June 16/02 10:01 am - Carleton Place Criterium and Italian Festival Stella Artois Grand Prix

Posted by Editoress on 06/16/02
 

Carleton Place Criterium and Italian Festival Stella Artois Grand Prix
Courtesy Sympatico-Jet Fuel Coffee

The Sympatico-Jet Fuel Coffee team sent two of its young guns to Ottawa to represent the squad this weekend before they make the trip to the Grand Prix de Beauce.

Buck Miller and Ryan Roth raced at both of the National Capital area events, the Carleton Place Criterium and Italian Festival Stella Artois Grand Prix.

Buck Miller won both events from small breakaway groups on both days.

Saturday night's Carleton Place race was raced under raining conditions. With about 20 minutes left in the one hour plus 5 lap event a break of five riders established the winning move. Miller won the sprint from his breakaway companions.

Sunday's Italian Festival event also was raced under wet conditions. After Roth had covered all the early moves during the race Miller got in the winning break with about 30km left in the 100km event. The break contained seven riders from the 54 riders who started the event.

In the final sprint Miller was sprinting from the right side when Dave Fry switched over from the left side of the four lane wide road to try and slow down Miller. Fry managed to cross the line first just beating Buck by half a wheel.

With some keen observations and input from Canada's premiere sprinter, Gord Fraser who was watching the event, the commissaires disqualified Fry for his irregular sprint. Miller was declared the winner.