2008 CherryBlossom Challenge
Presented by
Premiere Cycling Promotions
Newark Branchbrook Park, NJ
Saturday, April 19, 2008
CAT 1/2/3 RACE REPORT by Stephan P. Dioslaki, Team Metra / Victor Homes / Wendy�s / MHP (Maximum Human Performance)
�Whatever doesn�t kill you makes you stronger�, Nietzsche
That�s my motto for the day in this week�s battle for the 100 KM Cherry Blossom Pro 1-2-3 Race win!!
It�s Ray Smith again but this time assisted by brother Jeff Smith puttin� on the show!! Yup � and what a show it was!! We were graced by some picture perfect weather conditions for this Saturday spectacle! Yes the Cherry Blossoms were out�and just shy of 70 contenders showed up for the P123 race�but not to enjoy the scenery�nope�rather�to take that oh so sweet $3,000 purse going out to the top 20 finishers!! And maybe�.just maybe visions and dreams of the $750 1st place prize!!! It was the bragging rights and battle we came for!! No time to stop and smell the roses!!
With Rite Aid again showing up in their fancy team car with a strong and ready presence, everyone knew it would be attacks galore!! That�s exactly what it was � right from the gun I may add!! Several smaller breaks went, but with an average speed hovering around 28 mph, they all were getting reeled right back in!! (A Big shout out to Barry Nazarian putting in a great effort and riding strong in this race after winning his race earlier this day in the Master�s 55 +!!)
Out of nowhere it came�.the crash�the grinding, the twisting the turning�the bouncing of bodies & bikes (ouch � hence the opening motto)�right there in front of me and pretty much in the middle of a nice tight peloton. Some poor guy right in front of me sliding around like a big log that fell off of a truck - out of control�slow motion�frame by frame�assume crash position�freeze frame�end over�and BAM!!! Up and over I go�learning to fly�BAM�asphalt�get up quick�check it out�wheels still spinning????...yup not too pretty and not too true but still spinning�feel ok???�umm???...good enough�adrenaline pumping heavy�.get up, get up, get up�.go�get to the wheel pit�change it out�check things out�nothing is fine�nothing�s all right�shut up!! Here they come�get ready�get ready�and go again!!
That�s how it went. My guess is around 6 or so hit it pretty hard in that maylay. I was able to cut through & get to the wheel pit ahead of the pack somehow � didn�t even take the �full free lap�. That�s when I noticed�front ZIPP totally trashed � saddle broken up a bit�bars turned a bit�.still�adrenaline pumping heavier than ever so all still good enough�change it out and go. Settle back in � another 25 or so miles or so & it�ll be all over�it�s all good�back into the fray�
From there, a strong group of 4 or 5 managed to get away including a Rite Aid guy. Paul Ziminski made a big effort to make it across and catch on but couldn�t quite get it. Back into the main field he went. Then it was Rosenhaus�huge, long effort to bridge the gap�looked like he was going to make it at one point�.but no. So close but yet so far. That group of 4 or 5 actually got dangerously far ahead of the main field. But again the average speed remained high and the ravenous main field kept going goin� goin� taking chunks out of what once was a huge gap. Before we knew it, there they were�right in front of us. I saw big efforts from Mengioni�s Eugene Bonoromow and Team Metra�s Paulie Ziminski helping that to be brought back.
Then it was attack and counterattack time once again. Elliston�Durso�Lisbon�Jason Walters� Erdelyi�Champion Systems (in their hot new all White Kits) throwing it down hard!! Somehow I was able to gather my faculties and roll with the punches�and even throw down several hard shots myself!! Through all this bludgeoning the field grew a bit wary and a big split opened up. Nineteen guys managed to get away � glad to say, myself included. There were 4 from Rite Aid (holy SH _ _ !!), Durso & Light from Liberty, Rosenhaus, Stewart, & Shimmel from Northeast (no Raffie � he was down and out from the crash scene described above), David Somerville, Chad Buts & Adam from Champion Systems, myself & Walters from Metra, Lisbon and Igor from CRCA plus a few other lone rangers�Simes, Burrows, and Gomez�so the break was set and very well represented!!
With plenty of blockers in the main field, the split quickly opened up to a HUGE and insurmountable gap. Rite Aid made it all too clear that they wouldn�t be satisfied with the breakaway as it stood. Once established, attacks started anew. This 19-man group would have none of that though!! It went shot for shot and punch for punch right down to the wire � things got a bit heated and a bit ugly here and there (it�s all good though). For each one of Rite Aid�s assaults, someone would respond - and so it unfolded�it came down to a sprint for the finish � 1st place was any man�s game going into the final lap!!
