August 22, 2013 (Beaver Creek, CO) – The Queen Stage of the 2013 USA Pro Challenge presented the riders with a challenging 165.6km day, starting in Steamboat Springs, that included five climbs and ended in a downpour of rain. In a show of strength, Columbian climber Janier Alexis Acevedo of Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home powered up the road to Beaver Creek to take the stage win. Following just behind was Tejay van Garderen (USA) of BMC Racing Team who will now wear yellow heading into the Individual Time Trial tomorrow in Vail.

“Today was one of the most exciting days of racing we’ve had so far,” said Shawn Hunter, CEO of the USA Pro Challenge. “The number of attacks out there and the competitive level of racing we’re seeing from these pros is definitely keeping things interesting.”

Stage 4 began today in Steamboat Springs with a neutral start that was cheered on by large crowds of spectators lining the streets.

“Colorado has really come out to support the USA Pro Challenge,” added Hunter. “Every city we visit and pass through along the route has fans out on the street cheering for the riders. It’s impressive.”

The race kicked into high gear jumping to speeds of 40 mph at the official race start on the edge of town. As with the other days of the race thus far, attacks started coming from the get-go. An initial attempt from Tour de France Champions Chris Froome (GBR) of Sky Procycling (2013) and Andy Schleck (LUX) of RadioShack Leopard Trek (2010) was unsuccessful and was reeled back in within a few minutes.

Shortly after, a group of nine riders pulled away. As some were dropped and others joined, the group got situated to include Timmy Duggan (USA) and Mick Rogers (AUS) of Team Saxo-Tinkoff, Danny Pate and (USA) Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR) of Sky Procycling, Tony Gallopin (FRA) of RadioShack Leopard Trek, Lawrence Warbasse (USA) of BMC Racing Team, Davide Villella (ITA) of Cannondale Pro Cycling, Matt Cooke (USA) of Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home, and Serghei Tvetcov (MDA) of Jelly Belly p/b Kenda.

With about six miles until the first Nissan King of the Mountains (KOM) competition of the day, Jason McCartney (USA) of Bissell Pro Cycling made a move to bridge the gap up to the break, but wouldn’t be able to make the catch until later in the race.

Heading up the Category 4 climb at CR 27, Cooke led the way, reaching the top first and adding to his lead in the KOM Jersey competition, followed by Villella and Duggan. Charging at high speeds down into the small town of Oak Creek, the break approached the first and only Clif Bar sprint of the day. Siutsou barreled through the line first, followed by Warbasse and Duggan.

Heading uphill and through the Feed Zone, the riders started the ascent of the second Nissan KOM competition, a Category 4 climb at CO 131. Cooke reached the top first in an uncontested effort to increase his hold on the KOM Jersey, followed by Pate and Tvetcov.

During the descent, the break started losing time to the chasing peloton, reaching just under three minutes as they hit the valley floor. But as the peloton got closer to the top of the KOM, the gap increased again. Sensing the fate of the break, Siutsou seized the moment and attacked. He was joined by Gallopin, Warbasse, Rogers and Villella.

As they continued approaching the third Nissan KOM competition of the day, again a Category 4 at CO131, Pate and McCartney were reabsorbed by the Garmin-led peloton. This time Gallopin crested the climb first, followed by Siutsou and Rogers. On the 15-mile stretch through the valley leading into the biggest climb of the stage at Bachelor Gulch, Duggan lost contact with the chase, leaving just Tvetcov and Cooke in pursuit of the five ahead, but before long they were caught as well.

With just about 25 miles left to the uphill finish line in Beaver Creek, the peloton starting pushing the pace, with various teams jumping to the front in an effort to eventually reel back in the break. On a false flat leading into the fourth Nissan KOM competition of the day, Team Garmin-Sharp and BMC Racing Team controlled the front of the peloton, with lots of shuffling going on in the bunch as everyone got into position.

