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Commerce Bank Triple Crown
USA, June 3-8, 2008
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Stage 5 - June 8: Philadelphia International Championship, 251.0km/156mi
Complete live report
Live commentary by Sue George with reporting from Mark Zalewski and Kirsten Robbins
08:59 EDT Welcome to Cyclingnews' coverage of the Philadelphia International Classic and the Liberty Classic from downtown Philadelphia. There are just a few minutes to start. The men will set off first and do three short circuits before heading out on the main lap. Then the women will follow.
09:00 EDT It's cloudy this morning with a temperature of about 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius). Due to the expected high heat today, the officials are going to open up the feed zone early to help riders stay hydrated. The national anthem is playing and the men are all lined up.
09:02 EDT The men are off! They'll do short loops around Logan's Square and Eakins Oval to begin. Then they do 10 laps of the main circuit. At the very end, they do three laps of a finishing circuit which includes the well-known Lemon Hill. So that makes 10 trips up the Manayunk Wall and 13 trips up Lemon Hill.
09:04 EDT The men are have finished their first opening loop.
09:07 EDT The men actually start on a half lap, so the first lap is not a complete one. They're going at 24 mph (38.6km/h).
09:10 EDT The men are finishing up their final open circuit. Then they'll head out to start the main lap on Kelly Drive. Much of today's 14.9 mile main lap in on Kelly Drive. Riders take side trips off of it as they head out and back. The side trips include a climb up Manayunk Wall, Strawberry Hill and Lemon Hill. Because parts of the course are two way, the men and women will sometimes pass each other out on the course going in opposite directions. Fortunately, Kelly Drive is nice and wide with four lanes, so there is plenty of room.
09:13 EDT William Connolly (Pezula Racing) and Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing) both have early mechanicals are back at the caravan getting attention. Fortunately the peloton is in parade mode at the moment, riding piano, so they won't have to worry about getting dropped.
09:14 EDT The peloton is taking advantage of the early quiet pace to take nature breaks. No doubt they are all going into today's heat super-hydrated. Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing) is getting a bike change back in the caravan.
09:21 EDT It's DLP Racing's Christopher Judy's turn to get some service. Looks like Jonny Clarke (Toyota United Pro Cycling Team) is also requiring some attention. The men's peloton is all together.
09:22 EDT Jonny Clarke (Toyota United Pro Cycling Team) gets a bike change just as the peloton rolls into the construction zone on Kelly Drive. The otherwise wide road narrows down to about one lane each direction with concrete barriers on either side. Yesterday, when we pre-rode the course, there were construction barrels in the middle of the road, too, but we heard those would be removed.
09:23 EDT The men make it through safely. The women have started and are also on the course.
09:26 EDT The men are picking up speed as they get into position for the first trip up the Wall. They go through a chicane like section at the base of the wall and then it's all uphill to the top, with some steep sections.
09:27 EDT The Swede Magnus Backstedt (Slipstream) leads the peloton to the base of the climb. He's got a few team-mates in tow. Looks like one of them might be Tyler Farrar.
09:29 EDT There's a KOM at the top of each trip up the Wall. Colavita is making a grab for the early points. We see the sun peaking out through the clouds now. If it comes out today, it's going to make for some really hot trips up the wall.
09:31 EDT The women are picking up the pace. With only four trips up the wall and a relatively short overall 57 mile road race, the action is often a race to get to the bottom of the Wall first - especially the first time up. A good position at the bottom sets up the strong riders well to attack and the weaker riders well to hang on up the tough climb. High Road and Cervelo Life Force are making their presence known at the front of the pack. They are stringing out the peloton heading into the first trip up the wall.
09:33 EDT Kristen Armstrong (Cervelo Life Force) is dragging everyone up the climb as she attacks to set an early pace. She is followed by Mara Abbott (High Road) over the top. Armstrong takes the KOM points.
09:34 EDT Armstrong is really going for it. She drops Mara Abbott and is pushing the pace. Armstrong wants to get away and has a quick gap of 15 seconds. Abbott is chasing back on, but she's a slight climber - so may not be able to catch up the powerful time trialer Armstrong.
09:35 EDT Men's KOM results first time up Manayunk: 1 Kyle Wamsley (Colavita-Sutter Home), 2 Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling Team), 3 Micheal Grabinger (Team Successfulliving)
09:36 EDT In the women's race, Armstrong has opened up a 30 second gap. Abbott is chasing, but in no woman's land in between. The peloton is far enough back they can't see Armstrong any more.
09:37 EDT The men's peloton split in half due to their first trip up the wall. Jacob Erker (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team) launched and attack which drew a few attempted bridgers, but they only managed to bring up the main peloton, drawing all the riders back together.
09:38 EDT Going into Strawberry Hill, the men's peloton is almost all back together. Looks like they are waiting up for the back half.
09:40 EDT Daniel Vaillancourt (Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife) and André Steensen (Team CSC) launch an attack in the men's race. They've got 12 seconds.
09:42 EDT Kristin Armstrong's gap for her solo break is up to 45 seconds. Mara Abbott has been caught by the peloton, which experienced a crash at the front of it. Perhaps that's why the peloton was slowed and appeared not to chase as Kristin got her big gap so quickly. Abbott's efforts to chase were also hampered as she suffered a flat tire while trying to follow Armstrong.
09:43 EDT The two men off the front, Daniel Vaillancourt (Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife) and André Steensen (Team CSC), sit up as they roll onto the finishing stretch bringing an end to lap one for the men. They'll see nine big laps to go.
