USA Pro Challenge 2013: Stage 7
Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of Stage 7 at the USA Pro Challenge. The finale will showcase a fast circuit race through the streets of Denver, Colorado.
The riders are rolling to the start line of the final stage of the USA Pro Challenge held in Denver this afternoon. After a neutral zone, the race will officially start at City Park.
The peloton will complete seven laps of a 15 km circuit through downtown Denver, passing LoDo, City Park and Civic Center Park. The race totals 117 km and it should be a very quick and exciting finale on a flat and fast circuit.
The course is in the heart of Denver and the start-finish line is at the Capitol buildings. The crowds are off the hook today, as expected.
This looks like another good race for Cannondale’s Peter Sagan, who has already won three stages during the USA Pro Challenge this week. He sprinted to the victory in stage 1 in Aspen, stage 3 in Steamboat Springs and stage 6 in Ft. Collins yesterday.
There are three intermediate sprints on course today located on laps 6 to go, 4 to go and 2 to go.
The course has a criterium feel to it. There are two long out and back sections. The riders will race out 17th Ave., circle City Park and head back down 17th Ave.
Jens Voigt (RadioShack-Leopard) had something to say about how to beat Peter Sagan today, although he wasn't too optimistic. He told Cyclingnews' Pat Malach that,
"There are not a lot of things we can do. With all the most sophisticated plans you still have to have the legs in the end. Peter seems to be on a different level here. If there's nothing unforeseen that happens, he might get 4 out of 7 stages -- which is food for him and a shame for us."
Ben King (Radio Shack), Christohper Juul Jensen (Saxo-Tinkoff), David Riba (Novo Nordisk) and Carson Miller (Jamis) are on the move.
This course is not as easy as it looks on paper! There's very rough city pavement, lots of sharp turns and roundabouts. The riders are going to have to pay close attention during ever second of this race today.
There are three chasers, Chun Kai Feng (Champion System), Lucas Euser (UnitedHealthcare) and Tyler Wren (Jamis).
The breakaway rider are:
Ben King (RadioShack)
Christohper Juul Jensen (Saxo-Tinkoff)
Chun Kai Feng (Champion System)
David Riba (Novo Nordisk)
Lucas Euser (UnitedHealthcare)
Tyler Wren (Jamis)
Carson Miller (Jamis)
The entire lap has fans lining the streets to watch the race today. It's almost impossible to hear through the huge crowds near the Capitol buildings at the start-finish line.
The breakaway is approaching the end of the first lap. There is only one turn in the last kilometre, it's a left-hand turn with 280 metres to go.
UnitedHealthcare's Jeff Louder spoke with Cyclingnews' Peter Hymas this morning. Here is what he had to say,
"I have a diesel so it will take a bit to warm up and I won't know how I'm feeling until the race starts. It's nice being at lower altitude. It's all for [Alessandro] Bazzana today."
Tour de France winner Chris Froome has officially abandoned the race. This course is probably his worst nightmare.
The breakaway is working well together. The riders are holding a 50-second gap.
Peter Sagan's Cannondale teammates are keeping that time gap in check.
We are partway through the second lap along the Larimer St sector where there are heavy crowds. There are also lights and small flags strung across the roads above the racers, about two stories up.
US road champion, Freddy Rodriguez (Jelly Belly) has a thing or two to say about beating Peter Sagan today.
"You have to anticipate him and he has to make a mistake here and there. I've done it in the past. I beat [Alessandro] Petacchi in the Giro, after he basically won five in a row, and everyone thought he was unbeatable. But I knew that being in the right place at the right time means that it's possible to make it happen."
82km remaining from 116km
The breakaway is heading along 17th Ave. toward City Park. They're passing the Denver Zoo on the right as they roll through the park.
The main field is 1:05 minutes behind
Mick Rogers (Saxo-Tinkoff) was in a good mood this morning as he stepped onto the stage to sign into the race. He reached out and gave the finish line bell a big ring!
