USA Pro Challenge (2014) Photos August 18 -24

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Taylor Phinney back in the BMC kit at the stage 1 start in Aspen (but not racing) joined by his family after his horrific leg injury at the USA Pro Championships in early June	Ew. Taylor Phinney's train tracks	Exhausted future racers before the race even starts
Jens' bike	Jens Voigt	Stand here Jens. The start of Jens' last stage race.
Even the race photographer needs a startlist	The rollout from Aspen for three 21 mile circuits
Mechanical. Not a good way to start the race.	The break	Colorado scenery
The peloton in no hurry... yet		The peloton and the photographer
Snowmass climb		Bearded KOM Leader Ben Jacques-Maynes who would later make a late solo bid
Snowmass
	A good excuse to get naked!
BMC pushing the front on the final lap of three circuits	Michael Rogers	Jens Voigt attacks with 10k to go
Finish stills	The break failed and Kiel REIJNEN (UNITEDHEALTHCARE) beat Alex HOWES (GARMIN SHARP) ahead of a small strung out group	The contrast of the victory and runner up salutes
3rd last year in the opening stage and first this year... his biggest pro win. “This stage was really exciting last year. It was a nail-biter and this year was the same,” said Reijnen. “The USA Pro Challenge is a huge goal for our team. Everyone is here watching and it’s really important to the team we do well here.”	Kiel REIJNEN (UNITEDHEALTHCARE). Thrilled to be the first race leader.	Friends on the podium, Kiel Reijnen and Alex Howes. “That last lap today really heated it up and it was just full gas from there on,” said Howes. “You see a lot of punch and lift from riders toward the end, and that’s not really something you see at this kind of altitude. It’s pretty exciting to see that out here.”
Stage 1 podium: 2nd Alex HOWES (GARMIN SHARP), 1st Kiel REIJNEN (UNITEDHEALTHCARE), 3rd Ben HERMANS (BMC RACING)		First jersey leaders

Stage 2:  Aspen → Crested Butte, 169 km  Full Results and Report

UnitedHealthcare enjoyed their time in the Yellow jersey as brief as it was	Last time for Jens	The rollout from Aspen for Stage 2
	UHC in line but unable to hold onto Yellow
Colorado is welcomes the race		Typical Colorado scenery
The sunny half of the stage
Today's winner Robin Carpenter gets some fan help	The peloton getting the same treatment
	The break only took shape after first half the race
		Lots of long unpaved roads today
Dirt	More dirt
	Rain for the second half of the stage. Lots of laundry tonight!	BMC fighting to set Tejay Van Garderen up for the win
The riders weren't happy with the neutralization	Robin Carpenter, the last break survivor after the race was restarted due to the brief neutralization	Next to Southern California, Colorado has the weirdest fans
Robin Carpenter struggling up the final mile to the finish at Crested Butte	22 year-old Robin CARPENTER (HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR DEVELOPMENT) survived a long break and late race neutralization to win by just 6s over Alex HOWES (GARMIN SHARP) and 3rd Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING). “I attacked my breakaway companions about 10K away from the climb,” said Carpenter. “I couldn’t see anyone. The last time check I saw was 30 seconds to the peloton. I had it in my head that if I could get over the top of Kebler Pass with enough time, I could end up getting to Crested Butte with 30-40 seconds. This win is huge for us and for me personally it’s massive – the best ride I’ve had in my short career so far.”	Ivan Basso really looks like a veteran after this stage
Alex Howes (Garmin-Sharp) in Yellow now, but he really wanted the stage win	The Stage 2 podium: 2nd Alex HOWES (GARMIN SHARP), 1st Robin CARPENTER (HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR DEVELOPMENT), 3rd Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING)	Your Stage 2 winner, Robin CARPENTER (HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR DEVELOPMENT)
Jersey leaders after Stage 2 including Alex Howes in Yellow

