February 24, 2015 (Dominican) – Evan Huffman, today, showed his power in the second stage of Vuelta Independencia Nacional in the Dominican Republic, spending the second half of the stage in a decisive breakaway only to get caught in the final 3km. Huffman eventually finished seventh in the sprint finish, teammate Zach Bell finishing fourth, and a crash in the final kilometers affecting Team SmartStop’s sprinting abilities.

Quickly into the 187km stage from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo a two man breakaway group was formed, with four riders chasing and eventually catching on the group of six escaped out to an over nine-minute lead. With no threats to the general classification and a long stage ahead of them, Team SmartStop and the rest of the peloton was content to let the break go.

Halfway into the stage Team SmartStop wanted a piece of the action and like they did on stage one, they took to the front and ramped up the pace of the peloton, bringing the breakaway gap down to three minutes. Huffman saw this as his opportunity for an attack.

“I attacked and got away about 110-120km into the stage with two other guys after a lot of other activity,” said Huffman, “We bridged across to the early break of four, making seven riders, guys slowly started to get dropped until there were just three of us with around 30km to go.”

With 10km to go, the peloton looming and a team confident they could back Travis McCabe in the sprint, Sporting Director Michael Creed, told Huffman to slow down the breakaway group.

“I wasn’t confident I could win out of the group anymore so I did almost no work hoping we’d get caught and McCabe could get a result from the field,” said Huffman, “a crash in the field with just over 1km to go disrupted the chase and we almost made it, but several guys from the field came past me just in the last 200m.”

“We were confident in the field sprint with Travis so we had Evan sit on, which killed the momentum of the breakaway group,” explained Creed, “but then Travis went down leading into the sprint, Zach made it through okay but by the time he got through to the sprint he couldn’t do much and ended up fourth.”

Both Bobby Sweeting and McCabe came down in the final sprint crash but both have come out with a few bumps and bruises but no serious injuries.

“It’s one of those could have, should have, would have situations,” said Creed on whether Travis might have pulled off a win had he not crashed, “the team is riding really well, it’s definitely not for lack of trying, everyone is doing their part, we have a really strong team this year but also the field is stronger this year compared to last year and it is going to make for some interesting racing coming up.”

“I felt good most of the day, but was completely empty and cramping by the finish because of the heat, 200km and five hour length of the stage.  A little disappointing to not get a better result, but we’ve got 6 more chances and we’ll keep trying,” said Huffman.

Bell’s fourth place sees him catapult into second on the general classification, 12 seconds behind new race leader and stage winner Jaime Castaneda. After today’s performance Team SmartStop is now sitting first in the team classification.

Stage three will take the peloton 177km from Santo Domingo to Samana and will feature the first significant climbs of the Vuelta Independencia Nacional with two category three KOM points on offer.

