Peter Bell notched up a spot from last week’s result at the Attleboro criterium, netting a third place podium
finish at the Donovan-Ruhlman Memorial Naugatuck Criterium. Flying the flag alone,
strategy would seem to dictate a conservative approach to the race. “I just felt good. I sat in for the first ten laps and then got as animated as I could.” Bell threw caution to the wind and became an instigator.
The strong former swimmer originally from Greenfield, MA was able to positioned himself in all of the major breaks of the day,
the last of which was caught with 10 laps to go. With two riders dangling off the front,
it looked to be coming back for a field sprint. But good team work from CCB allowed
for Aliksander Biallauski and his two counterparts Eneas Freyre (Targetraining) and
Alister Ratcliff (BikeReg.com / Cannondale) to begin to extend their advantage. Seeing
the danger in the three strong men off the front, Bell launched a bridge move with Ernest
Tautkus (CCNS) with only a few laps remaining. Shortly after the junction to the break,
the cat and mouse games began, while the petulant peleton, now provoked, began to
pedal in earnest.

After a few moves, the group sat up in anticipation of the sprint. Ratcliff launched an impeccably timed
move, shortly followed by a wide swinging move from Freyre that secured first
and second for the two respectively. Bell was the next to open up his sprint, and despite
closing in on the two ahead, there was too much ground to make up in too little time.
With the peloton on their heels, the whole group was credited with the same time.
Look for a strong contingent of MetLife riders to toe the line at the 12th Tour of the
Hilltowns next Saturday, where Bell will look to defend his 2009 Massachusetts state
road title, and Chris Coutu will look to re-up his 2009 Masters road title.