Skujins takes the win in Winston-Salem

Toms Skujiņš followed up his stage win at the Tour of California earlier this month with a solo victory at the Winston-Salem Classic on Sunday in North Carolina. The young Latvian bridged to an earlier move and then set off on his own with just over a lap remaining. Team SmartStop's Jure Kocjan finished second from a chasing group, just nudging Hincapie's Joe Lewis into third.

The result was a remarkable performance for Hincapie, whose director Thomas Craven hails from Winston-Salem, which is only a few hours from the team's home base in Greenville, South Carolina.

"It's a home race for us, and it makes it more special that we got first and third, and the KOM and sprint," Skujins said. "We did a good race today."

Good is an understatement, as the team put Mackenzie Brennan in the early move to mop up the mountains and sprint classifications, and then Skujins and Carpenter bridged across from the field. Carpenter was 1km from the line in second when he was caught and passed by the group with Kocjan and Lewis.

"I thought nobody would work with us, so we made a first selection with three or four to go, and before passing one to go, I told Robin I'd go solo and try to keep it going, because I didn't know how the other guys were feeling," Skujins explained. "We needed to put them under pressure. It was definitely really hard, once I attacked, it was hard to get in the rhythm but once I did that I kept it going and tried to keep a cool head."

After his break through performance to win the San Jose stage in the Tour of California and leading that race for three days, the Hincapie team confirmed their performance earlier in the month was no fluke today in Winston-Salem.

"Alll the guys had to ride the front really hard [in California]," Skujins said. "I'm so thankful for them. This win is for Craven and all the guys. They rode their hearts out for me in California and I'm just happy to pay them back."

Unlike Hincapie, the defending champions Smartstop struggled with injured and sick riders and were on the defensive all day. They put time trialist Evan Huffman in the early move, but Kocjan was the only rider to be able to follow the Hincapie riders.

"It was really aggressive, but unfortunately we were one of the favorites so everyone was racing against us," Kocjan said. "My guys spent a lot of energy in the first half of the race. In the end I was alone. Hincapie was amazing today, they were so strong and they had the numbers in the front. Lap by lap I felt better and better, and after California my form is coming.

"I'm happy, but I knew the last two laps I was one of the strongest guys, but this is cycling and only the victory counts. I'm a little bit disappointed. Our team is not 100 per cent, we lost three guys, they are injured and Eric Marcotte is sick, so we were lacking four strong guys."

Lewis said he struggled in the final lap to hang onto the chasing group, but found a little bit extra to sprint for the podium after an aggressive final few laps. "That's how we always ride. When we ride aggressively, we put the other teams on the back foot," Lewis said. "We had the numbers in the front and everyone was scared of us. I was really struggling to keep on over the hills, so I dug as deep as I could. I got tailed off a little bit on that last hill, but I managed to get on and attack with 300m to go, I just got caught by Jure at the line. I'm proud of the team. I'm proud of how we rode. I'd have loved to have won, but a podium with a teammate that I'm great friends with feels just as good. It's a team win."

With 106 miles of a technical, hilly circuit and temperatures soaring into the upper 80s, the men's field was happy to let Optum's Tom Zirbel, Evan Huffman (Smartstop) and Mackenzie Brennan (Hincapie) escape the field early in the race, and though the trio stayed out front for much of the race, they never gained much more than a minute's lead. Halfway through the race, Logan Loader (Amore & Vita) bridged across, adding new life to the breakaway but the field became increasingly aggressive and kept the four to 55 seconds. Defending champion Travis McCabe attempted to bridge across at the start of six laps to go, but wasn't allowed much leeway.

With four laps to go, the race behind was smashed to bits by a series of attacks, with Hincapie leading the charge and Optum's main man Jesse Anthony suffering an ill-timed puncture. A chasing group with Skujins, his teammate Robin Carpenter, Loader, Huffman and Airgas-Safeway's Connor McCutcheon emerged at the front at the line with three laps to go, with Zirbel chasing behind with Jure Kocjan (Smartstop) and several others, but he was called back to help Anthony.

Unitedhealthcare's Marco Canola and Jonny Clarke, Nicolas Tanovitchii (Jelly Belly) and Kocjan formed a chase group behind the five leaders with two laps to go, but they never had a hope of catching. Skujins launched a wicked attack on the climb during the penultimate lap and no one from the leading group could follow. McCutcheon's rear derailleur cable had detached trapping him in his hardest gear, while Carpenter was happy to play the team tactics and Loader and Huffman were cooked from their earlier move.

On the final lap, Carpenter left the rest behind, but was caught by the chasing groups, which had come together, with 1km to go. Kocjan sprinted up the hill to the finish to beat Lewis, with Anthony finishing a frustrated very close fourth place.

