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Wachovia Cycling Series

USA, May 31-June 5, 2005

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Trenton - June 2: Trenton, NJ, 147km

Complete live report

Commentary by Kristy Scrymgeour with additional reporting from Mark Zalewski and Tim Maloney

16:28 EDT   

Welcome to the live coverage of the race two of the Wachovia Cycling Series. Today’s race is held in Trenton, New Jersey and is renowned for being fast and crazy. Riders will complete 14 laps of a 6.5 course for a total of 91 miles (147km). Starting in front of the New Jersey State Museum the course has two long straights that run by the finish line in both directions making it great to spectators, with a loop at each of the course. It is a flat course with a plethora of corners making it a technical race all about positioning. Traditionally the race has been won in a bunch sprint with big hitters such as Freddy Rodriguez, Julian Dean, Gord Fraser, George Hincapie and Jay Sweet all having come out on top here. It has only been won in a break away one year and that was when a solo break got away and nobody saw it go.

We’ll be very likely looking for another bunch sprint today with the Health Net Team wanting to back up their win in Lancaster using either Greg Henderson or Ivan Dominguez. Both enjoying great form at the moment. Of course Freddy Rodriguez will be firing up with the 54/11 wanting revenge on Henderson. He loves this sprint. He won it last year and it’s a long drag race power sprint which suits him. Today he’ll have a few more teammates here. On Monday he only had three teammates and the rest were held up in airports around the world and arrived without their bikes. Henk Vogels was one of those and he’ll be fired up today to help out Freddy.

Another sprinter to watch out for is Brazilian Luciano Pagliarini (Liquigas-Bianchi). He has been sprinting well lately and had been training hard for the Tour de France. He’s looking for a good result today.

16:36 EDT   
And they're off and practically right off the line we have an attack! A few riders have ten seconds on the bunch.

16:39 EDT   
The break didn't last very long. Its now all back together. Many of the smaller teams will be trying their luck in a break today, as will some of the other riders who will be hoping to save the legs of their sprinters by going up the road. They'll be also using this to get a hard hit out to warm up for Sunday's race.

Looks like Lampre has a flat at the moment.

16:42 EDT   
Chris Horner (Saunier Duval-Prodir) has attacked now and has taken Brent Bookwalter (Advantage Benefits-Endeavour) with him. They are being marked by Mike Sayers (Health Net). They have about a 15m gap.

16:46 EDT   
That was caught with one lap down and Roman Kilun (McGuire Pro Cycling) countered with Jason Bausch (Team Seasilver) and they have a 15 second gap. Tim Duggan (TIAA CREF) has bridged to them to make the break three.

16:50 EDT    12km/135km to go
Those three were caught and another group has gone off the front. Looks to be about eight riders in the group.

There is a chase group of seven now in between the break and the field.

16:55 EDT   
The leading group is being led by Thomas Bruun Eriksen (CSC) and Health Net are chasing in the peloton. They are closing the gap. As they come back to the finish line this lap they have a $1000 prime. The Jittery Joe's team have hit the front. Looks like they are after this prime.

16:56 EDT   
Eriksen came back to take the sprint on the line. Now $1000 richer. It is very strung out now as they fly through the start finish area.

16:59 EDT    21km/126km to go
A few flats are happening in the bunch. Evan Elken (Jittery Joe's) punctured. After his wheel change he tried to get back on but he has stopped now. Looks like the pace is too high for a solo chase.

17:02 EDT   
Jurgen Vandenbroeck (Discovery) has attacked in the park and has a 15 second advantage on the bunch. As this happens a few other riders have dropped off the back, both from the Nerac team.

Ben Jacques-Mayne (Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada) is attempting to bridge the gap to Vandenbroeck.

17:03 EDT   
Vandenbroeck has a 25 second lead on the field now. At the back of the pack Matt Dubberley (McGuire Cycling) had a puncture but has rejoined the field.

17:08 EDT    27km/120km to go
There are now four chasers. Vanenbroeck still solo with 20" on Jacques-Mayne, Matej Mugerli (Liquigas), Daniel Ramsey (Seasilver) and Matt Dubberley (McGuire). The field is another ten seconds back. Dubberley didn't waste any time after his flat!

17:11 EDT   
After three laps Vandenbroeck is still powering away. Apart from the chasing four there is no serious chase from the peloton. It is not really windy today, and these riders look like they might stay out there a while.

17:13 EDT    32km/115km to go
The gap has gone up slightly. Vandenbroeck leads by 21 seconds to the break and another 24 seconds to the bunch.

17:19 EDT   
The break is coming down with CSC on the front.

17:20 EDT    35.2km/111.8km to go
It has come down really quickly and....they have all been caught. Another counter goes. Solo rider.

17:21 EDT   
A CSC rider has attacked to bridge to that solo rider.

17:22 EDT   
The CSC rider is out there alone now. But he is also coming back quickly.

