VIDEO: Concord Man Wins Second Portsmouth Criterium

A Concord man won his second consecutive Pro Mens 1/2 Portsmouth Criterium race on Sunday by taking the lead less than 20 feet from the finish line.

"That's my specialty. I'm a sprinter," said Issac Howe, 26, who has been a professional cyclists for four years.

Howe hung tough during the entire 43-lap race and finished with a time of 57:58. The 53 cyclists who completed the race pedaled at a rate of 1:20 per lap through downtown Portsmouth along a course that encompassed Congress, Daniel, Penhallow, and State streets along with Middle Street.

Howe said he wasn't sure if he would win the race because he faced a tough challenge from cyclists who rode for the Hagens Bergman team. It wasn't until the final lap that Howe said he found that extra burst to surge ahead of the pack.

Howe also downplayed the fact that he was feeling under the weather. "I'm really rested," he said.

Cheering him on were his parents, David and Maryann Howe and his sister, Avril Howe. With three laps to go, Avril Howe said her brother looked like he was in seventh place. But she also said that he typically tries to take the lead at the very end of his races. Somehow, some way, Issac Howe did just that.

What follows is a video that includes the amazing finish of Issac Howe's second Portsmouth Criterium title.