Tour of Shenandoah - NE

USA, April 25-30, 2006

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Stage 6 - April 29: Natural Bridge TT, 15 miles

Bookwalter scorches Stage ITT

Priority Health’s U-23 rider to defend two jerseys in stage 7 finale

Although the race is not exclusively U-23, the Tour of Shenandoah has emerged as the premier stage road race for showcasing the pick of North America's young cycling talent. Thus it seems fitting that the best U-23 rider at the 2006 Tour of Shenandoah climbed to the top of the general classification after today’s stage 6 time trial.

Priority Health’s U-23 rider Brent Bookwalter won the 15-mile time trial in 29:55, more than a minute faster than the next fastest rider. “The course was blazing fast, nothing too technical,” Bookwalter said about today’s out-and-back route in rural Rockbridge County. “You had to find a rhythm and a good gear, and you couldn’t rest on the downhills,” said Bookwalter. “Even at this distance [15 miles] you have to give it all and it hurts,” Bookwalter grinned as he peddled his stationary trainer during a post-race cool down.

Bookwalter’s swift time trial placed him in 1st GC in 14:51:19. In addition to the green GC leader jersey, young Bookwalter earned the yellow U-23 leader jersey.

Prior to the race, it appeared that Priority Health might have made a tactical error by choosing not to defend then-GC leader Eddy Hilger during yesterday’s stage 5. “We had some miscommunication yesterday in the car,” admitted Hilger. “We let the break get too far ahead,” Hilger said. Hilger finished 4th stage 6 in 31:28.

With the support of their team, Bookwalter and Hilger have led a successful two-jersey campaign, thus far. However, Priority Health wondered how much stronger they would have been had they not lost their big man, Tom Zirbel.

“Tom would have crushed us today,” Bookwalter said about Zirbel, a tall and powerful time trialist whose training had targeted the Tour of Shenandoah. Zirbel spent the race’s first two days in the green leader jersey.

Unfortunately, Zirbel’s race ended after he suffered a minor concussion during a high-speed crash in Thursday’s stage 4. “We wanted to do it for him,” Bookwalter explained how the team has drawn inspiration from their bruised teammate.

Justin Spinelli finished 2nd today in 31:02. Spinelli ended the day in 2nd GC in 14:52:39, a significant 1 minute 20 seconds behind Bookwalter.

Ryan Roth of Team R.A.C.E. proved his time trial expertise. The Canadian rider finished 2nd in last Tuesday’s stage 1 time trial. Roth found the podium again after stage 6, placing 3rd in 31:04—a mere two seconds behind Spinelli.

Roth finished the day 14th GC in 14:58:54. Roth said he was pleased with how he has raced so far at this year’s Tour of Shenandoah. The race’s tough mountains stick out in his memory.

“We are staying at the Blue Ridge Mountain cabins, and driving up there reminds me of Montebello,” Roth cringed as he recalled stage 4’s tough Cat. 1 climb. Roth said his legs felt fresh enough to help his teammates in Sunday’s criterium.

Bruno Langlois held the GC lead prior to stage 6, but he AEG-Toshiba-JetNetwork rider finished today’s time trial 11th. Langlois crossed the finish line in 32:17, 2 minutes and 22 seconds behind Bookwalter. Langlois dropped to 4th GC, 1 minute 37 seconds behind Bookwalter.

Priority Health looks forward Sunday’s stage 7 criterium in Waynesboro. If history is any indicator, the team is well positioned to defend Bookwalter’s GC and U-23 jerseys. At the 2005 Tour of Shenandoah, Hilger won the Waynesboro criterium and Bookwalter placed second. “It’s my favorite crit,” said Hilger. “Our guys did some recovery riding today, so we think I think we’ll do well,” he added.

