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Dominguez, Van Gilder win Inaugural Vegas World Criterium Champs

Published: Sep. 28, 2007
A familiar face showed up in the Industry Crit. Mario's still Super, eh?
A familiar face showed up in the Industry Crit. Mario's still Super, eh?
Photo: Matt Carter

Cuban sprinter Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United) caught and passed a surging Martin Gilbert (Kelly Benefit Strategies) on the last of 55 laps to win the inaugural Vegas World Criterium championships on Thursday. The race, held in the parking lot of the Mandalay Bay hotel/casino in Las Vegas, marked the final event of the 2007 USA Crits series.

“I only had one bullet to fire today and I waited until the end,” said Dominguez, who admitted his legs lacked their normal kick after the Tour of Missouri. Dominguez won two stages and the point’s jersey in that race.

The Las Vegas race marked the first time a major road race has been held in conjunction with September’s Interbike trade show. It was held one night after the September 26th ’Cross Vegas cyclo-cross race — another first for Interbike.

Rock & Republic, a high-end fashion company that also sponsors the Rock Racing cycling team, covered the cost of the ‘Vegas Criterium. The race took on a distinctly “Las Vegas” flavor, with spotlights, hired runway models and a party atmosphere. A thousands-strong crowd journeyed down the Las Vegas strip from the Interbike show at the Venetian Hotel to watch the evening races.

Bright lights big city
Bright lights big city
Photo: Matt Carter

“We want to make this bike race f-cking cool — we want to make it edgy and entertaining,” said Michael Ball, Rock & Republic’s founder and CEO and a Las Vegas native. “This is our first time out at Interbike and we’re looking for some exposure.”

Indeed the company also stepped in with sizable prime list throughout the night Rock Racing and other sponsors offered up cash primes. Nearly ever lap carried a $100 prize amount, with other primes as high as $500. Ball, himself offered up a $5000 prime to the winner of the penultimate lap.

“I don’t like to give out numbers, but it’s not significant for a company my size,” Ball said. “I put on fashion shows that go for $3 million. But, I’ll be honest; this is a lot more fun.”

The cash primes whipped the men’s race into a fury early, with early attacks by Slipstream-Chipotle riders Mike Friedman and Brad Huff whittling down the pack. Toyota-United, Rock Racing and Kelly Benefits all took turns controlling the pace. But the $5000 prize for the next-to-last lap sent Gilbert, winner of the 2007 USPRO criterium race in Downer’s Grove, Illinois, surging off the front. After a crash in the field’s midsection on the final lap slowed the chase, Gilbert appeared to have the win secured. But Dominguez, who sat in the field for the entirety of the race, slowly clawed his way on to the Kelly Benefits rider’s wheel. The hulking Cuban passed Gilbert in the final stretch to take the win.

“Before the race I said I just don’t want to crash or get injured,” Dominguez said. “I was very cautious.”

Patience also paid off for Van Gilder, whose Cheerwine team successfully controlled the women’s event through 40 laps of racing. With teammate Chrissy Ruitler stringing out the women’s field through the final lap, the 42-year-old Van Gilder topped Rochelle Gilmore (Menikini-Selle Italia) and Shontell Gauthier (Bicycle Sport Shop) in the finishing straight to take the victory.

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