09:44 EDT Meredith Miller (Aaron's Women's Professional Cycling Team) is between Armstrong and the peloton. Armstrong has a minute on the women's field while Miller is at 30 seconds.
09:45 EDT The men also compete for KOM points every time up Lemon Hill. On the first trip up, results were 1 André Steensen (Team CSC), 2 Daniel Vaillancourt (Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife), 3 Brian Jensen (Team Successfulliving).
09:49 EDT Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo Lifeforce) flies up and over Lemon Hill. She is on a mission and her gap is at one minute over the women's peloton as she approaches the end of lap one.
09:49 EDT Christian Valenzuela (Team Successfulliving) attacks in the men's race. He's got ten seconds.
09:52 EDT Kasper Klostergaard (Team CSC), Jeremiah Wiscovitch (Rock Racing), Bobby Sweeting (Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife) and Christian Valenzuela (Team Successfulliving) are off the front together in the men's race.
09:53 EDT Kyle Wamsley (Colavita-Sutter Home) and Phil Cortes (Amore & Vita-McDonalds) are at ten seconds. The field is at 15 seconds.
09:53 EDT Kyle Wamsley (Colavita-Sutter Home) joins the leader group of four, but Phil Cortes (Amore & Vita-McDonalds) sits up.
09:54 EDT The men are exiting Kelly Drive as they head toward the Wall for the second time. Our leaders are: Kasper Klostergaard (Team CSC), Jeremiah Wiscovitch (Rock Racing), Bobby Sweeting (Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife), Christian Valenzuela (Team Successfulliving), Kyle Wamsley (Colavita-Sutter Home)
09:55 EDT In the women's race, Kristin Armstrong has a convincing lead of one minute over her chaser Meredith Miller (Aaron's Women's Professional Cycling Team). The women's peloton is 20 seconds behind Miller and apparently uninterested in chasing.
09:57 EDT There is a crash in the men's field. André Steensen (Team CSC) is a victim of the crash and looks to be a DNF for today. Philipp Mamos (Team Sparkasse) also crashed. The five men's leaders have a gap of 20 seconds on Main Street in Manayunk.
10:01 EDT The men are on the wall climbing up for the second time. The women's peloton is on lap two on Kelly Drive heading to the wall for their second trip up. No one in the women's peloton is chasing Armstrong with any conviction although Team Tibco and Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung are at the front.
10:02 EDT The women pass by Lynn Bessette, out for a jog along Kelly Drive. She won this race in 2003 while riding for the Saturn team.
10:03 EDT Christian Valenzuela (Team Successfulliving) attacks the men's break on the Wall. Two riders are chasing him and the peloton is at 10 seconds.
10:03 EDT Anibal Borrajo (Colavita-Sutter Home) has a flat as the men crest the Wall and prepare for the Fall from the Wall, a fast descent back down to Kelly Drive.
10:05 EDT Christian Valenzuela (Team Successfulliving), Kasper Klostergaard (Team CSC), Dan Bowman (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) finish the top three in the men's KOM for the second trip up the Wall.
10:08 EDT Kristen Armstrong's gap is growing rapidly. It's at 2:10 over the peloton. Meredith Miller is at 1:00 back. Armstrong got QOM points for both Manayunk & Lemon Hill last time and will get them again this lap, which means she'll probably lock up the QOM classification for the women's race.
10:08 EDT Kristin Armstrong is a former triathlete. She's also three-time national champion and finished 8th (top U.S. finisher) in the women's road race at the in Athens Olympics. This year she's already won the Women's Tour of New Zealand, while she's also the current US TT champion. Armstrong is sure putting those skills on display as she powers away today.
10:10 EDT Phil Cortes (Amore & Vita-McDonalds) gets a bike change in the men's race. Christian Valenzuela (Team Successfulliving) and Kasper Klostergaard (Team CSC) were off the front after the second trip up the Wall - with Jacob Erker (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team) chasing.
10:11 EDT There is plenty of action in the men's race as the peloton chases. The leaders are caught and the men's peloton is all together again.
10:13 EDT Armstrong's effort is clearly taking a toll - not a surprise considering this heat. She's been off the front for most of the women's race, but is swerving and showing other signs of fatigue at the front on her second trip up the Wall. Meredith Miller, who put in a solid effort to chase, gets caught by the peloton, so now we are left with Armstrong off the front solo with a 2:10 advantage over the rest of the women's peloton.
10:14 EDT Going into Lemon Hill, Jittery Joes is driving the men's peloton. Small gaps formed in the peloton on the descent, but is likely to reform as everyone works hard to catch back on.
10:15 EDT 32miles/124miles to go Results from the Lap 2 men's KOM at Lemon Hill are: 1 Matt Shriver (Jittery Joe's ), 2 Matthew Goss (Team CSC), 3 Steven Cozza (Slipstream/Chipotle p/b H30)
10:16 EDT The women finish their second climb up the Wall. QOM results are 1 Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team), 2 Mara Abbott (Team High Road - Women), 3 Kristy Scheffenacker (HPC Powered by Altarum).
10:17 EDT The men are racing at 30 mph (48.3km/h). A group of about 21 racers rolls off the front. They have 10 seconds on the rest of the peloton and there is one bridger in between, at 5 seconds.
