FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Princeton, Boston College take wins at March 2, 2003 Rutgers Gardens
Criterium

(Piscataway, NJ) - Princeton University and Boston College scored
respective Division 1 and 2 collegiate team victories at the Eastern
Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC) season opener hosted by Rutgers
University on March 2, 2003. As they pull into the lead of the season-
long ECCC points standings, both teams have made a bold statement to
their competition.

After a weather-related cancellation of March 1st's circuit race,
the Rutgers team worked throughout the night to prepare the course
for Sunday's criterium. The closed course on the beautiful grounds
of the Rutgers Botanical Gardens featured several technical corners,
long straight-aways, and a fast, flat sprint finish.

With an incredible 176 competitors despite the absence of several
large teams following Saturday's race cancellation, the ECCC season
looks to be heating up early. Many first-time racers took to the
road for the Men D, Men C, and Women B events. As these fields
raced around the rain-soaked course, many riders gained valuable
race experience and improved their bike handling skills.

The Men's B event saw a number of moves launch off the front of the
tightly stacked field. Boston College riders Torey Walsh and
Jonathan Keephart rode visibly at the front for much of the race,
covering attacks and controlling the field. In the final field
sprint, they managed to net second and fourth places to gain many
critical points for their school.

The Women's A event was wide open after the graduation of a number of
stars from the 2002 season, and the field wasted no time in sorting out
the who's who of the lead group. The front group of four was created
after Harvard team tactics set up Amy Kerdok (Harvard) for a blistering
attack. Marissa Kellogg (Yale), Emily O'Brien (Boston University),
and Rutgers' own Julia Kameron were the only ones to follow as Harvard
and Rutgers both controlled the pace back in the field. Despite many
attempts for riders to bridge across to the front of the race, the tactics
in the field proved insurmountable. As the leaders set up for the finish,
it was sprinter Kellogg clearly taking top honors and the first Women's A
ECCC Leader's Jersey.

The Men's A start line saw a number of competitors sizing up their
competition, wondering if all those hours on the trainer this winter
would stack up to a victory. The searing pace immediately strung out
the field as Princeton took turns at the front setting up their riders
for a break. The move finally went when the aggressor David Berryman
(UMass) seized the reins and went clear with Bobby Lea (Penn State),
Waclaw Godycki (Columbia), and Princeton riders Tyler Wren and Peter
Peumans. A crash created an opportunity for Lea and Godycki to move
clear of their breakaway companions and they worked together to lap the
field. In the final sprint, it was the trackie Lea edging out Godycki
to take the victory and the Men's A ECCC Leader's Jersey.

In addition to the incredible racing happening over the course of
the day, many competitors enjoyed the company of their conference
friends. As the event wound to a close, race co-promoter Simon
Koster remarked, "It's been raining all day, the temperature is in
the 40's, and everyone is having a great time." 

The Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC) includes colleges in
Delaware, New England, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. As they
compete from early March through April, ECCC teams vie for the top of the
season-long team points standings, Collegiate Nationals qualification
team spots, and the Ivy League trophy. The inexpensive races feature
team-oriented bicycle racing for all abilities with team pride, glory,
and honor as the only prize list.

The full 2003 ECCC schedule and results can be found at www.eccc-info.com.

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CONTACT INFORMATION
Mark Abramson
ECCC Conference Director
(617) 718-1742
mark@eccc-info.com