Under 23 US road champion Tanner Putt, who races for the Bontrager team, said this is an emotional race. He told Cyclingnews' Peter Hymas this morning that,
"This is the last race together for a bunch of us. It's emotional because we've raced together and lived together all season."
75km remaining from 116km
The breakaway is pushing the pace on course. Euser is the highest placed rider in the overall, 4:55 minutes behind race leader Tejay van Garderen (BMC).
Saxo-Tinkoff's Timmy Duggan says that the whole peloton will have to do something different in order to win the stage today. He said they can't let Cannondale drag the peloton around and then expect to beat Peter Sagan in a sprint. "I expect a really aggressive race. We aren't just going to hand it to Cannondale"
The breakaway is starting the fourth lap and holding a one-minute gap ahead of the main field.
Bissell is starting to contribute to the chase.
These three teams have arguably the fastest sprinters with Peter Sagan on Cannondale, Luka Mazgec on Argos-Shimano and Greg van Avermaet on BMC.
63km remaining from 116km
But there are several other strong sprinters in the field with Edwin Avilla (Colombia), who finished 4th yesterday and was the 2011 points race world champion.
UnitedHealthcare's Alessandro Bazzana is quick, Andrea Peron (Novo Nordisk), Fred Rodriguez (Jelly Belly), and others.
The breakaway is rolling very well together around the circuit. The riders are holding 1:10-minute gap.
Some of the riders might be pleased that there are no king of the mountain ascents on course today. Matt Cooke (Jamis-Hagens Berman) wrapped up that competition. All he needs to do is finish today’s stage to officially win it.
We are halfway through the final stage at the USA Pro Challenge. The crowds are getting bigger as the race progresses.
52km remaining from 116km
Breakaway rider Tyler Wren (Jamis Hagens-Berman) is taking some water from the team car. He grew up in Pennsylvania and spent some time in Utah. He now resides in upstate New York where he recently purchased a Bed and Breakfast home, perhaps a post-racing career in the future.
The races is running about two minutes faster than the fastest estimated time of arrival to the finish line.
And it's going to keep getting faster during the last few laps.
Cannondale is driving the pace of the peloton around the circuit. The field is single file as they approach two laps to go.
There is one BMC rider pulling the main field followed by the Cannondale team and several Colombia riders.
Euser is still alone, he has dropped his previous breakaway companions. He is holding a six-second gap.
Euser is leading the race with less than two laps to go. The rest of the original breakaway has exploded and they are riding in ones and twos ahead of the main field.
Miller and King have caught back up to Euser and the three riders are holding 30 seconds on the main field.
Cannondale is now dominating the front of the main field. They're looking very organized coming into the final lap.
Vande Velde is leading the way as the peloton begins the last lap of the race. Cannondale is lined up behind him with its sprinter Peter Sagan comfortably tucked in behind.
UnitedHealthcare is now leading the race and organizing their team at the front of the field. They have sprinter Alessandro Bazzana for the finale.
There are only 4 km to go. UnitedHealthcare has two riders left at the front. Argos-Shimano is moving forward.
BMC's Tejay van Garderen is sitting near the front of the peloton with his teammates all around him.
The unofficial top three in the stage:
1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale Pro Cycling
2 Ryan Anderson (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
3 Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
Unofficial top 10 in the stage:
1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale Pro Cycling
2 Ryan Anderson (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
3 Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
4 Luka Mezgec (Slo) Team Argos-Shimano
5 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
6 Edwin Avila (Col) Colombia
7 Tanner Putt (USA) Bontrager
8 Andrea Peron (Ita) Novo Nordisk
9 Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
10 Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team
Final general classification:
1 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 22:38:48
2 Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:01:30
3 Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Sharp 0:01:42
4 Janier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Jamis-Hagens Berman 0:02:10
5 Lachlan David Morton (Aus) Garmin-Sharp 0:02:34
6 Gregory Brenes Obando (CRc) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 0:03:25
7 Lawson Craddock (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team 0:03:42
8 George Bennett (NZl) RadioShack Leopard 0:03:58
9 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:04:11
10 Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:04:12
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