Ukranian Starchyk wins Snake Alley

Podium Insite has the results of the 2010 Snake Alley Criterium (bravo!)(photo credit right: Tristan Schouten) Podium Insite writes:

Ukrainian National Champion Volodymyr Starchyk (Amore e Vita) who despite starting a hundred riders back picked his way through the field to hit the front after 5 laps of the allotted 20 laps. The only man able to stay with Starchyk was former US road race champion Paul Martin (Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist) who was raked over the hot coals each time up the climb as the Ukrainian kept the pressure on. With 6 laps to go Martin was beset by misfortune as a mechanical issue forced him to fall away from Starchyk.
A chase group of 16 riders formed behind the two leaders from which Tristan Schouten (IS Corp) and Eric Marcotte (Team Pista Palace) emerged as the strong men, ditching their companions to join up with the unfortunate Martin. Starchyk kept on his metronomic pace on to claim a deserved victory. Schouten won the sprint for second ahead of Marcotte and Martin. Brad Huff (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) took the 12 man sprint for 5th.

This is Starchyk's 17th year as a cyclist and fourth year as a pro according to the bio at Cycling News. Prior to riding with Amore & Vita, he rode for Russian team Mapamap and Latvia's Bantprofi. He is the 2006 and 2009 Ukranian National Champion.

Schouten writes in his blog: I got off the front with Marcotte in chase of Paul Martin and 1 other rider who had been off most of the race with about 4 laps to go. This was the move I had been looking for and we drilled it. I had been off the front of the chase group earlier with Brian Jensen which I thought might be able to bridge, but I don't think Brian was feeling that great and after a lap we just kind of sat up. I wasn't suffering at all on the climb and could really stand up and just put the power down and my recovery over the top was great. I think everyone was suffering more and more with the heat late in the race and once we were away that late we were able to stay away and ended up catching Paul Martin after dropping his chain late. We didn't catch the lead rider, but I was able to outsprint the Marcotte and Martin for 2nd on the day. I was blown away taking a sprint against those two, it was a pretty special feeling standing on the podium at the race I've been coming to for about 10 years and dreaming of winning.