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Tour de Nez - NE
Nevada, USA, June 18-21, 2008
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Stage 1 - June 18: Grand Sierra Hotel Casino criterium, 75 minutes
Tour de Nez opener goes to first-year pro
By Mark Zalewski, North American Editor in Reno, Nevada
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The opening stage of the revitalized Tour de Nez was a bling-bling criterium held in the parking lot of the largest casino in the 'Biggest Little City in the World.' For most of the race it seemed the peloton was content to open-up their legs with a tough, 2.75km uphill time trial looming in front of them the next morning. But not for hometown hero Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) who attacked out of the peloton as the 75 minute race went from time to seven laps to go. Candelario quickly built nearly 30 seconds by himself but a large Bissell train reeled him in on the final lap, setting up their neo-pro sprinter Steven Howard for his first ever professional win.
"Aaron [Olson] took over when we were still chasing Alex on the last lap," said Howard. "We caught him about halfway down the back side. Aaron then took me to the final corner and I went from there - it was a pretty long way!"
Coming in second just behind Howard was Successful Living's Argentinean speedster Ricardo Escuela, who unclipped from his pedal half-way down the finish stretch. Despite the unfortunate malfunction his momentum was so great that is still carried him up the false flat to the finish in second.
"I'm pretty excited about the win," Howard told Cyclingnews. "This is my first year as a pro and six years total riding. I just finished my junior year a month ago at Calvin College in Grand Rapids.
The Grand Rapids, Michigan native came to the Bissell team through their development system, which includes the Priority Health U23 squad. "I was on a couple of local teams and then the past few years the Priority Health U23 team. All the sponsors, like Bissell and Advantage Benefits, are pretty much local to Grand Rapids."
The attack by Candelario was an interesting move for the well-known field sprinter. "We wanted to smash in the last half of the race," he said. "It's a stage race and obviously I'm not going to do well in the uphill time trial. So I gave it a go to see if anyone would come with me, but no one came across. I just thought there would be more guys willing to race. But Bissell is just riding really strong and they have twice as many guys as anyone else."
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Candelario's uncharacteristic move did set off some alarm bells in the field, with many thinking of making the jump. But with only Bissell left as a major team, the rest of the teams and individual riders looked to them to chase. "I thought about going with him, but I had a brief hesitation," said race winner Howard. "With two laps to go I thought he was gone, but the team rode so well we were able to get him back."
A small bridge attempt did come from Garmin-Chipotle's Steven Cozza, riding on his own this week. "I just opened my legs up for tomorrow, for the time trial," he said. Cozza thinks that though Bissell and Kelly Benefits are strong in terms of numbers, the layout of the race does not necessarily favour them. It's a smaller field, about 75 guys, so I don't think team-mates are going to really help unless you want to win the sprints.
As for race strategy as a 'freelance' rider, Cozza said, "I'm just going to try to get into everything, and if anything has a Kelly Benefits or Bissell in it, get in it. They are the only teams here that can really control anything."
Conversely, for the two big teams, the usual GC guys are ready to go in the time trial tomorrow. One of them is Bissell's Burke Swindlehurst, who said the conditions are what he looks for in a stage race. "I'm one of them; I like the altitude and heat around here!"
Candelario said to look for his team-mate Andy Bajadali, who has ridden well in NRC stage races like Redlands. "Bajadali can drop pretty much everyone on the climb!"
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mark Zalewski/Cyclingnews.com
- Stage 1 begins under the casino vestibule.
- The first turn with the casino tower looming in the background.
- Steven Cozza (Garmin-Chipotle) staying near the front.
- Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics) is riding alone, but still managed a third place.
- The casino was excited about the race and heavily promoted it.
- Justin England (Toyota-United) rides the front.
- For a parking lot crit the course has some undulations and scenery.
- The sun was out and hot.
- Ben Raby (SRAM) handles the hairpin turn.
- The shadows got longer as the race wore on.
- Bissell take the front to dissuade attacks.
- As the time turns to laps the field prepares for a sprint finish.
- Burke Sindlehurst (Bissell) chases Candelario.
