Kaiser wins day 2 in Sacramento

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Hometown favorite Cody Kaiser (LangeTwins / Specialized) attacked on the final lap to claim his first UCI victory of the season Sunday at WSCXGP in Sacramento.

The Elite men’s race started fast with Lance Haidet (Donnelly Cycling) stringing out the 34-rider field after taking the holeshot. Kaiser and Troy Wells (Team CLIF Bar) quickly took over the pacemaking, sharing a common goal of shedding as many riders as possible.

“Troy is staying at our place this week," Kaiser said. "We were conversing over coffee this morning, at breakfast. Sort of shut it down before it even gets going, that was kind of our plan. Not that we were doing team tactics, but we knew that if the pace was going to drop, that’s what it would get interesting so we wanted to keep it [the pace] as high as possible."

Kaiser, Wells and Haidet pulled away when Saturday’s winner Anthony Clark (Squid Squad) bobbled in the first lap, causing a split in the field. The trio at the front upped the pace while Allen Krughoff (Chocolove - Specialized) was chasing solo.

“I got gapped halfway through the first lap," Krughoff said. "I was with Anthony at the tail of the front group like yesterday. He never went down but he came to a halt in the sand, and then I went around him in a slow line and the we had a 20 meter gap. Then I was getting going, trying to catch back on, he came flying by me, across the course, kind of bouncing, dropped his chain, had to stop so he was out. Actually I thought he was going to catch me because he rode so strong yesterday. But then, I just rode all day."

Wells continued to put in attacks in the sand section by the Sacramento River on almost every lap.

“I would try to sprint into the sand, get as much speed and just go for it,” he said. “I normally fade at the end of races so I was trying to make it happen in the middle when I still had power. And then Cody came back to me and we kind of worked together and held the gap. It is what it is and I felt pretty good.”

Wells did mange to open a few bike lengths, but Kaiser was able to close it down while Haidet started to fade. Behind, Krughoff was still solo in fourth while Clark was mounting a major chase. With two laps to go, Kaiser and Wells were locked in a duel for the win. Wells made the first move which Kaiser matched and countered in the final lap.

“I had my hand forced. He attacked with a lap to go in the first turn, the big sandpit but then sort of drift ed away outside like Nascar, I was like ‘you know I have one shot’, So I attacked and hoped that I didn’t bobble and then I just tried to drill as hard as I could for the first quarter of the lap,” Kaiser said. “Just make it happen, find the flow, don’t bobble and finish up.”

Kaiser held on for the victory in a time of 59 minutes and 23 seconds.

“I’m very happy, it’s nice to win at home,” Kaiser said with a big smile, surrounded by his family. “My first ever win last year at Tulsa was awesome and getting the second one at home is super cool. Next race will be Boulder.”

Wells who crossed the line 31 seconds later for second place.

“I’m pretty happy but you know… it was good," Wells said. "Second. Bridesmaid, whatever you want to call in."

After getting a bike change for a slow leak, Krughoff never gave up on the chase. He caught and passed Haidet on the final lap to take third place.

“I knew somebody was going to fade, or somebody was going to flat or somebody was going to flat, it always happens,” Krughoff said. "So there was Lance. Yesterday his back was bugging him and I’ve had that a lot in the past and I know that the next day you don’t feel perfect. Zach in pits was telling me that Lance was fading, I was like ‘if I have anything left now is the time to use it.’ So it worked out."

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