Holloway sprints out of the blocks

Daniel Holloway accidentally rode off the front of the peloton in the first kilometre of the TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championships held on Sunday. The youngster was hoping to test his legs against the stellar field in a final sprint, but instead spent more than half of the 250-kilometre American Classic off the front in a solo move.

"I didn't plan to go in the first 200 meters," Holloway said. "I just went off the line because everyone told me it was a fast start to the race. I went off like I normally would [in a criterium]. I heard I had a gap but I expected every one to follow. It looks dumb if you get a minute and then sit up because you don't want to be out there. Then I was in it for the long haul."

Holloway was competing in the event with the US National Team but normally races under the Garmin-Hollowesko Partners-Felt U23 banner. He made a name for himself after winning the 2007 US national elite criterium championships. "I don't really specialize in breakaways and I didn't anticipate it in the morning," he said. "My legs were not expecting to be hammered until the last 80 kilometres. I kind of had a free pass today to hang out until the finish and give it a crack."

Holloway's gap settled at a sizable five minutes but exploded to 13 minutes when the professional women's peloton caught and passed the main field. The men's field was neutralized behind the women until the finish of their race. "I could see that the gap was opening and that the women were so close to the men's field," he said. "I didn't worry about it. I was hoping to get neutralized, too, so I could relax and stretch. They neutralized the field and not me."