Ciclismo

5. John Reifsnider – 3Sports

7. Edward Mcnelis – 3Sports

Men’s 40+

3. James Schaefer – Conte’s / Cycor

8. David Swager – Team Cobblestone

Junior 15-18

8. Ian Marcuse – Richmond Ciclismo

Women’s Cat. 4

1. Patti Williams – Team Cobblestone

3. Katie George – Conte’s / Cycor

6. Karen Hanson – Conte’s / Cycor

This article is presented by Richmondciclismo.com