Evan Huffman wins North Star Grand Prix Cannon Falls stage

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Evan Huffman (Rally Cycling) won Stage 3 at Cannon Falls ahead of breakaway companion Julio Padilla (Team Arapahoe Resources) after a tense race. Brad Huff (Rally Cycling) won the field sprint six seconds behind Padilla to claim third place and six seconds of time bonus, moving him into second overall at one-second behind teammate Tom Zirbel.

A massive crash involving over half the peloton just 4 miles into the 83-mile Cannon Falls Road Race changed race strategies for many teams who lost riders, including Tom Zirbel's team Rally Cycling.

With two riders lost, Rally Cycling's defense of the the yellow jersey shifted from controlling the front of the race to sitting in to let other teams vie for a breakaway.

The race paused for 20 minutes as medical resources focused on fallen vehicles, and the caravan was not able to advance since the carnage spread across the width of the road.

An anxious peloton restarted the race eager to attack. Many attacks were launched across the rolling, slightly windy course but nothing stuck. Andrew Dalheim (Team Arapahoe Resources) won the third Sport Beans King of the Hill competition at mile 50 and was finally able to make his attack stick. Dalheim solo for several miles until he was eventually joined by teammate Julio Padilla, Morgan Schmitt (Canyon Bicycles-Shimano-Specialized), Michael Jasinski (Team Clif Bar), and Cory Lockwood (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo).

The break that made it into the final four circuits included Padilla, Schmitt, Jasinski, and Lockwood.

Huffman was quick to bridge to the break within the first circuit. By two laps to go it was just Huffman and Padilla left. Padilla took an early jump on the uphill stretch to the finish line, but Huffman stayed on his wheel, recovering for a brief moment before making his final attack to win the stage.

Huffman claims 12 seconds of time bonus for his win, moving him into fourth place overall.

Padilla was awarded the Surly Beer Most Aggressive Rider Jersey for his work in the break and second place finish.

Justin Williams (Cylance-Cannondale Pro Cycling p/b InCycle) claimed intermediate sprint points to hold his lead in the K'ul Chocolate Sprint Competition.

Bryan Gomez (Gateway Harley-Davidson Trek) takes the lead as the LeMond Best Young Rider competition.

Eric Thompson (Donkey Label) continues his lead of the Penn Cycle Best Amateur jersey.

Dalheim leads the Sport Beans King of the Hill Competition.

Racing continues tomorrow at the Uptown Minneapolis Criterium.

Brief Results