August 25, 2011 (Vail, CO) – In a race against time, Levi Leipheimer (USA) of Team RadioShack, a time trial specialist, came out on top after completing the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge individual time trial in 25 minutes and 47.08 seconds to take the stage and re-claim the overall lead.
A familiar route for many cyclists, the previous course record of 25 minutes and 48 seconds was set by Ben Day at the 2008 Teva Games. However, that would not stick, as both Leipheimer and Vande Velde’s times would be good enough to take over the title.
“You never expect a race to be that close,” said Leipheimer. “I definitely expected Christian to be my strongest competitor. We’re very motivated – I gave up the Quiznos Leader Jersey once and I don’t really want to give it up again.”
Under blue skies and beautiful weather, the riders left one by one from the start gate at the center of Vail Village. Jason McCartney (USA) of Team RadioShack kept the lead for the first hour of the day with a time of 27 minutes and 26 seconds until Dave Zabriskie (USA) of Garmin-Cervelo took over the lead and posted a time of 26 minutes and 46 seconds. Eventually, Prologue winner Jason Gretsch (GER) of HTC-Highroad slipped into second, 29 seconds behind Zabriskie, but was soon replaced by Jens Voigt (GER) of Leopard Trek.
“It was really heartbreaking,” said Vande Velde. “I had this stage picked out a few weeks ago – I know this road and it suits my characteristics really well. It’s hard, but I am happy with the way I’m riding and I’m happy to be back in contention to win the USA Pro Cycling Challenge.”
Due to his performance today, Leipheimer will re-claim the overall lead with a total time of 10 hours, 30 minutes and 29 seconds and will wear the Quiznos Leader Jersey heading into Stage 4 of the race. Vande Velde is in second with a split of only 11 seconds, and Tejay Van Garderen (USA) of HTC-Highroad sits in third place, only 17 seconds behind Leipheimer.
“The time trial today in Vail challenged the cyclists and provided a great show for the wall-to-wall spectators that were out on the course,” said Shawn Hunter, co-chairman and CEO of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. “With the overall results so close, we have a lot of great racing ahead of us. This is still anyone’s race. Like the rest of the fans here in Colorado and around the world, I’m looking forward to seeing who is crowned champion of the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge on Sunday in Denver.”
STAGE 4 TOMORROW:
Friday, August 26 – Avon to Steamboat Springs (82.8 mi/138.4 km)
Start Time: 12:30 p.m. MT
Estimated Finish Time: 3:45 – 4:30 p.m. MT
Satellite Feed Time: 5:30 – 5:45 p.m. MT
After a punishing Queen Stage and an uphill time trial, these cyclists will be longing for an easier day. But the rolling terrain of Stage 4, with a net elevation change of 5,000 ft. from start to finish, will provide spectators with one of the more interesting and dramatic days of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. Without significant climbs or high-speed descents, cyclists have numerous opportunities for breakaways, fighting for every mile of pavement and risking everything for King of the Mountain and sprint line competitions. The day starts in Avon at Benchmark and Lake St., travels along Colorado Route 131 through Wolcott and Oak Creek, following 83 miles of scenery to the finish line in downtown Steamboat Springs at 6th and Lincoln.
Result
1. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack 0:25:47
2. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
3. Rafael Infantino Abreu (Col) EPM – UNE 0:00:04
4. Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:00:33
5. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:00:40
6. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad 0:00:51
7. David Zabriskie (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:00:59
8. Jens Voigt (Ger) Leopard Trek 0:01:01
9. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
10. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:01:11
11. Ivan Rovny (Rus) Team RadioShack 0:01:15
12. Bruno Pires (Por) Leopard Trek
13. Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
14. Gustav Larsson (Swe) Saxo Bank Sungard
15. Juan Pablo Suarez Suarez (Col) EPM – UNE 0:01:17
16. Rubens Bertogliati (Sui) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:01:24
17. Chris Baldwin (USA) Bissell Cycling 0:01:27
18. Patrick Gretsch (Ger) HTC-Highroad 0:01:28
19. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:01:31
20. Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:01:35
21. Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:01:36
22. Laurent Didier (Lux) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:01:38
23. Jason McCartney (USA) Team RadioShack 0:01:39
24. Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:01:40
25. Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Skil – Shimano 0:01:46
26. Peter Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad
27. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:01:52
28. Rafael Montiel (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:02:07
29. Hayden Roulston (Nzl) HTC-Highroad 0:02:09
30. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo
31. Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:02:11
32. Philip Deignan (Irl) Team RadioShack 0:02:12
33. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
34. Danny Pate (USA) HTC-Highroad 0:02:15
35. Chris Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team
36. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:02:16
37. Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:02:17
38. Peter Stetina (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:02:18
39. Janier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:02:19
40. Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:02:22
41. Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:02:29
42. Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Bissell Cycling
43. André Steensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:02:30
44. Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Esp) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:02:32
45. Andrès Miguel Diaz Corrales (Col) Team Exergy 0:02:33
46. Cristhian Montoya Giraldo (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:02:36
47. Eduard Alexander Beltran Suarez (Col) EPM – UNE
48. Lachlan Norris (Aus) HTC-Highroad 0:02:38
49. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