- Steven Cozza (Garmin-Chipotle) jumps out of the final turn.
- Flying through the final turn.
- Bissell had to chase Candelario.
- Successful Living helped with the chase to set up Escuela.
- Candelario gives it everything.
- Steven Howard (Bissell) celebrates his win on the line.
Images by Briggs Heaney / Tour de Nez
Images by Larry Rosa / Tour de Nez
- Steven Howard (Bissell) enjoys his first professional victory.
- Steven Cozza (Garmin-Chipotle) is here on his own this week. Seen here testing his legs before the time trial tomorrow.
- Bissell controlled the race today for their sprinter.
- Bissell showed that they are here to win.
- Bissell were on the front for most of the criterium.
- Alex Candelario Storms off the front.
Results
1 Steven Howard (Bissell Pro Cycling) 1.15.52 2 Ricardo Escuela (Successful Living) 3 Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics Cycling Team) 4 Andrew Bajadali (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) 5 Brian Buchholz (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) 6 Roman Kilun 7 Jackson Stewart (BMC Racing Team) 8 Michael Sayers (BMC Racing Team) 9 Victor Ayala 10 Steven Cozza (Garmin-Chipotle) 11 Ben Raby 12 Devon Vigus (Calyon Pro Cycling Team) 13 Jonathan Baker 14 Daniel Bowman (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) 15 Ian Holt 16 Roman Van Uden 17 Andy Jacques-Maynes (Calyon Pro Cycling Team) 18 Justin Kerr 19 Joseph Pinkerton 20 Andres Gil 21 Karl Bordine 22 Aaron Olson (Bissell Pro Cycling) 23 Corey Collier 24 Justin England (Toyota United Professional cycling Team) 25 Kris Koke 26 Ben Bradshaw 27 Dylan Clark 28 Matthew Cooke 29 Adam Livingston 30 Scott Nydam (BMC Racing Team) 31 Ian McKissick (BMC Racing Team) 32 Tom Zirbel (Bissell Pro Cycling) 33 Carson Miller 34 Paul Mach 35 Brandon Gritters 36 Dirk Friel 37 Burke Swindlehurst (Bissell Pro Cycling) 38 Chris Demarchi 39 Jesse Moore (Calyon Pro Cycling Team) 40 Logan Hunn 41 Justin Spinelli (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) 42 Christian Kearney 43 Morgan Schmitt (Bissell Pro Cycling) 44 Nathaniel Deibler 45 Adam Switters 46 Randy Reichardt 47 Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) 48 Shaun Morris 49 Eric Bennett (Successfulliving.com presented by Parkpre) 0.40 50 Edgar Parra 51 Bradley White (Successful Living) 0.51 52 Paul Che 1.48 53 Josh Horowitz 2.06 54 Joshua Bartlett 55 Chuck Coyle (Successful Living) 3.04 56 Ben Knellar (The Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling Team) 3.18 57 Graham Howard (Bissell Pro Cycling) 58 John Hunt (Calyon Pro Cycling Team) 59 James Mattis (Calyon Pro Cycling Team) 60 Tim Srenaski 3.26 61 Omer Kem (Bissell Pro Cycling) 3.28 62 Joao Correia (Bissell Pro Cycling) 63 Loader Llogan 64 Timothy Farnham 4.02 65 Michael Jacques 4.09 66 Matthew Seagrave 67 Andy Bestwick 4.24 68 James Gunn-Wilkinson 6.03 69 Jonathan Coulter (Webcor Builders Cycling Team) 7.03 70 Chris Swan 71 Eddy Kwon 7.25 DNF Taylor Tolleson (BMC Racing Team) DNF Curtis Gunn (Successful Living) DNF Ken Hanson (Calyon Pro Cycling Team) DNF Chris Winn Sprints Sprint 1 1 Michael Sayers (BMC Racing Team) 3 pts 2 Steven Howard (Bissell Pro Cycling) 2 3 Timothy Farnham 1 Sprint 