2007 Presbyterian Hospital Invitational
(Charlotte, NC; August 4, 2007)
2007 Hanes-Park Criterium
(Winston-Salem, NC; August 5, 2007)
Race Reports by Kirsten Robbins

photo: Dennis Johnson

Presbyterian Hospital Invitational: Tina Pic of the Colavita/Sutter Home Women’s Cycling Team presented by Cooking Light scored the biggest win on the NRC calendar at the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational in Charlotte, NC.  Tina and teammates Iona Wynter-Park, Alison Powers, Alex Wrubleski, Andrea Dvorak and Sarah Tillotson covered every move during the aggressive 23-mile criterium. “Our team was awesome,” said Tina. “We didn’t go on the front to chase everything back on our own. We shared the work with other teams but that meant we had more fresh riders for the finish.  On the last lap, Alison and Alex were there to lead me out but it was too far to start my sprint. The last corner is deceptively far and a little up hill. I stayed on Laura Van Gilder until she went and came around until 150 meters.”

The Colavita/Sutter Home Men’s Cycling Team presented by Cooking Light brought its strongest criterium riders Adam Bergman, Gustavo Artacho, Alejandro Acton, Luca Damiani, Davide Frattini and Hayden Godfrey to contest the 2+hour race, where a prize purse of $125,000 was on the line. Alejandro unleashed his fierce sprint to win the mid-race $1000 “Dash for Cash” prime and Adam won the $500 sprint prime. Gustavo represented Colavita/Sutter Home in the first threatening break of eight riders during the midpoint of the race, which provided a tactical set-up for Alejandro to rest for the final sprint.  A second break of two riders slipped off the front in the final laps of the race with a third rider caught between the break and the peloton.  Luca, Adam, Gustavo and Davide worked together to position Alejandro for a 4th place finish in the bunch sprint and 7th in the overall.
 
Hanes-Park Criterium: After a tough race in Charlotte the night before, the Colavita/Sutter Home Women’s Cycling Team rode another incredible race at the Hanes Park Criterium in Winston-Salem, delivering Tina Pic to a second consecutive first-place finish. “We were involved in covering moves today and trying to get in breaks,” said Tina. “When no one got off we decided to sprint. I came around the TEAm Lipton set-up out of the last corner and took my sprint down the right side of the road.”