50. Rob Britton (Can) Bissell Cycling 0:02:40
51. Sander Oostlander (Ned) Skil – Shimano
52. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Esp) Saxo Bank Sungard
53. George Bennett (Nzl) Team RadioShack 0:02:41
54. Stefan Denifl (Aut) Leopard Trek 0:02:42
55. Walter Pedraza (Col) EPM – UNE 0:02:43
56. Daniel Summerhill (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
57. Alex Hagman (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:02:44
58. Timothy Duggan (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:02:45
59. Erik Slack (USA) Team Exergy 0:02:50
60. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell Cycling 0:02:51
61. Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:02:54
62. Sam Johnson (USA) Team Exergy 0:02:55
63. Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Team Type 1 – Sanofi
64. Benjamin King (USA) Team RadioShack 0:02:58
65. Carlos Fernando Piamonte Rodriguez (Col) EPM – UNE 0:03:03
66. Martin Mortensen (Den) Leopard Trek 0:03:04
67. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell Cycling
68. Lucas Euser (USA) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:03:05
69. Brian Vandborg (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:03:06
70. Sébastien Salas (Can) Team Exergy 0:03:07
71. Kai Applequist (USA) Team Exergy 0:03:08
72. Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:03:09
73. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:03:10
74. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
75. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Team Exergy 0:03:12
76. Nic Hamlton (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:03:14
77. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:03:18
78. Anders Lund (Den) Leopard Trek
79. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:03:19
80. Daniel Lloyd (Gbr) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:03:26
81. Alejandro Ramirez Calderon (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:03:27
82. Robert Förster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:03:28
83. Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:03:31
84. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:03:32
85. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Cycling
86. William Dugan (USA) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:03:35
87. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:03:36
88. Jaime Alberto Castaneda Ortega (Col) EPM – UNE 0:03:37
89. Adrian Hegyvary (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:03:43
90. Scott Zwizanski (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
91. Bradley White (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
92. Michael Mørkøv (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:03:46
93. Craig Lewis (USA) HTC-Highroad 0:03:47
94. Thierry Hupond (Fra) Skil – Shimano
95. Alastair Loutit (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:03:49
96. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:03:52
97. Edward Stiver Ortiz Caro (Col) EPM – UNE 0:03:56
98. David Boily (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:03:57
99. Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:03:59
100. Ryan Roth (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:04:01
101. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:04:03
102. Caleb Fairly (USA) HTC-Highroad 0:04:05
103. Thimothy Roe (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:04:06
104. Davide Frattini (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:04:10
105. Javier Megias Leal (Esp) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:04:16
106. Matt Cooke (USA) Team Exergy 0:04:17
107. Juraj Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:04:19
108. Martin Reimer (Ger) Skil – Shimano 0:04:20
109. Edward King (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:04:21
110. Flavio De Luna (Mex) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:04:28
111. Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Cycling 0:04:33
112. William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:04:38
113. Philipp Ries (Ger) Skil – Shimano 0:04:39
114. Oscar Alvarez (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:04:41
115. Thomas Bonnin (Fra) Skil – Shimano 0:04:44
116. Francois Parisien (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:04:48
117. Carlos Alberto Ospina Hernandes (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:04:57
118. Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Skil – Shimano 0:04:58
119. Bruno Langlois (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:05:02
120. Andrew Dahlheim (USA) Bissell Cycling 0:05:17
121. Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShack 0:05:18
122. Carlos Eduardo Alzate Escobar (Col) Team Exergy 0:05:33
123. Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:06:09
DNS Giovany Manuel Baez Alvarez (Col) EPM – UNE
GC after Stage 3
1. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack 10:30:29
2. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:00:11
3. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad 0:00:17
4. Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:00:21
5. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:53
6. Rafael Infantino Abreu (Col) EPM – UNE 0:01:14
7. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:01:18
8. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:01:42
9. Bruno Pires (Por) Leopard Trek 0:01:49
10. Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:01:50
11. Ivan Rovny (Rus) Team RadioShack 0:02:07
12. Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:02:17
13. Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek
14. Juan Pablo Suarez Suarez (Col) EPM – UNE 0:02:20
15. Janier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:02:37
16. Chris Baldwin (USA) Bissell Cycling 0:02:38
17. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:02:46
18. Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:03:14
19. Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Esp) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:03:16
20. Peter Stetina (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:03:26
21. Eduard Alexander Beltran Suarez (Col) EPM – UNE 0:03:35
22. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:03:54
23. Gustav Larsson (Swe) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:04:11
24. Lucas Euser (USA) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:04:28
25. Laurent Didier (Lux) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:04:40
