Routley takes stage in two man sprint

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Will Routely (Jelly Belly) captured a riveting victory at the City of Beaumont Road Race from a late race breakaway. The Canadian won a two man sprint against Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell), while Luis Amaran (Jamis-Sutter Home) claimed third three seconds behind.

“This is such a great start to the season,” Routley said. “We had the team well positioned at the front all day and conserved energy in order to feel good at the end, ready to race the last lap.

“I initially rolled with Luis but fortunately I had riders in the general classification and didn’t have to work that break,” he added. “I was able to take it easy and it paid off. I felt great today but the team was also riding so well. I’m just really stoked about it this year. The fact that we had second and third on GC enabled me to win today, it’s as simple as that.”

The top three in the overall classification are separated by a mere one-second. Ben Day (Fly V Australia) maintained his lead by a hair ahead of Jacques-Maynes and Routely, who both moved up into podium position with the finish line time bonuses. Routely’s teammates Carter Jones and Keil Reijnen slid into fourth and fifth overall.

“It’s plenty of time,” Day joked. “I’m happy to still be wearing the jersey. It’s a really hard race to control and almost a curse to be leading into this stage. We have it for another day and we will see what we can do for the rest of the weekend.

“I want to reflect on the fact that this is the first time the yellow jersey has been defended on this stage and that was because of the incredible team work out there today,” he added. “The boys did an incredible job. It is pretty cool to be sitting on the back of them and having the other best teams in the US come up and say that our boys were riding strongly. The final breakaway went and it was the exact same thing that happened last year.”

Late-break deja vu

Amaran initiated the winning break over the top of the circuit’s steep King of the Mountain climb through Bogart County Park. Routely was the first to bridge across followed by Jacques-Maynes, who made his way across on the descent.

“I am feeling strong, much more than I was last year at this time,” Amaran said. “That move was an opportunity to move up in the overall so I was working very hard to open that gap, with Ben Jacques-Maynes. I think I can win the overall this week. If there are more opportunities like today, I will take them.”

A similar well-calculated breakaway escaped in the previous year’s road race, which ended with Jeff Louder winning the stage and moving into the overall race lead ahead of Day. Routley remembered the cagey move because he placed second in the sprint behind Louder, but this time he was in a position to win.

“I knew it all year, in the back of my mind, where and when to jump,” Routley said. “I was paying attention all day to how much of a head wind there was coming into that sprint. I definitely wanted to win the stage and I certainly wasn’t going to roll away in a break away when we had second and third on general classification, if I wasn’t expecting to win.”

Jacques-Maynes and Amaran did the bulk of the work needed to keep the breakaway ahead of a charging peloton. They gained a maximum of 15 seconds but it was reduced seven seconds at the finish line.

“I hit it into the downhill sketchy corner and carried a lot of speed to get across to the break,” Jacques-Maynes said. “We rode so hard all the way in. Will had two GC positions to defend so he sat on for about five kilometres. That’s bike racing and he was probably going to win today. Luis and I were absolutely giving it everything we had. I’ve never seen Luis tired before, I’m usually not around anymore when that happens.”

Early breakaway sorts out the jersey selection

The City of Beaumont Road Race treated the peloton to a new opening 55 km loop that showcased the first King of the Mountain hotspot. The race progressed toward the event’s traditional 28 km circuit that included the second KOM through the narrow twists and turns in the Bogart County Park, before the men completed five laps totaling 168 km.

An early breakaway set sail on the first smaller loop that included Daniel Holt (Team Type 1), Rob Britton (Bissell), Eric Boiley (SpiderTech) and Andrei Krasilnikav (Holowesko Partners). The four rider break was reduced to three when Holt fell off pace.

They gained a maximum of four minutes during the next four laps, more than 100 km, ahead of the field that was predominantly lead by Fly V Australia with occasional help from Jelly Belly.

“We weren’t too worried about the first break because it’s a long stage,” Day said. “I was a little bit disappointed in some of the other teams taking pride in their podium positions as well. We aren’t going to keep handing them these races on a platter all year just because we are the strongest team here.”

Britton earned himself the event’s Best Sprinter jersey accumulating the bulk of the points offered at two intermediate sprint locations. Krasilnikav picked up enough points on the circuit’s KOM to build his lead in the event’s Best Climber competition.

“We worked well,” Krasilnikav said. “I wanted to go in the breakaway. We tried to make as big a gap as possible. I wanted the KOM jersey. I am happy with my performance. I’m not normally good in the beginning of the season.”

The three-man move was reeled back at the base of the final climb through Bogart County Park on the last lap. Several unsuccessful attacks were launched at the bottom of the climb allowing Amaran to produce a counter attack and the final breakaway of the day.

The teams with strong sprinters were responsible for reducing the gap to seven seconds at the finish line. Alejandro Borrajo (Jamis Sutter-Home) won the bunch sprint for fourth place.

Racing continues tomorrow at the City of Redlands Criterium, stage two of the Redlands Bicycle Classic. “There is some great racing left,” Day said. “Tomorrow is the criterium and a great race down the centre of Redlands. I’m looking forward to that and hopefully we get some of our fast guys a win.”

Teutenberg moves closer to yellow

Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (HTC-Columbia) sprinted her way into victory at the Redlands Bicycle Classic’s stage one City of Beaumont Road Race. The German National Champion outpaced a series of formidable sprinters including Brooke Miller (TIBCO) who placed second and Joelle Numainville (Webcor-Builders) in third.

“I sprinted off of the Colavita leadout,” Teutenberg said. “I started early and the sprint was really long. The finishing straight is a little bit deceiving. Brooke had to go just as long as I did and I was able to stay ahead.”

Amber Neben (Dare To Be-BMW Bianchi) is currently leading the race by 14 seconds ahead of Teutenberg and an additional two seconds to Mara Abbott (Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12).

“I was expecting fireworks today,” Neben said. “I think there were enough people today who felt like they were still in the race for the mountain and points jersey and the stage win. Everyone was involved in racing. It wasn’t too windy so those things helped keep the bunch together.”

The underlying suspense that Teutenberg could win the Redlands Bicycle Classic’s overall classification by capturing time bonuses peaked when she nabbed an additional 15 seconds during the race. She started the stage in fourth place, 29 seconds behind Neben but reduced her time by capturing five seconds during the stage and 10 seconds at the finish line.

“There is a lot of racing left so that is good but I lost 15 seconds to Ina today,” Neben said. “Essentially she can win the race again on bonuses. But it’s fun to be out here racing hard and being able to think hard about tactics. I had to go for time bonuses last year too. If I’m in position I will again but sometimes I weigh the risk of getting injured and long term goals.”

Some 120 women started the City of Beaumont Road Race anticipating strong cross winds that have previously played an integral role in shattering the field. However this year the women lined up under cooler temperatures, sunny skies and very little wind.

Alison Powers (Vera Bradley Foundation) picked up the first two Queen of the Mountains, accumulating enough points to take the lead as the event’s best climber. The first lap brought the riders around a 50 km large circuit before dropping them down onto the traditional 28 km smaller loop.

“I wasn’t going to go for the jersey but on the first climb I was there and I went for it,” Powers said. “My team-mate lead me out for the second one and I won almost no problem. I think maybe we can try to keep it. There are no climbing points tomorrow in the criterium but there are many on Sunset on Sunday.”

Coryn Rivera (Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12) won the first intermediate time bonus sprint ahead of Teutenberg and Thersa Cliff-Ryan (Colavita-Baci). Teutenberg went on to win the second intermediate sprint ahead of Cliff-Ryan and Rivera. The German’s effort in the intermediate sprint combined with her stage win put her in the lead of the event’s best sprinter competition.

“I was not going for the points, I was going for the time bonuses,” Teutenberg said. “I don’t care too much about the sprint jersey. If it comes ok, but I am looking at the overall jersey. I have to take time bonuses and take the option to get close to the lead. Sunday will be really exciting.”

Krysta Jeffs (Nanoblur-Gears) made a solo move and remained off the front for nearly one full lap, following a flurry of unsuccessful attacks. She was reeled back in before the second circuit.

The peloton remained largely intact for the final sprint, despite several small groups of riders lingered off the back and a few riders not making the time cut.

Neben will start tomorrow 60-minute City of Redlands Criterium with two teammates Kathleen Billington and Rachel Warner. The stage includes multiple time bonus sprints and is well-suited to Teutenberg’s strengths.

“Rachel and Kathleen will do their best to help Amber defend the jersey, although Ina will be a formidable opponent as always,” said the team’s directeur Laura Weislo. “I hope that the other sprinters like Coryn Rivera and Theresa Cliff-Ryan will continue to battle for the intermediate sprints and take time away from Ina - it will be our best chance to win the overall.”

Neben is guest riding with the BMW-Bianchi Elite Women’s team at the Redlands Bicycle Classic. The strong east coast team made a late-entry into the four-stage race looking for an opportunity to train hard in California’s warm temperatures.

“We really didn't plan for Redlands this winter, but the horrible winter on the east coast made the riders yearn for some warmer weather to ride and race in,” Weislo added. “The plan to race Redlands came together kind of at the last minute, so the riders aren't in top form. Plus, the smog is something that takes getting used to, and the women flying in this week while all the other teams having a week to get accustomed to the air is a big disadvantage.”

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