Results

1. Jaime Castañeda (Col) EPM-Une 4:57:56
2. Coulton Haltrich (USA) IRT Racing
3. Augusto Sanchez (Dom) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH
4. Zach Bell (Can) Team Smartstop
5. Yannick Mayer (Ger) Bike Aid
6. David Lozano (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk
7. Evan Huffman (USA) Team Smartstop
8. Elvis Rodriguez (Dom) Asocive
9. Erik Slack (USA) IRT Racing
10. Bladimir Lopez (Col) Asocipe Moca
11. Isaac Yaguaro (Ven) G.B. Del Tachira-Concafe
12. Carlos E. Quisphe (Ecu) Team Ecuador
13. Jorge Montenegro (Ecu) Team Ecuador
14. Cory Greenberg (USA) IRT Racing
15. Boris Garene (Fra) Velo O.-Vetiver G.
16. Stiven Ortiz (Col) EPM-Une
17. Yeroen Breewel (Ned) Team Holand
18. Ismael Sanchez (Dom) Finauto-Campagna-Cic
19. Chris Butler (USA) Team Smartstop
20. William Guzman (Dom) Inteja MMR
21. Travis Livermon (USA) Team Smartstop
22. Joel Garcia (Dom) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH
23. David Guttenplan (USA) 27 De Febrero
24. Joschka Beck (Ger) Bike Aid
25. Van Arde Gils (Ned) Team Holand
26. Adrian Nuñez (Dom) Asocipe Moca
27. Cristian Torres (Col) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH
28. Erizon Peña (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go
29. Juan C. Polanco (Dom) Asocive
30. Maicol Evangelista (Dom) Asocive
31. Juan Cueto (Dom) Inteja MMR
32. Jose Guzman (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go
33. Braulio Garcia (Dom) 27 De Febrero
34. Carlos Cespedes (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go
35. Oscar Pachon (Col) Finauto-Campagna-Cic
36. Josiel Rodriguez (Dom) Finauto-Campagna-Cic
37. Israel Nuño (Esp) Inteja MMR
38. Wendy Cruz (Dom) Finauto-Campagna-Cic
39. Enmanuel Fernandez (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go
40. Shiomi Lev (Isr) Galilee Cycles
41. David Villareal (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go
42. Greymer Arias (Dom) Asocive
43. Jonathan Camargo (Ven) G.B. Del Tachira-Concafe
44. Michel De La Cruz (Dom) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH
45. Jonatan Encarnación (Dom) Asocive
46. Anderson Paredes (Ven) G.B. Del Tachira-Concafe
47. Fabian Fritz (Ger) Bike Aid
48. Jordy Buskermolen (Ned) Team Holand
49. Segundo Navarrete (Ecu) Team Ecuador
50. Kyle Buckosky (Can) Bike Aid
51. Efren Ortega (Pur) Team Puerto Rico
52. Adderlyn Cruz (Dom) Inteja MMR
53. Ismael Collado (Dom) 27 De Febrero
54. Jonathan Lous (Fra) Velo O.-Vetiver G.
55. Edwin Carvajal (Col) EPM-Une
56. Nelson Camargo (Ven) G.B. Del Tachira-Concafe
57. Eriberto Peña (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go
58. Anthony Rodriguez (Dom) Asocipe Moca
59. Fabrice Cornelie (Fra) Velo O.-Vetiver G.
60. Joshua Friedman (USA) Galilee Cycles
61. Timo Schäfer (Ger) Bike Aid
62. Joseph Seppy (Pur) Team Puerto Rico 1:58
63. Luis T. Mendez (Dom) 27 De Febrero 2:06
64. Yuval Fridman (Isr) Galilee Cycles
65. Jonathan Espinal (Dom) 27 De Febrero 2:12
66. Rafael Meran (Dom) Finauto-Campagna-Cic 2:30
67. Jonathan Sarmiento (Col) Inteja MMR 2:40
68. Andres Alayon (USA) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH 2:40
69. Joaquin Sobrino (Esp) Inteja MMR
70. Diego Milan (Dom) Inteja MMR 2:42
71. Adam Farabaugh (Dom) 27 De Febrero
72. Yorn Teer (Ned) Team Holand 2:44
73. Norlandy Taveras (Dom) Finauto-Campagna-Cic
74. Kevin Archambault (Can) Norco PremierTech 3:05
75. Kevin Pujols (Dom) 27 De Febrero 3:13
76. Ricky Morales (Pur) Team Puerto Rico 3:34
77. Eamon L. Franck (USA) IRT Racing
78. Pedro Quiroga (Col) Finauto-Campagna-Cic
79. Bram Imming (Ned) Team Holand
80. Yordalis Hernandez (Dom) Asocipe Moca
81. Daniel Balsero (Col) Asocive
82. Jacob Schwingboth (Can) Bike Aid 3:41
83. Enmanuel Peña (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go 3:52
84. Rafael Infantino (Col) EPM-Une 4:01
85. Juan P. Suarez (Col) EPM-Une
86. Robigzon Oyola (Col) EPM-Une 4:03
87. Leonardo Masara (Dom) 27 De Febrero
88. Wilmer J. Perez (Col) Asocive 4:08
89. Travis McCabe (USA) Team Smartstop 4:35
90. Adam Carr (USA) Norco PremierTech
91. Gerd De Keijzer (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk 4:40
92. Alex Gresnigt (Ned) Team Holand 5:07
93. Jose Bone (Ecu) Team Ecuador 5:11
94. Jean C. Tejada (Dom) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH 5:23
95. Byron Guama (Ecu) Team Ecuador 5:40
96. Samuel Blanchette (Can) Norco PremierTech 5:49
97. James Glasspool (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk
98. Etienne Samson (Can) Norco PremierTech
99. Robert A. Javier (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go 6:42
100. Geovanny Garcia (Dom) Finauto-Campagna-Cic
101. Rene Corella (Mex) IRT Racing 6:47
102. Jose Ragonessi (Ecu) Team Ecuador 7:13
103. Marco Olivo (Dom) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH 7:30
104. Shadi Halabi (Isr) Galilee Cycles 7:49
105. Simon Ouellet (Can) Norco PremierTech
106. Eduardo Colon (Pur) Team Puerto Rico 0:00
107. Bobby Sweeting (USA) Team Smartstop 8:45
108. Sam Basseitti (USA) IRT Racing
109. Benjamin Dilley (USA) Team Novo Nordisk
110. Franklin Bencosme (Dom) Asocipe Moca
111. Jorge L- Martinez (Dom) Asocive
112. Ido Syrkin (Isr) Galilee Cycles 14:47
113. Jose Bencosme (Dom) Asocipe Moca
114. Josue Vasquez (Pur) Team Puerto Rico 18:05
115. Xavier Nieves (Ven) G.B. Del Tachira-Concafe
116. Adam Andersen (Can) Norco PremierTech
117. Simon Strobel (Ger) Team Novo Nordisk 14:47
DNF Ruud Cremers (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
DNS Kerane Basrdin (Fra) Velo O.-Vetiver G.
DNS Cedric Pouvin (Fra) Velo O.-Vetiver G.
DNS Cristophe Thibois (Fra) Velo O.-Vetiver G.
DNS Moises Selman (Dom) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH

GC after Stage 2
1. Jaime Castañeda (Col) EPM-Une 9:41:47
2. Eduardo Colon (Pur) Team Puerto Rico 0:01
3. Boris Garene (Fra) Velo O.-Vetiver G. 0:05
4. Zach Bell (Can) Team Smartstop 0:12
5. Erik Slack (USA) IRT Racing 0:14
6. Stiven Ortiz (Col) EPM-Une
7. Chris Butler (USA) Team Smartstop
8. Joschka Beck (Ger) Bike Aid
9. Juan Cueto (Dom) Inteja MMR 0:19
10. Rafael Meran (Dom) Finauto-Campagna-Cic 2:44
11. Diego Milan (Dom) Inteja MMR 2:50
12. Juan P. Suarez (Col) EPM-Une 4:08
13. Elvis Rodriguez (Dom) Asocive 4:11
14. Isaac Yaguaro (Ven) G.B. Del Tachira-Concafe 4:13
15. Coulton Haltrich (USA) IRT Racing
16. Robigzon Oyola (Col) EPM-Une 4:14
17. Augusto Sanchez (Dom) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH 4:15
18. William Guzman (Dom) Inteja MMR 4:16
19. Oscar Pachon (Col) Finauto-Campagna-Cic 4:17
20. Ismael Collado (Dom) 27 De Febrero
21. Evan Huffman (USA) Team Smartstop 4:18
22. David Lozano (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk 4:19
23. Van Arde Gils (Ned) Team Holand
24. Juan C. Polanco (Dom) Asocive
25. Yannick Mayer (Ger) Bike Aid
26. Bladimir Lopez (Col) Asocipe Moca
27. Cristian Torres (Col) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH
28. Edwin Carvajal (Col) EPM-Une
29. Fabian Fritz (Ger) Bike Aid
30. Joel Garcia (Dom) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH
31. Israel Nuño (Esp) Inteja MMR
32. Eriberto Peña (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go
33. Cory Greenberg (USA) IRT Racing
34. Jonathan Camargo (Ven) G.B. Del Tachira-Concafe
35. Jordy Buskermolen (Ned) Team Holand
36. Carlos E. Quisphe (Ecu) Team Ecuador
37. Jorge Montenegro (Ecu) Team Ecuador
38. Ismael Sanchez (Dom) Finauto-Campagna-Cic
39. Travis Livermon (USA) Team Smartstop
40. Braulio Garcia (Dom) 27 De Febrero
41. Anderson Paredes (Ven) G.B. Del Tachira-Concafe
42. Anthony Rodriguez (Dom) Asocipe Moca
43. Yeroen Breewel (Ned) Team Holand
44. David Villareal (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go
45. Jonathan Lous (Fra) Velo O.-Vetiver G.
46. Wendy Cruz (Dom) Finauto-Campagna-Cic
47. Nelson Camargo (Ven) G.B. Del Tachira-Concafe
48. Kyle Buckosky (Can) Bike Aid
49. Timo Schäfer (Ger) Bike Aid
50. Adderlyn Cruz (Dom) Inteja MMR
51. Segundo Navarrete (Ecu) Team Ecuador
52. Efren Ortega (Pur) Team Puerto Rico
53. Travis McCabe (USA) Team Smartstop 4:46
54. Joseph Seppy (Pur) Team Puerto Rico 6:17
55. Yuval Fridman (Isr) Galilee Cycles 6:25
56. Jonathan Espinal (Dom) 27 De Febrero 6:30
57. Andres Alayon (USA) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH 6:51
58. Joaquin Sobrino (Esp) Inteja MMR 6:59
59. Jonathan Sarmiento (Col) Inteja MMR 6:59
60. Adam Farabaugh (Dom) 27 De Febrero 7:01
61. Norlandy Taveras (Dom) Finauto-Campagna-Cic 7:03
