4/1/2007 1st Place: State Fairgrounds Criterium Des Moines, IA

Sakonnet’s Andy Cornelison followed his victory from the day before with another fantastic finish in Des Moines. Andy rode in a lead group of six riders ahead of a shattered field before attacking with two laps to go on this tough criterium circuit. Only two riders had the stamina to follow his wheel, including last year’s winner, yet Andy was unfazed and despite his youth kept his wits about him. Although his two companions refused to work with him on the last lap, Andy stayed strong and waited until the final hill where he attacked and road away for a solo victory.

4/1/2007 1st Place: Mercy Hospital DWC Criterium Durango, CO

Sakonnet team captain Chris Kuhl flexed his muscles at the Mercy Hospital DWC Criterium where he led the race from start to finish. After the race began Chris followed an attack that established a dangerous early breakaway. As the laps counted down Chris continually attacked the break until he was riding solo across the line for his first victory of the season.

4/1/2007 10th Place: Criterium de Bethel Bethel, CT

A day after winning a tough road race in upstate New York, Rob Giannini spent most of the event in the field recovering from the previous day’s efforts. Although there was a break up the road and the victory was out of his hands Robbie kicked in the turbo to win the ensuing field sprint.

3/31-4/1/2007 Perry Roubaix Stage Race Perry, GA

The Perry Roubaix Stage Race features three events over the course of two days in southern Georgia. The opening race was a 9.5 mile prologue time trial followed by an afternoon 50 mile circuit race and an 80-mile road race on the final day that included 28 miles of dirt roads. Riding for Sakonnet was David Guttenplan, who will tell you he cannot time trial, yet he still rode to a good start for the weekend with a 12th Place finish in the TT. He matched his morning result with another 12th Place in the circuit race in the same time of the stage winner.

It was in Sunday’s road race that David made his move in the overall G.C. The road race consisted of seven 12-mile laps on a tough course with four miles of dirt on each lap. The dirt section caused mayhem in the early laps and a breakaway escaped the peleton. With the miles counting down, David took matters into his own hands and began a furious chase that exploded the field. “I felt great today, really great, I was spinning the 11 with no problem and I was riding across to the breakaway virtually solo.” said Guttenplann. In the end, David ran out of road and finished in 3rd Place on the stage and catapulted to 3rd Place Overall in G.C.

3/31/2007 1st Place: Johnny Cake Lane Road Race Coxsackie, NY

Rob Giannini, one of the teams’ original U25 members, showed he’s still got the fire despite working a full time job with a brilliant ride at this upstate classic. Traveling to the event as the guest of Sakonnet alumni, Andy Guptill (Colavita – Sutter Home), Robbie showed his strength on a tough, hilly course. Robbie is a unique rider who can climb with the best and sprint at the finish. He showed both skills on this day where, with 18 miles to go, Robbie roared across to the breakaway and began driving the escape. With one lap to go, just one rider from Kenda Raleigh was able to stay on Robbie’s wheel over the climbs. Knowing he was outmatched, the Kenda Raleigh rider sat on Robbie’s wheel and refused to pull before attacking him on a steep climb. Robbie pulled the rider back, immediately countered and then rode away for the solo victory.

3/31/2007 1st Place: Altoona Road Race Altoona, IA

A star-studded Midwestern regional field descended on Altoona, Iowa for today’s 81 mile road race. A group escaped the peleton early in the event and rode away to an 8-minute advantage. Safely in the field was the “next Gord Fraser” Sakonnet’s eighteen year old Andy Cornelison who, after a four week stint in California racing NRC events, was ready to test his form with the locals.

With four laps to go the gap was reduced to 6 minutes. Andy took matters into his own hands and on a nasty four mile cross wind section, he hit the front and guttered the field. His effort split the field in three and brought the gap down to 4 minutes to the breakaway. The next time around Andy used the same tactic and only one rider could follow his wheel. With one lap to go, Andy powered across to the break in sight of the line and won the sprint from his companions for a brilliant victory.

3/25/2007 9th Place: Spin City Classic Circuit Race Orlando, FL

Each year strong crosswinds are the featured obstacle at the Spin City Circuit Race. With the winds in mind, Phil Gaimon and David Guttenplan attacked multiple times trying to establish a breakaway. Nothing stuck and, despite fighting the bonk, Guttenplann’s clever positioning in a sprint finish gained him his second top ten of the weekend.

3/24/2007 8th Place: Spin City Classic Twilight Criterium Orlando, FL

Sakonnet’s Florida tag team of Phil Gaimon and David Guttenplan raced from the front at the Spin City Criterium. Gaimon attacked first and spent most of the event riding off of the front of the peleton. Gaimon is one of the nations top young time trialists and in a criterium he specializes in riding in a breakaway, in a solo effort or leading out a teammate. Today Gaimon rode a solo effort that was only brought back with 2 laps to go. His leading efforts allowed Guttenplan to save his legs for a fast finish, who was bumped in the last corner but still managed a fine top 10 result in this wild finish.

3/22-25/2007 Redlands Bicycle Classic Redlands, CA

The team’s four week stint of NRC racing in California came to a successful end at the Redlands Bicycle Classic when, for the first time, Sakonnet finished three riders at Redlands and was given a 20th Place Overall Team in G.C.

In the uphill opening prologue time trial Johnny Hayes was the team’s top finisher in 72nd Place, followed by Chris Kuhl in 81st Place, and the under-the-weather Guy East in 108th Place. “It was a tough prologue with a very steep uphill finish.” said Dan Larson the Director Sportif for the event. “We didn’t know if the guys should ride their Jamis TT bikes or road bikes.” said Larson. The next day’s stage the Oak Glenn Road Race was the key stage of the race. Oak Glenn is well known in the cycling community for its tough, windy course and, after one year’s absence, the Oak Glenn stage was back. The field exploded and the team road remarkably well with the ultra-motivated Hayes again being the top finisher in 51st Place, followed by Gavi Epstein in 79th Place, and Kuhl in 109th Place.

