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Davidenko wins hard-fought Connecticut opener

By J.P. Partland
Published: May. 20, 2005
Baldwin leads his Navigators mob through a corner with five laps to go
Baldwin leads his Navigators mob through a corner with five laps to go
Photo: Casey B. Gibson

“I came around the last corner, saw the line, and knew I had to go." Winning stage 1 of the Tour of Connecticut on Friday was that simple for Vassili Davidenko (Navigators Insurance).

Davidenko early in the race, looking relaxed
Davidenko early in the race, looking relaxed
Photo: Casey B. Gibson

The Russian sprinter has been on a tear of late, but he needed his team to make the victory happen. The 80-lap race around the half-mile rectangle around the New Haven commons was a festival of speed. Despite a fairly steady stream of attacks, no one could get more than a handful of seconds, and not for very long. With both the Navigators and Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home squads looking to keep things together for their respective sprinters, nothing was going to go far.

With 16 laps to go, Navigators came to the front and picked up the pace. Six laps later, they started drilling it, as Colavita prepared to launch Argentine Juan Jose Haedo.

Geoff Kabush airing out his sideburns
Geoff Kabush airing out his sideburns
Photo: Casey B. Gibson

In the final lap, the Colavita train overwhelmed the Navigators, and Davidenko came by leadout man Oleg Grichkine, telling him to sit behind to prevent anyone else from grabbing his wheel.

With Davidenko sitting in third position going into the final corner, Colavita’s Mark McCormack took teammate Haedo on a wide turn, the fast line for the race. Davidenko stayed to the right and got an early jump on Haedo for the win.

Grishkin and Haedo hassle for the same space
Grishkin and Haedo hassle for the same space
Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Haedo hung on for second, with teammate Sebastian Alexandre third. Last year’s runner up for both the stage and race, Charles Dionne (Webcor Builders), crossed in fourth. All of the contenders finished in the same time.

Saturday’s Climbers Cup stage, a brutal circuit race in Waterbury, should play out differently than it did last year. Then, the race was decided on points. This year, it will be decided on time.

Navigators on the front with two to go . . .
Navigators on the front with two to go . . .
Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Tour of Connecticut
May 20-22
New Haven Criterium
1. Vasili Davidenko (Rus), Navigators Insurance, 40mi in 1:17:28
2. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg), Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home, 1:17:32
3. Sebastian Alexandre (Arg), Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home, 1:17:36
4. Charles Dionne (Can), Webcor Builders, 1:17:40
5. Alejandro Acton (Arg), North Atlantic Velo, same time
6. Oleg Grichkine (Rus), Navigators Insurance, s.t.
7. Adam Hodges-Myerson, Team Nerac.com, s.t.
8. Marty Nothstein, Navigators Insurance, s.t.
9. Eneas Freyre (Sp), TargeTraining, s.t.
10. Todd Wells, Capital Velo, s.t.
11. Sprinters jersey: Alexandre

For complete results, see the Tour of Connecticut website.

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