2008 Joe Martin Stage Race
May 8-11, 2008
Fayetteville, AK
Race Report by Kirsten Robbins

Anthony Colby is #2 on GC and Colavita/Sutter Home Men’s Cycling Team is #1 Overall; Colavita/Sutter Home Women Win Two of Four Stages

Anthony Colby

Stage One (Devil’s Den Time Trial, 2.5 miles): The Colavita/Sutter Home Men’s Cycling Team presented by Cooking Light assembled its top climbers and sprinters for the 2008 Joe Martin Stage Race, including the Borrajo brothers, Alejandro and Anibal, Gustavo Artacho, Anthony Colby, Sebastian Haedo, Tyler Wren, Kyle Wamsley and Luis Amaran.  Anthony set the pace from the starting gun, racing to a second place finish, followed by Tyler in fifth.

Mackenzie Woodring

With veteran teammates Dotsie Bausch, Tina Pic, Alison Powers, and Iona Wynter Parks selected to race with their national teams at international events, Colavita/Sutter Home Women’s Cycling Team newcomers Nichole Wangsgard, Mackenzie Woodring, and Samantha Schneider proved more than up to the challenge, with Mackenzie capturing the opening 4km time trial in a blistering time of 10:26.

Sebastian Haedo

Stage Two (Mount Gaylor Road Race, 104/64 miles): “Argentinean Arrow” Sebastian Haedo won Stage Two of the Joe Martin Stage Race, launched by teammate Kyle Wamsley, who took a flyer with one kilometer to go. Luis Amaran spent more than 100 kilometers off the front of the peloton before being reabsorbed over the grueling 15 km ascent to Mount Gaylor.  GC climbers Anthony Colby and Tyler Wren stretched their legs over the top in an attempt to gain more time in the overall but their selective group was caught on the long straightaway to the finish line in Fayetteville.

In the women’s race, Colavita/Sutter Home’s Mackenzie Woodring climbed over Mount Gaylor with a select group of 18 riders who entered the finishing straightaway in a heated field sprint to capture a stage win and time bonuses. Mackenzie sprinted in for sixth place, moving into 2nd in the overall.
 
Stage Three (Road Race, 92/69 miles): With the force of a diesel engine, Colavita/Sutter Home’s Luis Amaran forced a second consecutive 100-km breakaway. “I felt strong yesterday and today so I went for it again,” said Luis. Although Luis and his breakaway companion Valeriy Kobzarenko (Team Type 1) were reabsorbed into the peloton with eight kilometers to go, there was still sufficient time to set up Sebastian Haedo for a sprint victory.  A Bissell rider caught the sprinters off guard by taking a victory flyer with 800 meters to go, but Sebastian kept his eye on the line to win the field sprint for second place.
 
Despite valiant efforts by Mackenzie Woodring and her Colavita/Sutter Home teammates, Robin Farina (Cheerwine) maintained her solo breakaway as race officials stopped the women’s peloton on two occasions to allow other categories to pass.  Mackenzie finished with a podium-worthy third for the stage and third in the overall.

 

Nichole Wangsgard

Stage Four (Downtown Criterium, 90/60 minutes): Kyle Wamsley set sail in an early breakaway, holding a 20-second lead over the peloton for more than 60 minutes. In the last few laps, Luis Amaran stretched his legs off the front, again separating himself from the field and taking pressure off his Colavita/Sutter Home teammates coming into the field sprint. With one lap to go, Sebastian Haedo and Anibal Borrajo moved into position on the back of the Health Net train heading toward the final corner.  Rory Sutherland (Health Net) opened a gap of about two bike lengths but Sebastian caught up and sprinted past to win the race, with Anibal following in third. Reflecting on the team’s multiple podium celebrations, starting with Anthony Colby’s 2nd place GC finish, Anibal said, “I think the success we achieved this week shows how well we work together. Everyone on this team is hard working for the team’s overall goals.”  The Colavita/Sutter Home Men’s Cycling Team also earned the #1 spot in the Male Team Classification.
 
The Colavita/Sutter Home Women’s Team took their turn on the podium as Nichole Wangsgard nipped Laura VanGilder (Cheerwine) at the line to claim her first NRC victory. “It was a long, uphill, and windy finish and we knew if we set it up properly we could win it," said Nichole. "My teammate and I didn’t even have to talk about the finishing sprint. She waited for the right time to jump and I went with her and came around Van Gilder.  The momentum was fantastic!”