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Tour of Shenandoah - NE
USA, April 25-30, 2006
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Stage 1 - April 25: Dayton TT, 2.6 miles
Zirbel grabs stage 1 in Dayton
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Sunny skies and warm temperatures created perfect racing conditions for the first stage at the Tour of Shenandoah, and Team Priority Health’s performance was nearly perfect too, as their rider easily won the stage and claimed third spot on the podium. Tom Zirbel made the most of the conditions to earn top honours by winning the 2.6 mile point-to-point time trial in 6.15.04.
The signature of the morning’s time trial was Mole Hill, a half-mile slog that got increasingly steeper and offered riders little reprieve until the finish line. “It’s a sadistic way to end a prologue,” Zirbel said after the finish. “We pre-rode the course and knew it was tough,” he added. Zirbel complimented the race directors for designing a hilly and technical course, one that was well suited to him and his teammates.
Ryan Roth of Canada-based Team R.A.C.E. finished second in 6.26.75. Pre-race excitement got the better of Roth and he jumped the gun a bit, costing him a time penalty of 1 second. “I felt decent,” Roth said of his performance. “You never know one-hundred percent going into it, but I was hoping for a top five [finish]. I’m pleased,” he added. “The hill was tough,” he said in relation to his hill climbing ability.
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Brent Brookwalter of Priority Health earned the third podium spot with a time of 6.29.01. “It’s a great course,” grinned Brookwater who said he was glad the race directors “threw in a hill for good measure.” The competition is close at the top, with less than 25 seconds separating the first and tenth-placed riders, so any advantage is vital.
Local favorite, favorite Jeremiah Bishop of Trek/VW presented by Byvik Financial Services, was chipper before the start and was looking forward to it. “It’s the beginning of a big week. We’re going for the GC and the U-23 jersey,” he said of his team’s goals. The Harrisonburg resident landed in 30th place with 6.56.08. Bishop is an accomplished pro mountain biker and Tour of Shenandoah is one of the few road races he enters each year.
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The riders will have little time to recover from their tough sprint up Mole Hill; the day did not finish with the time trial. The Stage 2 criterium followed at 6:00 pm in Harrisonburg’s historic downtown Court Square (see full results of stage 2).
“My team will protect me and keep me out of trouble tonight,” said Zirbel as he described his team’s strategy to support his bid for to win the general classification at the end of the Tour. “We’ll be as conservative as we can tonight - criteriums aren’t really our thing,” said Roth. “We still have six days of hard riding, but we’ll be OK,” he added.
Priority Health and Team R.A.C.E. have established themselves early as the teams to beat. Of course, with six more stages there’s plenty of time for riders to catch up. As Brent Brookwalter said after he stepped down from the podium: “It’s a long race.”
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Bill McCarrick
- Brent Bookwalter (Priority Health) takes 3rd, putting two riders from Priority Health on the podium
- Christoph Herby (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) blasts through Virginia farm country
- Jeremiah Bishop (Byvik Financial Services/Trek VW) is the local favorite and last year's fourth place finisher
- Ryan Roth (Team R.A.C.E.) takes second in the prologue
- Tom Zirbel (Priority Health) on his way to victory in the 2006 Tour of Shenandoah prologue
Results
1 Tom Zirbel (Priority Health Cycling Team) 6.15 2 Ryan Roth (Team R.A.C.E) 0.12 3 Brent Bookwalter (Priority Health Cycling Team) 0.14 4 Dan Timmerman (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.19 5 Greg Wolf (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 0.20 6 Dan Cassidy (CCB/Volkswagen) 0.22 7 Justin Spinelli (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling) 0.23 8 Bruno Langlois (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 0.24 9 Zach Bell (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.25 10 Hugh Moran (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 0.25 11 Sam Schultz (Byvik Financial Services presents Trek/VW) 0.25 12 Ian Ayers (Byvik Financial Services presents Trek/VW) 0.26 13 Brian Sheedy (Priority Health Cycling Team) 0.26 14 Graham Howard (Priority Health Cycling Team) 0.27 15 Matt Cooke (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 0.28 16 Matt White (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.30 17 Josh Dillon (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.30 18 Christopher Jones (Champion System) 