Culver City, Calif. – United States criterium champion Rahsaan Bahati of Rock Racing will headline a star-studded field at Saturday’s Sunny King Criterium, a National Racing Calendar (NRC) event.
Bahati will be joined by Rock Racing teammates Cesar Grajales and Nic Sanderson for the 60-lap race around a four-corner, 0.7-mile course that serves as the centerpiece of the Noble Street festival in downtown Anniston, Ala. A prize purse of $15,000 is up for grabs.
“I’m excited to be a part of a race that traditionally showcased some great sprinters,” Bahati said. “I have had some good success at big one-day criteriums like Sunny King, so I’m looking forward to giving this one my best shot.”
Bahati is coming off a victory Sunday at the Dana Point Grand Prix, an NRC event in Dana Point, Calif. It was his third win of the year, adding to victories at the Dare to Race in Ontario, Calif., and the Merco Classic Downtown Criterium on Feb. 28 in Merced, Calif. He also earned a runner-up placing and two third-place finishes at races in March.
“Unfortunately, I have not been able to race as many times as I would have liked,” Bahati said. “So I’m making the most of every opportunity. When I race, I’m not just there to show up. I’m definitely trying to win.”
Last year, the 27-year-old won nine times, including the Athens Twilight criterium, the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix and two stages of the International Cycling Classic. His victory at the Saab USA Cycling Professional Criterium Championship last August at Downers Grove, Ill., was one of three national titles Rock Racing won in 2008.
The Sunny King Criterium has seen wins from some of the most notable names in the professional peloton, including J.J. Haedo (2005, 2006) who now rides for Saxo Bank, and Hilton Clarke (2008), who has also joined Haedo in the European peloton.
Race director Mike Poe said he is excited that Bahati’s stars-and-stripes jersey will be part of the race that will also include riders from the OUCH presented by Maxxis Cycling Team, Kenda Pro Cycling Presented by Spinergy, Colavita-Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light, Kelly Benefit Strategies, Jelly Belly Pro Cycling, Bissell Pro Cycling and Team Mountain Khakis. More details are available at www.sunnykingcriterium.com.
“We are excited to welcome Rahsaan and his Rock Racing teammates, and all of the other teams to Sunny King,” Poe said. “It looks like we'll have an exciting night of racing in Anniston again this year, hosting the top criterium specialists in the country.”
The Rock Racing team is experiencing unprecedented success of late, celebrating back-to-back victories this week at the Vuelta a Asturias in Spain. Glen Chadwick won Tuesday’s stage and Oscar Sevilla prevailed in Wednesday’s race to raise the team’s win total to 15 for the season.
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