NCC: Allar weathers storm as Alzate regains standings lead

  
  


The USA Cycling National Criterium Calendar (NCC) crossed the midpoints of its 24-event calendar as riders contested the Base Camp Intl. p/b Verizon Wireless in Basking Ridge, N.J., on May 30 and the Glencoe Grand Prix in rainy Glencoe, Ill., on June 1.

The riders in the men's race receive their instructions before contesting the Glencoe Grand Prix. (Photo by Josh Dreyfus)
The riders in the men's race receive their instructions before contesting the Glencoe Grand Prix. (Photo by Josh Dreyfus)

Carlos Alzate Escobar (COL/UnitedHealthcare) won the race in New Jersey before placing second in Illinois to boost his season-long total to 966 points and move into the top spot of the NCC men's standings. The previous leader, Hilton Clarke (AUS/UnitedHealthcare), finished third on Thursday and 13th on Saturday to hold onto second place with 925 points. Shane Kline (Bally, Pa./Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis) placed ninth on Saturday and now has 526 points, 98 points ahead of Karl Menzies (AUS/UnitedHealthcare). Menzies holds a slim, 23-point cushion on his teammate, Luke Keough (Sandwich, Mass./UnitedHealthcare), who sits in fifth place with 405 points.

Erica Allar celebrates winning the women's race at the Glencoe Grand Prix. (Photo by Josh Dreyfus)
Erica Allar celebrates winning the women's race at the Glencoe Grand Prix. (Photo by Josh Dreyfus)
With the women only contesting the Glencoe Grand Prix over the weekend, the riders competed that much harder for points. Erica Allar (Tucson, Ariz./CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon Corp) remains the leader of the NCC women's standings with 818 points after earning the top step in Illinois. Laura Van Gilder (Cresco, Pa./Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers), who placed third in the race, holds second place with 457 points while Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Cedar Springs, Mich./Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy) is in third place with 375 points. Samantha Schneider (Milwaukee, Wis./Team TIBCO-To the Top), who placed second in Saturday's race, moved into fourth place with 292, only 24 points ahead of the fifth-place Kimberley Wells (AUS/Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy).

UnitedHealthcare has added to its lead atop the NCC men's team standings. With 2,790 points, UnitedHealthcare now leads Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis by 1,502 points. Jamis Hagens Berman sits in third place with 319 points, 37 points ahead of the fourth-place Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies. Champion system p/b Stan's NoTubes is in fifth place, 22 points out of fourth place.

CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon has also added to its lead atop the NCC women's team standings. After Allar's win in Illinois, CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon now holds a 550-point cushion on the second-place Colavita-Fine Cooking. Team TIBCO-To the Top sits in third place with 412 points, 156 points out of second place and only 15 points ahead of the fourth-place Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies. Exergy TWENTY16 slipped down one spot in the standings, into fifth place with 363 points.

Check out a photo gallery from the Glencoe Grand Prix.

Full results of Base Camp Intl. p/b Verizon Wireless.
Full results of the Glencoe Grand Prix.

 

USA Cycling NCC Standings:

Men's Standings
1. Carlos Alzate Escobar (COL/UnitedHealthcare) — 966
2. Hilton Clarke (AUS/UnitedHealthcare) — 925
3. Shane Kline (Bally, Pa./Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis) — 526
4. Karl Menzies (AUS/UnitedHealthcare) — 428
5. Luke Keough (Sandwich, Mass./UnitedHealthcare) — 405

Women's Individual Standings
1. Erica Allar (Tucson, Ariz./CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon Corp) — 818
2. Laura Van Gilder (Cresco, Pa./Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers) — 457
3. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Cedar Springs, Mich./Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy) — 375
4. Samantha Schneider (Milwaukee, Wis./Team TIBCO-To the Top) — 292
5. Kimberley Wells (AUS/Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy) — 268

Men's Team Standings
1. UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling — 2,790
2. Team SmartStop-Mountain Khakis — 1,288
3. Jamis Hagens Berman — 319
4. Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies — 282
5. Champion System p/b Stan's NoTubes — 260

Women's Team Standings
1. CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon — 1,118
2. Colavita-Fine Cooking — 568
3. Team TIBCO/ To the Top — 412
4. Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies — 397
5. Exergy TWENTY16 — 363
 

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

There is still time for riders and teams to move up the standings as the NCC continues with another multi-event weekend. The Saint Francis Tulsa Tough spans June 7-9 in Tulsa, Okla., while the Air Force Cycling Classic in Arlington, Va., is slated for June 8-9.


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This Article Updated June 3, 2013 @ 10:40 PM For more information contact: