Zirbel sublime in Fitchburg opener

Tom Zirbel (Bissell) again proved his pedigree in the time trial by taking the opening stage of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic, a 14.3km test against the clock in Fitchburg. The Boulder native finished ahead of a slew of Kelly Benefit Strategies riders - Scott Zwizanski in second, David Veilleux in third and Zach Bell in fourth.

"I was happy with the way I rode today," said Zirbel. "I think Kelly Benefit Strategies did a great job too. So far they've done a lot of racing the we haven't been at so it was nice to see them racing so well. I'm also really happy for Scott because he was an awesome teammate of mine for two years and he is riding really well. But, I'm glad I jabbed him in the time trial!

The race kicked off with a brand new time trial course - predominantly flat out and back. Zirbel won the 14-kilometre event in a time of 17:15 to take the overall lead with a 22-second margin ahead of Zwizanski and 32 seconds ahead of Veilleux. "It was good for me," Zirbel said. "It wasn't completely flat a lot of undulations and rough in some parts. The way back was a lot tougher than the first half. But Kelly Benefit Strategies is going to be tough to deal with and they have a lot of options right now - it should be a fun weekend."

Bad weather rolled in for the start of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic silver anniversary. The unexpected conditions caused several flight delays arriving into the Boston, Massachusetts. The delays caused Zirbel to arrive in the middle of the night before the time trial start, a fine deal considering his teammates Ben and Andy Jacques-Maynes arrived twenty minutes before their scheduled time trial start and New Zealand national champion Jeremy Vennell who did not make it to his scheduled start.

"The weather has been really bay coming into Boston,"Zirbel said. "The Jacques-Maynes brothers arrived just before their start, borrowed clothing, jumped on the rollers for a few minutes and went. It sucks that Jeremy's flight was completely cancelled because we are down one rider."

Powers to time trial victory in Fitchburg

Reigning US national time trial champion, Alison Powers (Team Type 1) showed the Massachusetts crowds just why she wears the stars and stripes skinsuitwith victory in the opening stage ahead of Lip Smackers duo Evelyn Stevens and Anne Samplonius. French national time trial champion Jeannie Logo-Ciprelli (Vital Plus) placed a close fourth.

"It was a really nice course," Powers said. "I liked it because it was slightly rolling and the road twisted and turned through the trees. It was so foggy that no one could see anything. But that made it very nice."

Powers won the 14.3km individual event in a time of 19:54. She took the early lead of the four-day race ahead of Stevens and Samplonius. "Looking at past results, Evelyn has been getting better and better" Powers said. "LipSmackers can definitely make it a hard race. We've been working hard all season and even though we will have our work cut out for us, we feel very ready."

Powers placed second to Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo Test Team) in the Tour of the Gila in May and the Nature Valley Grand Prix in June. She won her first overall title at the Joe Martin Stage Race in May and hopes to continue that success this weekend. "It's hard to win with Kristin around," Powers said. "This is a race she was not coming to. I targeted Joe Martin and Fitchburg races to try to be able to win. Hopefully I'm able to go on and win the overall here. It is such a close race between the top five and there are three more stages with time bonus at the finishes. A couple seconds here and there and you can move ahead or back."

Powers has not competed at the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic in the past, normally in Europe with the US National Team racing at the conflicting Giro d' Italia Femminile. "I've been in Europe most of the season in the past and I'm really happy to be able to race here in the states, being with my family and loved ones," Powers said. " I haven't been able to do that the past two summers and it is really special this year.