Duggan wins US professional road championship

Tim Duggan (Liquigas-Cannondale) captured the USA Cycling Professional Road Race after attacking out of group of five in the closing smaller circuits of downtown Greenville, South Carolina.

"This was one of the most satisfying days of my career," said Duggan. "We had to do everything right and take every opportunity me had. There's only so much we could do with two guys.

"When the moment was right, go all out and there was no in between," he continued. "You can't look back. And that's what I did."

Frank Pipp (Bissell Pro Cycling Team) won the sprint for second ahead of Kiel Reijnen (Team Type 1-Sanofi), both finished 26 seconds back.

The 95 riders would race for 181 kilometers which included four, 35.4km loops with the ascent of the 3.5km Paris Mountain and then closing with three loops of a six kilometer course that would circumnavigate the downtown Greenville area. Paris Mountain has been the deciding factor in the race, eliminating many riders on its steep slopes, and it was the case again in the 2012 edition.

A group of 28 riders escaped early on. That selection contained riders from Garmin-Barracuda, notably Tom Danielson, Competitive Cyclist, Jamis-Sutter Home and the solo BMC represented rider in the break Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) along with Tim Duggan.

"We kind of caused a field split. I was just trying to bring the bunch back together because a dangerous group had gone away," explained van Garderen of this early move.

With Garmin-Barracuda well represented within the race van Garderen had the luxury of sitting on forcing the Argyle Army to do the work.

Doing a huge amount of work at the front of the break was Tom Peterson (Garmin-Barracuda). Stretched out into an aerodynamic position with his forearms on the tops of the bars and keeping the speed high, Peterson deserved to be named the Most Valuable Player of the day for the squad.

However, Tyler Wren (Jamis-Sutter Home) was the first rider over the summit the climb, earning him maximum points in the Volkswagen King of the Mountain competition. This was a new competition at the USA Pro Cycling Championship with the first five riders over the top of Paris Mountain earning points and the winner receiving a thousand dollars and a blue polka-dotted jersey for their effort.

As the rest of the peloton made their way over the top, the gap grew to the chasers to over three minutes. In the chase group was Greenville resident and perennial favorite George Hincapie (BMC Racing).

Once off of the Paris Mountain Garmin-Barracuda continued to show their strength by leading the break throughout the second loop with Jamis-Sutter home and Competitive Cyclist also contributing a rider to keep it moving.

At the bottom of the climb of Paris Mountain for the second time of the day the pace quickened and weaker riders started to drop off the back. Again, Wren was the first over the top of Paris Mountain, taking maximum points in the KOM contest. However, the time gap started to drop between the break and the chasing group.

As the break was down to 25 riders and it was started to seem like it could go the distance.

As the break completed their third long lap it was the same scenario as the previous laps: Garmin-Barracuda's Tom Peterson at the front. And just like before, as the break climbed Paris Mountain, Wren was the first over the top for the third time. This made his lead in the KOM competition mathematically unbeatable.

As expected the fourth time up Paris Mountain was going to further eliminate the riders. Danielson attacked and with him went four other riders: Matt Busche (RadioShack-Nissan), Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling Team), van Garderen, and Duggan.

"In the town some were refusing to work, there was no harmony. Duggan never really attacked. He just took advantage of that strange situation. Moreover, everybody was tired," said defending champion Busche.

It was in this situation when the group all looked at each other and Duggan rolled away.

With each completion of the smaller circuits Duggan widened his gap on the four chasers, who in the last lap were caught by another group.

Zipping up and crossing the line with his arms aloft Duggan claimed his first professional national road championship.

