Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) has claimed another USA Pro Road National Championships elite men's road race title, launching solo from the break with around 35km to go and holding off the chase behind.
The 2023 winner had plenty of time to celebrate as he headed to the line in Charleston on Monday, crossing 2:52 ahead of second-placed Evan Boyle (Hagens Berman Jayco), who launched from the chasing field with Tyler Stites (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and then set off alone to try and close the gap. Simmons, however, was having one of those days where he felt unstoppable.
“Starting last year, the Worlds showed that I was getting back to form. I had a strong spring and took my first World Tour win. Now I’ve got the jersey back,” said Simmons in a USA Cycling media release.
“I’m not afraid to say that on my day, I can be one of the top riders in the world. I think I showed that at Worlds, it’s just not my day that often. I knew I had to make a statement, not just because we’re racing for the jersey, but because I’m also racing for a ticket to the Tour [de France]."
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It was a five-way sprint another two-and-a-half minutes later to decide the final spot on the podium, with Gavin Hlady (EF Education-Aevolo) claiming the third step as he crossed the line ahead of Stites, Marcis Shelton (Team California p/b Verge), Richard Morris (Team California p/b Verge) and Owen Cole (Team Winston Salem).
How it Unfolded
The elite men competed on two laps of the 14.4km junior circuit featuring the Wertz Avenue climb, with pitches as steep as 24%, before crossing to the opposite side of the river to tackle the punishing Bridge Road climb for eight laps of the 20.9km combined junior-elite circuit for a total of 198.6km.
An early breakaway emerged and then reshuffled to include Michael Garrison (MGR p/b SpeedStudio), Henry Neff (Kelly Benefits Cycling), Patrick Welch (Above Beyond Cancer Cycling), Samuel Boardman (Project Echelon Racing), Sean Christian (Team Skyline), Mattheus Johnson (CycleSport.com), Richard Morris (California p/b Verge), Robin Carpenter (Legion of Los Angeles).
The main peloton split apart with a reduced field chasing the breakaway as Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) and Andrew August (Ineos Grenadiers) bridged across on the first of eight large loops.
By the start of the next lap, the breakaway was reduced to seven riders as Boardman, Garrison, Simmons, Carpenter, Neff, Christian, and August pushed forward with a gap of 1:30 minutes over the chasing field led by Project Echelon.
On the Wertz climb at the start of the Jade Rohde (Rio Grande Elite Cycling) jumped out of the field in an attempt to bridge to the six riders up the road, however, his efforts were short-lived and he was reeled back into the peloton.
Up front, Simmons, Neff, August, Carpenter put pressure on the breakaway over the climb on the five laps to go, distancing their breakaway companions over the steep 24% pitches. Although the gap slowly fell, the leading break quartet still held 50 seconds on the small field behind.
However, Boardman, Garrison, and Christian were eventually reeled back into the reduced main field of just 20 riders with just over three laps remaining.
The breakaway was also then reduced further as Carpenter, who had already struggled to stay on pace over the climbs, was eventually distance on the Wertz ascent. The leading trio worked well together and even picked up speed, carrying more than two minutes ahead of the field as they headed into three laps to go.
Not giving up, Carpenter jumped out of the chasing field, followed by Evan Boyle (Hagens Berman Jayco), as the pair attempted to bridge to the leaders. Carpenter was soon dropped but was replaced by Tyler Stites (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA).
Simmons launched a solo attack over the Bridge Road climb, distancing Neff and August with two larger laps remaining, for around 35km of racing. The two chasers were then caught by Boyle and Stites forming a four-rider chase group, but Boyle ultimately went out in pursuit on his own as the others were swept up by the riders who had continued to chase from the now splintered reduced peloton.
Boyle’s chase endured but he couldn’t cut down the gap to Simmons, while Stites held firm in the first group of chasers decided the final podium spot with a five way sprint, which Hlady took out ahead of Stites.
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