UPDATED: Liberty Cycle Brings International Bike Race to Town [VIDEO]

For the sixth year in a row, of Basking Ridge brought the BaseCamp International Bike Race to downtown Basking Ridge for a pro-cycling event that each year has drawn professional cyclists from around the globe, and spectators from throughout the area.

The race, listed on the National Criterium Calendar, was won by Clinton Avery of New Zealand, with the Champion Systems Pro Cycling Team, said Ingrid Cordasco, co-owner of Liberty Cycle.

Avery finished the 44 laps around a 1.1 mile course through the streets of Basking Ridge center in 1:28:55, according to information from Liberty Cycle on Thursday night.

Second-place winner was James Stemper of Wisconsin, riding for Kenda/5hr Energy p/b Geargrinder; and third-place winner was Andres Faustino Alzate of Colombia, riding for Team Exergy, according to information from Liberty Cycle.

The race, with longtime sponsors of Verizon Wireless and BaseCamp Adventure Sports of Bernardsville, ended up with 89 starters and 36 finishers, said Greg Cordasco, co-owner of Liberty Cycle.

The 44 laps were the scene of epic battles for position over eight challenging turns and a final climb to the finish that tested the courage, endurance, and close racing techniques of the athletes. Crashes also were a part of the action.

The race, listed on the National Criterium Calendar, had beforehand attracted more than 100 professional cyclists worldwide, including last year’s winner, "sprint sensation" Robert Förster of Germany, said Cordasco, himself a competitive cyclist.

The results listing cyclists from around the world who competed in the race included Geron Williams from the Liberty Cycle team.

Outdoor specialty retailer Base Camp Adventure Sports, now located in Bernardsville, once again is  the lead sponsor for the race, which is being presented by according to Liberty Cycle. The race offers $15,000 in prize money for individual cyclists and teams, as well as featuring a "juicy" technical course of turns and sprints to lure top riders, Cordasco said.

Steve St. Clair of Liberty Cycle said that about 2,000 spectators lined the streets, watching as a three-man breakaway shot off the front and began to build distance from the main "peloton," the larger group of riders. "This is always a risky move, especially early in a race, because the riders in the breakaway don't have the protection from the wind that a large group provides. Yet the three riders off the front stayed away and built their lead to over one-minute," he said.

St. Clair reported thaqt second chase group formed off the front of the peloton attempting to get to the smaller break-away. "With 10 laps to go, the peloton began to organize itself to chase down the breakaways. They had absorbed the group of seven within a few laps."

With two laps to go, it was clear the peloton was bent on catching the three-man breakaway, he said. With just one lap to go, they had closed to about 100 yards. Then, as the riders flew through the right turn onto Henry Street and out of sight, the crowd wondered if the 3-man group would be caught. "It certainly looked like they would."

About two minutes later, the leading motorcycle came into view and right behind him, the entire group was rushing up what the riders have nicknamed "Cemetery Hill" towards the finish line. It looked like the three-man breakaway had been caught, but as they sped towards the finish line, it was clear that three were still in the lead.

The three-man group ultimately managed to stay just yards ahead of the peloton in what was "definitely the most exciting finish in all the years of the BaseCamp International," St. Clair said.

Cordasco, who is behind the Base Camp International race, said, “Living in town and running Liberty Cycle here for 22 years makes this event a special one for me. To have the best cyclists in the world come to our beautiful town to compete is a dream come true." He said he thanks Bernards Township and the event's supportive sponsors for making the race possible.

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