It was Rite Aid with a big old exclamation point!!! Not only 1st place, but 2nd as well!! John Erdelyi took home the prize followed up by Stephen Kincaid in 2nd. Next in line was Lisbon, then Light, then Simes, then my man J Walter � Team Metra � for 6th!! Rounding out the top 10 were Stewart, Igor, Chad Butts, and then me - Bruised but not broken!!
Behind the other 9 in the breakaway group came Wilson with his sprinting prowess taking the field sprint for 19th!!
Hope to see you all next week @ another one of Ray�s awesome races � Tour de Belleville @ Branchbrook!!
These results are provided for informational purposes only. Please note that
the protest period for this event has expired and no changes can or will be made
to these results.
Pro 1,2,3
1 Jonathan Erdelyi Rite Aid Presented By Shebell & Shebell Bradley Beach NJ
2 Stephan Kincaid Rite Aid Presented By Shebell & Shebell Pottstown PA
3 Lisban Quintero CRCA/Foundation Maspeth NY
4 Mark Light Liberty Cycle Hackettstown NJ
5 Jackie Simes Time Pro Cycling Breiningsville PA
6 Jason Walters Team Metra/Wendy's P/B Victor Homes Old Bridge NJ
7 Daniel Stewart Northeastern Hardware/ Cjct Phillipsburg NJ
8 Igor Misicki CRCA/Foundation Locust Valley NY
9 Chad Butts Champion Systems Danbury CT
10 Stephan Dioslaki Team Metra / Victor Homes/Wendy's / Mhp Wayne NJ
11 Paul Burrowes Ws United/Sheepshead Cycle Brooklyn NY
12 John Durso Liberty Morris Plains NJ
13 Gilberth Gomez Valverde Van Dessel Factory Team Nj Somerville NJ
14 David Sommerville Sommerville Sports Brooklyn NY
15 Marc Adam Champion Systems New York NY
16 Miles Watson Rite Aid Presented By Shebell & Shebell
17 Michael Rosenhaus Northeastern Hardware/Cjct Morristown NJ
18 Richard Geng Rite Aid Presented By Shebell & Shebell
19 Wilson Vasquez GS Mengoni Piermont NY
20 Alejandro Guzman Crca/Foundation Sunnyside NY
21 Guido Palma Rite Aid Presented By Shebell & Shebell
22 Rodney Santiago Colavita Allentown PA
23 Bill Elliston Rite Aid Presented By Shebell & Shebell Easton PA
24 Glenroy Griffith CRCA Foundation Brooklyn NY
25 Christian Mambelli Colavita Racing Matawan NJ
26 Christopher Kaiser Unattached New York NY
27 Anthony Lowe Ws United Brooklyn NY
28 Glenn Schneider Team Beacom Lake Worth FL
29 Jason Snow YSG/ Metra/Wendy's/Victor Homes Charlottesville VA
30 Paul Ziminski Team Metra / Wendys/Pb Victor Homes Piscataway NJ
31 Salvatore Scotto Divetta Sommerville Sports World Team Brooklyn NY
32 Earl Perretti Momtclair Cyclists Upper Montclair NJ
33 Edwin Bull Van Dessel Factory Team Mendham NJ
34 Brian Doroshuk Northeastern Hardware/Cjct Denville NJ
35 John Olsen Bennetts Bicycle Staten Island NY
36 Scott Snyder Champion System Colonia NJ
37 David Wilson Northeastern Hardware / Cjct Morristown NJ
38 John Bertolini Liberty Cycle Basking Ridge NJ
39 Vladimir Borovkov Team Somerset South River NJ
40 Abdul Kabia Targetraining Hartsdale NY
41 Jermaine Burrowes Ws United/Sheepshead Cycle Brooklyn NY
42 Mike Chevett Unattached Long Island City NY
43 Ken Walsh K2-Talksoft-Shirks Racing Bala Cynwyd PA
44 Thomas Dolan Sommer Swill Sports New York NY
45 Robert Lattanzi Sid's - Cannondale New York NY
