Jang Takes King of the Mountains Jersey in Japan

Jang Takes King of the Mountains Jersey in Japan

Mino, Japan – Champion System Pro Cycling Team’s

At the finish, Chan Jae Jang had traded his South Korean national road champion jersey for the red jersey of king of the mountains. (Champion System Pro Cycling Team photo.)

Chan Jae Jang took the lead in the king of the mountains classification after featuring in a breakaway on Tuesday’s Stage 2 of the Tour of Japan while teammate Adiq Othman notched a top 10 finish.

Champion System Assistant Director Franky Van Haesebroucke said he asked his riders to approach the 160.7-kilometer race on a seven-lap circuit course like a one-day race, not a stage race.

The day started with various breakaway attempts, but it was Champion System’s Jang and Ji Min Jung (Team KSPO) that finally escaped on the initial summit of the only categorized climb on the circuit. The duo eventually gained a nine-and-a-half minute lead with Jang cresting first each time over the climb.

With 40 km remaining, fellow escapee Min touched wheels with Jang and the South Korean rider crashed, leaving Jang to continue solo. With only one set of KOM points remaining, Van Haesebroucke said the South Korean national road champion fought to survive. After claiming the points, Jang was quickly swept up by the peloton.

Champion System’s Ryoto Nishizono launched a last-minute bid to win the stage along with four other riders, but they were brought back two kilometers from the finish, setting up a bunch sprint. Sung Baek Park (Team KSPO) won, while Champion System’s Adiq Othman finished ninth. Park’s win moved him into the overall leader’s jersey.

The eight-day race continues Wednesday with a 148-km circuit course around Minamishinshuku with one categorized climb.

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Ontario Results:Mid Season Criterium ©Greg De Guzman

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Hunter makes a late race attack with four to go, to catch the field looking at each other to chase. Dave Santos (CashCall Mortgage) takes second followed by Justin Williams (MRI Endurance Elite U23). MRI Endurance capped off a phenomenal day winning every race they entered.

Evan Teske wins 50+

Bart Clifford wins 45+

Chris DeMarchi wins 40+

Jamie Paolinetti wins 35+

and Hunter finished the day off.

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The post Samuel “Hunter” Grove (MRI Endurance Elite U23) Wins in Ontario appeared first on Cycling Illustrated.

Ontario Results:Mid Season Criterium

Images Soon:

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Stage 8 SFO to Santa Rosa ©Brian Hodes

U.S. CYCLIST VAN GARDEREN WINS HIS FIRST MAJOR STAGE RACE

TO CAPTURE ‘BEST-EVER WEEK OF RACING ON AMERICAN SOIL’

WHILE PETER SAGAN WINS THE STAGE

TO CONCLUDE 8TH ANNUAL AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

BMC Racing Team Seizes Victory Before Massive Crowds During

Eighth and Final Day of Racing in America’s Greatest Race

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (May 19, 2013) – After eight epic days of racing along nearly 750 miles of California’s most iconic roadways, highways and coastlines, BMC Racing Team’s Tejay van Garderen (Boulder, Colo.) sealed his first major stage race win at the 2013 Amgen Tour of California, which concluded today in Santa Rosa, Calif.

“It’s a big relief. It’s a weight off my shoulders. I got the monkey off my back and hopefully this gets the ball rolling, and I can start racking up a bit more [wins],” said van Garderen, of ending the race in the Amgen Race Leader Jersey he gained after Stage 5. With his five-week-old daughter Rylan there today to share his victory, he reflected: “Maybe becoming a daddy was the difference [in taking the overall win]… I think I’m just maybe a bit more relaxed, a bit more mature, and I just had to be patient.”

Cannondale Pro Cycling’s Peter Sagan outsprinted the field to win the race’s final stage, a 80.7-mile jaunt that took cyclists from San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge for the only the second time in race history, to the overall finish in the cycling mecca of Santa Rosa. The race’s final stage aired live on NBC. It was Sagan’s 10th career Amgen Tour of California stage win, the most of anyone who has ridden in America’s Greatest Race. A sea of fans turned out for the BMC Racing Team’s homecoming, which included overall team honors in this year’s race. Team leader van Garderen was named the Best Young Rider in the 2011 Amgen Tour of California and placed fourth overall last year, but today marked his first career overall title with a final time of 29:43:00.

