Alzate and Villumsen win final day Gateway Cup races
By Matt James
Four day series wraps up with Benton Park Classic
Heading into the final day of the 2015 Gateway Cup weekend, the field faced the most challenging course thus far with ten technical corners and little room for recovery. Throughout the weekend, the United Health Care team had had mixed results in both the men and women’s field, always taking responsibility for the racing, but sometimes seeing the race turn against them at the finish. As each race started the Benton Park Classic, it was clear that UHC planned to leave no doubt about its collective strength.
From the start of the women’s race, UHC put all its riders on the front and kept the pace steady to discourage attacks. Halfway through the sixty-minute race, Linda Villumsen took a solo flyer while her UHC teammates made sure that any attempted chase by the field was closely monitored. Villumsen’s gap stayed constant with every lap and the organisation of the chase behind grew less and less cohesive as United Health Care kept a tight reign on the race. Heading into the finishing straight, Villumsen was still well clear for a solo win as her teammate Cari Higgins took second place ahead of IS-Corp’s Samantha Schneider.
With her third place, Schneider locked up the Gateway Cup overall ahead of Optum’s Leah Kirchmann and Villumsen.
The men’s race followed a nearly identical script to the women’s event as United Health Care controlled affairs from the start. As with the women’s race, UHC sent a solo move off at the halfway point with Adrian Hegyvary carving out a solid lead through most of the race. Unlike the women’s race, the counter attacks from the field were given a bit more leeway in their attempts to bring back Hegyvary. Optum's Brad Huff was particularly aggressive; instigating multiple counter attacks both solo and with small groups. Eventually, the Alto Velo/Seasucker team of Daniel Holloway brought the group together, and sparked an immediate counter attack by Huff as the race headed into five laps to go. Huff held a tenuous lead until the final lap of the race, when the collective strength of the entire United Health Care team brought him back into the field to set up the sprint. In the drag race to the line, a well timed bike throw by Carlos Alzate gave him a narrow win over Holloway with stage three winner, Karl Menzies in third.
Alzate’s win secured him second place overall behind Holloway with UHC workhorse Luke Keough rounding out the podium in third.
As the Gateway Cup helps wind down the 2015 season, St. Louis fans were witness to another year of aggressive racing by the biggest names in the domestic peloton. With each passing season, United Health Care continues to show their collective strength, but the rest of the field is starting to take the race to them and eliminate the certainty of a UHC sweep. Time will tell if 2016 shows a changing of the guard at the front of the field, but for now, United Health Care still sets the standard.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Carlos Alzate Escobar | 1:17:42 |
2 | Daniel Holloway (AltoVelo-Sea Sucker Factory Racing) | |
3 | Karl Menzies (UnitedHealthcare) | |
4 | Luke Keough (UnitedHealthcare) | 0:00:02 |
5 | Rafael Meran (CRCA Foundation) | |
6 | Dennis Ramirez (Gateway Harley-Davidson Trek U2) | |
7 | Brad Neagos (BISSELL-ABG-GIANT) | |
8 | Ryan Aitcheson | 0:00:03 |
9 | Colton Barrett (Stradalli Cycle~Safftti Smart W) | |
10 | Zack Allison (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | |
11 | Michael Keller (South Chicago Wheelmen Elite) | |