46 Robert Wing Sommerville Sports Brooklyn NY
47 Gavin Robertson Foundation/CRCA Brooklyn NY
48 Austin Roach Princeton University Cycling Princeton NJ
49 John Tomlinson Deno's Wonder Wheel Cycling New York NY
50 Raphael Diaz-Granados GS Gotham Leonia NJ
Cat 3/4
1 Maurice Gamanho Unattached Lebanon NJ
2 Carl Maslag Team Norwood Agency-The Peddler North Arlington NJ
3 Brendan Conk Montclair Cyclists South Orange NJ
4 Patrick Gellineau Team Squiggle Brooklyn NY
5 Daniel Schmalz Merrill Lynch-Hincapie Sportswear Ridgewood NJ
6 Christopher Labrecque Team Norwood Agency-The Peddler Oceanport NJ
7 William Federico Whitehouse Station NJ
8 Harold Francis Team Squiggle Baldwin NY
9 Johann Burrowes We Stand United Brooklyn NY
10 Neal Stoeckel Seacoast Builders/Brielle Cyclery/DCM Monroe NJ
11 Earl Perretti Momtclair Cyclists Upper Montclair NJ
12 Andrew Walsh Queens NY
13 Wayne Lumkong Jersey Rock & Road Andover NJ
14 Willie Payton Team United Homes Bklyn NY
15 Alex Binder Riptide Racing / Seacoast Builders Long Branch NJ
16 Tatsuo Imaishi Sotheby's/Strictly Bicycles Englewood NJ
17 Darren Lange 3D Racingteam / Tom's Atlantic Cyclery N Brunswick NJ
18 Frank Ferrarese Montclair Cyclists West Caldwell NJ
19 Rick Delgado Sotheby's International Realty Fort Lee NJ
20 Edward Zimmermann Crca/Die Hard-Think Racing Brooklyn NY
21 Ricky Dominguez Northeastern Hardware Clifton NJ
22 Angel Martinez 3D Racing Team/Tom's Atlantic Cyclery Morganville NJ
23 Myles Fennell 3D Racing Team/Tom's Atlantic Cyclery Monroe NJ
24 Skender Sakajani Team Sotherby's / Strictly Bicycles Roselle Park NJ
25 George Bicking Heart House/Cadv/Cc Evesham Basking Ridge NJ
26 Mark Curran Seacoast Builders/Brielle Cyclery/Dcm/Riptide Titusville NJ
27 Andrew Celin Atlantic Bicycle Club Yardville NJ
28 Anthony Diaz Liberty Cycle Verona NJ
29 Eric Perkins Westwood Velo - MCRA Oradell NJ
30 John Forgatch Liberty Cycle Far Hills NJ
31 Jackson Wandres Deno's Wonder Wheel Cycling Brooklyn NY
32 Robert Malovany Gs Retrovelo Tenafly NJ
33 Johnson Beattie Sotheby's International Realty Hasbrouck Heights NJ
34 Mark Fontanilla Liberty Cycle East Hanover NJ
35 Richard Gonzalez Global Locate/CRCA Bayonne NJ
36 George Burpee Team Norwood Agency-The Peddler Fair Haven NJ
37 James Furman Van Dessel Factory Team Hopatcong NJ
38 Gene Victori Skylands Cycling Hackettstown NJ
39 Haluk Sarci Sotheby's International Realty Cresskill NJ
40 Julio Teixeiro Unattached Elizabeth NJ
41 Lawrence Totton Van Dessel Factory Team Morristown NJ
42 Wilson Andrade Cycle Craft Westfield NJ
43 Ben Tufford Riptide Cycling Robbinsville NJ
44 Russell Young Wonder Wheel Summit NJ
45 Richard Kassan Rutgers University Cycling Team Westfield NJ
46 Charles La Punzina Kissena Cycling Club Brooklyn NY
47 Charles Thompson Rutgers University Cycling Team Ewing NJ
48 Fabian Autedo Cycle Craft Racing Parsippany NJ
49 Christopher Shaw Avenue A Razorfish Cycling New York NY
50 Jim Kaeli Colavita Racing Rockaway NJ
51 Franklin Saillot Colavita Racing Berkeley Heights NJ
52 Curtis Lightburn Liberty Cycle Florham Park NJ
Cat 4/5
1 Ryan Phelan Unattached Lyndhurst NJ