“I’m very happy for the win today and I thank all my teammates because we did work hard from the start and then when we [came to the] circuit, we were always in the front. And then Garmin was the last group, but my teammates helped me on the last turn. I was on the front, then I started doing my sprint the last 200 meters, and I won,” said Sagan. “I dedicate this victory to my Cannondale friend, Alex Shephard [an 11-year-old fan fighting brain cancer]. It’s great to win this stage because I get to dedicate this to him.”

In the final five miles, where the racers completed two circuits in downtown Santa Rosa at speeds of up to 40 mph, teams jockeyed for position to lead out their sprinters for a dash to the finish line. After challenges from Team Garmin-Sharp, Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies and ORICA GreenEDGE, Cannondale regained control with .7 miles left in the race.

Stage winners were equal parts sprinters and climbers this year, as racers had to contend with several game-changing climbs that totaled a race record of 60,000 feet. Second for the overall finish was 2010 Amgen Tour of California champion Michael Rogers (AUS) of Team Saxo-Tinkoff (1:47), followed by Team Jamis-Hagens Berman’s Janier Alexis Acevedo (COL), whose determined climbs in Stages 2 and 7 earned him the precious seconds he needed for a podium finish (+3:26). Acevedo wore the yellow jersey for the first half of the race, and after getting caught out by a breakaway in Stage 5, he battled his way back to podium position yesterday to end the race just ahead of fourth- and fifth-place finishers Mathias Frank (SUI) of BMC Racing Team (+3:32) and Cameron Meyer (AUS) of ORICA GreenEDGE (+3:33). Proving on home turf they are a force to be reckoned with, American cyclists took four of the top 10 finishes overall.

Earlier in today’s stage, a three-man breakaway escaped from the peloton around mile four and held their advantage until 10 miles to the finish, when Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team’s Thomas De Gendt (BEL), the third-place finisher in last year’s Giro d’Italia, fell back into the pack. The remaining two riders, Bontrager Cycling Team’s Antoine Duchesne (Petaluma, Calif.) and Santa Rosa-based BISSELL Pro Cycling’s Jason McCartney (Coralville, Iowa) kept their lead until just before the finishing circuits. McCartney, the second of the three to rejoin the peloton, was awarded the Amgen Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey for his ride out front today. McCartney is the only cyclist of the 127 who began this year’s competition who has started and finished in all eight editions of the Amgen Tour of California.

“It’s been fantastic,” said McCartney of his time with the race over the years. “One year I was third….I got the climbers jersey one year…we won it with Levi [Leipheimer] one year, with [Chris] Horner another year, so I’ve just had great experiences here. It’s a beautiful state. I love racing here.”

McCartney’s teammate on BISSELL Pro Cycling, Carter Jones (Boulder, Colo.), cinched the Nissan King of the Mountain Jersey competition yesterday, having worn the polka-dotted jersey every day since the race began; and Bontrager Cycling Team’s 21-year-old Lawson Craddock (Austin, Texas) came away with the Crunchies Best Young Rider Jersey, which he has worn since Stage 3.

“The future of American cycling has arrived. How fitting that in America’s biggest stage race, we’ve seen America’s next big cycling superstar emerge to claim his first major stage race victory. And, a great showing of top-10 finishes by Americans in a field of the top riders in the world,” said Kristin Bachochin, executive director of the race and senior vice president of AEG Sports. “The 2013 Amgen Tour of California was the most spellbinding yet, and it’s thanks to our sponsors, partners, Host Cities, teams and riders – and most importantly the fans – that the race continues to grow in both size and prestige year after year.”

The eighth annual Amgen Tour of California from May 12-19 ran south to north for the first time this year, covering nearly 750 miles of California’s most scenic highways, roadways and coastlines. With one of the most difficult courses in race history, 127 riders on 16 teams (111 remained in the final day of racing) battled through 12 Host Cities and a record 60,000 feet of climbing, including an epic summit finish atop Mt. Diablo yesterday.

An important partner since the race’s inception, Amgen returns this year as the race title sponsor.