12 | Adrian Hegyvary (UnitedHealthcare) | 0:00:04 |
13 | Benjamin Renkema (Finish Strong) | |
14 | Adam Farabaugh (Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan) | |
15 | Anton Varabei (Garneau Quebecor) | 0:00:05 |
16 | Carlos Andres Brenes Mata (Costa Rica) | |
17 | Martin Reinert (Stradalli Cycle~Safftti Smart W) | 0:00:06 |
18 | Alberto Covarrubias | |
19 | Stephen Tilford (TradeWind Energy Cycling Team) | 0:00:07 |
20 | Evan Hartig (Credite Velo - Trek) | |
21 | Alexander Voitik (EGO p/b Sammys Bikes) | |
22 | Michael Dutczak (EGO p/b Sammy\'s Bikes) | 0:00:08 |
23 | Martin Vecchio (Netherland Rubber p/b MVP) | |
24 | Parker Kyzer (Finish Strong Elite Cycling Team) | |
25 | Colton Jarisch (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | 0:00:09 |
26 | Blake Anton (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling) | |
27 | Cristian Torres (CRCA Foundation) | |
28 | Andrew Dahlheim (Canyon Bicycles - Shimano) | |
29 | Glenn Ferreira (Team Metra / Cycles 54) | 0:00:11 |
30 | Isaiah Newkirk (Gateway Harley-Davidson Trek U2) | 0:00:12 |
31 | John (Jack) Funk (Team Arapahoe Resources) | |
32 | Ryan Knapp (First Internet Bank Cycling Team) | |
33 | Dylan Postier (EVOKE Racing) | |
34 | Corey Davis (Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan) | |
35 | Bradley White (UnitedHealthcare) | 0:00:13 |
36 | Marco Aledia (AltoVelo-Sea Sucker Factory Racing) | |
37 | Dustin Morici (EGO p/b Sammy\'s Bikes) | 0:00:14 |
38 | Michael Jasinski (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling) | |
39 | Patrick Casey (Canyon Bicycles-Shimano) | |
40 | Brais Dacal (Team Novo Nordisk) | |
41 | Connor Brown (Gateway Harley-Davidson Trek U2) | 0:00:15 |
42 | Matthew Zimmer (EC Devo) | |
43 | Aldo Ino Ilesic (AltoVelo-Sea Sucker Factory Racing) | |
44 | Matt Salpietro (Texas Roadhouse Cycling p/b Str) | 0:00:18 |
45 | Bill Mulligan (Lakes Area Physical Therapy) | 0:00:25 |
46 | Brian Kaker (Lakes Area Physical Therapy) | |
47 | Robert Sroka (Netherland Rubber p/b MVP) | 0:00:26 |
48 | Devin Clark | |
49 | Matt Moosa (Finish Strong Elite Cycling Team) | 0:00:27 |
50 | Andrew Reardon (Sonic Cycling) | 0:00:29 |
51 | Joshua Friedman (Green Line Velo) | |
52 | Jesse Siemen (Summit Pro Racing) | 0:00:30 |
53 | Micah Engle (Gateway Harley-Davidson Trek U2) | |
54 | Zachary Kovalcik (Black Lodge Cycling) | 0:00:34 |
55 | Nolan Tankersley (Finish Strong Elite Cycling Team) | 0:00:40 |
56 | Hilton Clarke (UnitedHealthcare) | 0:00:50 |
57 | Aaron Beebe (BISSELL-ABG-GIANT) | 0:01:23 |
58 | Jacob Gerhardt (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling) | 0:01:36 |
59 | Zack Kratche (J.Brown p/b Ms.Roses) | 0:02:08 |
60 | Hogan Sills (UCI CT: Astellas Cycling Team) | 0:03:27 |
61 | Jacob Arnold (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | 0:03:40 |
62 | Charles Huff (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 0:04:10 |
63 | Brandon Feehery | 0:04:51 |
64 | Dominic Caiazzo (Green Line Velo) | 0:06:53 |
65 | Joshua Johnson (Gateway Harley-Davidson Trek U2) | |
66 | Michael (Casey) Saunders (Dogfish/Team Noah) | |
67 | Terrence Keenan (Michelob Ultra - Big Shark Racing) | |
68 | Jonathan Jacob (BISSELL-ABG-GIANT) | |
69 | Arthur Moran (Green Line Velo) | |
70 | Jordan Ross (Harvest Racing p/b Midwest Cycling) | |
71 | Michael Allison (Olathe Subaru Cycling) | |
72 | John Becker (First Internet Bank Cycling Team) | |
73 | Derek Cote (CT Cycling Advancement Program) | |
74 | Quentin Valognes (Team Novo Nordisk) | |
75 | Trevor Rolette (EGO p/b Sammy\'s Bikes) | |
76 | Grant Erhard (Summit Pro Racing) | |
