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Written by Monte Hamilton |
| Saturday, 02 June 2007 |
CSC Invitational June 2, 2007
The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team nearly delivered Ivan Stevic to victory at the 10th annual CSC Invitational Saturday in Arlington, Va.
With a strong leadout from teammates Jose Manuel Garcia, Caleb Manion, Chris Wherry, Sean Sullivan and Henk Vogels, Stevic sprinted to the finish line of the 100-lap criterium, only to be edged by Rashaan Bahati (Rock & Republic Cycling Team).
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| Before the start Stevic tried to stay cool on a day when the temperature soared into the 90s. |
Garcia rode at less than 100 percent, feeling the effects of a stomach virus.
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| Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
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| On board with Vogels, who is followed by teammates Stevic and Sullivan. |
Wherry combined with Team CSC to help bring back a solo breakaway that nearly lapped the field. |
| Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
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| Sullivan wasn?t about to take a drink while taking a corner at 27 miles an hour. |
Manion (left) and Wherry patrolled the front for Toyota-United much of the day. |
| Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
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| Vogels integrated himself into a six-man breakaway group but the escapees were given very little rope. |
Toyota-United Team Soigneur Joachim Schoonacker hands up a water bottle in the feed zone.
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| Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
Photo by Douglas Graham
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With the race all back together in the closing laps, Toyota-United and Team CSC controlled the tempo on the front.
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| Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
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| Stevic (left) sat comfortably on the wheel of Vogels while Sullivan kept the pair sheltered in the closing laps. |
Vogels ramped up the speed on the final lap to deliver Stevic first to the final corner. |
| Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
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| Stevic charged out from the final corner, hoping to hold off his pursuers in the final 200 meters. |
With fewer than 20 meters remaining, Rashaan Bahati (center) edges in front of Stevic. |
| Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
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| Even a bike throw at the line isn?t enough to stop Bahati (Rock & Republic Cycling Team) from getting the win. |
Stevic (left) shares the podium with Bahati (center) and Hilton Clarke (Navigators Insurance Cycling Team). |
| Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
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| Rashaan Bahati doesn?t seem to recall the final sprint the same way Stevic remembers it. |
Afterwards, Stevic laughs it up with race announcer Eddy Van Guyse, who played the ?villain Italian? in the movie, ?Breaking Away.? |
| Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
Charles M. Herskowitz/SnortingBullPhoto.com |
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 04 June 2007 ) |
