August 19, 2014 (Aspen, CO) – Set against the beautiful backdrop of Aspen and Snowmass, the 2014 USA Pro Challenge got off to an exciting start with a circuit race of three 22-miles laps that included 2,300 ft. of climbing per lap, creating an aggressive day of racing. Colorado Resident Kiel Reijnen (USA) of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team took home the stage win, which also puts him in the overall lead heading into the second day of racing.

Rob Britton (Can) Team SmartStop was the top Canuck in 20th.

“This stage was really exciting last year. It was a nail-biter and this year was the same,” said Reijnen. “The USA Pro Challenge is a huge goal for our team. Everyone is here watching and it’s really important to the team we do well here.”

Each lap today included the steep climb up to Snowmass Village, then a quick descent that led to two more short, but challenging climbs. That was followed by a quick loop through downtown, riding through the streets of cheering fans, before heading out to do it all two more times.

After neutral laps through downtown the cyclists were on their way. From the get-go attacks were coming of the front as the riders sped out of downtown Aspen. Danny Summerhill (USA) of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team launched the one that would stick and was soon joined by Joshua Berry (USA) of Team SmartStop, Ian Crane (USA) of Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home, Jonathan Freter (USA) of Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis, Gregory Daniel (USA) of Bissell Development Team, Lachlan Norris (AUS) of Drapac Professional Cycling, Matt Cooke (USA) of Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home and Luis Davila (MEX) of Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis.

Berry fell off the back as Summerhill went for the Lexus Sprint Line and took first in Downtown Aspen, followed by Davila and Daniel.

With KOM points on the line during the second and third laps of this first stage, the riders prepared for the first climb of the day in Snowmass, with Lachlan taking first, followed by Davila and Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) of Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home. As their lead continued to increase, the break approached the second KOM of the day at White Star Lane, where Norris took first, with Jacques-Maynes and Cooke following closely behind.

In a chase led by Cannondale Pro Cycling, determined to set up their sprinter for the stage win, the gap started to close as the riders approached the second sprint of the day. Summerhill took max points again, followed byFreter and Jacques-Maynes. Heading into the final lap of the day, Jacques-Maynes attacked the break and gained a small lead. At the same time, Summerhill and Freter cracked and dropped off the back.

At the third Sierra Nevada KOM of the day back in Snowmass, Jacques-Maynes hit the top first, followed by Norris and then Cooke. Heading into the final KOM of the day, the original break was absorbed by the field, leaving only Jacques-Maynes off the front. Then, in traditional fashion, fan favorite Jens Voigt (GER) of Trek Factory Racing attacked to join Jacques-Maynes as they crested the final KOM competition of the day. Jacques-Maynestook first, followed by Voigt and Lucas Euser (USA) of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team.

With only a few miles to go, things started heating up. Voigt was reabsorbed as Javier Megias (ESP) of Team Novo Nordisk made a move off the front. In the final stretch of the race, Reijnen and Alex Howes (USA) of Team Garmin-Sharp chased for the win and overtook Megias.

“That last lap today really heated it up and it was just full gas from there on,” said Howes. “You see a lot of punch and lift from riders toward the end, and that’s not really something you see at this kind of altitude. It’s pretty exciting to see that out here.”

In a close finish, Reijnen took the stage win, followed by Howes in second and Ben Hermans (BEL) of BMC Racing Team in third.

“Aspen is such a great host city and the perfect place to start the USA Pro Challenge,” said Shawn Hunter, CEO of the Pro Challenge. “The fans were out today in droves and the riders really fed off that enthusiasm. Today was a fantastic day of racing and if it’s any indication of what the rest of the week will be like, we’re all in for a treat.”

After the conclusion of the first stage of the USA Pro Challenge, Reijnen holds the Smashburger Leader Jersey, Lexus Sprint Jersey and, new for this year, the Colorado National Guard Best Colorado Rider Jersey . Jacques-Maynes has the Sierra Nevada King of the Mountains Jersey and Summerhill was awarded the FirstBank Most Aggressive Rider Jersey. Clement Chevrier (FRA) of Bissell Development Team has the Colorado State University Best Young Rider Jersey heading into Stage 2 tomorrow.