Founded by Amgen in 2005 as a complementary component to its title sponsor

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“The 18,000 staff members at Amgen come to work every day motivated by the chance to dramatically improve people’s lives,” said Rolf Hoffmann, senior vice president of U.S. Commercial Operations at Amgen. “As a company dedicated to helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, bone disease and other serious illnesses, Amgen is proud to sponsor the Amgen Tour of California and have the opportunity to increase awareness of the important resources available to people affected by cancer through our Breakaway from Cancer initiative.”

Following a successful week of honoring and celebrating cancer survivors as the race traveled through the state, today Mountain View resident and long-time Breakaway from Cancer supporter, cancer survivor Blaine Mauldin fired the official start gun to begin the stage from San Francisco to Santa Rosa. Marc Van Riper, 2012 Breakaway from Cancer Champion, had the honor of awarding BISSELL Pro Cycling’s Jason McCartney with the Amgen Breakaway from Cancer Most Courageous Rider jersey. And Hoffmann presented the overall race leader jersey to 2013 Amgen Tour of California winner Tejay van Garderen of BMC Racing Team.

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Giro d’Italia, Stage 15: No Time Lost For Evans

Giro d’Italia, Stage 15: No Time Lost For Evans

Cadel Evans of the BMC Racing Team stayed with the top contenders and showed some aggression of his own on the mountainous finish of a snowy Col du Galibier Sunday to keep his hold on second place overall at the Giro d’Italia.

Weather Has Been A Factor

Evans made his own attack at 700 meters to go on the way to finishing eighth on the stage won by Giovanni Visconti (Movistar Team). Evans crossed the line in the same time as race leader Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Pro Team) and nearly all of the top contenders to remain 1:26 off the lead with six stages to go. “In the conditions, it wasn’t exactly favorable for those kind of attacks,” Evans said. “I didn’t have a bad day but at least I am back at my level. No time lost but no time gained either.” Evans said some challenges of the race have come from an uncontrollable factor: the weather. “As a rider, just to stay healthy is really difficult with the changing weather conditions,” he said. “The weather changes quicker than we can change our clothes. The third week of the race comes after a first week that was even harder than expected and a second week that was harder than expected because of the weather.”

Good Support Around Evans

The Giro enjoys its second rest day of the three-week race Monday before resuming Tuesday with a 238 km medium mountain stage. The peloton rode together up the first climb of Sunday’s 145-kilometer stage which had its finish moved 4.25 km down the summit to Les Granges du Galibier (Pantani Monument) due to snow. BMC Racing Team Assistant Director Fabio Baldato said he was impressed with the support the team provided Evans. “Into the last four kilometers, Steve Morabito and Ivan Santaromita were with him, which was good for his morale,” Baldato said. “Then Morabito brought him onto the wheel of Nibali because it was turning from headwind to tailwind. So it was a dangerous moment where someone could have tried an attack.”

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Results: Van Garderen Wins Tour of California, Sagan Takes Green Jersey

Barring an unexpected mishap or a successful breakaway featuring one of the riders who threatened his lead on the general classification, Tejay van Garderen (BMC) only had to finish the final stage to clinch his first, major UCI stage rage victory.  With only a few small climbs and one intermediate sprint, the stage would favor a pack finish.  Still, if Cameron Meyer (OGE), Michael Rogers (TST), or Janier Acevedo (JSH) were going to stand a chance of moving up in the race, they would have to force a big breakaway and make it stick, which would require a magical confluence of factors.

Tyler Farrar (GRS) started the final stage but a single point behind Peter Sagan (CAN) in the competition for the green jersey.  If the intermediate sprint went to neither rider, the man placing stronger at the finish would take victory in the points classification.  Farrar rode the bulk of the tour better than Sagan and there was no doubt he could feel the green jersey close at hand.

Carter Jones (BPC) could not be challenged in the points classification.  He took the jersey on stage one, rode in the break when it counted for the bulk of the tour, and earned the polka dot jersey fair and square.  For him, the final stage should be nothing but a ride through the NorCal countryside.

The break that went early in the race had Thomas de Gendt (VCD), Antoine Duchesne (BCT), and Jason McCartney (BPC).  None of them was a threat to the general classification, so the field let them go.  Eventually, the sprinters’ teams would bring in the riders, but for the time being the three riders sought to animate the race and perhaps make a bid for the Breakaway from Cancer courageous rider’s jersey.

