Luke Keough wins Old Pueblo Grand Prix

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The Old Pueblo Grand Prix in Tucson, Arizona was the first race in the USA Crits series - a ten-race event that travels through the US with the finale in Las Vegas during Interbike. In addition to a winner's jersey there are several other leader jerseys to contest: overall leader jersey, lap leader jersey for most laps in the front, under-25 rider, and Transitions Out of Sight jersey for the breakaway of the day.

The race also serves as the opening round of USA Cycling's National Criterium Calendar (NCC) series.

The Old Pueblo Grand Prix course was a .6 mile rectangular loop with both wide and then narrow stretches of road.

Elite women

An early solo attack by Leah Kirchmann (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) developed into the winning move at the Old Pueblo Grand Prix with the defending champion taking the win.

The defending Old Pueblo champion Kirchmann quickly distanced herself from the peloton, finishing ahead of the field with a 40 second advantage.

The first $100 prime of the night was taken by Erica Allar (Care4Cyling p/b Solomon Corp) who had Annie Ewart (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) tucked onto her rear wheel. The duo only escaped for a couple of laps. The orange helmets of Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies brought the duo to heel.

Soon the action reignited with a counter attack by Leah Kirchmann. She quickly had a 22-second advantage on the main field.

Kirchmann easily took the next $100 prime and instead of the prime motivating the peloton and reducing the time gap, the Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies rider increased her lead to 27 seconds.

With 17 laps remaining Kirchmann settled into time trial mode and her gap stabilized at 27 seconds. Her Optum teammates were monitoring the front not allowing other teams to organize a chase.

With 13 laps remaining Kirchmann's lead extended to 30 seconds. In an effort to motivate the peloton a field prime was announced and Terra James (Kenda p/b RACC) took the cash. The field prime did nothing to decrease the time gap between them and the solo rider, however. Instead, Kirchmann added four more seconds to her lead on the peloton.

With 10 laps remaining the gap had grown to 40 seconds between Kirchmann and the single-file peloton. Lauren Stephens (FCSJZngine p/b Mr. Restore) got to the front in a last ditch effort to bring her back, but it was too little too late.

With two laps remaining the 23-year old Canadian almost lapped the field, and barring disaster, was assured of victory at the Old Pueblo Grand Prix Criterium.

On the bell lap the chasing peloton spread itself out across the street in the battle for the lower placings. Nipping at the peloton's heels was Kirchmann who had plenty of time to post up and celebrate her solo victory.

The peloton sprinted out of the darkness with Erica Allar (Care4Cycling p/b Solomon), the 2012 USA Crits series leader, was the fastest in the peloton crossing the line in second place, 40 seconds behind Kirchmann. Rounding out the podium for third was Joanie Caron (Primal Pro Women p/b BH).

The Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies team strategy was fairly simple.

"We wanted to have an aggressive race and to make it exciting," said Kirchmann. "We took turns and countered off each other's moves. It worked out that it was my move that stuck."

Being off the front for the majority of the race wasn't easy for the defending Old Pueblo Grand Prix champion, but was motivated by the crowd.

"It's a bit of a mental battle to stay focused and keep my efforts steady. The cheering really helped."

Being solo for the majority of the race Kirchmann earned all four USA Crits jerseys: leader's jersey, lap leader for most laps in the front, under-25 rider, and Transitions Out of Sight jersey for the breakaway of the day.

"I didn't know there was that many jerseys in the race," said Kirchmann. "This race has given me great confidence. I've been working on my time trialing and it's given me confidence to ride away from a group."

Elite men

A three-man break managed to hang off the front of the peloton for most of the race, but with three laps remaining the UnitedHealthcare-led peloton caught the break and lead-out their youngest member and sprinter Luke Keough for the win.

With the sun dipping under the horizon 103 pro/elite men lined up in downtown Tucson for the start of the Old Pueblo Grand Prix. The field faced 75 minutes of racing on the rectangular course.

The first $200 prime of the night got the field strung out in a fast, single-file formation.

Alexander Ray (ISCORP Racing Intelligentsia Coffee) broke away and took the cash. He stayed off the front as a five-deep points prime was announced. These points went to the USA Crits leader's jersey competition.

With multiple primes constantly being announced the speed was fast which resulted in a crash, sending many riders into the neutral pit. One of those in the pit was defending 2012 USA Crits series winner Luke Keough (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) who was clutching his shoulder. However, the 21-year-old from Massachusetts was pushed back into the race.

Alex Candelario (Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategy), Juan Magallanes (P&S-Specialized), Carlos Alzate (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling), and Eric Marcotte (Elbowz Racing) were the first significant break to gain on the peloton. They carved out a handful of seconds advantage but a two-hundred dollar cash prime put the fire into the peloton and they were brought back.

Out of the final corner the group was altogether but Magallanes managed to hang on for the prime cash.

At halfway through the race Chad Beyer (Champion System), Gord Fraser (Body by Vi p/b VeloVie) and Luis Amaran (Jamis/Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home) escaped and carved out a tenuous seven-second lead.

At 45 years of age Fraser, a former pro and three-time Olympian, was the oldest racer in the field.

At the mid-point of the race a points prime was announced with Fraser taking the maximum on offer followed by Amaran and Beyer. Closing fast was the blue train of UnitedHealthcare.

The trio was working well together and increased the lead to 15 seconds with 24 laps remaining. There was still plenty of time to bring them back, however.

With 18 laps remaining the time gap between the escape trio and the UnitedHealthcare-lead peloton was stabilized at 18 seconds – not enough of a threat to stay away. The UnitedHealthcare squad was letting the break dangle off the front, but not allowing them too much leash.

With 12 laps to go UnitedHealthcare, with Team SmartStop-Mountain Khakis lined up behind them, started to increase the speed in the field. At 11 laps to go a field prime was announced and the result was five seconds erased from the trio's gap.

Hilton Clarke (UnitedHealthcare) took the field prime with his five teammates in a single-file behind him. The breakaway's time off the front was coming to an end.

With three laps remaining the breakaway was caught on the finish line by the UnitedHealthcare squad.

On the bell lap the UnitedHealthcare squad owned the front of the race with nothing but the blue kits six deep in a single-file.

Coming out of turn three on the last lap Keough was sitting on the third wheel ready for the field sprint.

"They had confidence in me and put me onto the back of the train," said Keough, who had finished in third place at last year's Old Pueblo Grand Prix.

Sprinting out of the peloton was Keough taking the win with Demis Aleman (Jamis/Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home) in second, and Rahsaan Bahati (ShareCare Cycling p/b Wheelandsprocket.com) third.

"Its a good win to start off the US season," said Keough. "It was a hard race and the break gave us a run for the money."

In addition to winning the race, Keough took the yellow National Criterium Calendar current leader's jersey, the grey U-25 leader's jersey, and the orange USA Crits overall leader jersey.

Due to his effort in the breakaway, Fraser was awarded the Transition Award for best breakaway.

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