The tough climb up Bachelor Gulch really affected the riders, splitting them up into several groups, shattering the field. On the ascent, Rogers attacked the break, followed by Warbasse, leaving Gallopin and Villella chasing behind, and Siutsou falling back to the main group. But in the final three miles of the climb, Warbasse lost contact as well. The climb continued to break apart the riders leaving Rogers out front, followed by three chasers, then eight additional riders, followed by the peloton, and then the grupetto trying to hang on. As things continued to shake up, Mathias Frank (SUI) of BMC Racing Team, van Garderen, Tom Danielson (USA) of Team Garmin-Sharp and Acevedo, formed the group chasing down Rogers, which eventually they did and then proceeded to drop him on the climb.

“That thing (Bachelor Gultch) is incredible,” said Cooke. “I’m just impressed that anyone can ride up that pretty fast. It was steep and one heck of a course.”

Powering over the top, Danielson led, with van Garderen and Acevedo following. Now, with just more than seven miles to go until the finish in Beaver Creek, the pressure was building. On the descent, Acevedo attacked and was challenged by van Garderen, leaving Danielson, and eventually Frank, chasing just a few seconds back. Behind them a group of eight, including race leader Lachlan David Morton (AUS) of Team Garmin-Sharp was keeping pace at only about 30 seconds back.

“The biggest challenge was the bottom of Bachelor Gulch. It was an insanely hard tempo,” said van Garderen.

As the rain began to pound down on the riders, van Garderen and Acevedo powered through the final climb, lined with eagerly awaiting fans, to the finish line in Beaver Creek. Acevedo eventually took the stage, followed by van Garderen and 13 seconds later, Frank.

“I felt very good and confident,” said Acevedo. “I had to go as easy as I could going downhill, taking as little risk possible going around corners. I had a tremendous day today and I felt good about it. For me to win today is just amazing.”

The biggest change in today’s jerseys was van Garderen taking the Smashburger Leader Jersey. Rogers was awarded the FirstBank Most Courageous Rider Jersey for his work in the breaks. Several jerseys remain unchanged, including the Clif Bar Sprint Jersey (Peter Sagan (SVK) of Cannondale Pro Cycling), Nissan King of the Mountains Jersey (Cooke) and Colorado State University Best Young Rider Jersey (Morton).

STAGE 5 TOMORROW:
Friday, Aug. 23 – Vail Individual Time Trial (16.1 km/10 mi)
Start Time: 1:05 p.m. MT
Estimated Finish Time: 3:50 p.m. MT
Satellite Feed Time: 4:30-4:45 p.m. MT

The last time the USA Pro Challenge visited Vail, the Time Trial was decided by 58 hundredths of a second. Competition will be equally fierce this time around, but the names may change a bit. The course’s roots are in Colorado racing lore and trace back to the Coors Classic. Starting in Vail and climbing most of the way up Vail Pass, the route is no easy proposition, even for the best racers on earth. The gentle grades of the first half of the course give way to a steady climb for the last three miles. But it takes more than legs on this strategic course; go too hard early and the climb may kill your chances, but conserve too much for the climb and the leaderboard may be out of reach.

