NCC: Escobar, Allar watch standings leads shrink

  
  


The pro men line up to start the criterium in East Troy, Wis. (Photo by Karl Hendrikse)
The pro men line up to start the criterium in East Troy, Wis. (Photo by Karl Hendrikse)
After a week off, the USA Cycling National Criterium Calendar (NCC) shifted its focus to Wisconsin for the Tour of America's Dairyland throughout the state from June 20-23. Riders contested four races and earned points in an omnium. After the week of racing there have been some changes to the standings, but the leaders remain the same.

Jake Keough (Sandwich, Mass./UnitedHealthcare) won each of the four races in Wisconsin, but did not crack the top five of the NCC men's standings. Keough's teammate Carlos Alzate Escobar (COL/UnitedHealthcare) remains in the top spot with 1,221 points, but Hilton Clarke (AUS/UnitedHealthcare) continues to charge, placing second in the omnium after recording four top-three finishes in Wisconsin to boost his season-long total to 1,127 points, only 94 points behind Escobar. Jake's brother and teammate, Luke Keough (Sandwich, Mass./UnitedHealthcare), finished third in the omnium after placing in the top three three times at the Tour of America's Dairyland and now has 852 points to hold third place. Karl Menzies (AUS/UnitedHealthcare) finished tenth in the omnium to bring his season-long total to 617 points, passing Shane Kline (Bally, Pa./Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis), who sits in fifth place with 562 points.

Laura van Gilder (Cresco, Pa./Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers) won two races and placed in the top three of the other two contests in Wisconsin to win the omnium and bring her season-long total to 717 points. Van Gilder's performance however was not enough to overtake the leader of the NCC women's standings, Erica Allar (Tucson, Ariz./CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon Corp), who remains the leader with 877 points, 160 points ahead of van Gilder. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Cedar Springs, Mich./Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy) slipped down one spot in the standings into third place with 709 points after placing sixth in the omnium in Wisconsin. Jennifer Purcell (Austin, Texas/Colavita-Fine Cooking) moved back into the top five with 500 points, only 58 points ahead of Kimberley Wells (AUS/Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy), who finished second in the omnium after winning three of the four races in Wisconsin.

Laura van Gilder topped the women's podium after the third of four races on her way to topping the women's omnium. (Photo by Karl Hendrikse)
Laura van Gilder topped the women's podium after the third of four races on her way to topping the women's omnium. (Photo by Karl Hendrikse)
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling is inching closer to clinching the top spot in the NCC men's team standings. After the Tour of America's Dairyland, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling now has 3,715 points, 2,348 points ahead of Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis, which sits in second place with 1,367 points. Jamis Hagens Berman is in third place with 646 points, almost double the fourth-place team, Jelly Belly Cycling, which has 332 points. Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies rounds out the top five with 282 points.

The top four teams in the NCC women's team standings are the same. CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon remains the leader with 1,239 points, 331 points ahead of Colavita-Fine Cooking, which is in second place with 908 points. Team TIBCO-To the Top holds third place with 790 points, 201 points ahead of Exergy TWENTY16. Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy Cycling Vie13 is the new fifth-place team with 572 points, only 17 points out of fourth place.

Check out a photo gallery from the Tour of America's Dairyland.

Full results of the Tour of America's Dairyland.

 

USA Cycling NCC Standings:

Men's Standings
1. Carlos Alzate Escobar (COL/UnitedHealthcare) — 1,221
2. Hilton Clarke (AUS/UnitedHealthcare) — 1,127
3. Luke Keough (Sandwich, Mass./UnitedHealthcare) — 852
4. Karl Menzies (AUS/UnitedHealthcare) — 617
5. Shane Kline (Bally, Pa./Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis) — 562

Women's Standings
1. Erica Allar (Tucson, Ariz./CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon Corp) — 877
2. Laura van Gilder (Cresco, Pa./Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers) — 717
3. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Cedar Springs, Mich./Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy) — 709
4. Jennifer Purcell (Austin, Texas/Colavita-Fine Cooking) — 500
5. Kimberley Wells (AUS/Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy) — 442

Men's Team Standings
1. UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling — 3,715
2. Team SmartStop-Mountain Khakis — 1,367
3. Jamis Hagens Berman — 646
4. Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies — 332
5. Jelly Belly Cycling — 282

Women's Team Standings
1. CARE4CYCLING powered by Solomon — 1,239
2. Colavita-Fine Cooking — 908
3. Team TIBCO-To the Top — 790
4. Exergy TWENTY16 — 589
5. Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy Cycling Vie13 — 572
 

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

The NCC remains in the midwest with a trip to West Michigan to contest the Herman Miller Brickyard Classic in Grand Rapids, Mich., on June 29.


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This Article Updated June 24, 2013 @ 10:12 PM For more information contact: