Bissell dominates Merco Cycling Classic time trial

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Jeremy Vennell brought his Bissell Pro Cycling team its second consecutive victory by taking a convincing win during the stage two individual time trial at the Merco Cycling Classic on Thursday. The former New Zealand national champion rode the 19.2-kilometre course in a time of 24:47, besting his teammates Andy Jacques-Maynes in second by eight seconds, Ben Jacques-Maynes in third by an additional 10 seconds and Jay Thompson in fourth.

“I liked the course because it suited me well today with all the undulations which made it better than being just flat and straight out and back,” Vennell said. “I had it easier than some of the other guys today because I didn’t make the break yesterday, so that might have helped as well. I enjoyed it and I think they have a really good race going on here. It is always nice to get a win early in the season.”

Ben Jacques-Maynes moved into the overall race lead ahead of his teammates Rob Britton, who won the previous day’s stage, Jay Thompson and Paul Mach. The race will continue at the stage three Merced Downtown Grand Prix on Saturday.

“I don’t think that we will have to work on the front too much because there are only a few guys to watch,” Vennell said. “We would like to keep the race interesting and let everyone have a good race.”

“We have Frank Pipp, Patrick Bevin and Kyle Wamsley and there are the rest of us too so maybe we can do another top three,” he added. “It might be a bit harder though because the crit is shorter and there are a lot of riders who hang in there and sprint at the finish. But our sprinters are going well.”

The time trial parcours was out-and-back on a nearly 10-kilometre stretch of road along the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. On the way out, the riders contested more than 200 feet of climbing that was followed by a descent. They turned around at the halfway marker and rode back over the same ascent and down to the finish line.

Vennell arrived to the Stateside several weeks ago for the start of the season at the Bissell Pro Cycling Team training camp held last week in Santa Rosa. “We had a really good preparation for the start of this season and just came from camp which was awesome,” Vennell said. “The camp was great and all the new guys got along really well.”

Starnes wins time trial and moves into Merco lead

In the women’s race, Alison Starnes (Peanut Butter & Co Twenty12) won the stage two 19.2-kilometre individual time trial at the Merco Cycling Classic on Friday. She rode the hilly parcours in a time of 26:38, besting Molly Van Houweling (Metromint Cycling) in second and Maria Pascale Schnider (Red Racing) in third.

“I pre-drove the course and it was pretty basic, out and back, flat to rolling and it wasn’t too windy today,” Starnes said. “I have never felt so fast with my equipment for riding. We have new Pearl Izumi speedsuits which make you feel like you are slicing through the air and the bike and wheels. I never felt so fast on my bike before. I am also very happy with where my fitness is and I am very excited for this year.”

Starnes victory bumped her up into the overall race lead ahead of her teammate Kristin McGrath in second and Maria Pascale Schnider (Red Racing) in third. The previous days stage winner Amanda Miller (HTC-Highroad) slipped into fifth place overall.

“Yesterday my team did a lot of work to protect me for today so that I was able to time trial,” Starnes said. “We have a strong team and it was so amazing to see my teammates sacrificing their time trials for me so that I could perform today. The morale of the team is high after today. They worked so hard yesterday and I was confident in them so for me to be able to ride fast today, they had confidence in me. I owe this one to the team.”

The women’s field will head into the stage three Merced Downtown Grand Prix on Saturday morning. Starnes team boasts a nine-rider roster and she is confident in their ability to help maintain her race lead.

“The team is very strong and we work really well together, we are very cohesive and we all have the same goal,” Starnes said. “We are looking forward to defending the jersey through the rest of the race.”

Starnes, coached by her teammate Kristin Armstrong, is new to the Peanut Butter & Co Twenty12 squad having competed under the TIBCO-To the Top banner the previous season. The team is led by directeur sportif Giana Roberge at the Merco Cycling Classic.

“I was really excited to race the first time at this race with this team but also nervous about their expectations because of the caliber of riders they are,” Starnes said. “I really respect them and we interact really well together as a team. Giana is an excellent tactician and I have faith in her.”

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