That group would push their advantage out to about four minutes, but the teams of the sprinters in contention for the green jersey would have none of it and the gap was fully absorbed with 10k to go in the race.

The finishing circuit was a heated battlefield, with Cannondale and Garmin fighting to get Sagan and Farrar first to the line.  Cannondale managed to command the front for the final kilometer and, although he got a little lost in the mix, Sagan emerged victorious over Schorn (TNE) and Farrar, claiming his second stage win for the 2013 Tour and securing another green jersey for himself in California.

Finishing in the field, Tejay van Garderen locked in the overall victory with a time of 29 hours, 43 minutes after a performance that can only be described as “commanding.”  He weathered the heat of the first stage, dominated the time trial, made all the crucial moves, and climbed with the best climbers in the world to show that he is an undeniable up and coming force in world-class stage racing.

MORE ATOC HERE
Stage Final:

1.  Peter Sagan (CAN)

2. Daniel Schorn (TNE)

3. Tyler Farrar (GRS)

4. Gianni Meersman (OPQ)
5. Ken Hanson (OPM)

6. Thor Hushovd (BMC)

7.  Michael Matthews (OGE)

8.  Jake Keough (UHC)

9. Sylvain Chavanel (OPQ)

10.  Matt Brammeier (CSS

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Luke Keough and Hilton Clarke Go 1,2 in Wilmington

Luke Keough and Hilton Clarke Take 1st and 2nd Place, Respectively, at the 2013 Wilmington Grand Prix

Wilmington, Del. – Team UnitedHealthcare’s Luke Keough and Hilton Clarke took 1st and 2nd place, respectively, at the 2013 Wilmington Grand Prix, by outsprinting the field after 35 miles and nearly 75 minutes of racing through the hills of Market, King and French Streets in Wilmington, Delaware. Team SmartStop’s Shane Kline took 3rd place after a feverish race to the line with Clarke, where Clarke edged him out by .07 seconds.

Keough spoke with WDEL’s Sean Greene following the race. The speedster from Sandwich, Mass., told Greene that the hills, especially the finishing one up Market Street, were tough.

“Obviously you’ve got this 300 meter drag,” Keough said. “It’s a challenging course. I actually dread racing it, but I love winning it!”

The victory was Keough’s third title of the year, after winning races in Georgia and Arizona earlier in the season, and Luke was quick to credit his teammates, including Clarke, who helped him get to the front.

“Teamwork means everything to this group of guys,” he said. “The lead out started and I just needed to hold the wheel. We hit the last straight and with the long drag to the finish, I had to wait a bit before making a run. Again, another huge team effort and we’re happy to produce a 1-2 result.”

“We keep racing together week after week, and we know how each other ride. It works out really well when it comes out like that.”

TEAM UNITEDHEALTHCARE ROSTER FOR 2013 WILMINGTON GRAND PRIX:

Hilton Clarke (AUS)

Carlos Alzate (COL)

Adrian Hegyvary (USA)

Karl Menzies (AUS)

Luke Keough (USA)

Brad White (USA)

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Images- Stage 7 ATOC ©Brian Hodes

Jersey Winners

Amgen Leader Jersey – Tejay van Garderen (USA), BMC Racing Team (USA)van Garderen has won the Amgen Leader Jersey three times since stage 1

• Nissan King of the Mountain Jersey – Carter Jones (USA), BISSELL Pro Cycling (USA)
  • Jones has won the Nissan King of the Mountain Jersey for all seven stages
• Visit California Sprint Jersey – Peter Sagan (SVK), Cannondale Pro Cycling (ITA)
  • Sagan has won the Visit California Sprint Jersey four times since stage 1
• Crunchies Best Young Rider Jersey – Lawson Craddock (USA), Bontrager Cycling Team (USA)
  • Craddock has won the Crunchies Best Young Rider Jersey six times since stage 1
• Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey – Lieuwe Westra (NED), Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team (NED)

Stage 7 Top – 3

• FIRST— Leopold König (CZE), Team NetApp-Endura (GER)
• SECOND – Janier Acevedo (COL), Team Jamis – Hagens Berman (USA)
• THIRD – Tejay van Garderen (USA), BMC Racing Team (USA)

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Some images from todays individual time trial at Lake Los Angeles. All images will be posted at DMunsonPhoto.com by the end of the weekend.

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