BEVERLY — Some 100 riders lined up for the Elite Men's portion of the second annual Beverly Gran Prix bike race, but in the end it was only a two-man race.
Fans from around the North Shore packed themselves on both sides of Cabot Street and when the sun set and the dust cleared, the Beverly faithful couldn't have asked for anything more as they witnessed two Beverly residents, Tim Johnson and Jesse Anthony, battle all the way to the finish line with the 33-year-old Johnson claiming the top spot.
Johnson did it in come-from-behind fashion with a time of 58 minutes 35 seconds. Anthony finished just milliseconds behind.
"It was pretty much a dream scenario," said Johnson, whose smile was wider than the 25-second gap he overcame to win. "For the two of us (Johnson and Anthony) to be in such a small group at the end, get a gap like that and sprint it out, that was pretty cool."
Gavin Mannion of Dedham, who ended up taking third place, began the race with a fast pace and started to build a gap between himself and the rest of the competitors until Anthony decided to make a move. The two rode together with a commanding lead from the chase group for over half the race until just 14 laps remained, when Johnson started to emerge from the trailing group to catch both Mannion and Anthony.
"I thought they (Mannion and Anthony) were gone. I didn't think I was going to catch them," explained Johnson. "We had a chaser group come out and we made up about half the ground. Then I went and made the jump alone. You use everyone you can to help out just a little bit."
Johnson spoke more of what he considered the turning point in the race and how he was able to catch Mannion and Anthony after the two had built such a commanding lead.
"In an hour-long race people tire out after 45 minutes, so if you make a big effort (later) you usually have a bigger impact. In the beginning anyone can make that impact," said Johnson.
With under 10 laps to go in the race Mannion, Anthony and Johnson actually lapped the remaining competitors, which created an opportunity for the two men from Beverly to make a break and cut the threesome down to a twosome. Johnson and Anthony strategically weaved through the main pack and eventually emerged out front with Mannion getting caught up in the traffic and effectively shunning him from the top two spots.
Mannion talked about the change in pace when Johnson started to make his push for the front.
"Well, it got a lot faster, so it hurt," said Mannion. "I was trying to hold my ground, but weaving through the field got me a little out of position and when I looked up they were gone."
From that point on, it was a close, two-man fight to the finish.
"We (Anthony and Johnson) got close to the end of race, put our heads down and it was a full gas sprint to the finish," explained the 25-year-old Anthony, who is in his fourth year as a pro.
"I didn't know we were going to lap the field, but then I looked up and saw the back of them. I was like game on, things get a little easier when we get to (the pack). I tried to open up my sprint early on the back stretch to see if I could get a gap on Tim, but he was riding really strong tonight and got me on the last corner. He is a real experienced racer. Hats off to him, it was a great race."
For Johnson, the high level of competition made the hour long event seem more like an eternity.
"The race may only be an hour long, but it felt like forever. Every corner we were standing up and sprinting out of," After the race both Anthony and Johnson were thrilled with the way the town of Beverly came out in full to show its support.
"Last year we kind of threw it (the race) together but a bunch of people came out," said Johnson. "It looks like it has doubled from last year —so I would say it's a success."
"I can't even describe it," said Anthony. "From the start the crowd was electric and what a huge crowd is out here, look how packed Cabot (Street) is. I went off crowd energy and it kept me in the whole race."
GRAN PRIX OF BEVERLY Men's RESULTS
MEN'S PRO ELITE
NAMEHOMETOWN
1. Tim JohnsonBeverly
2. Jesse AnthonyBeverly
3. Gavin MannionDedham
4. Luke KeoughSandwich
5. Ryan SerbelWest Hartford, Conn.
6. Adam MyersonBoston
7. Dylan McNicholasStratham , NH
8. Peter BellCambridge
9. Robbie KingNorth Andover
10. Benjamin ZawackiClemson, SC
11. Peter BradshawBoston
12. Mark McCormackFoxrow
13. Jake KeoughSandwich
14. Jon BrunoBoston
15. Jim ThomasBoston
16. Jeremy PowersBoston
17. Kevin WolfsonBoston
18. Ernest TautkusCasino Land, Conn.
19. Philip WongBeverly
20. Ciaran ManganBrighton
21. Tobi SchulteBrighton
22. Pat GoguenHopedale
23. Kyle BruleyBrookline
24. James MorrisonNewton
25. Kurt SchmidMarblehead
26. Landen Wark-AceboWaltham
27. Chandler DelinksIpswich
28. Arthur MoranBoston
29. Gregg IzzoBoston
30. Brian WilochoskiDanvers
31. Chris CoutuUpton
32. Colin MurphyCambridge
33. Tyler MunroeNorth Andover
34. Ricky LoweNorth Andover
35. Emerson OronteCohasset
36. Craig HarrisonBartlett, N.H.
37. Jon BernhardNewburyport
38. Joseph AckermanWoburn
39. Tom GosselinOld Orchard Beach, Maine
40. Manny GoguenHopedale
41. Dominic ChalifouxBoston
42. Ryan KellyDover, N.H.
43. Glenn PeckPeterborough, N.H.
44. Mike RowellBedford
45. Sam Rosenholtz Brookline
46. Sam MorseCohasset
47. Eric CarlsonAmherst, N.H.
48. Andrew KrulewitzSomerville
49. Rick KotchRehobeth
50. Nate MorseCohasset
MEN'S AMATEUR
NAMEHOMETOWN
1. Kenneth ThomanIpswich
2. Edward UhringHadley
3. Colin ReuterSomerville
4. Alfred BissellBoxford
5. Geoff McIntoshConcord, N.H.
6. Gregory BrownGrantham, N.H.
7. John SmithActon
8. Tommy GoguenHopedale
9. Gerald HarrisPeabody
10. Matthew MillerRoslindale
11. Paul McDonaghWinchester
12. Josh AnthonyBillerica
13. Matt LaskerWakefield
14. Jerry De ZutterHudson
15. Kevin SweeneyMedford
16. David HalliganBeverly
17. Rich OliverLeominster
18. Michael BrierProvidence, R.I.
19. Keith HartsteinMedfield
20. Ian WhittleJamacia Plain