Full results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Timothy (Timmy) Duggan (Liquigas-Cannondale)4:17:40
2K Frank Pipp (Bissell Pro Cycling Team)0:00:26
3Kiel Reijnen (Team Type 1 - Sanofi)Row 2 - Cell 2
4Kenneth Hanson (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)0:00:27
5James Stemper (Kenda 5-Hour Energy Cycling Team)0:00:28
6Tyler Wren (Jamis - Sutter Home)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Chad Beyer (Competitive Cyclist Racing Team)0:00:29
8Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling Team)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Bradley White (UnitedHealthcare)0:00:30
10Matthew Busche (RadioShack-Nissan)0:00:31
11Thomas Danielson (Garmin-Barracuda)0:00:34
12Michael Olheiser (Competitive Cyclist Racing Team)0:00:46
13Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing Team)0:00:54
14David Zabriskie (Garmin-Barracuda)0:01:11
15Alex Howes (Garmin-Barracuda)0:02:36
16George Hincapie (BMC Racing Team)Row 15 - Cell 2
17Andrew Bajadali (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)0:02:37
18Ted King (Liquigas-Cannondale)0:02:38
19Andy Jacques-Maynes (Kenda 5-Hour Energy Cycling Team)0:02:40
20Freddie Rodriguez (Team Exergy)0:03:20
21Jeff Louder (UnitedHealthcare)0:03:21
22Jonathan Mccarty (Spidertech p/b C10)Row 21 - Cell 2
23Thomas Peterson (Garmin-Barracuda)Row 22 - Cell 2
24Maxim Jenkins (Competitive Cyclist Racing Team)Row 23 - Cell 2
25Matthew Cooke (Team Exergy)0:03:22
26Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly Cycling)0:03:25
27Carson Miller (Jamis - Sutter Home)Row 26 - Cell 2
28Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team)0:04:19
29Alexander Hagman (Jelly Belly Cycling)0:06:57
30Benjamin King (RadioShack-Nissan)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Jesse Anthony (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)Row 30 - Cell 2
32Robert Sweeting (Kenda 5-Hour Energy Cycling Team)Row 31 - Cell 2
33Emerson Oronte (Jelly Belly Cycling)0:06:58
34Nathaniel English (Kenda 5-Hour Energy Cycling Team)Row 33 - Cell 2
35Joseph Rosskopf (Team Type 1 - Sanofi)Row 34 - Cell 2
36Tyler Magner (BMC/Hincapie Sportswear Development Team)Row 35 - Cell 2
37Ian Burnett (Competitive Cyclist Racing Team)Row 36 - Cell 2
38Tanner Putt (BMC/Hincapie Sportswear Development Team)Row 37 - Cell 2
39James Driscoll (Jamis - Sutter Home)0:10:56
40Jason Mccartney (UnitedHealthcare)Row 39 - Cell 2
41Alexander Candelario (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)Row 40 - Cell 2
42Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Barracuda)Row 41 - Cell 2
43David Williams (Competitive Cyclist Racing Team)Row 42 - Cell 2
44Jacob Rathe (Garmin-Barracuda)Row 43 - Cell 2
45Alister Ratcliff (Chipotle-First Solar Development Team)Row 44 - Cell 2
46Travis Livermon (Team Mountain Khakis - SmartStop)Row 45 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Creed (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)Row 46 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Talansky (Garmin-Barracuda)Row 47 - Cell 2
DNFLogan Loader-Mooney (Team Exergy)Row 48 - Cell 2
DNFTyler Karnes (BMC/Hincapie Sportswear Development Team)Row 49 - Cell 2
DNFTaylor Shelden (Competitive Cyclist Racing Team)Row 50 - Cell 2
DNFCraig Lewis (Champion System Pro Cycling Team)Row 51 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Carr (EKOI.com - gaspesien)Row 52 - Cell 2
DNFEric Young (Bissell Pro Cycling Team)Row 53 - Cell 2
DNFNathan Brown (Bontrager LIVESTRONG Team)Row 54 - Cell 2
DNFCarter Jones (Bissell Pro Cycling Team)Row 55 - Cell 2
DNFChase Pinkham (Bissell Pro Cycling Team)Row 56 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Dahlheim (Bissell Pro Cycling Team)Row 57 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Stone (BMC/Hincapie Sportswear Development Team)Row 58 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Baker (Bissell Pro Cycling Team)Row 59 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Meyer (BMC/Hincapie Sportswear Development Team)Row 60 - Cell 2
DNFAlder Martz (BMC/Hincapie Sportswear Development Team)Row 61 - Cell 2
DNFParker Kyzer (BMC/Hincapie Sportswear Development Team)Row 62 - Cell 2
DNFNathan King (Competitive Cyclist Racing Team)Row 63 - Cell 2
DNFPhilip Mooney (Jamis - Sutter Home)Row 64 - Cell 2
DNFKyle Wamsley (Jamis - Sutter Home)Row 65 - Cell 2
DNFCole House (Competitive Cyclist Racing Team)Row 66 - Cell 2
DNFSean Mazich (Jelly Belly Cycling)Row 67 - Cell 2
DNFCharles Huff (Jelly Belly Cycling)Row 68 - Cell 2
DNFMenso De Jong (Jelly Belly Cycling)Row 69 - Cell 2
DNFSergio Hernandez (Jelly Belly Cycling)Row 70 - Cell 2
DNFJohn Murphy (Kenda 5-Hour Energy Cycling Team)Row 71 - Cell 2
DNFShawn Milne (Kenda 5-Hour Energy Cycling Team)Row 72 - Cell 2
DNFRoman Kilun (Kenda 5-Hour Energy Cycling Team)Row 73 - Cell 2
DNFPaul Mach (Kenda 5-Hour Energy Cycling Team)Row 74 - Cell 2
DNFPhillip Gaimon (Kenda 5-Hour Energy Cycling Team)Row 75 - Cell 2
DNFMorgan Schmitt (Team Exergy)Row 76 - Cell 2
DNFConor Mullervy (Team Exergy)Row 77 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Mullervy (Team Exergy)Row 78 - Cell 2
DNFQuinn Keogh (Team Exergy)Row 79 - Cell 2
DNFSam Johnson (Team Exergy)Row 80 - Cell 2
DNFBenjamin Zawacki (Team Mountain Khakis - SmartStop)Row 81 - Cell 2
DNFJerome Townsend (Team Mountain Khakis - SmartStop)Row 82 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Hamblen (Team Mountain Khakis - SmartStop)Row 83 - Cell 2
DNFChristopher Monteleone (Team Mountain Khakis - SmartStop)Row 84 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Brown (Team Mountain Khakis - SmartStop)Row 85 - Cell 2
DNFScott Zwizanski (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)Row 86 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Zirbel (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)Row 87 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Soladay (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)Row 88 - Cell 2
DNFChristopher Parrish (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)Row 89 - Cell 2
DNFChad Haga (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)Row 90 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Mumford (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)Row 91 - Cell 2
DNFAlex Bowden (Team Type 1 - Sanofi)Row 92 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
King of the Mountain
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Tyler Wren (Jamis-Sutter Home)30pts
2Tom Danielson (Garmin-Barracuda)16Row 1 - Cell 3
3Robert Sweeting (Kenda 5 Hour Energy Cycling Team)14Row 2 - Cell 3
4Carson Miller (Jamis-Sutter Home)12Row 3 - Cell 3
5Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing Team)10Row 4 - Cell 3

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