Bevin holds off experienced Aussies for victory

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Bissell Pro Cycling team’s newest recruit Patrick Bevin proved to be a worthy signing after capturing a solo victory at the National Racing Calender’s Grand Cycling Classic held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bernie Sulzberger (Fly V Australia) won the bunch sprint for second place ahead of Hilton Clarke (UnitedHealthcare-Maxxis) in third.

“I was picked up by Bissell in June,” Bevin said. “I had a strong season as a junior last year and Bissell was at a couple of races this year down where I live. I came up here and had a really rough month with getting sick and missed some racing.

“When you have a team like Bissell you want to do well,” he added. “They don’t put pressure on me but I put pressure on myself. To win a race for them is positive and a great way to show the team that I mean business.”

The professional men’s field was stacked full of criterium talents with Sulzberger and Jonathan Cantwell (Fly V Australia), Clarke and Karl Menzies (UnitedHealthcare-Maxxis), Rob Bush (Kenda-Geargrinder) and Alejandro Borrajo and NRC individual leader Luis Amaran (Jamis Sutter Home). However, it was Bissell that fielded a team of 10 riders on the hunt for a victory on home turf.

Bevin countered a series of attacks and landed in the most significant breakaway of the race. He was off the front and on his own fighting to hold a slim lead ahead of the peloton for nearly 30 minutes.

“We had a solid team and they were all over the front of the bike race all day,” Bevin said. “It got to the point where guys were sick of chasing and I went. I got a gap quite quickly and managed to keep it out front.”

With one rider up the road, Bissell was absolved from having to chase. Strong teams Fly V Australia and UnitedHealthcare harboured proven winning sprinters back in the bunch and each team organised themselves in anticipation of a bunch sprint. Bevin crossed the finish line with a victory salute a mere two or three bike lengths ahead of the peloton.

“There were a couple of groups that got established at the front of the field but nothing really go established,” Bevin said. “My time yo-yoed a lot because of that and the time always drops fast when the sprinter teams start getting organised. I was almost caught at the line.”

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