0.31 19 Eddy Hilger (Priority Health Cycling Team) 0.31 20 Predrag Prokic (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 0.33 21 Brad Viera (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.35 22 Cameron Hughes (ItalPasta) 0.35 23 Buck Miller (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.38 24 Scott Jackson (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery) 0.38 25 Ben King (Hot Tubes Development Team - TRI DIM) 0.39 26 Sonke Thiel (Team Ideal Tile/Wendy's/Liquid Lightning) 0.40 27 Todd Yezefski (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling) 0.41 28 James Camut (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery) 0.41 29 Mark Hardman (Byvik Financial Services presents Trek/VW) 0.41 30 Jeremiah Bishop (Byvik Financial Services presents Trek/VW) 0.41 31 Scott Stewart (Priority Health Cycling Team) 0.42 32 Christoph Herby (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.42 33 Sean Barrie (Rockville Harley-Davidson/Silver Cycles) 0.42 34 Russell Langley (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.43 35 Michael Cody (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.44 36 Charles Pendry (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles) 0.44 37 Andy Applegate (Team Type 1/Abercrombie & Fitch) 0.45 38 Nick Waite (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 0.46 39 Cameron Fox (Encino Velo) 0.47 40 Jon Wirsing (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.47 41 Jacob Rytlewski (Priority Health Cycling Team) 0.47 42 John Hanson (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling) 0.48 43 Michael Norton (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling) 0.49 44 R Muoio (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 0.49 45 Gavriel Epstein (G.S.MENGONI USA) 0.51 46 Larry Perera (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.51 47 Chris Rozdilsky (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.51 48 Thomas Soladay (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 0.52 49 Elliot Gaunt (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery) 0.53 50 Jered Gruber (Team Type 1/Abercrombie & Fitch) 0.54 51 Mike Miller (Pennsylvania Cycling Association) 0.54 52 Peter Penzell (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.55 53 Viktor Laza (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 0.56 54 Boyd Johnson (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles) 0.57 55 Jake Hollenbach (CCB/Volkswagen) 0.58 56 Phil Riggio (Byvik Financial Services presents Trek/VW) 0.59 57 Derek Mcmaster (ItalPasta) 0.59 58 Alberto Blanco (G.S.MENGONI USA) 1.01 59 Norman Zellers (Health Delivery Inc/Giant) 1.01 60 Jerry (Jay) Charles (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles) 1.02 61 Andrew Wulfkuhle (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 1.03 62 Craig Snydal (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 1.03 63 Shawn Forsyth (CCB/Volkswagen) 1.04 64 Thomas Foster (Team R.A.C.E) 1.05 65 James Duncan (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles) 1.07 66 Matthew Guse (Team R.A.C.E) 1.07 67 Dan Maggiacomo (ItalPasta) 68 John Delong (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 1.10 69 Jeff Schiller (Team R.A.C.E) 1.11 70 Joe Whitman (Pennsylvania Cycling Association) 1.12 71 Bill Short (Pennsylvania Cycling Association) 1.13 72 Andrew Olson (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles) 1.15 73 Amos Brumble (CCB/Volkswagen) 1.15 74 Eugene Boronow (G.S.MENGONI USA) 1.16 75 Chris Deluise (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 1.17 76 Brian Fouche (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 1.22 77 Matt Decanio (Unattached/Stolen Underground Anti Doping Racing) 1.23 78 Larrea Gabriel (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 1.25 79 Torsten Wambold (Team Nerac/OutdoorLights.com Pro Cycling) 1.30 80 Elliot Gaunt (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery) 1.31 81 Alaisandr( Sasha) Bialiausk (CCB/Volkswagen) 1.33 82 David Werling (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling) 1.35 83 Nate Buyon (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery) 1.36 84 Nick Shafer (Pennsylvania Cycling Association) 1.37 85 Geoff Smith (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery) 1.43 86 Phil Southerland (Team Type 1/Abercrombie & Fitch) 2.27 General Classification after stage 1 1 Tom Zirbel (Priority Health Cycling Team) 6.15 2 Ryan Roth (Team R.A.C.E) 0.12 3 Brent Bookwalter (Priority Health Cycling Team) 0.14 4 Dan Timmerman (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.19 5 Greg Wolf (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 0.20 6 Dan Cassidy (CCB/Volkswagen) 0.22 7 Justin Spinelli (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling) 0.23 8 Bruno Langlois (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 