Escuela tops podium in Merco criterium

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Full Circle Sports rider Ricardo Escuela broke Bissell Pro Cycling's winning streak when he claimed the stage three Merced Downtown Grand Prix on Saturday. The Argentine sprinter was the fastest man in the bunch kick, out-pacing Bissell's duo Kyle Wamsley in second and Patrick Bevin in third.

Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) maintained his overall lead in the general classification heading into the final day of racing at the Almond Blossom 196km road race on Sunday. Jacques-Maynes is leading overall ahead of his teammates Rob Britton, Jay Thompson and Paul Mach. John Bennett (California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) is sitting in fifth place overall.

"This is really an extension of our training camp," Jacques-Maynes said. "It is actually much better than beating up on each other during training rides. The guys rode fantastic today. We didn't want to ride a super hard tempo all day but just enough to stay safe. There was an 180-degree turn on the course so it was much safer to be at the front anyway, I was ninth wheel and I wouldn't have wanted to be any further back."

"We wanted to give our sprinters a chance today and could have another chance tomorrow during the road race," he added. "It is supposed to lightly rain during the stage so that might change how the race plays out."

The third stage was held around the historical Court House Square Park. The men completed 50 laps of a kilometre-length circuit that included a mid-point chicane making for a challenging event. Road construction forced race organisers to revise the traditional circuit, running it clock-wise and including a 180-degree turn with 400 metres to go.

Bissell Pro Cycling proved its strengths after sweeping the podium in the opening two stages. The nine-man team controlled the front of the criterium and allowed race leader Ben Jacques-Maynes along with sprinters Kyle Wamsley and Patrick Bevin to stay safely out of the wind for the duration of race.

Jelly Belly p/b Kenda was one of the main aggressors of the day, sending its riders on the attack several times during the race. Some of the stronger sprinters in the bunch included eventual winner Escuela, Ken Hanson (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda), Shawn Milne (Kenda/5-hour Energy), Alex Candelario, Tom Soladay and Mike Friedman (Kelly Benefit Strategies-Optum Health) and Freddie Rodriguez (Specialized Racing Masters).

"We were hoping to get a breakaway going during the race and all of our guys made two attempts each to try and get one going but the other teams didn't seem to want to go with us," said Hanson. "On four or five occasions we had riders off the front but Bissell brought it all back in. There were teams that tried to line up like Kelly Benefits and us. There was a shuffling into the last 180-degree turn."

"Bissell kept their control through that turn with [Frank] Pipp, Bevin and Wamsley," Hanson said. "Escuela got the good line onto Wamsley's wheel and was able to come around him. There was also myself, Friedman, Freddie Rodriguez and another young guy who got a good line."

Teutenberg brings her winning sprint to Merced Grand Prix

HTC-Highroad veteran Ina-Yoko Teutenberg took a convincing victory at the Merced Downtown Grand Prix, winning from a bunch kick to the line, out-pacing Coryn Rivera (Peanut Butter & Co Twenty12) in second and Maria Pascale Schnider (Red Racing) in third.

"Peanut Butter kept it really steady at the end and Amanda Miller helped to get me in good position," Teutenberg said. "Through the hairpin turn, there was about 400 metres to go. I took it from about 250 metres."

Alison Starnes (Peanut Butter & Co Twenty12) maintains her overall race lead ahead of her teammate Kristin McGrath in second and Schnider in third.

"It was a complete team effort letting some breaks get up the road but all of our riders were up at the front controlling the race and keeping all the gaps manageable," Starnes said. "Keeping me safe and keeping the jersey was our first goal. The team worked flawlessly and the morale is very good."

The Pro-Elite women's field was treated to a day for the sprinters at the stage three's Merced Downtown Criterium held around the historical Court House Square Park. Riders completed 40 laps of a kilometre-length circuit that included a mid-point chicane making for a challenging event.

"The course was similar to the other years, but the other way around the park," Teutenberg said. "We did the loop around the park and then up a straight away, 180-degree turn and back down the same road to the finish. It was good for the spectators to be able to see 95 percent of the race."

TIBCO-To the Top's highest-placed rider in the overall classification was Carmen Small, who was sitting in seventh place and nearly three minutes behind race leader Alison Starnes. The team of three included Small, Megan Guarnier and Kendall Ryan, animating the race by initiating attacks from the gun.

"The girls rode a great race and with only three of us it is really solid training and we wanted to make Peanut Butter work hard," said directeur sportif Lisa Hunt. "All three girls rode aggressively and keyed off of some of the Highroad girls. We wanted to win, we were going for the win and sometimes you don't get it."

Likewise, HTC-Highroad represented themselves as one of the most aggressive teams despite only have three riders, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Ally Statcher and stage one winner and points leader, Amanda Miller.

After several attacks during the opening laps of the race a trio that included Miller, Guarnier and Lindsay Myers (Chico Corsa). The breakaway worked well and remained off the front for nearly half the race.

"We just tried to race it hard because Amanda is down in the GC so we just wanted to go for it and try all we had," Teutenberg said. "I tried a couple of attacks but there were too many people on me. Amanda got off the front for about half the race. I tried to attack again at the end but took myself out in the corner. It was my own fault through the 180 degree turn, I can't blame anybody."

The field regrouped during the last laps of the race and several key attacks were no enough to separate the field. The peloton barreled through the final corner and Teutenberg won the sprint to the line.

Coryn Rivera placed second in the bunch sprint. The youngster recently returned to the US after a crash in the third stage of the Tour of Qatar that caused a severe concussion.

"It was nice to see Coryn on the podium," Starnes said. "She took a hard fall in Qatar and has been feeling under the weather. She did a killer sprint and we are proud of her for that. It's good to see her back on the bike."

The Merco Cycling Classic will conclude at the Almond Blossom 115km Road Race.

Full Results - Elite women

Results - Elite men