10:20 EDT In the women's race, there is a nine rider chase group forming. It includes Mara Abbott (Team High Road - Women), Chantal Beltman (Team High Road - Women), Kim Anderson (Team High Road - Women), Joanne Kiesanowski (Team Tibco), Brooke Miller (Team Tibco), Ina Teutenberg (Team High Road - Women), Alison Powers (Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) and Laura Van Gilder (Cheerwine Cycling). Kristin Armstrong is still off the front solo. She has 25 seconds on the chase group of nine women. We don't yet know the gap to the main women's field.
10:22 EDT The women's chase group features four High Road riders include Ina Teutenberg. It's a great move for High Road, and they are on the front taking turns. Teutenberg won this race in 2005 and 2007 and is the perfect rider for them to bring along in this break.
10:22 EDT The nine-woman chase is just five seconds from catching Armstrong. We may be seeing the winning break's move in action.
10:24 EDT The nine women have caught Armstrong, so now there are ten women. The break's gap is shrinking though - down to 5 seconds. The "peloton" is really just about 40 riders although the officials are still calling it a peloton. The heat and two trips up Manayunk have taken their toll on the women's field.
10:25 EDT The break is caught on Lemon Hill and the women are all together again.
10:25 EDT Armstrong launches another attack on Lemon Hill! I guess she still has some energy left after such a long stint off the front earlier.
10:26 EDT She is caught as they come back to Kelly Drive. The women's peloton is all together again. It's about 50 racers big and they've eased off the pace.
10:27 EDT The men's race came all back together again, but a new lead group has formed of about 15 racers.
10:29 EDT But the men all come back together on Kelly Drive. Brad White (Team Successfulliving) attacks. Nick Frey (Time Pro Cycling) chases. Not only has the racing action been hot this morning, but so is the weather. It's up to 88 degrees and humid and sunny!
10:30 EDT The men's field is at 10 seconds behind the two leaders. They are on their third big lap- rolling onto Main Street in Manayunk. Time for another climb.
10:31 EDT The men on are on the climb. Brad White (Team Successfulliving) is leading with a 15 second gap going into it.
10:31 EDT The women's race is all back together with two laps to go. The American teams want to make an impression and are taking turns launching attacks. Value Act Capital, Tibco and Webcor have all made an attempt to get away, but the field keeps regrouping.
10:33 EDT Five riders are pass Brad White (Team Successfulliving) in the men's race. Ryan Sullivan (Jittery Joe's) is leading.
10:34 EDT 41miles/115miles to go The men are all together coming over the top of the Wall for the third time. Jeremiah Wiscovitch (Rock Racing) has a flat.
10:36 EDT Results of the Men's KOM (third trip up the Wall) are 1 Tyler Wren (Colavita-Sutter Home), 2 Ryan Sullivan (Jittery Joe's ), 3 Jonn Murphy (Health Net p/b Maxxis).
10:39 EDT There are 12 women off the front with 45 second gap. We know 11 of them: Tiffany Cromwell (Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light), Robin Farina (Cheerwine Cycling), Rebecca Larson (Aaron's Women's Professional Cycling Team), Kacey Manderfield (Verducci Breakaway Racing), Emily Zell (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team), Priska Doppmann (Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team), Sarah Düster (Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team), Suzanne De Goede (Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung), Amber Rais (Team Tibco), Steph Roorda (Juice Plus+ Women's Cycling Team) and Melissa Sanborn (Vanderkitten Racing).
10:40 EDT The men and women are passing each other in opposite directions on Kelly Drive. Neither race has a yellow line rule in effect, but the officials are trying to herd the riders off the their respective sides of the yellow line so the two pelotons can pass safely.
10:43 EDT In the men's race, we have a break with three racers including Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home), Brian Jensen (Team Successfulliving) and Daniel Ramsay (Time Pro Cycling).
10:44 EDT Edward King (Bissell Pro Cycling Team) is off the front ahead of the three and Steven Cozza (Slipstream/Chipotle p/b H30) is chasing at one minute. The field is at 1:15.
10:48 EDT The women are on the Wall for the third time. The 12 leaders are still off the front going into the climb. We think we may have an ID on the 12th racer. It's a High Road team member and may be Oenone Wood.
10:50 EDT Edward King (Bissell Pro Cycling Team) took the KOM in the men's race up Lemon Hill. He is being chased by two separate groups of three racers at 20 and 40 seconds respectively. A solo rider is chasing at 1:05 and the main peloton is at 1:15.
10:52 EDT In the women's race, Tiffany Cromwell (Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) is first up and over the Wall. Three women dropped from the break including Kacey Manderfield (Verducci Breakaway Racing), Emily Zell (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) and Robin Farina (Cheerwine Cycling). That leaves us with a group of nine women off the front in the lead break.
10:54 EDT Results from the women's KOM (third trip up the Wall) are 1 Tiffany Cromwell (Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light), 2 Oenone Wood (Team High Road - Women), 3 Amber Rais (Team Tibco).
10:55 EDT On the descent, a group of about 15 women catch the lead group of nine to former a larger break.
10:56 EDT In the men's race, our leader and the two chase groups of three come together off the front to form a break of seven racers. They have 1:55 on the main peloton. We'll get you the identities of the seven shortly. They are being chased by one solo racer in front of the peloton.
10:57 EDT In the women's race, the peloton catches the break so the women are all together.
10:58 EDT Mara Abbott (High Road) attacks and takes Brooke Miller (Tibco) with her.
10:59 EDT Two other racers bridge up for a lead group of four in the women's race.
11:00 EDT Two more women bridge up for a lead group of six. They are Christina Ruiter (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team), Mara Abbott (Team High Road - Women), Emma Rickards (Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team), Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine Cycling), Amber Rais (Team Tibco) and Kristin Sanders (Aaron's Women's Professional Cycling Team).
11:04 EDT Our men's break is Edward King (Bissell Pro Cycling Team), Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home), Brian Jensen (Team Successfulliving), Daniel Ramsay (Time Pro Cycling), Benjamin Kneller (Jittery Joe's ), Richard Geng (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) and Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing). Chasing solo is Kevin Buck Miller (Team RACE Pro) at 1:10. The main peloton is at 3:50 as they approach the Wall for the fourth time.
11:08 EDT The women's break is caught at the bottom of Lemon Hill. Kim Anderson (High Road) counterattacks and gets a gap. She is followed Lauren Franges (Tibco). Emma Rickards (Cervelo) also bridges up and they are seeing one lap to go.
11:10 EDT 54miles/102miles to go Results of the Men's KOM for the fourth trip up the Wall are 1. Benjamin Kneller (Jittery Joe's), 2 Joao Correia (Bissell Pro Cycling Team), 3 Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home).
11:12 EDT The women's peloton is all back together. With one lap to go, the American teams are at the front including Aaron's, Cheerwine and Colavita. Before the race, Tina Pic, who's been preparing in Europe and said she is "fitter than ever" told Cyclingnews that she wants to be the first American to win this race. "I'm pretty excited, but very nervous," Pic told Kirsten Robbins. "It's always been a nervous race because it's a big peloton and a crit style road race. I have a great team for a leadout." Pic is only worried about whether or not a break will go. Time is running out for that though with just one lap to go.
11:13 EDT There is a flurry of attacks in the women's race, but High Road is marking everything closely. If it comes down to a sprint, they will set up the finale for Ina Teutenberg.
11:14 EDT Greg Henderson (Team High Road) has a flat. We hear some riders crashed on the descent after the wall in the men's race. We haven't heard who was involved yet.
11:18 EDT Neil Shirley (Jittery Joe's) gets some service in the men's race where we still have our seven racers off the front and one chaser. The gap to the peloton from the leaders is 5:10.
11:19 EDT In the women's race, Cervelo Life Force and High Road have been driving the pace and caused a split in the peloton of about 20 riders at the front. Christina Ruiter (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) attacks them all and quickly gets a gap. She is off the front solo.
11:21 EDT Rock Racing's Tyler Hamilton is leading the men's break. At the back, the men's teams caravans are meeting up with the women's team cars at the construction zone. The tight passing quarters add a little excitement to the action.
11:22 EDT In the women's race, Christina Ruiter (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) is still of the front. She's got about 10 seconds over solo chaser Meredith Miller (Aaron's Women's Professional Cycling Team). Another 10 seconds back is the peloton.
11:23 EDT Meredith Miller (Aaron's Women's Professional Cycling Team) gets re-absorbed by the peloton. That leaves Christina Ruiter (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) off the front solo as the women approach the Wall for their final time up the climb.
11:24 EDT Christina Ruiter (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) is caught! Five High Road Riders are at the front leading coming into the base of the climb. Kate Bates is at the front driving it. Kim Anderson takes over the lead as they get to the steep part. Webcor is behind them.
11:25 EDT High Road has no competition on the climb. They are shattering what's left of the rest of the women's peloton. They'll be looking to thin down the group and maybe get a few riders off the front going into the last part of the final lap.
11:27 EDT Over the top of the Wall for the last time, four women get a gap of 30 seconds. Chantal Beltman (Team High Road - Women), Mara Abbott (Team High Road - Women), Kim Anderson (Team High Road - Women) and Joanne Kiesanowski (Team Tibco) are in that group, but interesting the non High Road racer Kiesanowski is the fastest of them.
11:28 EDT Four women are chasing including Katharine Carroll (Aaron's Women's Professional Cycling Team), Tiffany Cromwell (Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light), Priska Doppmann (Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team) and Catherine Cheatley (Cheerwine Cycling).
11:29 EDT The last KOM in the men's race was up Lemon's Hill. Results are 1 Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home), 2 Daniel Ramsay (Time Pro Cycling) and 3 Brad White (Team Successfulliving). Frattini gets some cheers from folks watching the race as he approaches the feed zone with the break. 8:25 is the gap between the seven men's leaders and the peloton.
11:30 EDT Kevin Buck Miller (Team RACE Pro) is still in no man's land between the break and the men's peloton. At least he has a sense of humor about it. As we passed him going the opposite way with the break, he was jokingly banging his handlebars in frustration.
11:32 EDT Chantal Beltman (Team High Road - Women) and Kim Anderson (Team High Road - Women) are doing all the work in the women's four-person break. Joanne Kiesanowski (Team Tibco), who is the best sprinter in the bunch and the only non-High Road rider, is sitting on. She comes from a track background and has been training and racing a lot in Europe.
11:33 EDT The women are going over by Strawberry Mansion. One of the High Road women drops off the lead break. Mara Abbott is pulling. Kim Anderson gets dropped from the break.
11:35 EDT Chantal Beltman (Team High Road - Women) launches and attack and goes solo. Joanne Kiesanowski (Team Tibco) is chasing with Mara Abbott sitting on her wheel. The chase group of four women picks up Kim Anderson, who dropped off the main group.
11:37 EDT The women still have to go up and over Lemon Hill and then they'll be on the final stretch heading to the finish line. They'll pass by and go out to do a loop around Logan Square before heading back to the finish line for the end of the race.
11:41 EDT Beltman has 20 seconds on the women's peloton as she approaches the finish. There is no more chase group. Beltman passes through the feedzone on her own. She'll see 1km to go.