Results

1. Janier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Jamis-Hagens Berman  4:09:08
2. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
3. Mathias Frank (Sui) BMC Racing Team  0:13
4. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Sharp  0:22
5. Gregory Brenes Obando (Crc) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  1:07
6. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling  1:28
7. Joshua Edmondson (Gbr) Sky Procycling
8. Lachlan David Morton (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
9. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team
10. Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (Col) Colombia
11. Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Argos-Shimano
12. George Bennett (Nzl) RadioShack Leopard
13. Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
14. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
15. Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
16. Carter Jones (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling  1:32
17. Robinson Eduardo Chalapud Gomez (Col) Colombia  1:36
18. Nathan Wilson (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team  1:42
19. Jesper Hansen (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  1:47
20. Lawson Craddock (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team  2:07
21. Bruno Pires (Por) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  2:09
22. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
23. Davide Villella (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling  2:20
24. James Oram (Nzl) Bontrager Cycling Team  2:52
25. Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing Team
26. Tiago Machado (Por) RadioShack Leopard  3:19
27. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
28. Javier Megias Leal (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk
29. Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  4:38
30. Serghei Tvetcov (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  4:40
31. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Sharp  4:53
32. Chad Beyer (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
33. Juan Pablo Suarez Suarez (Col) Colombia
34. Edwin Alcibiades Avila Vanegas (Col) Colombia
35. Luis Enrique Davila (Mex) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
36. Stephen Cummings (Gbr) BMC Racing Team  5:08
37. Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  6:02
38. Kirk Carlsen (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
39. Nikodemus Holler (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano  7:40
40. Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack Leopard  9:13
41. Andy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack Leopard
42. Tony Gallopin (Fra) RadioShack Leopard
43. David Lozano Riba (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk  9:35
44. Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano  9:43
45. Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk  9:51
46. Benjamin King (USA) RadioShack Leopard
47. Jarlinson Pantano (Col) Colombia
48. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
49. Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (Col) Colombia
50. Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Sky Procycling
51. Michael Olsson (Swe) Team Argos-Shimano
52. Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:10:28
53. Morgan Schmitt (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:11:08
54. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis-Hagens Berman
55. Hayden Roulston (Nzl) RadioShack Leopard
56. Tyler Wren (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman
57. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
58. Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-Sharp
59. Ryan Eastman (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team
60. Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
61. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team  0:12:26
62. Alex Hagman (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
63. Edward King (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:13:36
64. Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano
65. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin-Sharp
66. Nariyuki Masuda (Jpn) Cannondale Pro Cycling
67. Juraj Sagan (Svk) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:14:25
68. Jens Voigt (Ger) RadioShack Leopard  0:14:38
69. Jason McCartney (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
70. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
71. Connor O’Leary (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team
72. Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
73. Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling
74. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
75. Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
76. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
77. Jeffry Louder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
78. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
79. Ian Burnett (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
80. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
81. Ryan Anderson (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
82. James Driscoll (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman
83. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Bontrager Cycling Team
84. Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano
85. Nathan Brown (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team
86. Tanner Putt (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team
87. Feng Chun Kai (Tpe) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
88. Timothy Duggan (USA) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
89. Luka Mezgec (Slo) Team Argos-Shimano
90. Danny Pate (USA) Sky Procycling
91. Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
92. Marsh Cooper (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
93. Ian Boswell (USA) Sky Procycling
94. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Sharp
95. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
96. Sean Mazich (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
97. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:16:28
98. Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
99. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman  0:17:57
100. Carson Miller (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman
101. Nic Hamlton (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
102. Matt Cooke (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman
103. Julio Alexis Camacho Bernal (Col) Colombia
104. Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk
105. Yann Huguet (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano
106. David Millar (Gbr) Garmin-Sharp  0:18:55
107. Julien Taramarcaz (Sui) BMC Racing Team
108. Christopher Froome (Gbr) Sky Procycling
109. Ryota Nishizono (Jpn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:20:27
110. Xu Gang (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:21:21
111. Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:24:01
112. Kevin De Mesmaeker (Bel) Team Novo Nordisk
113. Michael Friedman (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:26:28
HD  Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
DNF  Christopher Baldwin (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
DNF  Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell Pro Cycling
DNS  Alexander Candelario (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
DNS  Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
DNS  Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
DNS  Michael Torckler (Nzl) Bissell Pro Cycling