"I had to do a big time trial with a couple guys on my wheel because they all had teammates up front," Anthony said. "The last lap was a lot of work for me, and I didn't have a lot at the finish. I was so close to the podium. I thought we were still chasing three guys, the information was hard to come by out there on the last lap. I don't think I could have played the finish any differently, though. I was just racing to win or get on the podium and I had to put myself out there to do it. We tried to split up the race and make it hard, because we don't have a good sprinter for the finish and he was having a soft day. It didn't quite pan out for us."

Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Toms Skujinš (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team4:13:06
2Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team SmartStop0:00:12
3Joseph Lewis (Aus) Hincapie Racing TeamRow 2 - Cell 2
4Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesRow 3 - Cell 2
5Tyler Magner (USA) Hincapie Racing TeamRow 4 - Cell 2
6Logan Loader (USA) Amore AMO Vita - Selle SMPRow 5 - Cell 2
7Connor McCutcheon (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team0:00:46
8Evan Huffman (USA) Team SmartStop0:01:32
9Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team0:01:49
10Nicolae Tanovitchii (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b MaxxisRow 9 - Cell 2
11Max Korus (USA) QCW Cycling P/b Breakaway BikesRow 10 - Cell 2
12Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis - Hagens BermanRow 11 - Cell 2
13Adam De Vos (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling TeamRow 12 - Cell 2
14Mackenzie Brennan (USA) Hincapie Racing TeamRow 13 - Cell 2
15John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team0:04:55
16Josh Johnson (USA) Bissell-Abg-GiantRow 15 - Cell 2
17Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Jamis - Hagens BermanRow 16 - Cell 2
18Dion Smith (NZl) Hincapie Racing TeamRow 17 - Cell 2
19Brecht Dhaene (Bel) Astellas Professional Cycling TeamRow 18 - Cell 2
20Kyle Murphy (USA) Lupus Racing TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Luis Lemus (Mex) Airgas-Safeway Cycling TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Michael Woods (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesRow 21 - Cell 2
23Jon Hornbeck (USA) Hincapie Racing TeamRow 22 - Cell 2
24Gerardo Medina (Mex) Airgas-Safeway Cycling TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Matt Rodrigues (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling TeamRow 24 - Cell 2
26Redi Halilaj (Alb) Amore AMO Vita - Selle SMPRow 25 - Cell 2
27Efren Ortega (Pur) Incycle-Cannondale0:05:04
28Christopher Prendergast (Can) Jet Fuel0:05:05
29Cole House (USA) Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan CoachingRow 28 - Cell 2
30Dennis Ramirez (USA) Gateway Harley-Davidson/TrekRow 29 - Cell 2
31Chris Winn (Aus) GS Ciao0:05:12
32Evan Murphy (USA) Lupus Racing TeamRow 31 - Cell 2
33Steven Perezluha (USA) Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan CoachingRow 32 - Cell 2
34Griffin Easter (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling Team0:05:17
35Ryan Anderson (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesRow 34 - Cell 2
36Brad Neagos (USA) Gateway Harley-Davidson/Trek U23 CyclingRow 35 - Cell 2
37Travis McCabe (USA) Team SmartStop0:05:25
38Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39Kennett Peterson (USA) GS CiaoRow 38 - Cell 2
40Alan Royek (USA) Metra / Cycles 540:05:27
41Uri Martins (Mex) Amore AMO Vita - Selle SMPRow 40 - Cell 2
42Christopher Uberti (USA) United Healthcare of Georgia p/b The 706 Project0:05:42
43David Guttenplan (USA) Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan CoachingRow 42 - Cell 2
44Clay Murfet (Aus) Astellas Professional Cycling TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
45Carson Miller (USA) Jamis - Hagens BermanRow 44 - Cell 2
46Oscar Clark (USA) Hincapie Racing TeamRow 45 - Cell 2
47Cortlan Brown (USA) Astellas Professional Cycling TeamRow 46 - Cell 2
48Emerson Oronte (USA) Team SmartStopRow 47 - Cell 2
49Justin Mauch (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling TeamRow 48 - Cell 2
50Kevin Gottlieb (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling TeamRow 49 - Cell 2
51Fred Rodriguez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b MaxxisRow 50 - Cell 2
52Carlos Eduardo Alzate Escobar (Col) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team0:06:17
53Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamRow 52 - Cell 2
54Eugenio Bani (Ita) Amore AMO Vita - Selle SMP0:06:19
55Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies0:06:24
DNFMarco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamRow 55 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Zamparella (Ita) Amore AMO Vita - Selle SMPRow 56 - Cell 2
DNFRobin Eckmann (USA) GS CiaoRow 57 - Cell 2
DNFGavin Mannion (USA) Jelly Belly p/b MaxxisRow 58 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Goodman (USA) United Healthcare of Georgia p/b The 706 ProjectRow 59 - Cell 2
DNFGeorge Simpson (USA) GS CiaoRow 60 - Cell 2
DNFJulian Rodas (Col) Incycle-CannondaleRow 61 - Cell 2
DNFOrlando Trinidad Garibay Contreras (Mex) Incycle-CannondaleRow 62 - Cell 2
DNFTravis Samuel (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling TeamRow 63 - Cell 2
