Huff edges Williams at Dana Point Grand Prix

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Outfoxing a stacked UnitedHealthcare team, Jelly Belly's Brad Huff took his second Dana Point Grand Prix win today on a sunny afternoon in Southern California.

On the final lap of the 90 minute race, Huff, who also won the 2011 edition, tucked in behind a UnitedHealthcare lead out train and out-kicked the charging field on the final straightaway on California's iconic Pacific Coast Highway.

Twenty-two-year old Justin Williams (CashCall Mortgage) placed second while 20-year old Ben Swedberg (California Giant Berry Farms) took third ahead of fourth place Hilton Clarke (UnitedHealthcare).

The six-corner race took riders through a neighborhood of finely appointed, tile-roofed homes above the Pacific Ocean and Dana Point Harbor. An early three-man break containing Sergio Hernandez (Jelly Belly), Alex Darville (Hammer Nutrition), and Ian Moir (Kelly Benefit Strategies) split off the front some 20 minutes into the race. But with UnitedHealthcare strongman Karl Menzies at the front of the field, their effort did not last long.

Another breakaway got away some 50 minutes into the race, but when past Dana Point winner Rahsaan Bahati (Bahati Foundation) attacked the field in an attempt to bridge up to the break, alarm bells went off in the pack and the break of about 15 riders was absorbed.

CashCall Mortgage rider Stefano Barberi countered in a bold solo move on a gentle riser on the course's back stretch. Barberi's advantaged stretched to 30 seconds - at one point he was so far off the front that he was out of the field's sight. Before things could get out of hand, South African Jay Thomson took over duties for UnitedHealthcare at the front of the field and with seven laps remaining Barberi had been fished back to the peloton.

From that point on, UnitedHealthcare tightly controlled the sharp end of the race, but their efforts were for naught.

With five to go, Huff was jammed up some 50 riders back and relied on his Jelly Belly teammates for an escalator ride back up to the UnitedHealthcare floor. Then on the bell lap, Huff and youngsters Williams and Swedberg powered through in the last 100 meters to sweep the podium positions.

"It's impressive," Huff said about his win. "UnitedHealthcare took the front with about seven to go and I didn't know if it was going to happen because it was pretty hectic behind them. My team just did a hell of an effort to get me back up into position and I was able to finish it off."

"It feels great" to win a second Dana Point race, Huff added. "I've had a pretty rough season so far. I crashed in Taiwan and separated my AC joint, so I'm just happy to be here." He explained that he still has not fully recovered from the injury. "As long as I don't fall it's OK."

Commenting on the argy-bargy final laps, Huff noted that "everyone thought they were a sprinter and everyone thought they wanted to be on UnitedHealthcare's wheel. It kind of makes it a little dangerous for the actual sprinters." He later added, good naturedly, "But you know, that happens. I'm just proud of myself for being able to pull it out for the team."

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