77 | Scott Ogilvie (Dogfish/Team Noah) | |
78 | Matthew Kelley (SBR Quantum Racing) | 0:06:57 |
79 | Scott Williamson (Olathe Subaru Cycling) | |
80 | John Holden | |
81 | William Stolte (TradeWind Energy Cycling Team) | |
82 | Emanuel Mini (Team Novo Nordisk) | |
83 | Sean Metz (EGO p/b Sammy\'s Bikes) | |
84 | Andy Prickett (Team Dayton Bicycling) | |
85 | Zvonimir Jelinic (Team Novo Nordisk) | |
DNF | Alex Kellum (J.Brown p/b Ms.Roses) | |
DNF | Donovan Clarke (Health Warrior p/b RK&O) | |
DNF | Stephan Hoffman (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling) | |
DNF | Kent Ross (Hosmer Chiropractic-RPM Mortgage) | |
DNF | Luis Galaviz (Fayetteville Wheelmen) | |
DNF | Johnny Mitchell (Finish Strong) | |
DNF | Sven Gartner (EGO p/b Sammy\'s Bikes) |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Linda Villumsen (UHC) | 0:52:01 |
2 | Cari Higgins (UnitedHealthcare) | 0:00:13 |
3 | Samantha Schneider (ISCorp Cycling p/b SmartChoice) | |
4 | Lauren Tamayo (UnitedHealthcare) | |
5 | Leah Kirchmann | |
6 | Erica Allar | |
7 | Joanne Kiesanowski | 0:00:14 |
8 | Yussely Soto (ISCorp Cycling p/b SmartChoice) | |
9 | Tina Pic (Pepper Palace Pro Cycling p/b The Happy Toothing p/b The Happy Tooth) | |
10 | Lauretta Hanson | |
11 | Diana Penuela (PARK PLACE DEALERSHIPS) | 0:00:15 |
12 | Lindsay Bayer (BMW p/b The Happy Tooth Dental) | |
13 | Katherine Sherwin (River City Market Racing p/b Bi) | |
14 | Caitlin Laroche (Monster Media Elite Women) | |
15 | Christina Gokey-Smith (Pepper Palace Pro Cycling p/b The Happy Toothing p/b The Happy Tooth) | |
16 | Tiffany Pezzulo (DNA Cycling p/b K4) | |
17 | Skylar Schneider (ISCorp Cycling p/b SmartChoice) | |
18 | Heather Albert (Canyon Bicycles - Shimano) | 0:00:16 |
19 | Julie Kuliecza (Pepper Palace Pro Cycling p/b The Happy Toothing p/b The Happy Tooth) | |
20 | Jamie Gilgen | |
21 | Josie Talbot | |
22 | Abby Krawczyk (SPBRC-Grand Performance) | |
23 | Marie-Soleil Blais (Acquisio ACQ) | 0:00:17 |
24 | Emma Grant | |
25 | Morgan Brown (Colavita/Bianchi p/b Fine Cooking) | 0:00:18 |
26 | Holly Breck (Incycle Racing p/b Full Circle) | |
27 | Mary Zider (Colavita/Bianchi p/b Fine Cooking) | |
28 | Katharine Hall (UnitedHealthcare) | 0:00:19 |
29 | Rushlee Buchanan | 0:00:20 |
30 | Nicole Mertz (ISCorp Cycling p/b SmartChoice) | |
31 | Sara Tussey (Visit Dallas) | |
32 | Kathryn Donovan (Colavita/Bianchi p/b Fine Cooking) | 0:00:21 |
33 | Jessica Cutler (Colavita/Bianchi p/b Fine Cooking) | 0:00:22 |
34 | Laura Brown | |
35 | Maura Kinsella (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | |
36 | Sunny Gilbert (Michelob Ultra - Big Shark Racing) | 0:00:24 |
37 | Whitney Schultz (Colavita/Bianchi p/b Fine Cooking) | 0:00:25 |
38 | Fiona Meade | 0:00:30 |
39 | Jeannie Kuhajek (Chicago Womens Elite Cycling) | |
40 | Lexie Millard (ISCorp Cycling p/b SmartChoice) | 0:03:50 |
41 | Christina Birch (LA Sweat) | |
42 | Madison Kriek (FloridaVelo) | |
43 | Sarah Szefi (Chicago Womens Elite Cycling) | |
44 | Jennifer Sharp (Stages Cycling) | |
45 | Britta Siegel | |
46 | Kyrstin Bluhm (Lindenwood University) | |
47 | Ashley Weaver (PARK PLACE DEALERSHIPS) | |
48 | Christine Thornburg (Chicago Womens Elite Cycling) | |
49 | Diedre Ribbens (SPBRC-Grand Performance) | |
50 | Lisa Vandivort (CityMD Racing) | 0:03:51 |
51 | Jannette Rho (Chicago Womens Elite Cycling) | |
52 | Catherine Fegan-Kim (DNA Cycling p/b K4) | |
53 | Catherine Walberg | |
DNF | Ivy Audrain (L.A. Sweat) | |
DNF | Mia Manganello (Visit Dallas Cycling p/b Noise4) | |
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