26. Rubens Bertogliati (Sui) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:04:50
27. Jaime Alberto Castaneda Ortega (Col) EPM – UNE 0:05:01
28. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:05:08
29. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:05:25
30. Stefan Denifl (Aut) Leopard Trek 0:05:51
31. Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Skil – Shimano 0:05:55
32. Timothy Duggan (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:05:59
33. Andrès Miguel Diaz Corrales (Col) Team Exergy 0:06:10
34. Alex Hagman (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:06:16
35. Jens Voigt (Ger) Leopard Trek 0:06:17
36. Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:06:28
37. Anders Lund (Den) Leopard Trek 0:06:42
38. Philip Deignan (Irl) Team RadioShack 0:06:52
39. Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:06:59
40. Daniel Summerhill (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:07:24
41. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:07:30
42. Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:07:36
43. Carlos Fernando Piamonte Rodriguez (Col) EPM – UNE 0:07:37
44. Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:07:38
45. Benjamin King (USA) Team RadioShack 0:07:56
46. Chris Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:07:59
47. Hayden Roulston (Nzl) HTC-Highroad 0:08:14
48. Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:08:20
49. Cristhian Montoya Giraldo (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:08:26
50. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team Spidertech Powered By C10
51. Edward Stiver Ortiz Caro (Col) EPM – UNE 0:08:29
52. Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:08:43
53. Rafael Montiel (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:09:37
54. Flavio De Luna (Mex) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:09:53
55. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:09:57
56. George Bennett (Nzl) Team RadioShack 0:10:03
57. Peter Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad 0:10:07
58. Sébastien Salas (Can) Team Exergy 0:10:11
59. Edward King (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:10:29
60. Javier Megias Leal (Esp) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:10:32
61. Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:10:36
62. Lachlan Norris (Aus) HTC-Highroad 0:10:50
63. Thomas Bonnin (Fra) Skil – Shimano 0:10:59
64. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Esp) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:11:02
65. Alejandro Ramirez Calderon (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:11:05
66. Matt Cooke (USA) Team Exergy 0:11:11
67. Daniel Lloyd (Gbr) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:11:24
68. William Dugan (USA) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:12:14
69. Davide Frattini (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:12:35
70. Patrick Gretsch (Ger) HTC-Highroad 0:13:08
71. David Zabriskie (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:13:53
72. Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:14:22
73. Walter Pedraza (Col) EPM – UNE 0:15:38
74. Danny Pate (USA) HTC-Highroad 0:15:49
75. Rob Britton (Can) Bissell Cycling
76. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:16:07
77. Carlos Alberto Ospina Hernandes (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:16:28
78. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Cycling 0:17:01
79. David Boily (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:17:06
80. Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:17:09
81. Juraj Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:17:17
82. Thimothy Roe (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:17:50
83. Oscar Alvarez (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antiquia 0:17:59
84. Martin Mortensen (Den) Leopard Trek 0:18:02
85. Philipp Ries (Ger) Skil – Shimano 0:18:09
86. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Team Exergy
87. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell Cycling 0:18:11
88. Nic Hamlton (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:18:14
89. Brian Vandborg (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:18:18
90. Scott Zwizanski (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:18:28
91. Michael Mørkøv (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:18:42
92. Alastair Loutit (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:18:53
93. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:18:54
94. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:19:09
95. Francois Parisien (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:19:30
96. Martin Reimer (Ger) Skil – Shimano 0:20:13
97. André Steensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:20:23
98. Caleb Fairly (USA) HTC-Highroad 0:20:26
99. Andrew Dahlheim (USA) Bissell Cycling 0:20:41
100. Thierry Hupond (Fra) Skil – Shimano 0:20:51
101. Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Bissell Cycling 0:20:55
102. Robert Förster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:21:46
103. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:21:54
104. Erik Slack (USA) Team Exergy 0:22:09
105. Craig Lewis (USA) HTC-Highroad 0:22:16
106. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell Cycling 0:22:38
107. Bruno Langlois (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:22:40
108. Adrian Hegyvary (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:23:02
109. Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Skil – Shimano 0:23:26
110. Jason McCartney (USA) Team RadioShack 0:23:33
111. Bradley White (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:23:47
112. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:25:24
113. Sander Oostlander (Ned) Skil – Shimano 0:26:17
114. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:26:26
115. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:26:42
116. Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Cycling 0:26:49
117. Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1 – Sanofi 0:28:12
118. Ryan Roth (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 0:29:01
119. Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShack 0:30:02
120. Sam Johnson (USA) Team Exergy 0:32:21
121. Kai Applequist (USA) Team Exergy 0:33:37
122. Carlos Eduardo Alzate Escobar (Col) Team Exergy 0:33:54
123. William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:34:52