Results

1 Brent Bookwalter (Priority Health Cycling Team)                          29.55
2 Justin Spinelli (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling)                1.07
3 Ryan Roth (Team R.A.C.E.)                                                 1.09
4 Dan Timmerman (Fiordifrutta cycling team)                                 1.23
5 Eddy Hilger (Priority Health Cycling Team)                                1.33
6 Josh Dillon (Fiordifrutta Cycling Team)                                   1.34
7 Ben King (Hot Tubes Development Team - TRI DIM)                           1.39
8 Predrag Prokic (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team)                  1.59
9 Sonke Thiel (Team Ideal Tile/Wendy's/Liquid Lightning)                    2.10
10 Russell Langley (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                   2.14
11 Bruno Langlois (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team)                 2.22
12 Dan Cassidy (CCB / Volkswagen)                                           2.28
13 Mike Miller (Pennsylvania Cycling Association)                           2.34
14 Sam Schultz (Byvic Financial Services/Trek/VW)                           2.35
15 Andy Applegate (Team Type 1/Abercrombie & Fitch)                         2.36
16 Ian Ayers (Byvic Financial/Trek/VW/)                                     2.38
17 John DeLong (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                       2.40
18 Jeremiah Bishop (Byvic Financial Services/Trek/VW)                       2.59
19 Michael Norton (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling)                3.01
20 Nate Buyon (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery)                         3.04
21 Jacob Rytlewski (Priority Health Cycling Team)                           3.05
22 R Muoio (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                                   3.06
23 Craig Snydal (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                              3.09
24 Matt Cooke (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                                3.14
25 Christopher Jones (Champion System)                                      3.26
26 Derek McMaster (ItalPasta)                                               3.33
27 Brad Viera (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                        3.34
28 Chris Rozdilsky (Fiordifrutta cycling team)                              3.35
29 Matt White (Fiordifrutta cycling team)                                   3.41
30 Zach Bell (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                         3.47
31 Cameron Fox (Encino Velo)                                                3.49
32 Joe Whitman (Pennsylvania Cycling Association)                           3.51
33 Alberto Blanco (G.S.MENGONI USA)                                         3.56
34 Graham Howard (Priority Health Cycling Team)                             3.57
35 Christoph Herby (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                   4.00
36 Peter Penzell (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                     4.03
37 Jon Wirsing (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                       4.04
38 James Duncan (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles)                     4.05
39 John Hanson (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling)                   4.08
40 Cameron Hughes (ItalPasta)                                               4.10
41 Amos Brumble (CCB / Volkswagen)                                          4.26
42 Jeff Schiller (Team R.A.C.E.)                                            4.27
43 Torsten Wambold (Team Nerac/OutdoorLights.com Pro Cycling)               4.43
44 Alaisandr( Sasha) Bialiausk (CCB / Volkswagen)                           4.50
45 James Camut (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery)                        4.55
46 Bill Short (Pennsylvania Cycling Association)                            5.19
47 Andrew Wulfkuhle (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                          5.55
48 Buck Miller (Fiordifrutta cycling team)                                  5.55
49 Shawn Forsyth (CCB / Volkswagen)                                         5.56
50 Jered Gruber (Team Type 1/Abercrombie & Fitch)                           5.57
51 Sean Barrie (Rockville Harley-Davidson/Silver Cycles)                    6.04
52 Matthew Guse (Team R.A.C.E.)                                             6.14
53 Jake Hollenbach (CCB / Volkswagen)                                       6.16
54 Elliot Gaunt (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery)                       6.28
55 Gavriel Epstein (G.S.MENGONI USA)                                        6.28
56 Dan Maggiacomo (ItalPasta)                                               6.31
57 Nick Waite (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                                6.35
58 Scott Jackson (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery)                      6.40
59 Viktor Laza (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team)                    6.44
60 Jerry (Jay) Charles (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles)              6.47
61 Thomas Foster (Team R.A.C.E)                                             6.59
62 Greg Wolf (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team)                      7.11
63 Michael Cody (Fiordifrutta cycling team)                                 7.44
64 Scott Stewart (Priority Health Cycling Team)                             7.59
65 Brian Sheedy (Priority Health Cycling Team)                              8.12
66 Brian Fouche (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                              8.31
67 Gabriel Larrea (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team)                 9.10
68 Thomas Soladay (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                            9.14
69 Matt DeCanio (Unattached/Stolen Underground Anti Doping Racing Team)    13.44
DNS Norman Zellers (Health Delivery Inc/Giant)
 
