Estevez and Stoveld Win in Opposite Ways at the Electric City Classic in Scranton, PA

27 Aug Estevez and Stoveld Win in Opposite Ways at the Electric City Classic in Scranton, PA

The Electric City Classic pb Geisinger Health returned to Scranton, PA, as the PA State Championship event after a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19. The 10-Turn course is 1.1 miles in length, on a compact downtown course with 7 left and 3 right turns. The course is designed by the race director Kacey Lloyd. 

Pro Women saw a punchy start to their race with multiple primes offered in the 20 Lap race. Debbie Milne (Team Suprabars.com) collecting the first four primes to collect $300 before the halfway mark. But the early efforts were countered by Kimberly Stoveld (Unattached). She time trialed off the front to build a 20-second lead. She was nearly out of sight on the long straightaways but the field was unable to bring her back, despite a $200 prime for the field with 2 laps to go, won by Taylor Kuyk-White (Philly Bike Expo). Stoveld held her advantage to win with a comfortable margin over Gianna Alvino (Unattached) and Stephanie Halamek (Philly Bike Expo). 

“I’m so surprised I won,” stated Stoveld in the post-race interview. “Everyone here is amazing, but I was confident that my move would work,” she remarked after thinking about the race a bit. “But everyone here is really good, and I knew I couldn’t win from a sprint.”

The men’s race saw early aggressive tactics. Danny Estevez (Best Buddies Racing) took the first prime of the night and got a 5-second advantage on the field. The field brought him back quickly, and the reshuffling saw Matt McLoone (Philly Lightning) jump away and build a good advantage. He soaked up a prime but was quickly brought back. The counterattack of this move saw Manuel Porzner (DCC) build the largest gap of the race. He built a 25-second advantage at one point and was out of sight even on the long stretches of road. With 9 laps remaining, Team Skyline and Automattic Racing went to the front. Initially, Porzner held his advantage, but after being out front for over 10 laps, his advantage could not hold off Team Skyline. As soon as the catch was made, Gabe Lloyd called a $200 prime and it forced an acceleration that put Team Skyline on defense against the other teams, but Clayton Travis was able to hold on and win the prime. But in the final five laps, the pressure from other teams built and Thomas Gibbons forced an acceleration. Team Skyline took back control on the last lap but it was short-lived as Gibbons was leading out Davey Dawson while both Ryan Jastrab (Wildlife Generations Pro Cycling) and Estevez fought for Gibbons’s wheel. Cesar Marte (Emauel iBarry and 2nd Bike Team) also fought for the wheel, while Gibbons took over the front leading into Turn 10. The final kick up Wyoming Ave is 220m, and Gibbons was able to take it just past 200 but Estevez, Jastrab and Marte jumped around with Estevez having the strongest final kick to the line to take the win.

“Everyone was really respectful out there, which I really appreciated. I fought for Gibbons’s wheel late, kind of pushing (Davey) Dawson off the wheel,” Estevez recalled in his post-race interview. “But, that’s bike racing, and I was able to finish it off.”

Pro 1/2/3 Women Results: https://my.raceresult.com/216124/#6_2DD4FF

Pro 1-2 Men Results https://my.raceresult.com/216124/#7_9C7CB5 

For more race insights, check instagram.com/electriccityclassic

Photos by David Bracetty and Vishrut Garg