Greg Daniel (Axeon Hagens Berman) claimed the USA national road race title with a perfectly timed late attack. He had been in several breaks but made the wining move with just under two kilometres to go. Despite a late chase the bunch were unable to bring back Daniel, with Alex Howes (Cannondale) finishing second and Travis McCabe (Holowesko) in third.
"I tried not to look back but I had to give it full gas as I couldn’t really sprint," Daniel said at the finish. "I got in the final break and felt like I had good legs, and I was really surprised I was able to do that."
Daniel had been in a dangerous group of five also containing Daniel Eaton (UnitedHeathcare), Oscar Clark (Holowesko), Evan Huffman (Rally Cycling), Taylor Shelden (Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis). They slipped clear in the final 10km and they looked set to contest the win. However, they were caught on the final ascent of what had been a frantic day of racing. Just as the catch was made Daniel hit for home on the false flat after the climb. The split second of hesitation from behind was all he needed, but after he made his move he began to doubt that he had timed it right.
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"Going into the final five kilometers, the group wasn't working together anymore," Daniel said. "I looked back and didn't see anyone, but I didn't know how big the gap was, but it was 5k to go, and I was like, 'I think we should keep working together until the climb'. I was just kind of watching everyone watch each other. In the final climb, I was watching for who was going to make the move on the climb. Oscar Clark was going pretty hard on the climb, and I was waiting for a counter attack that never came. I decided to test my legs and see what I could do."
When he made the move, he quickly opened an unassailable gap, but started to doubt if it was the last lap or not, "'I was like, this the last lap, right? There's not a group up the road? When I came to the line I was looking at the time and the laps, and saw zero and zero, and thought, 'I really won this? There's no way!' It was mostly shock at the finish line. Then I saw the team celebrating, and I couldn't believe it."
With only two riders in the race, himself and sprinter Logan Owen, the Axeon Hagens Berman pair played a tactical race, with Daniel going in the early moves and Owen taking a late flyer that was reeled in on the final lap. But Daniel never predicted he could finish at the top of the podium.
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— Laura Weislo (@Laura_Weislo) May 28, 2016
— Holowesko/Citadel (@TeamHincapie) May 28, 2016
How it unfolded
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Race Results http://ift.tt/1WSxJKK
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