Johnson and Daillaire Win in Ohio, Card and Halloran Take State Champs Jerseys

by Johnson, Virostko, Getchell, et al.

JOHNSON & DALLAIRE WIN IN OHIO

Card and Halloran Take OH State Championship Jerseys

Conshohocken, PA, USA:  Thanksgiving weekend saw one of the largest Elite fields of the year in the Zipp OVCX Tour presented by Papa John’s. Thirty Elite Men from seven states lined up for the start of the Buckingham Financial John Bryan Classic, which also served as the Ohio State Championships. The course looked to be very fast, but had quite a few greasy corners and single track to keep riders honest.

The race stayed together for the first lap or two, with nobody making any moves. Finally Johnathan Card started it off, putting in some efforts at the front which made the selection. Card stayed at the front and made the race hard for the five that remained in the lead group. Virginia’s Greg Wittwer (ALAN North America) was moving to the front when he went down in a slick corner (tire selection played a role through the corners). Indiana’s Josh Johnson (DRT Racing) was the next to attack. “I knew sooner or later I was going to have to make my move, but I didn’t want to go too soon,” explained Johnson after the race. “When I went, Mitchell Kersting (Bob’s Red Mill) came with me and later counterattacked and gapped me. That left me to chase with 2 or 3 to go. I made the connection going into the bell lap. With half a lap left, we were doing a 180 down-and-up turn. Unfortunately, Mitchell got caught up in the tape, an official was fixing the tape when it happened, and I went around on the outside. I was able to hold him off until the end and take the ‘W’. I want to thank the promoter and all those that made the race possible. It’s a great venue!”  Jonathan Card’s early efforts netted him a third place overall and the Ohio State Championship as the best-placed Ohio resident.

The Women’s race, though not quite as deep as the men, still had representation from all of the OVCX states, as well as far away Washington DC. Leah Halloran (Spin/Second Sole) took an early lead with Alderfer Bergen’s Nikki Dallaire closing in on her wheel. Dallaire jumped away midway into the second lap by bunny hopping a fallen tree. The Kentuckian sped away from Halloran and never looked. Behind the leaders Amanda Virostko (Shamrock Cycles/Bio-Wheels) played some cat and mouse for second place. Virostko eventually overtook Halloran only to be passed back minutes later. The Indiana rider never caught back on to Halloran, who took second overall and the Ohio State Championship. Katie Arnold held fourth position the first two laps before being overtaken by Washington DC’s Erin Silliman (Alan North America), Bridgett Donovan-Billiter (Trek Store Cincinnati /Seven Cycles) and Gerry Schulze (Bio-Wheels/Reece Campbell Racing) who finished fourth through sixth respectively.

Nikki Dallaire has proven to be dominant this autumn despite having to come back from very serious injuries after being run over by a car earlier this year. A measure of just how dominant Dallaire has been is that, even though she won, this week’s race will count as one of her drop races in the points calculation toward the Zipp OVCX presented by Papa John’s season championship.  The season ends this coming weekend in Zipp Speed Weaponry’s hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana with a doubleheader weekend.  The beginning of the end will be the St. Mary’s Child Center Cyclocross in Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park on Saturday, December 4 for the benefit of disadvantaged children.  The weekend, and the 2010 Zipp OVCX presented by Papa John’s season, will culminate with the double-points Brookside Cup at Indianapolis’ Brookside Park.  Additional information about the Zipp OVCX Indianapolis Double Cross Weekend can be found at BikeReg.com.

Full Results

Elite Men

Elite Women