DNFZachary Bell (Can) Team SmartStopRow 64 - Cell 2
DNFKristofer Dahl (Can) Team SmartStopRow 65 - Cell 2
DNFLuis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis - Hagens BermanRow 66 - Cell 2
DNFWill Routley (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesRow 67 - Cell 2
DNFGregory Obando Brenes (Crc) Jamis - Hagens BermanRow 68 - Cell 2
DNFScott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesRow 69 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Olheiser (USA) Lupus Racing TeamRow 70 - Cell 2
DNFFrank Travieso (USA) United Healthcare of Georgia p/b The 706 ProjectRow 71 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Farabaugh (USA ) Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan CoachingRow 72 - Cell 2
DNFBradley White (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamRow 73 - Cell 2
DNFRobert Gutgesell (Can) Jet FuelRow 74 - Cell 2
DNFMatt Zimmer (USA) All Stars-Velocious SportRow 75 - Cell 2
DNFWalter Trillini (Arg) Jamis - Hagens BermanRow 76 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Alexander Jaramillo Diez (Col) Jamis - Hagens BermanRow 77 - Cell 2
DNFTravis Livermon (USA) Team SmartStopRow 78 - Cell 2
DNFAustin Ulich (USA) United Healthcare of Georgia p/b The 706 ProjectRow 79 - Cell 2
DNFStuart Wight (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling TeamRow 80 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Scarano (USA) United Healthcare of Georgia p/b The 706 ProjectRow 81 - Cell 2
DNFJacob Arnold (USA) Piedmont FlyersRow 82 - Cell 2
DNFGlenn Ferreira (USA) Metra / Cycles 54Row 83 - Cell 2
DNFAustin Vincent (USA) Airgas-Safeway Cycling TeamRow 84 - Cell 2
DNFMax Jenkins (USA) Astellas Professional Cycling TeamRow 85 - Cell 2
DNFDerek Schanze (USA) Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan CoachingRow 86 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Burliegh (USA) GS CiaoRow 87 - Cell 2
DNFSamuel Hunter Snipe Grove (USA) Incycle-CannondaleRow 88 - Cell 2
DNFPhillip Gaimon (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesRow 89 - Cell 2
DNFStephen Hyde (USA) Astellas Professional Cycling TeamRow 90 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Williams (USA) Jamis - Hagens BermanRow 91 - Cell 2
DNFCurtis White (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesRow 92 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Dahlheim (USA) Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan CoachingRow 93 - Cell 2
DNFTimothy Rugg (USA) Ride With Rendall p/b BiemmeRow 94 - Cell 2
DNFAngus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b MaxxisRow 95 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Massicotte (Can) Jet FuelRow 96 - Cell 2
DNFDan Lam (USA) Gateway Harley-Davidson/Trek U23 CyclingRow 97 - Cell 2
DNFWill Cooper (USA) QCW Cycling P/b Breakaway BikesRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFMatt Green (Gbr) Astellas Professional Cycling TeamRow 99 - Cell 2
DNFFelix Cote Bouvette (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling TeamRow 100 - Cell 2
DNFQuinten Winkel (Ned) Crca-Foundation EliteRow 101 - Cell 2
DNFMike Stone (USA) Lupus Racing TeamRow 102 - Cell 2
DNFFletcher Lydick (USA) United Healthcare of Georgia p/b The 706 ProjectRow 103 - Cell 2
DNFMarcus Christie (Irl) Gateway Harley-Davidson/Trek U23 CyclingRow 104 - Cell 2
DNFAndrès Miguel Diaz Corrales (Col) Incycle-CannondaleRow 105 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Myerson (USA) Astellas Professional Cycling TeamRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFZach Allison (USA) Piedmont FlyersRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFJames Schurman (USA) Lupus Racing TeamRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFMicah Engle (USA) Gateway Harley-Davidson/TrekRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFCory Lewis Williams (USA) Incycle-CannondaleRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFJosh Yeaton (USA) GS CiaoRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Crater (USA) Ride With Rendall p/b BiemmeRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFNick Jowsey (NZl) Lupus Racing TeamRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFJacob Sitler (USA) Astellas Professional Cycling TeamRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Koble (USA) United Healthcare of Georgia p/b The 706 ProjectRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFColton Valentine (USA) QCW Cycling P/b Breakaway BikesRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFJohnathan Freter (USA) Jelly Belly p/b MaxxisRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFNathaniel Ward (USA) Piedmont FlyersRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFBraydon Bourne (Can) Jet FuelRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Leibovitz (USA) Bissell-Abg-GiantRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Jacob (USA) Bissell-Abg-GiantRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFGreg Capelle (USA) Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan CoachingRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFNicholas Rogers (USA) QCW Cycling P/b Breakaway BikesRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFRobert Marion (USA) All Stars-Velocious SportRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFAlexandr Braico (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b MaxxisRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFWinston David (USA) Lupus Racing TeamRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFTanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling TeamRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFRoss Marklein (USA) QCW Cycling P/b Breakaway BikesRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFJordan Diekema (USA) Bissell-Abg-GiantRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFBrian Hill (USA) United Healthcare of Georgia p/b The 706 ProjectRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFStephen Vogel (USA) All Stars-Velocious SportRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFJohn Delong (USA) Metra / Cycles 54Row 132 - Cell 2
DNFJoshua Johnson (USA) Gateway Harley-Davidson/TrekRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFRyan Rapolas (USA) QCW Cycling P/b Breakaway BikesRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFSammy Moseley (USA) Crca-Foundation EliteRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFGorgi Popstefanov (Mkd) Metra / Cycles 54Row 136 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Pincus (USA) Crca-Foundation EliteRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFBailey Mcknight (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling TeamRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFCristian Torres (Col) Crca-Foundation EliteRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFCorey Davis (USA) Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan CoachingRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFShane Braley (USA) Ride With Rendall p/b BiemmeRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Flynn (USA) All Stars-Velocious SportRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFMark Jellous (USA) Piedmont FlyersRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFConnor Brown (USA) Gateway Harley-Davidson/TrekRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFYukinori Hishinuma (Jpn) Amore AMO Vita - Selle SMPRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFStephen Alexander (Tto) Crca-Foundation EliteRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFGaelen Merritt (Can) Jet FuelRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFDave Lombardo (USA) Gateway Harley-Davidson/TrekRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFCarson Lange (USA) Gateway Harley-Davidson/TrekRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFChristopher Zieman (USA) Piedmont FlyersRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFAlex Ryan (USA) All Stars-Velocious SportRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFRyan Macdonald (Can) H&R Block Pro Cycling TeamRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFSergio Hernandez (USA) Incycle-CannondaleRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFBill Elliston (USA) Metra / Cycles 54Row 154 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Duquette (USA) Ride With Rendall p/b BiemmeRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFMatt Moosa (USA) All Stars-Velocious SportRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFShawn Gravois (USA) Lupus Racing TeamRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFWestley Richards (USA) Piedmont FlyersRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFMark Hyatt (USA) Metra / Cycles 54Row 159 - Cell 2
DNFMax Ackerman (USA) Gateway Harley-Davidson/TrekRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFNathan Williams (USA) Bissell-Abg-GiantRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFAlejandro Guzman (USA) Crca-Foundation EliteRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFLuke Vanlauwe (Can) Jet FuelRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFJon Crowson (USA) Ride With Rendall p/b BiemmeRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Barnett (USA) Metra / Cycles 54Row 165 - Cell 2
DNFDennis Cottreau (Can) Ride With Rendall p/b BiemmeRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Bruner (USA) Piedmont FlyersRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFPat Raines (USA) All Stars-Velocious SportRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFJoseph Carpisassi (USA) Piedmont FlyersRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFNathan Elliott (Aus) H&R Block Pro Cycling TeamRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFBrain Trafford (Can) Ride With Rendall p/b BiemmeRow 171 - Cell 2
DNSJon Hamblen (USA) All Stars-Velocious SportRow 172 - Cell 2
DNSWyatt Galley (Can) Ride With Rendall p/b BiemmeRow 173 - Cell 2
DNSGreg Leach (USA) Metra / Cycles 54Row 174 - Cell 2
DQRobin Carpenter (USA Hincapie Racing TeamRow 175 - Cell 2

 

Laura Weislo
Managing Editor

Laura Weislo has been with Cyclingnews since 2006 after making a switch from a career in science. As Managing Editor, she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news. As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track, Laura has a passion for all three disciplines. When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads, paths and gravel tracks. Laura specialises in covering doping, anti-doping, UCI governance and performing data analysis.

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