2 Gene Victori Skylands Cycling Hackettstown NJ
3 Philip Nerges Team Fitness Bloomfield NJ
4 Steven Sillett Team Somerset Phillipsburg NJ
5 Matthew Finlay Liberty Cycle Far Hills NJ
6 John Arias Team Norwood Neptune NJ
7 Marc Innella Westwood Velo Somerville NJ
8 Denis Leinhart Lionheart Cycling Oradell NJ
9 Geraldo Rivera Team Atlantic Roselle NJ
10 Paul Aemisegeo Lehigh Wheelmen Assoc Easton PA
11 Edward Glasser Colavita Racing Stanton NJ
12 Eric Chi Princeton University Cycling Princeton NJ
13 Zach Koop Team Campmor Ridgefield Park NJ
14 Karl Fenske Colavita Racing Morristown NJ
15 Ricky Dominguez Northeastern Hardware Clifton NJ
16 David Mendonca Montclair Cyclists Montclair NJ
17 Alex Rossano Rocket Racing Red Bank NJ
18 Jerry Truppelli PSR-Peddlers Shop Racing Ringoes NJ
19 James Mccabe Colavita Racing Bridgewater NJ
20 Roy Vaccaro Team Fitness Staten Island NY
21 Daniel Weinick Colavita Racing Whitehouse Station NJ
22 Jared Mazur Monmouth University Parlin NJ
23 Tom Keeth Unattached Flemington NJ
24 John Milone Team Fitness Cliffside Park NJ
25 Andrew Park Zteam Jersey City NJ
26 George Vlahogiannis Team Fitness Mission/Allwood Bicycles Rutherford NJ
27 Anthony Paone Norwood Agency/The Peddler Lake Hiawatha NJ
28 Jerry Ascolese Team Norwood The Peddler Oceanport NJ
29 Mauricio Melo Team Norwood Agency-The Peddler Long Branch NJ
30 John Jackson Skylands Cycling Hamburg NJ
31 Brian Bauer Liberty Cycle Basking Ridge NJ
32 John Smertneck Team Norwood Agency / The Peddler Neptune NJ
33 Dean Telson Team Norwood Agency/Peddler West Long Branch NJ
34 Anthony Skorochod Gotham Cyclists Wind Gap PA
35 Keith Mackay Colavita Racing Maplewood NJ
Masters 45+
1 Patrick Gellineau Team Squiggle Brooklyn NY
2 Raphael Diaz-Granados GS Gotham Leonia NJ
3 Aubrey Gordon Liberty Cycle Reading PA
4 Michael Maclaga Colavita Racing Chatham NJ
5 Robert L Brown Crca/Majortaylor Iron Riders Brooklyn NY
6 Earl Perretti Montclair Cyclists Montclair NJ
7 William Borghard SEACOAST BUILDERS/RIPTIDE Farmingdale NJ
8 Wayne Lumkong Jersey Rock & Road Andover NJ
9 Christopher Castaldi Wonder Wheel Brooklyn NY
10 Joseph Zuppa Colavita Racing Rumson NJ
11 Doug Hover Rocket Racing/ Ysg Racing Leonardo NJ
12 Barrie Drabble Colavita Racing Flemington NJ
13 Jim Escobar ECFA/Honeywell Stamford CT
14 Chris Dimattio Bethel Sport Club Wilton CT
15 Greg Avon Aardvark Consulting/Kissena Sports Thornwood NY
16 Robert Kowal Team Somerset Hillsborough NJ
17 Marty Friedman Watchung Wheelmen Basking Ridge NJ
18 Vince Marrone Unione Sportiva Italiana New Rochelle NY
19 Edward Glasser Colavita Racing Stanton NJ
20 Timothy Doherty Watchung Wheelmen Boonton NJ
21 Gerry Ryerson Skylands Cycling Sparta NJ
22 Mike Wilpizeski Kissena Forest Hills NY
23 Michael Shapanka Watchung Wheelmen Somerville NJ
24 Michael Joseph Colavita Racing South Orange NJ
25 David Michaud Seacoast Builders/Brielle Cyclery/Dcm Colts Neck NJ
26 Stephen Shine Seacoast Builders/Riptide Cycling Howell NJ
27 Ian Stanley Unattached Rosedale NY
28 Richard Bauch Colavita Racing Califon NJ
29 David Stokes Kissena New York NY
30 Brian Gristick Skylands/ACT Budd lake NJ
