This past weekend saw one of the biggest East Coast events, the Mt Holly Gran Prix take place in New Jersey.

With over 155 riders on the line with members from numerous Professional Teams including Navigators, Colavita, Target Training, Nerac, VMG along with top notch amateur teams such as Fruita De Frutta, GS Mengoni, High Gear Cycling, Sackonet and of course Champion System it was to be a tough event.

Halfway through the first of the 7 outer laps, Mt Holly is run very similar to a Belgian Kermesse event with numerous big laps followed by smaller criterium style loops, the sky unleashed a torrential rain storm of the highest magnitude. With an average speed of 28.8 mph for the first lap in the pouring RAIN, no working brakes, very little to no visibility, puddles from flash flooding all over the course and the best riders around all amped up to get in a break the race was heading for disaster at a very high rate of speed.

In the same spot where the rain started in the previous lap and right were the course was 1.5 lane, narrow, with ditches on both sides of the road and trees just beyond the peloton came to a crashing halt with over 75 riders hitting the deck or getting stopped by the bodies on the road. The crash happened in the front 10 riders and approximately only 45 riders made it through to contest the remainder of the event.

We had 4 riders either chasing, stopped or with mechanical after the crash with 2 riders in the lead group, Tom Bencivengo and Guest rider for the day Dan Zmolik.

Our pair continued the event staying in contact with the main group.

On the final circuits Dan Zmolik was taken out in the last alp crucial turn by a “not to be named” Professional rider and Tom Bencivengo placed 36th for the day in the main group.

While we did not see our team and personal goals achieved we are all grateful that nobody on the Champion System team was injured in the crash and that Tom and Daniel had great rides

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