62. Yorn Teer (Ned) Team Holand
63. Kevin Pujols (Dom) 27 De Febrero 7:32
64. Daniel Balsero (Col) Asocive 7:48
65. Ricky Morales (Pur) Team Puerto Rico 7:53
66. Eamon L. Franck (USA) IRT Racing
67. Pedro Quiroga (Col) Finauto-Campagna-Cic
68. Yordalis Hernandez (Dom) Asocipe Moca
69. Bram Imming (Ned) Team Holand
70. Jacob Schwingboth (Can) Bike Aid 8:00
71. Enmanuel Peña (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go 8:11
72. Rafael Infantino (Col) EPM-Une 8:20
73. Wilmer J. Perez (Col) Asocive 8:27
74. Adam Carr (USA) Norco PremierTech 8:54
75. Gerd De Keijzer (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk 8:59
76. Jose Bone (Ecu) Team Ecuador 9:24
77. Byron Guama (Ecu) Team Ecuador 9:59
78. James Glasspool (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk 10:08
79. Etienne Samson (Can) Norco PremierTech
80. Robert A. Javier (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go 11:01
81. Rene Corella (Mex) IRT Racing 11:06
82. Jose Ragonessi (Ecu) Team Ecuador 11:32
83. Simon Ouellet (Can) Norco PremierTech 12:08
84. Jorge L- Martinez (Dom) Asocive 13:04
85. Bobby Sweeting (USA) Team Smartstop
86. Sam Basseitti (USA) IRT Racing
87. Benjamin Dilley (USA) Team Novo Nordisk
88. Carlos Cespedes (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go 13:19
89. Shiomi Lev (Isr) Galilee Cycles
90. Michel De La Cruz (Dom) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH
91. David Guttenplan (USA) 27 De Febrero 13:24
92. Adrian Nuñez (Dom) Asocipe Moca
93. Maicol Evangelista (Dom) Asocive
94. Jose Guzman (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go
95. Erizon Peña (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go
96. Josiel Rodriguez (Dom) Finauto-Campagna-Cic
97. Greymer Arias (Dom) Asocive
98. Enmanuel Fernandez (Dom) Cocuyos-Drinks 2Go
99. Jonatan Encarnación (Dom) Asocive
100. Joshua Friedman (USA) Galilee Cycles
101. Fabrice Cornelie (Fra) Velo O.-Vetiver G. all
102. Luis T. Mendez (Dom) 27 De Febrero 15:28
103. Kevin Archambault (Can) Norco PremierTech 16:29
104. Alex Gresnigt (Ned) Team Holand 18:31
105. Simon Strobel (Ger) Team Novo Nordisk 19:06
106. Marco Olivo (Dom) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH 21:04
107. Samuel Blanchette (Can) Norco PremierTech 22:17
108. Xavier Nieves (Ven) G.B. Del Tachira-Concafe 22:24
109. Adam Andersen (Can) Norco PremierTech 22:24
110. Leonardo Masara (Dom) 27 De Febrero 22:52
111. Jose Bencosme (Dom) Asocipe Moca 28:06:00
112. Jean C. Tejada (Dom) Aro Y Pedal-Fenix-BH 28:21:00
113. Josue Vasquez (Pur) Team Puerto Rico 31:29:00
114. Franklin Bencosme (Dom) Asocipe Moca 32:49:00
115. Ido Syrkin (Isr) Galilee Cycles 37:51:00
116. Geovanny Garcia (Dom) Finauto-Campagna-Cic 42:51:00
117. Shadi Halabi (Isr) Galilee Cycles 43:58:00