Michael Garrison (MGR p/b Speed l Club) and Valeria Cardozo-Cabrera (MBO Racing Team) sprinted to victories at the Spartanburg Criterium p/b Gibbs Cancer Center & Spartanburg Medical Center on Friday night. The South Carolina races provided points for both USA CRITS and Speed Week series.
With 10 laps to go in the men's race, Garrison launched a solo attack and created a gap to the field with 7 to go, and no one was in sight as he crossed the line for his second victory of the USA CRITS series. His first win was on the third stop in Newnan, Georgia at the Rock&Road Criterium.
Bikers Cycling Team duo Jordan Parra and Jamie Castaneda finished two-three in the field sprint, edging Lucas Bourgoyne (Team Cadence Cyclery p/b Encore Wire) and Bryan Gomez (Kingdom Elite) from the podium.
Bourgoyne's fourth place kept him in the USA CRITS individual leader's jersey by a slim 55 points over Garrison. Team Cadence Cyclery held a slim margin over Bikers Cycling Team in the USA CRITS and Speed Week team points standings.
Cardozo-Cabrera made it back-to-back wins, having won the High Line Criterium in Suwanee, Georgia two nights before in the Speed Week series. She held off Kendall Ryan (L39ION of Los Angeles) at the line in Spartanburg, with Elizabeth Harden (Team Flicker) edging Peta Mullens (Liv SRAM Tango) for the final spot on the podium.
Overall women's leader of USA CRITS Aylena Quevedo (Kingdon Elite Racing) suffered a puncture with two laps remaining and settled for 21st position. Here team placed three riders in the top 10 and created a solid lead in both the USA CRITS and Speed Week team standings.
USA CRITS continues on May 17 with the Aksarben Tirc Crit Nebraska p/b Visit Omaha. A unique course includes four 90-degree corners and one roundabout. Live streaming for pro races feature the elite women at 7:05 p.m. CDT followed by the elite men at 8:15 p.m. CDT.
