Polar Bear Putt tries to beat the heat in Argentina

When your nickname is 'Polar Bear' and you prefer short sleeves and shorts when other riders are bundled up like the characters in A Christmas Story, Argentina in January may not be the place for you. But UnitedHealthcare's Tanner Putt made the most of his situation on Friday at the Vuelta a San Juan, infiltrating the day's breakaway and flying his team's colours in the high desert off the front for much of the day.

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Growing up in Missoula, Montana, Pat competed in his first bike race in 1985 at Flathead Lake. He studied English and journalism at the University of Oregon and has covered North American cycling extensively since 2009, as well as racing and teams in Europe and South America. Pat currently lives in the US outside of Portland, Oregon, with his imaginary dog Rusty.