17:24 EDT   
Jacques-Maynes has fallen off the bunch and is in the caravan. It looks like he might be pulling out for the day after that breakaway effort. The pace has been pretty fast so far with the average speed now at 44km/h (27.6m/h).

17:24 EDT   
Its all back together.

17:27 EDT   
The riders have crossed the line to see ten laps to go. On the line was another prime with Lars Michaelsen (CSC) taking it.

17:28 EDT   
Through the park were more attacks. One from McGuire, followed by Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) but its all back together again.

17:31 EDT   
Scott Zwizanski (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) has attacked now and TIAA CREF are on the front. The field is curb to curb going through the finish line, so there is now real chase and nobody trying to bridge to him. He has 5 seconds.

17:32 EDT   
Jittery Joe's have hit the front and have closed the gap down a little.

17:36 EDT    51km/96km to go
Trent Lowe (Jittery Joe's just came back for a bike change. It looks like he gave his bike to another rider, perhaps Jeff Hopkins, the sprinter. The whole team is back just off the back to pace him back on.

17:37 EDT   
They are entering the park again. This is where the feed zone is but they probably won't start feeding until next lap.

17:40 EDT   
15 riders have rolled off the front of the bunch now. They have about a 200m gap so far.

17:46 EDT   
The 15 riders have an advantage of 15 seconds. In the group are Lief Hoste (Discovery), Shawn Milne and Kirk O'Bee (Navigators), Bobby Julich and Andy Schleck (CSC), Mark McCormack and Aaron Olsen (Colavita Sutter Homes), John Lieswyn (Health Net), Brent Brookwalter (Advantage Benefits/ Endeavour), Adam Livingston (Seasilver), Glen Mitchell (Kodak Gallery). They have 50 seconds and two riders are in the middle trying to bridge.

17:48 EDT   
The two chasers have been caught now and the bunch is at 1'20". Julich just took the sprint prime at 8 laps to go. CSC seem to be controlling the break. Health Net will have to chase this. They have Lieswyn in the break but he is sitting on the back. They will want to get more riders up there or bring it back.

17:52 EDT   
Gerrit Glomser (Lampre) is also in the break, as is Ivan Ravaioli (Saunier Duval) and Daniele Colli (Liquigas).

17:57 EDT   
The gap is now 1'40". If the gap gets any bigger the front end will meet the back end on the cross over part of the course. So riders will have to stay to the right side of the road.

17:59 EDT   
Another addition to the riders in the break is Brice Jones from Jelly Belly.

18:02 EDT   
Navigators and Colavita are driving the break, both having a couple of riders up there. Back in the bunch Health Net who only have Lieswyn up there, are chasing with the help of Davitamon Lotto who missed the break entirely.

18:07 EDT   
The gap is 1'50".

We talked to Henk Vogels before the start who is working for Freddy today. He has a disastrous couple of travels days getting here from the Giro. He got stuck in both London and Boston for long layovers and when he arrived he didn't get his bike. He commented that today will probably be the same as usual. Lots of breaks that will come back together for a sprint. He said today is more of a warm up for them for Sunday and that he hopes Sunday is hot so that is splits up the bunch more. Predicted temperatures are in the mid 80's.

18:08 EDT   
Jonny Sundt (Jittery Joe's) has attacked solo out of the peloton and has a small gap. Currently he is 1'55" back from the break and the bunch is another 9" back from him.

18:13 EDT   
Six laps to go now and Bobby Julich has taken another sprint prime. He gapped everybody on the line and has a small break. He is on fire today and is really trying to keep the pace high in this break.

18:13 EDT    76km/71km to go
McCormack has bridged to Julich and they have 15" on the rest of the break.

18:14 EDT   
Meanwhile, Davis Phinney is being interviewed by Michael Aisner.

18:16 EDT   
The gap is really increasing its lead. They now have 2'45" on the peloton. Sundt is still in no man's land at 2'20". Mike Sayers is on the front of the bunch for Health Net but they are not making a dent at all in this gap.

18:18 EDT   
Shawn Milne (Navigators) has been dropped by the break. Julich and McCormack are still away with 15 seconds on the break. Julich is leading at this point. The rest of the break don't seem to be getting organised to chase them.

18:22 EDT   
Sundt is getting caught by the peloton. Up front Julich are McCormack have just gone through the finish line with 5 laps to go. The rest of the break are not gaining back any ground on them. Now Liewsyn has moved to the front of the break.

18:23 EDT   
Chris Horner and Francisco Ventoso are back in the caravan. One of them is getting a wheel change. The whole Saunier Duval team are coming back to help.

18:24 EDT   
Gert Steegmans (Davitamon Lotto) also had a flat and had to go back for a wheel change.

It was Ventoso who had the flat.

18:25 EDT   
Ohhh. A bike had come off the McGuire Team car. The bike is dangling and they are pulling over. They bike hit a pole on the side of the road as they did that!

18:26 EDT   
UP front McCormack leads Julich now. They seem to be working well together. The rest of the break are strung out. Others seem to be trying to get across and there are a couple of splits in the paceline.

