Cyclist Craven improves on rankings in Italy

AFTER being forced to miss the African Games due to illness, cyclist Dan Craven bounced back to top form by netting two important results in one weekend.

On Saturday, Craven finished second in the UCI 1.2 ranked Giro Valli Aretine and then helped his Swiss-based team (www.teamFidiBC.com) win the team competition the next day at the Giro del Casentino, also 1.2 ranked, by finishing 16th. Both races were held over 160 km in central Italy, against top Italian development teams and several national teams with approximately 180 starters each day.Both races went over several climbs and conditions were made even harder by the heat, over 35 degrees, and the side winds which made the racing tricky.During Saturday’s race, Craven was the sole representative from his team in a 30-man break away after 50 km.This put him in a difficult situation as he had to watch every move on his own.Fortunately the conditions caused the group to steadily shrink and with 40 km to go Craven found himself at the base of the last climb in a select group of 10.A well-timed attack by Craven caused the group to crumble as only two riders were able to follow the increase in pace.Crossing the summit the threesome were still together but a misjudged corner by one of the others split the group and Italy’s big hope for the future, Davide Malacarne, took the opportunity to get away and solo to the line.Craven was then able to win the sprint for second place thus securing him some valuable UCI points.The next day, Craven was able to do less work as his team played a bigger role in the race.After the last climb of 9 km.TeamfidiBC.com was represented by five riders in the whittled down group of 50 riders.Coming into the final 3 km the ream was called upon to lead out Matteo Montanari for the sprint.The pace was high enough to split what was left of the group but a crash in the last corner caused some chaos leaving Matteo with fifth place.Dan was able to come in shortly afterwards in 16th place making for a very successful weekend.Both races were held over 160 km in central Italy, against top Italian development teams and several national teams with approximately 180 starters each day.Both races went over several climbs and conditions were made even harder by the heat, over 35 degrees, and the side winds which made the racing tricky.During Saturday’s race, Craven was the sole representative from his team in a 30-man break away after 50 km.This put him in a difficult situation as he had to watch every move on his own.Fortunately the conditions caused the group to steadily shrink and with 40 km to go Craven found himself at the base of the last climb in a select group of 10.A well-timed attack by Craven caused the group to crumble as only two riders were able to follow the increase in pace.Crossing the summit the threesome were still together but a misjudged corner by one of the others split the group and Italy’s big hope for the future, Davide Malacarne, took the opportunity to get away and solo to the line.Craven was then able to win the sprint for second place thus securing him some valuable UCI points.The next day, Craven was able to do less work as his team played a bigger role in the race.After the last climb of 9 km.TeamfidiBC.com was represented by five riders in the whittled down group of 50 riders.Coming into the final 3 km the ream was called upon to lead out Matteo Montanari for the sprint.The pace was high enough to split what was left of the group but a crash in the last corner caused some chaos leaving Matteo with fifth place.Dan was able to come in shortly afterwards in 16th place making for a very successful weekend.