Amore & Vita-McDonald's lands crucial sponsor win
'Unknown' was the norm for the day, with a new race course in the Lehigh Valley opening the Commerce Bank Triple Crown series. No rider seemed to know just how the race was going to turn out on the blank canvas of a course, and a swirling wind made officials even question their pre-race predictions. And in the end, it was most of the domestic peloton regulars asking 'Who was that?' in regards to Yuri Metlushenko (Amore & Vita-McDonald's) flashing by them. Metlushenko shot past inside the final 300 metres to take out the field sprint ahead Karl Menzies (Health Net-Maxxis) and Brad Huff (Jelly Belly.)
Even the final result was unknown for about five minutes as the Ukrainian Criterium Champion had posted-up for the photographers as Menzies threw his bike across the line. The situation prompted officials to go to the photo finish for the final result.
"I was a little bit scared but I wanted to make a good picture for the sponsor, but the next time I will wait until after the line," Metlushenko chuckled.
A pro since 2002, Metlushenko has ridden in the U.S. and in Philly before while on the Landbouwkrediet-Colnago team. He said his biggest wins to date had been the G.P. Costa degli Etruschi in 2002 and 2004.
The final two kilometres of the race consisted of a tough 500 metre uphill then a slight downhill for the final 1.5 kilometres to the finish. A late break combined with the hill put some disorganization into the sprint. Over the top of the hill it was Health Net-Maxxis driving the train up the left, but Metlushenko went off on his own on the far right side to get the drop on everyone.
"I did every lap with a 39-18 [up the hill] but the last lap with a 53-17," he said. "I waited for my team-mates Miguel Martinez and [Michael] Stevenon to bring me to the front. We were on the back of the Toyota-Untied train, but in the last 300 metres when everyone started sprinting on the left I just went alone on the right."
"It was any man's race going up to the hill at two kilometres," said Huff. "But the speed was so high you can't hold it. Slipstream and CSC had controlled it up until there and then Rory with Health Net hit it up the climb. They got swarmed a couple of times but were able to hold off the group but then [Metlushenko] just threw a hail mary pass from behind."
"I'm not sure where [Metlushenko] came from but we had to wait because if we went too early I knew Huff would have come over me," said Menzies. "When I jumped I was coming to the line and I saw he was posting-up so I just threw it on the line. I thought I might have had it, but it's good for the crowd, we gotta keep it exciting."
The entire management staff of the Amore & Vita-McDonald's team was gathered around Metlushenko as he rolled back to the line, clearly elated at the win. Director sportif Ivano Fanini explained that this win was important for two of the team's sponsors.
"It's even more important than normal because our bike sponsor and McDonald's are American," he said, explaining that the team is trying to capitalize on a limited number of races on this side of the Atlantic. "We will race the Triple Crown, Tour de Beauce and then the Las Vegas criterium in September."
An impressive crowd for a first-year race was out to enjoy the sunshine and 80 degree weather as the riders rolled off the line. Almost immediately they were given their first taste of the wind as they crossed the 8th Street bridge, spanning the Lehigh Valley. The course itself was mostly rolling terrain with short, power climbs and technical turns. And as is customary for American racing, the speed was high from the gun - also attributable to the short 136 km distance.
Breakaways were never given a chance due to the course and wind conditions, though Tyler Wren (Colavita-Sutter Home) tried in earnest, going a whole lap by himself. The Jefferson Elementary School on the far side of the 8th Street bridge must have been visited by the team because their schools signs were all in support of the team, with the assembled kids going nuts at the sight of Wren. As he was being caught in front of the school he gave the kids a nice wave.
The Colavita-Sutter Home team was quite active in the breaks, with Luis Amaran Romero making the next move - which turned out to be the biggest of the day gaining a maximum of 1:15. With him were Jeffrey Louder (BMC Racing), Frank Pipp (Health Net - Maxxis), (Colavita-Sutter Home), Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Professional Cycling Team).
"Everyone was committed, you can't go out there and screw around on a course like this," said Tuft. "It was going really fast with so many guys just hitting it. The guys we had were all good with Louder and Amaran...it was a good break to roll. We got out to a minute and I was hoping we would at least last until the final lap."
But the field led by High Road, Slipstream and Team CSC were keeping the gap in check, and with the help of other teams chipped away at the lead. With the gap to less than 10 seconds on the bridge only Tuft and Pipp were left with the others sitting up. But a chase group off the front of the field joined up and reformulated the break, including big guns like last year's Triple Crown overall winner Bernhard Eisel (High Road) and fourth place at this year's Paris-Roubaix Martijn Maaskant (Slipstream-Chipotle-H3O).
However, motivation was fleeting with the pack at just 20 seconds and only two laps remaining.
"When the other guys came up like Eisel and Maskaraant they tried to roll it, but at that point no one was committing," said Tuft. In addition, the variable wind direction made life tough in a small group. "Wind was a factor, every way you went there was a crosswind, so even when you are sitting on you are still pushing. You could never find the sweet spot."
Tuft's Symmetrics team-mate Christian Meier tried a solo move on the final lap, but was countered by Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing) on the back side of the course. He was joined by two Toyota-United riders in Dominque Rollin and Caleb Manion, Kevin Lacombe (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast), Matthew Wilson (Team Type 1), Derek Burke (Pezula Racing), Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) and Kirk O'Bee (Health Net-Maxxis).
Out of that only three - Rollin, O'Bee and Rodriguez - survived coming into the final three kilometres.
"The Health Net guy was sitting on," said Rollin. "I think we would have stayed but he was soft pedaling, so it broke down to three guys on the climb."
The remainder of the field was setting up for the field sprint, with O'Bee likely thinking of his sprinter Menzies.
"We couldn't have done any more," said Menzies about his team's efforts. "We had everyone from the start of the day going to plan - Frank and Murphy killing it in the break, then Kirk was a way over the top of the climb... Murphy took over and then Rory, catching each guy in the break."
But it was the 32 year-old Metlushenko who spoiled the Health Net-Maxxis plan, coming alone on the outside of the lead-out to sneak ahead of Menzies. However, for both Huff and Menzies, today's result combined with last Sunday's CSC Invitational podium give each renewed confidence in a slow first-half of the seaon.
"I've been a little disappointed with my season up until now, and a win would have been nice but second is still good," said Menzies. "But as I said on Sunday [at CSC] we are going to try to win one of those because everyone is riding so awesome."
The Triple Crown moves back to Reading for the third year in-a-row, with three ascents up Mt. Penn for the men. Cyclingnews will have live coverage and full reports from the race.
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