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Panther power
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Men Pro 1/2 racers leave downtown Youngstown heading for Youngstown State during their 90-minute criterium at Sunday’s final day of the Tour of the Valley.
YOUNGSTOWN
The Panther Racing team produced the overall champion for a second straight year, while Stephan Hirsch of United Healthcare of Georgia was a first-time criterium winner when the Tour of the Valley concluded Sunday afternoon in front of YSU’s Williamson Business College.
“Our team wanted to win overall, but it took a lot of team work, a lot of teammates helping, so, if it came together at the end, we were happy with that,” said 39-year-old Paul Martin, who wore the Pro Men’s 1-2 category’s yellow jersey during the race.
At the finish line during the peak of Sunday’s heat, however, Martin, was sixth behind Hirsch, a 23-year-old winner of the day’s final race, a 90-minute circuit race among a field of 40.
“This was very technical, so it was very important to stay in the front because of the sharp corners,” said Hirsch, who came into the picture between laps 4-5.
“I knew I had flexibility [freedom to move his front wheel as desired], so I wanted to make sure I didn’t get stuck in a corner or stuck in a situation where it’s hard to get out,” said Hirsch, who has been in this country one year. “My team saved me a lot of energy by chasing some breakaways and by bringing them back to the peloton [pack] so that I don’t have to work so much. It’s not because of me but because of this great team [United Healthcare] that we won today.”
The strategy to keep Hirsch in reserve for the final push was designed with two goals in mind. First, get United Healthcare at least a top-three overall. Second, get a stage win.
They achieved the second but not the first because the rider who was in third place before the criterium, Jonathan Atwell, missed by one place: he was fourth behind Martin, Carbon Racing’s Brian Batke and Panther’s Andy Clarke.
Panther’s Kirk Albers of Columbus was the runnerup behind Hirsch, but Martin thinks Albers could have benefited from a Martin draft and possibly won because Albers had the lead until the top of the Hazel Street hill near the finish line.
“He was contributing by taking a lot of chasing and, towards the end, I actually asked him if I could give him a lead-out for the sprint, but he said, ‘no,’ it’s OK and he ends up almost winning,” Martin said in describing his offer.
“I felt bad I could have returned the favor. The last lap was pretty hectic and we were jostling for position before the last turn.
Martin said that now-relocated Panther teammate Eric Hamilton won the overall title in 2011.
Hirsch, from Southwest Germany, moved to Georgia a year ago and plans to start college soon on a cycling scholarship.
“Our guys were trying to stay up there [the front] since we had Paul [Martin leading overall],” the 43-year-old Albers said. “There were a lot of accelerations in the last few laps, so I was trying to keep up the best I could. I didn’t think I’d be able to hold on that long.”
Albers was among the front group around lap 6 or so, then led with a half-lap to go. After he started his sprint, only Hirsch passed him.
“I was definitely leading to the bottom of the hill,” he said. “I don’t think he started to come around me until right at the top. Had the finish line been another 10-15 meters closer, I might have held him off.”
Albers won Saturday’s road race and the 2010 RR. He was fourth in 2011.
Panther Racing, a business-to-business expediting shipping company, is based out of Seville. Clarke, third-place overall, is the Panther CEO.
Martin was thankful for no rain during his race.
“As I pulled up, I watched one of the Cat 3 riders slide out in the downhill turn, so you never want to see that,” he said.
Hirsch is from southwest Germany near the border of France. He said the Tour de France came into Germany a few years ago.
“The [Tour de France] atmosphere is great.” said Hirsch, who comes from a cycling family: his dad was a pro racer and his grandfather was very good track racer.