31 Katherine Russell Team Somerset Cranbury NJ
32 Michael Karr Montclair Cyclists Boonton NJ
33 Dusan Strika Kissena Cycling Team Parlin NJ
34 Elaine Molinaro Montclair Cyclists Montclair NJ
35 Jim Kaeli Colavita racing Rockaway NJ
36 Eric Hallander Rocket Racing Little Silver NJ
37 Haluk Sarci Sotheby's International Realty Cresskill NJ
38 Robin Kinney Big Wheel Sunrise, Florida Skillman NJ
39 Ken Hochman Deno's Wonder Wheel Brooklyn NY
40 John Raheb Unattached Montvale NJ
41 James Joseph We Stand United (W.S.) BROOKLYN NY
Women Cat 4
1 Cynthia Steiner Montclair Cyclists Montclair NJ
2 Joy Smith Somerset Mendham NJ
3 Meredith Johnsen Rocket Racing/YSG Oceanport NJ
4 Elizabeth Daro-Kaftan Somerset Wheelmen Pennington NJ
5 Jan Curran EPS/CSS/Riptide Cycling Titusville NJ
6 Tara Clarke EPS/CSS/Riptide Cycling Colts Neck NJ
7 Nicole Feddersen Rocket Racing Atlantic Highlands NJ
8 Susan Seyboldt EPS/CSS/Riptide Cycling Roebling NJ
9 Lisa Agrusa Crca/Avenuea/Razorfish New York NY
10 Amanda Friedman Colavita Racing Basking Ridge NJ
11 Dawn Wylong Colavita Racing Flemington NJ
12 Susan Aromin Unattached Green Brook NJ
13 Lisa Maxted 3D Racing Team Middletown NJ
Masters 35+
1 Patrick Gellineau Team Squiggle Brooklyn NY
2 David Bonser Gotham Cyclists Wind Gap PA
3 John Raheb Unattached Montvale NJ
4 Chris Dimattio Bethel Sport Club Wilton CT
5 Todd Stodolski Rocket Racing Colts Neck NJ
6 Paul Ganun Rocket Racing Fair Haven NJ
7 Jim Escobar ECFA/Honeywell Stamford CT
8 Maurice Gamanho Unattached Lebanon NJ
9 Tom Shebell Rocket Racing/Ysg Fair Haven NJ
10 Robert Lattanzi Sid's - Cannondale New York NY
11 Johann Burrowes We Stand United Brooklyn NY
12 Victor Rallo Rocket Racing/YSG Red Bank NJ
13 Igor Bystrycky Cycle Craft Racing Livingston NJ
14 Joseph Zuppa Colavita Racing Rumson NJ
15 Ken Hochman Deno's Wonder Wheel Cycling Team Brooklyn NY
16 Michael Joseph Colavita Racing South Orange NJ
17 Robert Kowal Team Somerset Hillsborough NJ
18 Aubrey Gordon Liberty Cycle Reading PA
19 Abdul Kabia Targetraining Hartsdale NY
20 Curtis Lightburn Liberty Cycle Florham Park NJ
21 Greg Avon Aardvark Consulting/Kissena Sports Thornwood NY
22 David Goldstein The Montclair Cyclists Bloomfield NJ
23 Gilberth Gomez Valverde Van Dessel Factory Team Nj Somerville NJ
24 Christopher Shaw Avenue A Razorfish Cycling New York NY
25 Michael Karr Montclair Cyclists Boonton NJ
26 Scott Reilly Liberty Cycle Glen Gardner NJ
27 James Russo Wonder Wheel Brooklyn NY
Masters 55+
1 Barry Nazarian Montclair Cyclists Rutherford NJ
2 Michael Shapanka Watchung Wheelmen Somerville NJ
3 Gerry Ryerson Skylands Cycling Sparta NJ
4 Nate Morgenstern Montclair Cyclists Fair Lawn NJ
5 Greg Shutske Somerset Wheelmen Pittstown NJ
6 Robert Malovany GS Retrovelo Tenafly NJ
7 Cynthia Steiner Montclair Cyclists Montclair NJ
W15-18
1 Nina Santiago High Gear/Watchung Wheelmen Dover NJ
2 Kristen Railey Colavita Racing Summit NJ
3 Jennifer Brunner Colavita Racing Fairfield NJ
4 Abigail Borah Colavita Racing Belle Mead NJ
M15-16
1 Dan Blauvelt Colavita Racing Flemington NJ
2 Max Kaplan Colavita Racing Randolph NJ
3 Thomas Barnett Cycles 54 / YSG Racing Freehold NJ
