NCC: Allar, L. Keough top fields in Binghamton

  
  


After a month-long respite, the USA Cycling National Criterium Calendar (NCC) resumed with the Chris Thater Memorial in Binghamton, N.Y., on Saturday and Sunday. While some standings spots have been secured, the competition reflected that there is still a lot at stake as opportunities dwindle.

Luke Keough celebrates his victory at the Chris Thater Memorial in Binghamton on Sunday. (Photo by Dave Williams, Beyond the Print)
Luke Keough celebrates his victory at the Chris Thater Memorial in Binghamton on Sunday. (Photo by Dave Williams, Beyond the Print)

Luke Keough (Sandwich, Mass./UnitedHealthcare) was the beneficiary of the team's leadout in Sunday's race as he rolled across the line as the winner of the pro men's race. Keough's teammate, Carlos Alzate Escobar (COL/UnitedHealthcare), held on to second place ahead of Rafael Meran (DOM/Century Road Club Assoc-Foundation), who finished third. However, Keough's win did not change his position in the NCC men's standings as he remains in third place with 1,087 points. Hilton Clarke (AUS/UnitedHealthcare) tops the standings with 1,469 points, Escobar is in second place with 1,276 points. Karl Menzies (AUS/UnitedHealthcare) remains in fourth place with 868 points while Shane Kline (Bally, Pa./Team SmartStop-Mountain Khakis) rounds out the top five with 708 points.

Erica Allar (Tucson, Ariz./CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon Corp) did not allow her clinching the top spot of the NCC women's standings in July to prevent her from padding her total. Allar won Saturday's pro women's race, boosting her season-long total to 1,380 points. Laura van Gilder (Cresco, Pa./Mellow Mushroom Racing) placed fourth in the race to hold onto second place in the standings with 968 points, 164 points ahead of Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Cedar Springs, Mich./Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy Cycling Vie13), who is in third place. Kimberley Wells (AUS/Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy Cycling Vie13), who finished second in Saturday's race, is in fourth place with 655 points while Saturday's third-place rider, Jennifer Purcell (Austin, Texas/Colavita-Fine Cooking), is in fifth place with 542 points.

Erica Allar topped the women's podium after winning Saturday's professional women's race in Binghamton. (Photo by Dave Williams, Beyond the Print)
Erica Allar topped the women's podium after winning Saturday's professional women's race in Binghamton. (Photo by Dave Williams, Beyond the Print)
Boasting three of the top four riders in Sunday's men's race, UnitedHealthcare stretched its insurmountable lead atop the NCC men's team standings to 3,173 points with only two races remaining. Team SmartStop-Mountain Khakis has secured second place in the standings with 1,784 points while Jamis Hagens Berman holds third place with 646 points. Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies is in fourth place with 454 points, only 42 points ahead of Champion system p/b Stan's NoTubes.

While CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon Corp has secured the top spot of the NCC women's standings, the remaining spots are up for grabs with two events remaining. CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon now has 1,812 points to pace the crew while Colavita-Fine Cooking remains in second place with 1,059 points. Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy Cycling Vie13 has charged into third place with 994 points, only 65 points out of second, but only 99 points ahead of Team TIBCO-To the Top, which sits in fourth place. Exergy TWENTY16 is in fifth place with 672 points.

Check out a photo gallery from the race.

Full results from the Chris Thater Memorial.

 

USA Cycling NCC Standings:

Men's Standings
1. Hilton Clarke (AUS/UnitedHealthcare) — 1,469
2. Carlos Alzate Escobar (COL/UnitedHealthcare) — 1,276
3. Luke Keough (Sandwich, Mass./UnitedHealthcare) — 1,087
4. Karl Menzies (AUS/UnitedHealthcare) — 868
5. Shane Kline (Bally, Pa./Team SmartStop-Mountain Khakis) — 708

Women's Standings
1. Erica Allar (Tucson, Ariz./CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon Corp) — 1,380
2. Laura Van Gilder (Cresco, Pa./Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers) — 968
3. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Cedar Springs, Mich./Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy Cycling Vie13) — 824
4. Kimberley Wells (AUS/Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy Cycling Vie13) — 655
5. Jennifer Purcell (Austin, Texas/Colavita-Fine Cooking) — 542

Men's Team Standings
1. UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling — 4,957
2. Team SmartStop-Mountain Khakis — 1,784
3. Jamis Hagens Berman — 646
4. Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies — 454
5. Champion System p/b Stan's NoTubes — 412

Women's Team Standings
1. CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon — 1,992
2. Colavita-Fine Cooking — 1,058
3. Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy Cycling Vie13 — 994
4. Team TIBCO-To the Top — 895
5. Exergy TWENTY16 — 672
 

For complete standings, visit the NCC's official webpage at usacycling.org/ncc.

The riders will enjoy another break from NCC action for a few weeks. The next NCC event is the USA Crits Finals in Las Vegas on Sept. 19 before the calendar concludes on Sept. 21 with the TD Bank Mayor's Cup in Boston.


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This Article Updated September 6, 2013 @ 09:48 PM For more information contact: