Lachlan Norris (Drapac) on the podium after being given a special award by the local organizing committee after stage one of the USA Pro Challenge(Image credit: AFP)
Lachlan Norris (Drapac) takes out stage 4 on the Tour of Tasmania after an epic day in the saddle and then breaking away in the closing kilometres.(Image credit: Mark Gunter - markgunter.com.au)
Lachlan Norris (Drapac)(Image credit: AFP)
Lachlan Norris (Drapac) in the breakaway on stage one of the 2014 USA Pro Challenge(Image credit: AFP)
After creating a stir on the first day of racing in the USA Pro Challenge, Drapac's Lachlan Norris has had to readjust his ambitions to a stage win after losing time on the stage to Monarch Mountain.
The 27-year-old climber got away in the breakaway on the Aspen circuit, and frustrated his breakaway companions, in particular Ben Jacques-Maynes and Matt Cooke (Jamis-Hagens Berman), but winning the first two mountain sprints. But his chances of moving into the mountains jersey faded after Jacques-Maynes got away, and then faded even further on the stages to Crested Butte and Monarch Mountain.
His goal coming into the race was to place high on the general classification, but now in 28th place at 14:34 from race leader Tejay van Garderen (BMC), Norris said he's hoping that he's lost enough time that he can try for a stage win on Friday's fifth stage to Breckenridge.
Was it a gamble to go out so hard on the first stage when racing at 2600m? In retrospect, Norris said that maybe it wasn't the best idea.
"Normally the first day of a Tour is not that good for me, but I felt good," he said. "I didn't think it was a bad move to be up the road, and out of trouble. It looked like it was pretty hard in the bunch as well. I don't think anyone had an easy day.
"It was one of those things, we needed to have someone in there, and I was just in a position where i could go with the move. It probably wasn't what I was planning to do."
After Crested Butte, Norris was only 1:23 behind in 19th place, but the effort from the first day took its toll, and he ended the race in the second peloton, almost 13 minutes down on the stage winner Van Garderen.
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Norris, 10th overall in the Tour of Utah, is still feeling good and looking for an opportunity when stage 5 heads up the Hoosier Pass to 11,539ft before heading down and over the Boreas Pass Road climb to Breckenridge.
"I've lost enough time that hopefully if I'm away, they won't chase."
Laura Weislo is a Cyclingnews veteran of 20 years. Having joined in 2006, Laura extensively covered the Operacion Puerto doping scandal, the years-long conflict between the UCI and the Tour de France organisers ASO over the creation of the WorldTour, and the downfall of Lance Armstrong and his lifetime ban for doping. As Managing Editor, Laura coordinates coverage for North American events and global news.
