Huff edges Williams at Dana Point Grand Prix

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."

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Brad Huff (Jelly Belly Cycling)1:28:52
2Justin Williams (CashCall Mortgage)Row 1 - Cell 2
3Benjamin Swedberg (California Giant Cycling)Row 2 - Cell 2
4Hilton Clarke (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team)Row 3 - Cell 2
5Ken Hanson (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)Row 4 - Cell 2
6Luke Keough (Mountain Khakis/SmartStop)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Alex Darville (Hammer Nutrition/CMG Racing Team)Row 6 - Cell 2
8Rahsaan Bahati (Bahati Foundation-CA)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Sean Sullivan (Elbowz Racing)Row 8 - Cell 2
10Karl Menzies (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team)Row 9 - Cell 2
11Kayle Leo Grande (Monster Media Racing SCVELO)Row 10 - Cell 2
12Diego Sandoval (Southern California Velo)Row 11 - Cell 2
13Colton Barrett (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)Row 12 - Cell 2
14Anthony Canevari (CashCall Mortgage)Row 13 - Cell 2
15Samuel Grove (Southern California Velo)Row 14 - Cell 2
16Benjamin Zawacki (Mountain Khakis/SmartStop)Row 15 - Cell 2
17Jared Barrilleaux (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized)Row 16 - Cell 2
18Brian Mcculloch (CashCall Mortgage)Row 17 - Cell 2
19Danny Heeley (Hagens Berman Cycling)0:00:05
20Chris Demarchi (Monster Media Racing SCVELO)0:00:06
21Kyle Gritters (Sho-air/Rock 'n Road)Row 20 - Cell 2
22Danny Kam (Monster Media Racing SCVELO)Row 21 - Cell 2
23David Santos (CashCall Mortgage)Row 22 - Cell 2
24Nathanael Christensen (Michael David Winery Cycling Team)Row 23 - Cell 2
25Neil Bezdek (Mountain Khakis/SmartStop)Row 24 - Cell 2
26Paul CheRow 25 - Cell 2
27Trevor Haag (Spy-Swami's Development Elite Team)Row 26 - Cell 2
28Stefano Barberi (CashCall Mortgage)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Mike Tettleton (Full Circle Cycling)Row 28 - Cell 2
30Ben Bertiger (Stage 17 Racing)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Steve Fisher (Hagens Berman Cycling)Row 30 - Cell 2
32Shawn Vangassen (SoCalCycling.com / Echelon Design)Row 31 - Cell 2
33Martin Acosta (McGuire Cycling Team)Row 32 - Cell 2
34Joe Dickerson (McGuire Cycling Team)Row 33 - Cell 2
35Andrew Bosco (SoCalCycling.com / Echelon Design)Row 34 - Cell 2
36Tyler Jewell (Elbowz Racing)Row 35 - Cell 2
37Daniel Katz (Stage 17 Racing)Row 36 - Cell 2
38Randall Coxworth (Monster Media Racing SCVELO)Row 37 - Cell 2
39Michael Johnson (Breakaway from Cancer Masters)Row 38 - Cell 2
40Taylor Bertrand-Barrett (Wonderful Pistachios)Row 39 - Cell 2
41Michael Jasinski (Wonderful Pistachios)Row 40 - Cell 2
42Michael Smith LarsenRow 41 - Cell 2
43Julio MollindoRow 42 - Cell 2
44Brian Forbes (Unity Racing)Row 43 - Cell 2
45Shawn Daurelio (Velo Club LaGrange)Row 44 - Cell 2
46Victor Ayala (Velo Club LaGrange)Row 45 - Cell 2
47Jacob Duehring (DNA)Row 46 - Cell 2
48Tom SoladayRow 47 - Cell 2
49Diego Yepez (Full Circle Cycling)Row 48 - Cell 2
50Clay MurfetRow 49 - Cell 2
51Guy EastRow 50 - Cell 2
52Andrew Salcedo (Sky Procycling)Row 51 - Cell 2
53Sergio Hernandez (Jelly Belly Cycling)Row 52 - Cell 2
54Michael Herdman (Sho-air/Rock 'n Road)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Mark Shimahara (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling)Row 54 - Cell 2
56Lucas Binder (Spy-Swami's Development Elite Team)0:00:23
57Robert Kamppila (CA Pools / CFS Mortgage)Row 56 - Cell 2
58Miles Lamon (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling)Row 57 - Cell 2
59Zack Simkover (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling)Row 58 - Cell 2
60Rand Miller (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized)Row 59 - Cell 2
61Sean Mazich (Jelly Belly Cycling)Row 60 - Cell 2
62Jonathan Parrish (Bicycle Haus Elite)Row 61 - Cell 2
63Boy Van Poppel (UnitedHealthCare)0:00:28
64Brandon Gritters (Sho-air/Rock 'n Road)Row 63 - Cell 2
65Stuart Press (Velo Club LaGrange)Row 64 - Cell 2
66Michael Weicht (CashCall Mortgage)Row 65 - Cell 2
67Eric Marcotte (Elbowz Racing)0:00:31
68Nic Hamilton (Jelly Belly Cycling)0:00:33
69Patrick Caro (Full Circle Cycling)0:00:37
70Ian Moir (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)Row 69 - Cell 2
71Joshua Goodwin (SoCalCycling.com)Row 70 - Cell 2
72Daniel Farinha (Full Circle Cycling)Row 71 - Cell 2
73Armin Rahm (Time Factory Team)Row 72 - Cell 2
74Heath Blackgrove (Elbowz Racing)0:00:44
75Joseph Schmalz (Elbowz Racing)Row 74 - Cell 2
76Bryan Larsen (Stage 17 Racing)0:00:49
77Jeremiah Wiscovitch (Southern California Velo)0:00:57
78David Mccook (McGuire Cycling Team)0:01:15
79Jay Thomson (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team)0:01:18
80Adrian Hegyvary (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team)Row 79 - Cell 2

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