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May 1, 2009

Sunny King Criterium: Organizers land big fish Bahati
By Joe Medley
Sports Columnist

The national champion is coming.

Put it on billboards. Play it on digital street signs. Anybody have a blowhorn?

And while we're at it, how about kudos to the folks who put together the annual Noble Street Festival and the cycling races that anchor it. They've pulled another coup.

Word came down late Wednesday that defending national criterium champion Rahsaan Bahati and two Rock Racing teammates will race in Saturday's Sunny King Criterium men's pro race in downtown Anniston.

That'll be him (and them), wearing red, white and blue uniforms that look like Tommy Hilfiger meets cycling. No one wraps themselves in the flag more tightly.

And no one with the 27-year-old Bahati's credentials has to dress loudly to stand out in a peloton.

"Anytime you have the reigning U.S. criterium champion at your event," chief organizer Mike Poe said, "it's big for the event."

It's also big, considering the where the event could be today, if not for past coups.

When organizers revived the local criteriums a few years back, they got help from the outside. The Tour de Georgia and other crits in the Southeast drew top riders to this part of the country, and many came here, too.

Then along came economic woes, starting in 2008. Sponsorship ills scratched this year's Tour de Georgia.

Economic troubles also busted up teams. Toyota-United, which has dominated this race the past few years, learned while in Anniston last year that their sponsorship would not be renewed.

The Sunny King Criterium also no longer has a place on the Southeast Criterium Series schedule. As of last year, the race no longer counts in the Southeast Crit points.

To think what this year's race could have looked like, but enthusiastic organizers began inoculating the local event against major hits years ago. They impressed USA Cycling enough that it placed the Sunny King on its National Racing Calendar, starting in 2006.

A place on the NRC means the Sunny King race counts for USA Cycling points. Those mean more than Southeast Crit points.

The Sunny King's $15,000 in prize money also helps to keep top riders interested, and so does the race's history. Recent winners such as J.J. Haedo (2005-06) and Hilton Clarke (2008) have gone on to sign with pro teams touring Europe, the sport's top tier.

So Bahati, described by cycling enthusiasts such as Anniston urologist Terry Phillis as a "rock star," will fly from his home state of California to ride in the Sunny King Criterium.

He came to the Southeast last year to run in the Athens, Ga., criterium and won. He's flying here to participate in the Anniston race this year.

"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, set to race with Rock Racing teammates Cesar Grajales and Nic Sanderson for 60 laps around downtown Anniston, is coming off a victory Sunday at the Dana Point (Calif.) Grand Prix. It was his third win this year.

He also has a runner-up finish and two thirds in March races.

"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."

He won nine races in 2008, including the Athens Twilight criterium. His victory at the Saab USA Cycling Professional Criterium Championship in August was one of three national titles Rock Racing won in 2008.

Bahati brings more than credentials. He brings state ties - his mom is a Birmingham native, and his grandmother lives there - and local appeal.

"Rahsaan is viewed as a leader in the American Criterium peloton and is a crowd favorite at any race he chooses to attend," Poe said. "I think his appeal with fans is his authentic and personable nature, which is evident as soon as you meet him or hear him interviewed.

"He places family first and loves to race his bike. When you talk with him on the phone, you are very likely to hear drums in the background from one of his children at play."

Bahati keeps the drumbeat going - and the horn tooting - for the Sunny King Criterium

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