Larry Warbasse made internet fame earlier this month when he won a stage in the Tour de Suisse with a brilliant solo attack and then was so overcome with emotions in the post-race interview that he broke into tears on camera. After winning the USA Cycling Professional Road Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Sunday there were only dry eyes and a huge smile as he celebrated a rare victory on home soil.
"This has been the best two weeks of my life," the 26-year-old Aqua Blue Sport rider said after his nationals win, revealing the struggles that led up to his jersey-winning ride. "I had a really great race in Suisse a couple of weeks ago, and I don't know. Yesterday I felt pretty bad in the time trial, and I was pretty disappointed. I told some friends that I guess I work well with disappointment and hopefully, tomorrow would be good.
"Honestly I didn't feel good the whole day, I was suffering the whole time and I don't think I was the strongest, but I think I was the smartest. I can't believe it, I'm so happy."
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Warbasse picked a perfect moment to go on the attack in the 176.9km race, going clear with fellow Michigan native Alexey Vermeulen and Neilson Powless (Axeon Hagens Berman) with about 30km to go. Heading into the final kilometre, the trio still had enough of a gap to know they would be sprinting for the win. The thrill of a possible national title would make most riders jittery, but with that WorldTour stage win in the bag, Warbasse had nerves of steel.
"I think [the Tour de Suisse win] came in handy because I was more patient in the final," Warbasse told Cyclingnews. "I wasn't nervous at all. I knew I already had an awesome victory, and that let me be patient, wait, and watch the other guys in the last kilometre. I was able to make my move at the right time. If I didn't win that one, I think I would have been way, way too nervous today."
In addition to carrying calm confidence into the race, Warbasse arrived early enough in the week to scope out the course and make a solid tactical plan for how to attack the race without teammates. At first, he said, he thought he might attack on the main climb up Sherrod Road, but as the race went on, he could tell that everyone was expecting attacks there. Instead, the moves came on the wide open, flat highway before the climb, a steep kilometre-long twisting ascent that served only to disrupt the chasing peloton.
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