Stage 1 – 98km
1. Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 2:26:35
2. Alex Howes (USA) Team Garmin-Sharp
3. Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team 00:03
4. Carter Jones (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
5. Matthew Busche (USA) Trek Factory Racing
6. Javier Megias Leal (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk
7. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team 00:12
8. Joseph Rosskopf (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development
9. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
10. Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
11. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
12. Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo
13. Serghei Tvetcov (Rou) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
14. Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
15. Peter Stetina (USA) BMC Racing Team
16. Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Sharp
17. Julian Kyer (USA) Team SmartStop
18. Clement Chevrier (Fra) Bissell Development Team
19. Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team Netapp-Endura
20. Rob Britton (Can) Team SmartStop
21. Tiago Machado (Por) Team Netapp-Endura
22. Jens Voigt (Ger) Trek Factory Racing 00:15
23. Riccardo Zoidl (Aut) Trek Factory Racing
24. Chris Butler (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development
25. Janier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Team Garmin-Sharp 00:20
26. Gregor Muhlberger (Aut) Team Netapp-Endura 00:54
27. James Oram (Nzl) Bissell Development Team
28. Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
29. Bruno Pires (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo
30. Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo
31. Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Bissell Development Team
32. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Team Garmin-Sharp
33. Robbie Squire (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
34. Patrick Konrad (Aut) Team Netapp-Endura
35. Carson Miller (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
36. Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
37. Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
38. Tanner Putt (USA) Bissell Development Team
39. Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team 00:59
40. Michael Torckler (Nzl) Team SmartStop
41. Cameron Wurf (Aus) Cannondale
42. Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk 01:33
43. Benjamin King (USA) Team Garmin-Sharp
44. Joseph Lewis (Aus) Hincapie Sportswear Development
45. Ivan Basso (Ita) Cannondale
46. Ian Burnett (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 01:39
47. Daniel Eaton (USA) Bissell Development Team
48. David de la Cruz Melgarejo (Esp) Team Netapp-Endura 01:57
49. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Team Garmin-Sharp
50. Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
51. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
52. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
53. Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
54. Oscar Clark (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development
55. Dion Smith (Nzl) Hincapie Sportswear Development
56. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
57. Markel Irizar Aranburu (Esp) Trek Factory Racing
58. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
59. Ryan Anderson (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
60. Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Garmin-Sharp
61. Richard Handley (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
62. Gavin Mannion (USA) Team Garmin-Sharp
63. Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondale
64. Matej Mohoric (Slo) Cannondale
65. Isaac Bolivar Hernandez (Col) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
66. Jai Crawford (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
67. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
68. Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
69. Alexander Candelario (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
70. Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
71. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 03:10
72. David Lozano Riba (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk 03:16
73. Calvin Watson (Aus) Trek Factory Racing 03:23
74. Kristian House (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
75. Bjorn Selander (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
76. Travis McCabe (USA) Team SmartStop
77. Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Cannondale 03:34
78. Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team
79. Hayden Roulston (Nzl) Trek Factory Racing
80. Ian Crane (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
81. Daniel Alexander Jaramillo Diez (Col) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
82. Keegan Swirbul (USA) Bissell Development Team
83. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
84. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
85. Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
86. Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
87. Hugh Carthy (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
88. Jose Joao Pimenta Costa Mendes (Por) Team Netapp-Endura
89. Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Team Netapp-Endura
90. Tyler Magner (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development
91. Nathan Van Hooydonck (Bel) Bissell Development Team 05:15
92. Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale
93. Steve Fisher (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
94. Luis Enrique Davila (Mex) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
95. Toms Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Sportswear Development
96. Daniel Whitehouse (Nzl) Rapha Condor JLT
97. Kirk Carlsen (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
98. Elliott Porter (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
99. Rasmus Guldhammer (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
100. Gregory Daniel (USA) Bissell Development Team
101. Jesper Hansen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
102. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
103. Zachary Bell (Can) Team SmartStop
104. Edward King (USA) Cannondale
105. Robin Carpenter (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development
106. Jeffry Louder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
107. Michael Cuming (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
108. Leopold König (Cze) Team Netapp-Endura
109. Michael Rogers (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo
110. Scott Ambrose (Nzl) Team Novo Nordisk 08:46
111. Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
112. Rick Zabel (Ger) BMC Racing Team
113. Michel Koch (Ger) Cannondale
114. Matt Cooke (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
115. Johnathan Freter (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
116. Michael Mørkøv (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
117. Eric Marcotte (USA) Team SmartStop 11:52
118. Mike Friedman (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
119. Jordan Kerby (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
120. Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
121. Aaron Perry (Nzl) Team Novo Nordisk
122. Edward Beltran Suarez (Col) Tinkoff-Saxo
123. Joshua Berry (USA) Team SmartStop 12:11
124. Tom Moses (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
125. Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team SmartStop
126. Kevin De Mesmaeker (Bel) Team Novo Nordisk
OTL Graham Briggs (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
DNF Fred Rodriguez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis

GC after Stage 1
1. Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 2:26:35
2. Alex Howes (USA) Team Garmin-Sharp
3. Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team 00:03
4. Carter Jones (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
5. Matthew Busche (USA) Trek Factory Racing
6. Javier Megias Leal (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk
7. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team 00:12
8. Joseph Rosskopf (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development
9. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
10. Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
11. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
12. Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo
13. Serghei Tvetcov (Rou) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
14. Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
15. Peter Stetina (USA) BMC Racing Team
16. Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Sharp
17. Julian Kyer (USA) Team SmartStop
18. Clement Chevrier (Fra) Bissell Development Team
19. Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team Netapp-Endura
20. Rob Britton (Can) Team SmartStop
21. Tiago Machado (Por) Team Netapp-Endura
22. Jens Voigt (Ger) Trek Factory Racing 00:15
23. Riccardo Zoidl (Aut) Trek Factory Racing
24. Chris Butler (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development
25. Janier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Team Garmin-Sharp 00:20
26. Gregor Muhlberger (Aut) Team Netapp-Endura 00:54
27. James Oram (Nzl) Bissell Development Team
28. Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
29. Bruno Pires (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo
30. Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo
31. Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Bissell Development Team
32. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Team Garmin-Sharp
33. Robbie Squire (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
34. Patrick Konrad (Aut) Team Netapp-Endura
35. Carson Miller (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
36. Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
37. Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
38. Tanner Putt (USA) Bissell Development Team
39. Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team 00:59
40. Michael Torckler (Nzl) Team SmartStop
41. Cameron Wurf (Aus) Cannondale
42. Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk 01:33
43. Benjamin King (USA) Team Garmin-Sharp
44. Joseph Lewis (Aus) Hincapie Sportswear Development
45. Ivan Basso (Ita) Cannondale
46. Ian Burnett (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 01:39
47. Daniel Eaton (USA) Bissell Development Team
48. David de la Cruz Melgarejo (Esp) Team Netapp-Endura 01:57
49. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Team Garmin-Sharp
50. Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
51. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
52. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
53. Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
54. Oscar Clark (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development
55. Dion Smith (Nzl) Hincapie Sportswear Development
56. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
57. Markel Irizar Aranburu (Esp) Trek Factory Racing
58. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
59. Ryan Anderson (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
60. Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Garmin-Sharp
61. Richard Handley (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
62. Gavin Mannion (USA) Team Garmin-Sharp
63. Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondale
64. Matej Mohoric (Slo) Cannondale
65. Isaac Bolivar Hernandez (Col) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
66. Jai Crawford (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
67. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
68. Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
69. Alexander Candelario (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
70. Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
71. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 03:10
72. David Lozano Riba (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk 03:16
73. Calvin Watson (Aus) Trek Factory Racing 03:23
74. Kristian House (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
75. Bjorn Selander (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
76. Travis McCabe (USA) Team SmartStop
77. Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Cannondale 03:34
78. Martin Kohler (Sui) BMC Racing Team
79. Hayden Roulston (Nzl) Trek Factory Racing
80. Ian Crane (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
81. Daniel Alexander Jaramillo Diez (Col) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
82. Keegan Swirbul (USA) Bissell Development Team
83. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
84. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
85. Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
86. Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
87. Hugh Carthy (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
88. Jose Joao Pimenta Costa Mendes (Por) Team Netapp-Endura
89. Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Team Netapp-Endura
90. Tyler Magner (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development
91. Nathan Van Hooydonck (Bel) Bissell Development Team 05:15
92. Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale
93. Steve Fisher (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
94. Luis Enrique Davila (Mex) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
95. Toms Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Sportswear Development
96. Daniel Whitehouse (Nzl) Rapha Condor JLT
97. Kirk Carlsen (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
98. Elliott Porter (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
99. Rasmus Guldhammer (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
100. Gregory Daniel (USA) Bissell Development Team
101. Jesper Hansen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
102. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
103. Zachary Bell (Can) Team SmartStop
104. Edward King (USA) Cannondale
105. Robin Carpenter (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development
106. Jeffry Louder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
107. Michael Cuming (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
108. Leopold König (Cze) Team Netapp-Endura
109. Michael Rogers (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo
110. Scott Ambrose (Nzl) Team Novo Nordisk 08:46
111. Daniel Summerhill (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
112. Rick Zabel (Ger) BMC Racing Team
113. Michel Koch (Ger) Cannondale
114. Matt Cooke (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home
115. Johnathan Freter (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
116. Michael Mørkøv (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
117. Eric Marcotte (USA) Team SmartStop 11:52
118. Mike Friedman (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
119. Jordan Kerby (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
120. Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
121. Aaron Perry (Nzl) Team Novo Nordisk
122. Edward Beltran Suarez (Col) Tinkoff-Saxo
123. Joshua Berry (USA) Team SmartStop 12:11
124. Tom Moses (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
125. Kevin De Mesmaeker (Bel) Team Novo Nordisk
126. Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team SmartStop 12:31