11:41 EDT Beltman heads under the finish line and heads out for the final circle. She has a very healthy lead. As Beltman starts the circle, the peloton comes out of the feed zone.
11:42 EDT Beltman is going around the circle, she is almost sprinting. She's not out of her saddle, but she is giving it 100 percent.
11:42 EDT As Beltman exits the circle, the peloton is enter. 400 m to go for Beltman!
11:42 EDT Colavita and Nuremberger are driving the chase, but they won't catch her.
11:43 EDT Beltman approaches the finish. 100 m to go. Her hands are still on the bars. The sprint behind her is chaotic. There might be a crash.
11:43 EDT Beltman throws her arms in the air for the win.
11:44 EDT Looks like High Road also got second and Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung is probably third. We'll get you results as soon as possible.
11:45 EDT In the men's race, Daniel Ramsay (Time Pro Cycling) is actually adjusting his handlbars while riding. That takes some skill.
11:47 EDT While we were watching the finish of the women's race, our men's solo chaser, Kevin Buck Miller (Team RACE Pro), was caught at he base of the men's fifth trip up the Wall.
11:51 EDT Results of the last men's KOM (fifth trip up the Wall) were 1 Benjamin Kneller (Jittery Joe's), 2 Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home), 3 Brad White (Team Successfulliving).
11:52 EDT 73miles/83miles to go The men are approaching the Strawberry Mansion loop. The seven leaders have a gap of 6:40 over the main peloton.
11:56 EDT The temperature is still rising. It's 93 degrees (34 degrees Celsius)at noon. No doubt the women are glad to be finished racing before the hottest part of the day. In the men's race, Daniel Ramsay (Time Pro Cycling) is leading the break up and over Lemon Hill.
11:58 EDT Men's KOM results from Lemon Hill are 1 Benjamin Kneller (Jittery Joe's), 2 Daniel Ramsay (Time Pro Cycling), 3Edward King (Bissell Pro Cycling Team).
11:59 EDT As a reminder, our break in the men's race includes Edward King (Bissell Pro Cycling Team), Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home), Brian Jensen (Team Successfulliving), Daniel Ramsay (Time Pro Cycling), Benjamin Kneller (Jittery Joe's ), Richard Geng (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) and Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing). Hamilton takes his turn at the front after sitting on a bit.
12:00 EDT 77miles/79miles to go The men are about 1km from passing under the start finish. They will see 8 to go - five more big laps and three finishing circuits. That puts them at about the half-way point of the race.
12:04 EDT Richard Geng (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) is sitting on. He fell off the pace the last time up the Wall. The local weather forecasters are telling us there is a heat advisory in effect. They are giving advice to local citizens on how to stay cool. On Manayunk, the local fire department has opened up a hydrant for spectators to cool off.
12:07 EDT 80miles/76miles to go Our six men's leaders have a 5:45 gap over the peloton.
12:16 EDT 83miles/73miles to go The men's leaders are approaching the bottom of the Wall. They're on Main Street in Manayunk.
12:17 EDT Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing) leads up the Wall. He's setting the pace for the break - a pace which is causing Benjamin Kneller (Jittery Joe's) to drop off.
12:24 EDT Richard Geng (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) has come off the pace and is almost going backward. He's blown after a tough effort on a very hot day. Benjamin Kneller (Jittery Joe's) has come off, too. He is not even pedalling any more and is showing signs of being overheated.
12:28 EDT After the two recent drops, the break is down to five men. Turns out that Brian Jensen (Team Successfulliving) is not in the break. In fact, it is Brad White (Team Successfulliving). We were confused because he has the wrong frame number on his bike. That means our break includes Edward King (Bissell Pro Cycling Team), Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home), Brad White (Team Successfulliving), Daniel Ramsay (Time Pro Cycling) and Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing).
12:30 EDT Garrett Peltonen (Bissell Pro Cycling Team) works his way back to the peloton after a crash.
12:35 EDT Results of the last KOM up Lemon Hill are 1 Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home), 2 Brad White (Team Successfulliving), 3 Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing).
12:39 EDT The men's break has a 4:35 gap which is shrinking. Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home) is pushing the pace among the break riders. As he comes through the finish the Italian sees seven laps to go (four big laps, three finishing circuits). Meanwhile back at the peloton, Benjamin Kneller (Jittery Joe's) is caught. He decides to call it a day and abandons.
12:40 EDT Now, former break member Richard Geng (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) gets caught.
12:47 EDT 94miles/62miles to go The break's gap is down to 3:50. It's riders are doing some chatting. Maybe they are discussing how hot it is. At the finish line, the temperature of the asphalt has just measured 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius).
12:51 EDT The five break riders, with a gap of 3:40, turn onto Main Street in Manayunk. The death march continues!
12:52 EDT Before the race, Cyclingnews' diarist Rory Sutherland told Mark Zalewski before the start, "Some guys do drink just water, some drink just energy drinks, but on a day like today, you just do whatever you can get fluid into your body because you can only drink so much."
12:54 EDT Brad White (Team Successfulliving) is leading as they ride up the Wall. Edward King (Bissell Pro Cycling Team) is having a tough time hanging onto the back.
12:55 EDT White is struggling now and King comes off the back. He's at 10 seconds as they crest the climb. The other four are all together.
12:57 EDT 100miles/56miles to go The break waits up for King, so they're all together as they do the Fall from the Wall. Their gap has dropped to 2:55 as they cross the 100 mile point. It probably feels more like double that - the temperature is still rising - it's at 95 degrees!
12:59 EDT Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home) won the KOM up the Wall. Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing) and Daniel Ramsay (Time Pro Cycling) finished second and third.
13:01 EDT Hamilton is riding with a broken wrist today, but it doesn't seem to be slowing him down. He fractured his wrist in the fifth stage of Tour of Colombia. After the race in Reading, where he helped team-mate Oscar Sevilla to a win, he told Cyclingnews' Laura Weislo, "I rode through ten days in Tour of Colombia, and it made it worse. I took a week off, where I had it in a cast. I tried to milk the form from Colombia, but it's pretty hard."
13:03 EDT Riders in the peloton attack each other on climb up the Wall. Some of them are forming a group off the front.
13:04 EDT The chase group is made up of Yosvany Falcon (Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife), Kasper Klostergaard (Team CSC), Luis Amaran Romero (Colavita-Sutter Home), Ivan Stevic (Toyota United Pro Cycling Team), Antonio Cruz (BMC Racing), Taylor Tolleson (BMC Racing), Martijn Maaskant (Slipstream/Chipotle p/b H30), Cameron Evans (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team), Enrico Franzoi (Liquigas), Michael Sayers (BMC Racing), Jason Mccartney (Team CSC), William Frischkorn (Slipstream/Chipotle p/b H30), John Fredy Parra (Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife), Jason Mccartney (Team CSC), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team High Road) and Enrico Franzoi (Liquigas).
13:06 EDT Scott Zwizanski (Bissell Pro Cycling Team) gets a flat. Our chase group has 20 seconds on the peloton. The break has 1:15 on the chase.
13:09 EDT The Lemon Hill KOM went to Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home). Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing) and Daniel Ramsay (Time Pro Cycling). The peloton is coming off Lemon Hill while the break rides past the Philadelphia Art Museum. Frattini has been riding really strong in the break - he's taken a good portion of the KOM points available while he's been in the break.
13:13 EDT 106miles/50miles to go The chase is caught, but now Magnus Backstedt (Slipstream/Chipotle p/b H30) makes a solo chase effort in front of the peloton. As he comes through the start / finish, he sees six laps to go - three big laps and three finishing circuits. Backstedt is going hard. He's 1:05 behind the break. The peloton is just five seconds behind him.
13:16 EDT The break is now heading the opposite way of some dropped riders on Kelly Drive. The dropped riders know their day may be over soon, but it doesn't stop them from cheering on the five men in the break.
13:17 EDT On a more "normal" June day, one that isn't so hot, we'd expect the men to finish in less than six hours. In fact, last year, Juan Jose Haedo (Team CSC) won with a time of 5:45. But this year's heat is really slowing down the men and we're expecting the race finish time to be closer to six hours, maybe more.
13:19 EDT Solo chaser Magnus Backstedt (Slipstream/Chipotle p/b H30) is 25 seconds behind the break. The powerful Swede is making up time steadily while the peloton is sitting at one minute.
13:21 EDT Backstedt closes the gap down to 10 seconds. He's got them in his sights. The question is will any of the break riders have enough left in their tanks to go with him when he catches them?
13:23 EDT 111miles/45miles to go Backstedt is within five seconds. The field is also closing - they are at 30 seconds as the leaders turn onto Main Street in Manayunk.
13:26 EDT Backstedt catches the five leaders. But the peloton has them in its sights, too.
13:27 EDT Backstedt moves to the front as the break rides the cobbles under the railroad trestle at the base of the Wall. Frattini gives it a shot - he wants these KOM points.
13:29 EDT Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home) is giving it his all to get to the top of the Wall first. The break is behind him and the field is also on the Wall as they rise up past the crowds. This is trip number eight up the wall.
13:30 EDT All the break members except Frattini are caught as the peloton races up the hill. It's got to be so hot out there. The sun is just beating down on them - with no shade worth mentioning.
13:31 EDT Frattini gave it a valiant effort, but he is caught, too, and the peloton is all together again as they head down from the Wall.
13:32 EDT As has been the case on many of the previous laps, splits are forming on the descent. The peloton has tended to regroup after the descent though. Earlier today, in the women's race, Tina Pic (Colavita / Sutter Home) took a nasty fall on the Fall from the Wall during the final lap. She was pretty banged up after her crash, but last we heard was ok.
13:34 EDT Luis Amaran Romero and Anibal Borrajo (both Colavita-Sutter Home) switch bikes. After taking it easy and coasting on the descent, the peloton gets going again. It's about 50 riders.
13:36 EDT There are still plenty of riders left in the race though. Another substantially sized group is not too far behind the main peloton. We have results from the Manayunk KOM: 1 Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home), 2 Bernhard Eisel (Team High Road), 3 Matti Breschel (Team CSC). Frattini managed to hold on as his break got caught for one last important batch of KOM points after strong climbing all day.
13:37 EDT Three racers give it a try with an attack: Gregorio Ladino (Tecos-Trek), Darren Lapthorne (Team Sparkasse) and Michael Stevenson (Amore & Vita-McDonalds). They get 10 seconds for their effort, but are reeled back in.
13:38 EDT Francisco Matamoros (Tecos-Trek) and Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team) make their break off the front.
13:41 EDT 119miles/37miles to go Glen Chadwick (Team Type 1) bridges up to the two leaders. They're up to 40 seconds as they head to Lemon Hill.
13:46 EDT Our latest Lemon Hill KOM results are 1 Glen Chadwick (Team Type 1), 2 Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team), 3 Francisco Matamoros (Tecos-Trek). The three leaders have worked themselves into a position with a gap of 1:20. They see five laps to go as they pass through the finish. That means two more trips up the Wall during full laps and then three short finishing circuits.
