Charlotte, N.C. - For three years, the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis has been close to winning the Charlotte Criterium, this year re-named the Presbyterian Healthcare Invitational Criterium, after starting as the Bank of America Invitational. After finishing second the first two years, 2006 was particularly painful - literally and figuratively - when almost the entire team crashed out late in the race on the rain-soaked course.

This year, all of that changed.

Frank Pipp of Health Net Presented by Maxxis bested Jesse Anthony (Kodak Gallery-Sierra Nevada) in a two-up sprint after the two friends and training partners escaped the relatively slow-moving peloton with eight laps remaining.

"I saw Jesse jump and I just went with him," Pipp said. "Just like that, our lead got out to 20 seconds. We traded pulls, and I figured at least with Rory (Sutherland) and Karl (Menzies) setting up back in the bunch, we might be able to burn off some people chasing and give those guys a free ride to the line."

But despite all but two teams missing the break, no team seemed motivated to mount a chase. As the laps ticked down, the gap ticked up, and with three trips around the 2 km course remaining, the gap was out to 30 seconds.

Having an on-form Menzies fresh off three stage wins and the overall title of the International Tour de 'Toona back in the bunch with Sutherland, who lead out Menzies for all three of his stage wins, likely worked to Pipp and Anthony's advantage, as perhaps no other team wanted to drag the big Tasmanian to the line.

"There should've been plenty of teams working to pull us back, but it didn't happen," Pipp said.

When the lead duo came through the start finish line for the bell lap, the gap stood at 28 seconds, and Pipp had to change strategy. "I had to start thinking about how I was going to finish. On the last lap, Jesse was super strong. I knew that if I took even pulls with him to the finish I didn't think I could win. I have a pretty good sprint, but that can take the pop out of your legs.

"I took even pulls with him for the first half of the lap, but when we came through the start/finish line on the opposite side of the course, Jesse came through and I told myself I wouldn't pull through again. I knew we had enough time to play the cat-and-mouse game at the end."

The games started in the finishing straight. Anthony opened up the sprint trying to shake off Pipp and then sat up. He went again, but to no avail. "There was no way I was gonna lose his wheel," Pipp said. The final time Anthony opened it up for good, but Pipp came around him in the final 50 meters to take the big victory.

"It was a great night for the team," Pipp said. "We were in good position all night. Murph (John Murphy) was up the road covering early moves. Shawn (Milne) was up the road covering moves. And it was great for me to be out front. But I know without the rest of the boys back there, it wouldn't have ended the way it did. Having Karl back there waiting took the pressure off."

Late in the race, Yosvany Falcon (AEG-Toshiba-JetNetwork) jumped off the peloton to open a gap and take third, The team opted not to chase in order to prevent bringing the rest of the bunch up to Pipp and Anthony as they neared the end of the race and slowed to play tactics. As a result, Menzies finished 5th in the bunch sprint.

Notes

Along with taking the win in the NRC 1.2-rated race, Pipp also took home the $25,000 first place check. The same six-man squad will be in action Sunday in Winston-Salem, N.C. at the Hanes Park Criterium.