2 1 Steven Cozza (Garmin-Chipotle) 3 pts 2 Aaron Olson (Bissell Pro Cycling) 2 3 Ian McKissick (BMC Racing Team) 1 General classification after stage 1 1 Steven Howard (Bissell Pro Cycling) 1.15.42 2 Ricardo Escuela (Successful Living) 0.04 3 Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics Cycling Team) 0.06 4 Andrew Bajadali (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) 0.10 5 Brian Buchholz (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) 6 Roman Kilun 7 Jackson Stewart (BMC Racing Team) 8 Michael Sayers (BMC Racing Team) 9 Victor Ayala 10 Steven Cozza (Garmin-Chipotle) 11 Ben Raby 12 Devon Vigus (Calyon Pro Cycling Team) 13 Jonathan Baker 14 Daniel Bowman (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) 15 Ian Holt 16 Roman Van Uden 17 Andy Jacques-Maynes (Calyon Pro Cycling Team) 18 Justin Kerr 19 Joseph Pinkerton 20 Andres Gil 21 Karl Bordine 22 Aaron Olson (Bissell Pro Cycling) 23 Corey Collier 24 Justin England (Toyota United Professional cycling Team) 25 Kris Koke 26 Ben Bradshaw 27 Dylan Clark 28 Matthew Cooke 29 Adam Livingston 30 Scott Nydam (BMC Racing Team) 31 Ian McKissick (BMC Racing Team) 32 Tom Zirbel (Bissell Pro Cycling) 33 Carson Miller 34 Paul Mach 35 Brandon Gritters 36 Dirk Friel 37 Burke Swindlehurst (Bissell Pro Cycling) 38 Chris Demarchi 39 Jesse Moore (Calyon Pro Cycling Team) 40 Logan Hunn 41 Justin Spinelli (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) 42 Christian Kearney 43 Morgan Schmitt (Bissell Pro Cycling) 44 Nathaniel Deibler 45 Adam Switters 46 Randy Reichardt 47 Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) 48 Shaun Morris 49 Eric Bennett (Successfulliving.com presented by Parkpre) 0.50 50 Edgar Parra 51 Bradley White (Successful Living) 1.01 52 Paul Che 1.58 53 Josh Horowitz 2.16 54 Joshua Bartlett 55 Chuck Coyle (Successful Living) 3.14 56 Ben Knellar (The Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling Team) 3.28 57 Graham Howard (Bissell Pro Cycling) 58 John Hunt (Calyon Pro Cycling Team) 59 James Mattis (Calyon Pro Cycling Team) 60 Tim Srenaski 3.36 61 Omer Kem (Bissell Pro Cycling) 3.38 62 Joao Correia (Bissell Pro Cycling) 63 Loader Llogan 64 Timothy Farnham 4.12 65 Michael Jacques 4.19 66 Matthew Seagrave 67 Andy Bestwick 4.34 68 James Gunn-Wilkinson 6.13 69 Jonathan Coulter (Webcor Builders Cycling Team) 7.13 70 Chris Swan 71 Eddy Kwon 7.35 Sprint classification 1 Steven Howard (Bissell Pro Cycling) 17 pts 2 Ricardo Escuela (Successful Living) 12 3 Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics Cycling Team) 10 4 Andrew Bajadali (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) 8 5 Michael Sayers (BMC Racing Team) 6 6 Brian Buchholz (Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast) 6 7 Roman Kilun 5 8 Steven Cozza (Garmin-Chipotle) 4 9 Jackson Stewart (BMC Racing Team) 4 10 Aaron Olson (Bissell Pro Cycling) 2 11 Victor Ayala 2 12 Ian McKissick (BMC Racing Team) 1 13 Timothy Farnham 1 Under 23 1 Steven Howard (Bissell Pro Cycling) 1.15.42 2 Roman Van Uden 0.10 3 Ben Bradshaw 4 Carson Miller 5 Logan Hunn 6 Adam Switters 7 Shaun Morris 8 Eric Bennett (Successfulliving.com presented by Parkpre) 0.50 9 Edgar Parra 10 Loader Llogan 3.38