13:48 EDT The finishing circuits are no picnic. Sure, they won't have the Wall in them, but they still go up Lemon Hill each lap. While Lemon Hill is not a big climb when ridden up any single time, it will be their 11, 12th and 13th time up it after also doing 10 trips up the Wall on a 95+ degree day. It makes us tired just thinking about it.
13:51 EDT We're hoping the men's race will finish on a smoother note than the women's race. In the final sprint within the field for second place behind winner Chantal Beltman (High Road - Women), there was a crash. Gina Grain and Christine Thornburn (both of Webcor) were among those who crashed, but fortunately of all the riders who went down in the finale, none went to the hospital afterward.
13:52 EDT In the women's final sprint, Brooke Miller (Team Tibco) and Ina Teutenberg (Team High Road - Women) finished second and third. After her third place and two wins earlier this week in Allentown and in Reading, Teutenberg captured the overall Triple Crown Title.
13:53 EDT Glen Chadwick is at the front of the break. He's chatting with his break mates, while Graziano Gasparre (Amore & Vita-McDonalds) attempts to bridge from the peloton.
13:55 EDT John Fredy Parra (Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife) throws his hat into the ring and launches a bridging attempt.
14:00 EDT 127miles/29miles to go John Fredy Parra (Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife) is caught by the peloton. So we have Francisco Matamoros (Tecos-Trek), Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team), and Glen Chadwick (Team Type 1)in front together, followed by a chaser, Graziano Gasparre (Amore & Vita-McDonalds) at 2:15. The peloton is at 2:30.
14:02 EDT Chadwick is doing most of the work in the break as they get ready to climb the Wall again. Graziano Gasparre (Amore & Vita-McDonalds) sits up, giving up on his chase attempt.
14:03 EDT After a super long pull from Chadwick, Tuft takes a turn at the front. Back in the peloton, Slipstream is setting up for the climb.
14:04 EDT Results from the KOM at the Wall are 1 Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team), 2 Glen Chadwick (Team Type 1), 3 Francisco Matamoros (Tecos-Trek).
14:07 EDT In the women's race, Kristen Armstrong (Cervelo / Lifeforce), who launched a decisive early race attack, took the Queen of the Mountain Competition this morning for the Liberty Classic. However, she didn't show up to stand on the podium and collect her award. Instead, she stayed in her hotel room attempting to recover from what she thought was heat exhaustion.
14:08 EDT Our three leaders have a 1:30 gap. But the pack is not content to let them stay off the front for too long. Thursday's Reading Classic winner Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing) attacks and pulls a group of 10 away into a chase effort.
14:11 EDT Sevilla pulls away from the rest, but his effort isn't enough. The rest of the racers learned on Thursday not to let him get away!
14:15 EDT Martin Kohler (BMC Racing) attacks the peloton and gets a 15 second advantage.
14:20 EDT A few race veterans told us this morning before the race that they were happy to not be racing today due to the heat. Former US Postal racer and US Olympian Dylan Casey was one of those and Scott Moninger expressed similar sentiments. Moninger is the DS for Toyota-United - he was out here racing just last year.
14:21 EDT The break crests over Lemon Hill scooping up the KOM points. It's Glen Chadwick (Team Type 1), then Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team), then Francisco Matamoros (Tecos-Trek).
14:22 EDT Tuft is driving the field. He's getting some help from High Road, Rock Racing and Sparkasse.
14:23 EDT Magnus Backstedt (Slipstream/Chipotle p/b H30), who launched a blistering attack one lap ago, decides to call it a day and abandons the race. It's 98 degrees - it seems like the temperature just keeps rising.
14:29 EDT With one more big lap to go plus the finishing circuits, we've got a break of three riders and one chaser. With advantages under two minutes, the race is still wide open. Racing veteran Henk Vogel (Toyota-United) has done the race eight times. Before the start today, he told Cyclingnews' Mark Zalewski, "I can't predict the race. Anything can happen. It can be hot or not hot." He thought heat would play a role in today's race and added that if it ended in a field sprint, he figured the field might not be very big.
14:34 EDT The peloton closes to within 10 seconds of Martin Kohler (BMC Racing) and he decides to sit up and bring an end to his time trial-like effort.
14:36 EDT It must be something about the coming Wall as they are racing on Main Street in Manayunk. Going up it again is a rather daunting prospect at this point in the race. But it's the last time - no doubt a big relief for many in the race.
14:37 EDT Despite the heat, there is a big crowd on the wall to watch the final ascent.
14:39 EDT Break rider Glen Chadwick (Team Type 1) opts for a upward trajectory that takes him through the O'Brien watering hole. Back in the peloton, Rock Racing is attacking.
14:42 EDT 144miles/12miles to go KOM results for the final trip up the Wall are 1 Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team), 2 Francisco Matamoros (Tecos-Trek), and 3 Glen Chadwick (Team Type 1). Despite the break's best efforts, especially those of Chadwick, who had done a lot of work, the gap has come down to just 45 seconds. Under pressure, the peloton is splitting up. Many of the teams will be working to bring it all back together in time to set up their sprinters for a final dash.
14:44 EDT Greg Henderson (Team High Road) abandons the race. We haven't been able to figure out if Italian sprinter Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) is still in the race.
14:45 EDT 20 riders have split off the front of the peloton on the descent and subsequent fast flat sections. They have the three leaders in sight.