In Stage 2’s Centennial Bank Criterium, the team was riding for Hayes in an effort to move him up in the overall G.C. Despite a small break going up the road, the entire field remained intact and the team’s top finisher was Hayes in 56th Place, followed by Epstein in 71st Place, and Kuhl in 128th Place. In the final stage, the race was won by Jelly Belly rider Andy Bajadali and the Sakonnet young riders also shined. In previous attempts at Redlands, the team was only able to finish one rider in this stage; however, the team finished three riders and showed its maturity and strength – signs of things to come this year. Hayes flew the flag in the first group for the team with a 69th Place finish, followed by Kuhl in 83rd Place, and Epstein in 87th Place.

In overall G.C Hayes was in 49th Place, Kuhl in 80th Place and Epstein in 83rd Place.

Note: Special thanks goes out to Dan Larson for directing the team, Viviana Epstein for her support in the feed zone and being as our team photographer and a super thank you to our two host families for taking care of the boys for the week.

For pictures of this race visit our photos section.

For more information including results visit: www.RedlancsClassic.com

3/17-18/2007 Quad Knopf Sequoia Classic Visalia, CA

The Sequoia Classic is a new event on the NRC schedule and has a strange format: two events, including a time trial and a criterium, but no overall G.C placing.

The 30km time trial features two climbs on an open, windy course. Sakonnet’s time trialists led all amateurs with Johnny Hayes’ 34th Place, followed by Phil Gaimon’s 43rd Place and David Guttenplan’s 60th Place. The local newspaper, the Visalia Examiner took a liking to the team’s kits as they featured a picture of Guy East on the cover of their Sunday’s sports section.

In the 0.7 mile criterium course that featured 6 corners, David Guttenplann showed his handling skills. David continued his string of top 25 placings at NRC criteriums with his 22nd Place finish. Also riding a great race was Phil Gaimon with a 54th Place and Gavi Epstein a 56th Place.

For pictures of this race visit our photos section.

For more information including results visit: www.SequoiaClassic.com

3/18/2007 2nd Place: Quad Knopf Sequoia Criterium, CAT 2 Visalia, CA

Sakonnet’s Johnny Hayes needed 2 upgrade points for his Cat 1 license and attacked from the gun start and forced a breakaway in the Sequoia Cat 2 Criterium. The tactic worked and Johnny’s small breakaway group road away from the peleton. The breakaway lapped the field with Johnny in the lead with less than ten laps to finish. Johnny immediately attacked again and escaped with just one rider from the original break. The victory came down to the wire as Johnny was fatefully out-sprinted at the line.

4/7/2007 Four Sakonnet Riders Earn CAT 1 Upgrades

Congratulations to U25 riders Johnny Hayes, Chris Kuhl, Rob Giannini and 36-year old regional rider Stephan Badger for earning their Cat 1 upgrades this month!

4/2/2007 Introducing New Sakonnet Rider Phil Gaimon

Phil Gaimon is a 21 year old racer from the Atlanta Georgia area. Phil comes to the team from last year’s VMG Professional Cycling Team where he was fortunate enough to race some of the biggest events in the country. Now back in the amateurs, Phil joins Sakonnet as possibly our most dangerous G.C rider; his strengths include time trialing, climbing and racing in a breakaway. Expect to see great things from Phil in 2007! – Editor

Tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am 20-years-old and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. I’m a junior English major with a minor in journalism at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL.

How did you get into riding?
At 17, I started riding a mountain bike after school with my friends to lose weight. Once I realized how fast you could go, I started riding around town because it was more fun than Atlanta traffic. I got into actual training and racing when I came to UF. I went to two races and got my butt kicked at the end of 2004, but after a few months of training that winter, I started beating my teammates at time trials. When I won my first Cat 4/5 race in 2005, I was hooked. By the end of the year, I was a strong Cat 2 and fell into a lucky deal with the VMG Pro Team for 06.

How did your first race go?
I’m ashamed to admit it, but David Guttenplan tells enough people that I might as well put it out there. I started a junior’s crit with a t-shirt, a Camelback, and platform pedals and got dropped in about 10 minutes.

What are your strengths and weaknesses on the bike?
I’m mostly a time trialist right now, but I think I would climb pretty well if I didn’t live in Florida. I like being off the front, and I dread field sprints. My biggest weakness is probably inexperience and a tendency to get in over my head, but sprinting comes in a close second.

What do you miss the most when you are away from home traveling to races?
Sweet iced tea, which you can’t get north of Virginia and my girlfriend (in no particular order).

What would your perfect 2007 season on Sakonnet look like?
In the big picture, I want to do what I can for the team and learn as much as possible. The main goal is to have a reason to take next spring semester off of school to focus on racing. I think I have a good shot at some results in longer time trials and stages races, and I’ve always enjoyed giving a good lead-out, so I look forward to getting our sprinter guys to the front.

What do you like to do when you aren’t riding your bike?
School is really all I have time for most of the year, but I like to hang out with friends now and then. Between semesters I read a lot, and some day I plan to write a novel.

What is the last movie you saw?
I just saw The Big Lebowski for the 23,409,754,689,023,790th time, and it never gets old. I’ve always been bad at sitting still and relaxing, so I envy The Dude’s lazy lifestyle.

New York City, L.A or Denver?
I like Gainesville, Florida, or something in between big city and hickville. I like a town with all the restaurants and amenities, but without the bustle and traffic. I also refuse to live anywhere north of Georgia, because I don’t believe in wearing long pants or closed shoes.