General classification after stage 6
 
1 Brent Bookwalter (Priority Health Cycling Team)                       14.51.19
2 Justin Spinelli (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling)                1.20
3 Dan Timmerman (Fiordifrutta cycling team)                                 1.22
4 Bruno Langlois (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team)                  1.37
5 Eddy Hilger (Priority Health Cycling Team)                                1.46
6 Josh Dillon (Fiordifrutta Cycling Team)                                   2.02
7 Sam Schultz (Byvic Financial Services/Trek/VW)                            2.50
8 Nate Buyon (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery)                          3.35
9 Matt Cooke (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                                 4.24
10 Ian Ayers (Byvic Financial/Trek/VW/)                                     4.31
11 Dan Cassidy (CCB / Volkswagen)                                           4.39
12 Predrag Prokic (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team)                 4.43
13 Nick Waite (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                                7.33
14 Ryan Roth (Team R.A.C.E.)                                                7.35
15 Jeremiah Bishop (Byvic Financial Services/Trek/VW)                       7.38
16 Ben King (Hot Tubes Development Team - TRI DIM)                          8.10
17 James Camut (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery)                        8.13
18 Cameron Hughes (ItalPasta)                                               9.24
19 Mike Miller (Pennsylvania Cycling Association)                           9.50
20 Christopher Jones (Champion System)                                      9.54
21 Derek McMaster (ItalPasta)                                               9.59
22 Michael Norton (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling)               10.04
23 Zach Bell (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                        11.14
24 Sean Barrie (Rockville Harley-Davidson/Silver Cycles)                   12.38
25 Gavriel Epstein (G.S.MENGONI USA)                                       13.34
26 James Duncan (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles)                    16.34
27 Christoph Herby (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                  16.39
28 Viktor Laza (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team)                   19.46
29 R Muoio (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                                  21.11
30 Craig Snydal (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                             24.49
31 Andy Applegate (Team Type 1/Abercrombie & Fitch)                        25.07
32 Alberto Blanco (G.S.MENGONI USA)                                        26.46
33 Jacob Rytlewski (Priority Health Cycling Team)                          27.24
34 Jered Gruber (Team Type 1/Abercrombie & Fitch)                          28.42
35 Andrew Wulfkuhle (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                         30.20
36 Sonke Thiel (Team Ideal Tile/Wendy's/Liquid Lightning)                  30.51
37 Jerry (Jay) Charles (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles)             33.05
38 Buck Miller (Fiordifrutta cycling team)                                 34.20
39 Dan Maggiacomo (ItalPasta)                                              35.39
40 Matthew Guse (Team R.A.C.E.)                                            35.42
41 Elliot Gaunt (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery)                      36.01
42 Amos Brumble (CCB / Volkswagen)                                         37.54
43 Chris Rozdilsky (Fiordifrutta cycling team)                             40.55
44 Greg Wolf (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team)                     41.36
45 Jon Wirsing (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                      42.29
46 Brian Sheedy (Priority Health Cycling Team)                             43.06
47 Thomas Soladay (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                           46.25
48 Alaisandr( Sasha) Bialiausk (CCB / Volkswagen)                          47.25
49 Matt White (Fiordifrutta cycling team)                                  49.09
50 Michael Cody (Fiordifrutta cycling team)                                50.51
51 Scott Jackson (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery)                     51.38
52 Brad Viera (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                       53.44
53 Joe Whitman (Pennsylvania Cycling Association)                          55.55
54 Jake Hollenbach (CCB / Volkswagen)                                    1.00.10
55 Shawn Forsyth (CCB / Volkswagen)                                      1.00.58
56 Bill Short (Pennsylvania Cycling Association)                         1.01.38
57 Jeff Schiller (Team R.A.C.E.)                                         1.02.46
58 John DeLong (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                    1.03.20
59 Brian Fouche (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies)                           1.05.15
60 Russell Langley (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                1.08.02
61 Gabriel Larrea (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team)              1.10.57
62 Cameron Fox (Encino Velo)                                             1.14.29
63 Thomas Foster (Team R.A.C.E)                                          1.18.24
64 Graham Howard (Priority Health Cycling Team)                          1.18.58
65 Torsten Wambold (Team Nerac/OutdoorLights.com Pro Cycling)            1.22.53
66 Scott Stewart (Priority Health Cycling Team)                          1.23.15
67 John Hanson (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling)                1.25.23
68 Peter Penzell (Rite Aid Pro Cycling)                                  1.26.24
69 Matt DeCanio (Unattached/Stolen Underground Anti Doping Racing Team)  1.32.22