0.24 9 Zach Bell (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.25 10 Hugh Moran (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 0.25 11 Sam Schultz (Byvik Financial Services presents Trek/VW) 0.25 12 Ian Ayers (Byvik Financial Services presents Trek/VW) 0.26 13 Brian Sheedy (Priority Health Cycling Team) 0.26 14 Graham Howard (Priority Health Cycling Team) 0.27 15 Matt Cooke (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 0.28 16 Matt White (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.30 17 Josh Dillon (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.30 18 Christopher Jones (Champion System) 0.31 19 Eddy Hilger (Priority Health Cycling Team) 0.31 20 Predrag Prokic (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 0.33 21 Brad Viera (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.35 22 Cameron Hughes (ItalPasta) 0.35 23 Buck Miller (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.38 24 Scott Jackson (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery) 0.38 25 Ben King (Hot Tubes Development Team - TRI DIM) 0.39 26 Sonke Thiel (Team Ideal Tile/Wendy's/Liquid Lightning) 0.40 27 Todd Yezefski (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling) 0.41 28 James Camut (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery) 0.41 29 Mark Hardman (Byvik Financial Services presents Trek/VW) 0.41 30 Jeremiah Bishop (Byvik Financial Services presents Trek/VW) 0.41 31 Scott Stewart (Priority Health Cycling Team) 0.42 32 Christoph Herby (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.42 33 Sean Barrie (Rockville Harley-Davidson/Silver Cycles) 0.42 34 Russell Langley (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.43 35 Michael Cody (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.44 36 Charles Pendry (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles) 0.44 37 Andy Applegate (Team Type 1/Abercrombie & Fitch) 0.45 38 Nick Waite (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 0.46 39 Cameron Fox (Encino Velo) 0.47 40 Jon Wirsing (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.47 41 Jacob Rytlewski (Priority Health Cycling Team) 0.47 42 John Hanson (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling) 0.48 43 Michael Norton (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling) 0.49 44 R Muoio (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 0.49 45 Gavriel Epstein (G.S.MENGONI USA) 0.51 46 Larry Perera (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.51 47 Chris Rozdilsky (Fiordifrutta cycling team) 0.51 48 Thomas Soladay (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 0.52 49 Elliot Gaunt (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery) 0.53 50 Jered Gruber (Team Type 1/Abercrombie & Fitch) 0.54 51 Mike Miller (Pennsylvania Cycling Association) 0.54 52 Peter Penzell (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 0.55 53 Viktor Laza (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 0.56 54 Boyd Johnson (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles) 0.57 55 Jake Hollenbach (CCB/Volkswagen) 0.58 56 Phil Riggio (Byvik Financial Services presents Trek/VW) 0.59 57 Derek Mcmaster (ItalPasta) 0.59 58 Alberto Blanco (G.S.MENGONI USA) 1.01 59 Norman Zellers (Health Delivery Inc/Giant) 1.01 60 Jerry (Jay) Charles (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles) 1.02 61 Andrew Wulfkuhle (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 1.03 62 Craig Snydal (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 1.03 63 Shawn Forsyth (CCB/Volkswagen) 1.04 64 Thomas Foster (Team R.A.C.E) 1.05 65 James Duncan (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles) 1.07 66 Matthew Guse (Team R.A.C.E) 1.07 67 Dan Maggiacomo (ItalPasta) 68 John Delong (Rite Aid Pro Cycling) 1.10 69 Jeff Schiller (Team R.A.C.E) 1.11 70 Joe Whitman (Pennsylvania Cycling Association) 1.12 71 Bill Short (Pennsylvania Cycling Association) 1.13 72 Andrew Olson (Manulife Financial/Jack Kane Bicycles) 1.15 73 Amos Brumble (CCB/Volkswagen) 1.15 74 Eugene Boronow (G.S.MENGONI USA) 1.16 75 Chris Deluise (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 1.17 76 Brian Fouche (LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies) 1.22 77 Matt Decanio (Unattached/Stolen Underground Anti Doping Racing) 1.23 78 Larrea Gabriel (AEG-TOSHIBA-JetNetwork Pro Cycling Team) 1.25 79 Torsten Wambold (Team Nerac/OutdoorLights.com Pro Cycling) 1.30 80 Elliot Gaunt (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery) 1.31 81 Alaisandr( Sasha) Bialiausk (CCB/Volkswagen) 1.33 82 David Werling (Team Nerac/Outdoorlights.com Pro Cycling) 1.35 83 Nate Buyon (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery) 1.36 84 Nick Shafer (Pennsylvania Cycling Association) 1.37 85 Geoff Smith (Watchung Wheelmen/High Gear Cyclery) 1.43 86 Phil Southerland (Team Type 1/Abercrombie & Fitch) 2.27
