USA Crits leader out for the season

Mark Hekman gets a call-up in Charlotte

Mark Hekman gets a call-up in Charlotte (Image credit: Emory Ball)

Abercrombie & Fitch's criterium strong man Mark Hekman, winner of this year's Athens Twilight criterium, looked like a shoo-in to win the USA Crits series until a broken heel smashed his shot at stepping onto the top of the final podium in Las Vegas next month. Hekman was leading out his team-mate Marco Aledia in the US Elite Criterium Championship when the rainy, slick conditions spelled his demise.