14:45 EDT Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team) is making a valiant effort at the front of the break, but they are looking back as they enter the Strawberry Mansion section.
14:46 EDT 146miles/10miles to go Just 10 miles to go! Three racers, Francisco Matamoros (Tecos-Trek), Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team), and Glen Chadwick (Team Type 1), have a slim lead of 25 seconds over the 20 chasers.
14:48 EDT When they come by the finish line, they will see three finishing circuits to go. Each of the three more trips up Lemon Hill will carry double points in the KOM competition.
14:48 EDT The gap to the leaders has dropped to just 15 seconds. Now it's down to 10 seconds.
14:50 EDT It's like a lopsided team pursuit competition where 30 men are working together to chase down the three. They are caught!
14:54 EDT Lemon Hill KOM results are 1 Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team), 2 Glen Chadwick (Team Type 1), 3 Francisco Matamoros (Tecos-Trek)
14:54 EDT Tuft goes for it solo!
14:56 EDT Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team) enters the finishing circuits solo. He sees three to go. This is his bid for victory. He has 20 seconds.
14:57 EDT Tuft passes through the feed zone for the final time. After this, riders are on their own for food and water. Not that there will be much chance to eat and drink during the high-paced action of the final circuits.
14:59 EDT The officials kept the feed zone open an extra lap to help out the riders on this hot day. Tuft heads into Lemon Hill. He's trying to get the KOM points. The double points may give him enough to overtake the KOM lead.
14:59 EDT Tuft is caught. There is a new attack. Looks like a BMC racer.
15:00 EDT Lemon Hill KOM results on the third from last climb: 1 Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team), 2 Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home), 3 Andreas Schillinger (Team Sparkasse)
15:01 EDT Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home) and Andreas Schillinger (Team Sparkasse) launch an attack. The field is strung out, going at high speed trying to chase. Three others are joining the two leaders for a lead group of five.
15:02 EDT Two more have bridged. We have a group of about seven racers with a lead of 50m. They don't seem to be working together and will likely not last.
15:04 EDT Two laps to go! A BMC racer is back at the front. Looks like a Toyota-United racer is with him. Two more join him making four riders.
15:04 EDT But they are caught. The field is all together. High Road is at the front.
15:05 EDT Going up Lemon Hill, one rider attacks solo.
15:06 EDT Christopher Jones (Team Type 1), Rory Sutherland (Health Net p/b Maxxis) and Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing) come over Lemon Hill for the KOM. One more trip up to go.
15:07 EDT Christopher Jones (Team Type 1) and Rory Sutherland (Health Net p/b Maxxis) have a gap and are off the front together. They're both just going for it.
15:08 EDT Jones and Sutherland have a 10 second gap.
15:09 EDT But it's shrinking, they have just five seconds now and they'll see one lap to go! It's unlikely they can hold it for another full lap as the sprinters' teams will be lining up to set up for a final sprint, but they sure are putting in a strong bid.
15:09 EDT One lap to go! The field is charging along past the crowds at the finish line.
15:10 EDT Jones and Sutherland still have five seconds, but they're looking around.
15:11 EDT Both are on their hoods giving it their all. The field is chasing behind as the two leaders trade off. They are committed to their attack while the teams behind play their games.
15:11 EDT The break sits up - they're caught as they climb Lemon Hill for the final time.
15:12 EDT Slipstream attacks!
15:12 EDT Two kilometers to go.
15:13 EDT The peloton is all together as they come off the hill.
15:13 EDT Final KOM results are 1 Martijn Maaskant (Slipstream/Chipotle p/b H30), 2 Ivan Stevic (Toyota United Pro Cycling Team), 3 Bernhard Eisel (Team High Road)
15:14 EDT Five riders are off the front.
15:14 EDT High Road is setting up.
15:14 EDT High Road sends a rider off up the road. It's Vincente Reynes Mimo (Team High Road). He's going for it - that will force the other teams to chase.
15:15 EDT They are all together. 1 km to go!
15:16 EDT They're sprinting all over the road. It's Health Net and ROck Racing at the Front. Now it's High Road up there too.
15:16 EDT Matti Breschel (Team CSC) pulls off the win!
15:17 EDT That makes it two years in a row for Team CSC. Juan Jose Haedo won last year.
15:17 EDT A Health Net rider finished second we think. We'll get you the top three as soon as we can.
15:19 EDT The temperature at the finish is 98 degrees. Today's race took 30 minutes longer than last year. The riders will be tired after today's hot and long effort.
15:24 EDT After Matti Breschel (Team CSC), we have unofficial results for second through fifth. Kirk O'Bee (Health Net p/b Maxxis), Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing), Bernhard Eisel (Team High Road) and Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) rounded out the top five.
15:30 EDT That wraps up our live coverage of the Commerce Bank Triple Crown from Philadelphia. Thanks for joining us! Coming up this week is more Cyclingnews live coverage from the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré in France.
Provisional results
Philadelphia International Classic (Men's race) 1 Matti Breschel (Team CSC) 2 Kirk O'bee (Health Net p/b Maxxis) 3 Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing) 4 Bernhard Eisel (Team High Road) 5 Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) Men's Triple Crown 1 Matti Breschel (Team CSC) Men's KOM 1 Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home) Liberty Classic (Women's race) 1 Chantal Beltman (Team High Road - Women) 2 Brooke Miller (Team Tibco) 3 Ina Teutenberg (Team High Road - Women) Women's Triple Crown 1 Ina Teutenberg (Team High Road - Women) Women's KOM 1 Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team)
