Amore & Vita overcomes blustery conditions for TTT win

Image 1 of 41

Blustery conditions from a strong low pressure system were no match for the Amore & Vita presented by Lifetime Fitness | Velo Vie team, which took first place Friday in the inaugural Univest Grand Prix team time trial in Allentown. The Italian team finished with a clear margin on a wind- and rain-swept course, with second place going to Felt-Holowesko Partners-Garmin U23 while Team Cyckelcity/Klehr Harrison took third spot.

“Today was short but very hard,” said Amore & Vita’s Philip Mamos, who will wear the Univest Leader’s Jersey going into Saturday’s road race. “We came from Europe. We’re used to these kinds of conditions. We came here to win and we trained for this race.”

Rain eased shortly after the start, but high winds persisted throughout the day as riders made their way around two laps of a 3.8 mile course. Wet roads made racing treacherous for the early teams but increasing wind speeds equalized conditions for the later teams as the front made its way through the Lehigh Valley.

“The course was very hard but it was a very cool course,” said Caleb Fairly of Felt-Holwesko. “I think we are looking good for tomorrow. We’re eight seconds out of the lead and we have some very good climbers.”

Amore & Vita rider and Ukrainian National Road Champion Volodymyr Starchyk took the Leidy’s Premium Pork Products Best Sprinter Jersey and his teammate, Vladislav Borislov, took the VisitPa.com King of the Mountains jersey.

Race organizer John Eustice, president of Sparta Cycling, thanked the mayor and city officials for their cooperation and assistance in staging the new race.

“We had a great day of racing, the course was great and the competition was as good as we have come to expect for the Univest Grand Prix,” Eustice said. “It really sets things up for an exciting finish tomorrow in Souderton.”

Results