Armed Forces Team Competes in Lustadt Circuit Race
16 July 2006

The Armed Forces Team had some bad luck but managed a 24th place from Steve Mlujeak and a prime win from Michael Gallagher in the "Groβer Preis der Bäckerei Götz Lustadt" Circuit Race in Lustadt. This race was 45 laps of a 2.4km circuit for a total race distance of 108km.

Racing for the second day in a row in temperatures reaching 95 degrees, the Armed Forces Team faced this 108km circuit race as a test for the upcoming CISM Championship which will be run over 120km on a similar course profile. Eric Obergfell was sick early in the race and had to drop out. Shortly thereafter, both George Ganoung and Shawn Olin got caught up in separate crashes. Ganoung was able to get back in the race after a "free lap". Olin returned but was not able to get back to the main group and eventually had to abandon.

Even with this bit of bad luck, the Armed Forces Team was active throughout the race working to pull back breakaways and to protect sprinter Steve Mlujeak. In the final laps, as the race began to break up Mlujeak came through to finish in 24th.

The Armed Forces Team races again tomorrow night at the "1.Mackenbacher Abendkriterium" Criterium Race in Mackenbach (near Ramstein). This race begins at 1815 and will be a fast 72 laps over a 1km circuit.

The team is competing in these events to prepare for the Military World Cycling Championships (CISM) to be held in The Netherlands, 22-28 July.

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