18:28 EDT    85km/62km to go
Patrick McCarty (Discovery) has gone back for a rear wheel as has Emile Abraham from Monex.

18:29 EDT   
Up front Colli was trying to bridge to the lead pair with Andy Schleck sitting on his wheel covering for Julich. The peloton are at 2'55" now.

18:31 EDT   
Back in the peloton Milne from Navigators is slightly off the front again with Remi Mcmanus (Subway). They have a ten second advantage on the bunch.

18:32 EDT   
Julich and McCormack have a 34" gap on the rest of the break now and over three minutes on the field. All danglers in between have been absorbed.

18:39 EDT   
The leaders are continuing to increase their lead on the rest of the original break. They now have 1'19" and 2'50" to the peloton. They are both doing equal turns out there. Julich is really powering. He looks very good.

18:41 EDT    96km/51km to go
In the bunch, Health Net are chasing with Wherry doing a big turn now. Jittery Joe's are helping in the chase. Lotto aren't helping in the chase yet.

18:42 EDT   
The bunch is really strung out as they chase really picks up now. With about 50km remaining there is still plenty of time but so far Julich and McCormack are looking very strong. This would be unprecedented if they managed to stay away today.

18:45 EDT   
The gap is dropping slightly. The leaders now have 1'13" on the first chase group and 2'27" on the peloton. Riders are continually getting dropped from the main bunch as they pace is very fast and strung out.

18:49 EDT   
It looks like the official have made a mistake with the lap count. Instead of the lap board reading 3 laps to go when they pass through the finish line this time the lap board will read 4 to go, adding another lap to the race.

18:52 EDT   
The chase group will be caught by the peloton soon but Julich and McCormack still have over two minutes.

18:53 EDT   
The officials have changed their minds and have now changed the lap board back to 3 laps to go.

Their are two fire trucks on the main straight of the course and officials are now trying to get those trucks out of the way.

18:55 EDT   
Julich and McCormack now have 1'38" now and the peloton have absorbed the rest of the break. The fire trucks are now off the course and its all under control.

18:59 EDT    108km/39km to go
Matt Dubberley (McGuire) and Ruben Lobato (Saunier Duval) have attacked out of the peloton. The gap to Julich and McCormack is coming down and now sits at 1'25.

19:01 EDT   
The is a problem with this mileage. We now have 2.5 laps to go with is 25km to go.

19:02 EDT   
The gap is still dropping. Now at 1'15".

19:06 EDT    117km/20km to go
The leaders have just crossed the finish line with two laps to go. The gap is 1'20" but Liquigas has joined the chase. Lotto are still sitting back, not chasing yet. The way they're going Julich and McCormack will get caught with about half a lap to go, but we can't count them out yet.

19:08 EDT   
The gap is 1'02" now and falling fast as the bunch flies through this penultimate lap. As usual, it looks as if this is going to come down to a bunch sprint.

19:10 EDT   
Liquigas still doing the work as they go through the park with the latest time split being 48".

19:15 EDT   
After two hours and forty minutes of racing the gap has fallen to 30". Liquigas still doing all of the work on the front for their sprinters Marco Zanotti and Luciano Pagliarini. Health Net is sitting in behind them, as is the Lotto team for Rodriguez.

19:18 EDT    127km/10km to go
One lap to go now and the gap is only 15". Health Net and now Saunier Duval have now joined the chase. Saunier Duval will be wanting to set up Ventoso. We'll be waiting for the counter attacks now. McCormack is looking back. He knows they are caught very soon.

19:20 EDT   
Riders have entered the park for the last time. The bunch is strung out. Saunier on the front.

19:22 EDT   
Julich and McCormack has just hanging out there now. The sprinters teams have them in sight and are just getting organized for the finish. They know they will be caught, the inevitable is just being delayed.

19:23 EDT    130km/7km to go
Julich and McCormack are sitting up now. They looked back, sat up, shook hands and have been reabsorbed with 7km remaining in the bike race.

19:26 EDT   
Jelly Belly have moved to the front, with CSC also up there. Horner is up there for Saunier Duval.

19:29 EDT   
CSC will be setting up for Lars Michaelsen, having had the race set up beautifully by Julich.

Apparently with one to go Alessandro Ballan from Lampre was getting ready to put his hands up for the victory. But they still had a lap to go.

Coming up to the sprint now....

19:30 EDT   
Freddy looks to be on the front. Health Net behind him. Looks like Fraser.

19:30 EDT   
Fraser starts to come around, he is flying....

19:31 EDT   
And Fraser takes the win from Freddy Rodriguez!! Another win for Health Net. Thats two days is a row Freddy has had to give up the win to the green team.

19:32 EDT   
Michaelsen took third for CSC.

19:34 EDT   
Bobby Julich got the sprint competition taking home a couple of thousand dollars in primes.

Provisional Top 3

1 Gord Fraser (Health Net/Maxxis)
2 Freddy Rodriguez (Davitamon Lotto)
3 Lars Michaelsen (CSC)

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