GC after Stage 4

1. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team  15:44:59
2. Mathias Frank (Sui) BMC Racing Team  4
3. Janier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Jamis-Hagens Berman  0:30
4. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Sharp  0:40
5. Lachlan David Morton (Aus) Garmin-Sharp  1:17
6. Gregory Brenes Obando (Crc) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  1:37
7. Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (Col) Colombia  1:52
8. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling  1:58
9. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
10. Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
11. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team  2:03
12. Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
13. George Bennett (Nzl) RadioShack Leopard
14. Carter Jones (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling  2:07
15. Lawson Craddock (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team  2:14
16. Nathan Wilson (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team  2:35
17. Javier Megias Leal (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk  3:54
18. James Oram (Nzl) Bontrager Cycling Team  4:03
19. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  4:05
20. Bruno Pires (Por) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  4:11
21. Tiago Machado (Por) RadioShack Leopard  4:30
22. Robinson Eduardo Chalapud Gomez (Col) Colombia  4:42
23. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Sharp  5:28
24. Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  5:51
25. Chad Beyer (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  6:16
26. Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing Team  6:26
27. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  8:02
28. Jesper Hansen (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  8:19
29. Tony Gallopin (Fra) RadioShack Leopard  9:43
30. Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack Leopard  0:11
31. Serghei Tvetcov (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:10:27
32. Andy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack Leopard  0:10:31
33. Juan Pablo Suarez Suarez (Col) Colombia  0:11:00
34. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team  0:11:04
35. Edwin Alcibiades Avila Vanegas (Col) Colombia  0:11:09
36. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team  0:11:38
37. Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:12:03
38. Stephen Cummings (Gbr) BMC Racing Team  0:12:19
39. Davide Villella (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:13:22
40. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin-Sharp  0:14:49
41. Tanner Putt (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team  0:15:26
42. Alex Hagman (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:15:50
43. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:16:28
44. Ian Boswell (USA) Sky Procycling  0:17:10
45. Jeffry Louder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team  0:17:14
46. Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Argos-Shimano  0:17:25
47. Morgan Schmitt (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
48. Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-Sharp
49. Kirk Carlsen (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling  0:18:31
50. Tyler Wren (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman  0:18:33
51. Joshua Edmondson (Gbr) Sky Procycling  0:19:46
52. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team  0:19:51
53. Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk  0:20:38
54. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis-Hagens Berman  0:21:14
55. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team  0:22:44
56. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling  0:22:59
57. Nikodemus Holler (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano  0:23:37
58. Edward King (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:24:23
59. Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (Col) Colombia  0:24:39
60. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Bontrager Cycling Team  0:24:44
61. Sean Mazich (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:25:25
62. Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  0:25:40
63. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Sharp  0:25:41
64. Michael Olsson (Swe) Team Argos-Shimano  0:25:48
65. James Driscoll (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman  0:26:43
66. Jens Voigt (Ger) RadioShack Leopard
67. Hayden Roulston (Nzl) RadioShack Leopard  0:27:05
68. Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano  0:27:22
69. Luis Enrique Davila (Mex) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:27:34
70. David Lozano Riba (Esp) Team Novo Nordisk  0:28:42
71. Ryan Eastman (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team  0:28:47
72. Benjamin King (USA) RadioShack Leopard  0:29:10
73. Danny Pate (USA) Sky Procycling  0:30:24
74. Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team  0:30:35
75. Marsh Cooper (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
76. Juraj Sagan (Svk) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:30:55
77. Nariyuki Masuda (Jpn) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:31:15
78. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman  0:32:45
79. Matt Cooke (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman  0:32:53
80. Jarlinson Pantano (Col) Colombia  0:33:52
81. Michael Friedman (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:34:12
82. Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
83. Ryan Anderson (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:34:16
84. Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
85. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
86. Feng Chun Kai (Tpe) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
87. Christopher Froome (Gbr) Sky Procycling  0:34:52
88. Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano  0:34:56
89. Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Sky Procycling  0:35:34
90. Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:35:50
91. Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano  0:35:51
92. Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk  0:35:56
93. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp  0:35:58
94. Timothy Duggan (USA) Team Saxo-Tinkoff
95. Julio Alexis Camacho Bernal (Col) Colombia  0:36:19
96. Ryota Nishizono (Jpn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:36:44
97. Connor O’Leary (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team  0:37:00
98. Ian Burnett (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:38:39
99. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
100. Nic Hamlton (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:39:17
101. Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff  0:39:59
102. David Millar (Gbr) Garmin-Sharp  0:40:15
103. Luka Mezgec (Slo) Team Argos-Shimano  0:40:21
104. Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling
105. Julien Taramarcaz (Sui) BMC Racing Team  0:40:33
106. Nathan Brown (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team  0:40:34
107. Xu Gang (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:41:19
108. Carson Miller (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman  0:41:58
109. Jason McCartney (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling  0:43:38
110. Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk  0:43:48
111. Yann Huguet (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano  0:46:57
112. Kevin De Mesmaeker (Bel) Team Novo Nordisk  0:48:42
113. Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:52:44