The USA Pro Challenge took a bizarre turn today, when officials neutralized Stage 2 from Aspen to Mount Crested Butte for about five minutes after heavy rain created dangerous road conditions just outside of Crested Butte on the descent from Kebler Pass.
Hincapie Sportswear Development Team’s Robin Carpenter had a lead of 45 seconds when the race was halted, a decision that aroused bitter criticism from riders who voiced their displeasure toward race officials.
The decision allowed team cars to deliver much-need rain gear and jackets to their riders on a bone-chilling descent. Garmin-Sharp sports director Robbie Hunter, driving the lead support vehicle, felt the decision was warranted for the safety of riders.
Carpenter got a 45-second head start when racers were released and won the 105-mile race for his first career win. Boulder’s Alex Howes of Garmin-Sharp, who finished second in yesterday’s opening stage, finished second again, six seconds behind Carpenter, to claim the tour leader’s yellow jersey.
"Honestly I’m kind of disappointed again," said Howes."I really wanted the win, but there was some confusion with the neutralization (race halt), not to take anything away from the guy who won — incredible day for him as well. I guess I’m going to have to settle for the yellow jersey."
Team Garmin-Sharp’s director, Jonathan Vaughters, predicted after Howes’ sensational race yesterday, that he would be the tour leader after today’s race.
But the story of the day will be the controversy over the decision by officials to halt the race.
"There was a lot of talk about just canceling the stage altogether on our part, but that really wasn’t going to fly with the officials," Howes said. "At the end of the day, everybody has to be on the same page. In the end, we raced."
Stage 2 Results USA 1 CARPENTER, Robin (HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR DEVELOPMENT) 4:17:18 USA 2 HOWES, Alex (GARMIN SHARP) + 6 USA 3 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING) BEL 4 HERMANS, Ben (BMC RACING) + 14 USA 5 DANIELSON, Thomas (GARMIN SHARP) + 16 USA 6 BUSCHE, Matthew (TREK FACTORY RACING) USA 7 KYER, Julian (TEAM SMARTSTOP) + 19 LAT 8 SKUJINS, Toms (HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR DEVELOPMENT) + 22 MDA 9 TVETCOV, Serghei (JELLY BELLY P/B MAXXIS) + 23 CAN 10 BRITTON, Rob (TEAM SMARTSTOP) FRA 11 CHEVRIER, Clement (BISSELL DEVELOPMENT TEAM) POL 12 HUZARSKI, Bartosz (NETAPP – ENDURA) POL 13 MAJKA, Rafal (TINKOFF-SAXO) + 26 AUS 14 ROGERS, Michael (TINKOFF-SAXO) + 30 GER 15 VOIGT, Jens (TREK FACTORY RACING) USA 16 PUTT, Tanner (BISSELL DEVELOPMENT TEAM) + 34 USA 17 JONES, Carter (OPTUM P/B KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES) POR 18 PIRES, Bruno (TINKOFF-SAXO) AUS 19 NORRIS, Lachlan (DRAPAC) USA 20 GAIMON, Phillip (GARMIN SHARP) + 44 USA 21 KING, Benjamin (GARMIN SHARP) CAN 22 ANDERSON, Ryan (OPTUM P/B KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES) USA 23 BOOKWALTER, Brent (BMC RACING) + 47 GER 24 ZEPUNTKE, Ruben (BISSELL DEVELOPMENT TEAM) + 49 NZL 25 SMITH, Dion (HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR DEVELOPMENT) + 57
General Classification after Stage 2 USA 1 HOWES, Alex (GARMIN SHARP) 6:44:00 BEL 2 HERMANS, Ben (BMC RACING) + 11 USA 3 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING) + 12 USA 4 BUSCHE, Matthew (TREK FACTORY RACING) USA 5 DANIELSON, Thomas (GARMIN SHARP) + 21 USA 6 KYER, Julian (TEAM SMARTSTOP) + 25 USA 7 ROSSKOPF, Joseph (HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR DEVELOPMENT) + 27 MDA 8 TVETCOV, Serghei (JELLY BELLY P/B MAXXIS) + 29 FRA 9 CHEVRIER, Clement (BISSELL DEVELOPMENT TEAM) CAN 10 BRITTON, Rob (TEAM SMARTSTOP) POL 11 HUZARSKI, Bartosz (NETAPP – ENDURA) USA 12 JONES, Carter (OPTUM P/B KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES) + 31 POL 13 MAJKA, Rafal (TINKOFF-SAXO) + 32 GER 14 VOIGT, Jens (TREK FACTORY RACING) + 39 USA 15 BOOKWALTER, Brent (BMC RACING) + 52 ESP 16 MEGIAS LEAL, Javier (NOVO NORDISK) + 1:22 POR 17 PIRES, Bruno (TINKOFF-SAXO) USA 18 PUTT, Tanner (BISSELL DEVELOPMENT TEAM) AUS 19 NORRIS, Lachlan (DRAPAC) + 1:23 USA 20 BUTLER, Chris (HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR DEVELOPMENT) + 1:28 USA 21 GAIMON, Phillip (GARMIN SHARP) + 1:31 USA 22 STETINA, Peter (BMC RACING) + 1:34 GER 23 ZEPUNTKE, Ruben (BISSELL DEVELOPMENT TEAM) + 1:36 AUT 24 ZOIDL, Riccardo (TREK FACTORY RACING) + 1:38 COL 25 ACEVEDO COLLE, Janier Alexis (GARMIN SHARP) + 1:54 USA 26 REIJNEN, Kiel (UNITEDHEALTHCARE) + 2:11
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