Stage 3:  Gunnison → Monarch Mountain, 155 km  Full Results and Report

Tejay headed to the morning sign-in	Start scene in Gunnison
	Students from Western Colorado State University out running some cyclists
Alex Howes in Yellow	The first climb split the peloton wide open	Jens pulling on the climb
The first KOM	Michael Rogers screaming down Monarch Mountain	The first of two circuits in Salida
Rogers builds almost a 2 minute lead entering the 2nd circuit	Jen flats on a turn and gets back to the chase	Serghei Tvetcov
The peloton has Mick Rogers in sight at the beginning of the final climb.	Tom Danielson put in several attacks on the final climb, Monarch Mountain	Matthew Busche makes a big move with 5k to go
Tinkoff-Saxo's Pawel Poljanski takes a turn at the front	Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING) attacked with 1 km and only Rafal MAJKA (TINKOFF-SAXO) could follow setting up a two men sprint
Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING) wins Stage 3 on Monarch Mountain	“I love this race. Every year I’ve done the Pro Challenge, I’ve taken away something from it,” said Tejay van Garderen post race. “I look forward to this race every year. And unless the Pro Challenge finished higher than this before, this is definitely the highest elevation I have ever finished at.”	Race leader Alex Howes finished 18th + 1:57 dropping him out of the top 10
Stage 3 winner and new race leader, Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING). “I felt pretty well under control today,” added van Garderen. “The team rode incredibly again today. I’m glad I was able to take the jersey.”	Stage 3 podium

Stage 4:  Colorado Springs → Colorado Springs, 155 km  Full Results and Report

Stage 5:  Woodland Park → Breckenridge, 168 km  Full Results and Report

“It was definitely a tough day,” said race leader Tejay van Garderen post stage. “The breakaway took a really long time to get along and my team had to control it the whole time. That, coupled with the cold and the rain, made it pretty hard, especially on my team because they had to pull all day.”
Todays winner trying to get the break to cooperate.	The split begins here
Jens knows the end is near	Laurent DIDIER (TREK FACTORY RACING) hung on for the win in Breckenridge ahead of 2nd Janier ACEVEDO (GARMIN SHARP) 3rd Rob BRITTON (TEAM SMARTSTOP) after a miserable day of racing	“Today, I didn’t feel that good in the beginning. The first 40K was quite hard, but I was in the front at one point,” said Didier. “The really big thing here is the altitude. When I talk to other people about it, they really don’t understand until they actually experience it. When you’re in Denver, you’re going flat, but you’re already about 1,800 ft. up. In Europe, 1,800 ft. is the top of the climb and in Denver, we’re already there.”
	“It was sprinkling, but I was a lot more dry toward the end of the stage than the rest of the day,” said Ben King 4th + 15s. “That high altitude is also cold. Then, you have that 15 minute descent when you’re not pedaling much and you get even colder.”	Stage 5 podium

Stage 6:  Vail, 16.1 km  Full Results and Report

The stage 6 ITT start order and times. No excuse if you missed your start.	#2 and #1 on GC on deck, Rafal MAJKA (TINKOFF-SAXO) trailed Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING) 20s before they started	Rafal MAJKA (TINKOFF-SAXO) and Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING)
Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING) entering the house start	Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING) down the ramp for his Vail TT record setting time of 24:26	2th Tom DANIELSON (GARMIN SHARP) + 53
2th Tom DANIELSON (GARMIN SHARP) also moved up from 4th to 2nd on GC	Serghei TVETCOV (JELLY BELLY P/B MAXXIS) in the start house	Surprise of this year's race, Serghei TVETCOV (JELLY BELLY P/B MAXXIS)
3rd Serghei TVETCOV (JELLY BELLY P/B MAXXIS) + 1:08 to keep his 3rd overall position	4th Rafal MAJKA (TINKOFF-SAXO) + 1:29	He may have placed 4th, but Rafal MAJKA (TINKOFF-SAXO) gave up 1:29 and slipped from 2nd to 4th on GC
5th Michael ROGERS (TINKOFF-SAXO) + 1:40	Michael ROGERS (TINKOFF-SAXO)	Michael ROGERS (TINKOFF-SAXO)
6th Ben HERMANS (BMC RACING) + 1:55	7th Bartosz HUZARSKI (NETAPP - ENDURA) + 2:07	8th Joseph ROSSKOPF (HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR DEVELOPMENT) + 2:17
Joseph ROSSKOPF (HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR DEVELOPMENT)	Matthew BUSCHE (TREK FACTORY RACING) in the start house	Matthew BUSCHE down the ramp
9th Matthew BUSCHE (TREK FACTORY RACING) + 2:20 for 5th overall	Carter JONES (OPTUM P/B KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES) looks relaxed in the start house	10th Carter JONES (OPTUM P/B KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES) + 2:21 for 8th overall
Frank SCHLECK (TREK FACTORY RACING)	14th Frank SCHLECK (TREK FACTORY RACING) + 2:34	Daniel SUMMERHILL enjoying his 100th place finish + 5:57
Your Stage 7 ITT winner, Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING) 24:26	Two stage wins and a commanding lead for Tejay VAN GARDEREN heading into the final stage
Today's Stage 6 Vail Podium: 2nd Thomas DANIELSON (GARMIN SHARP) + 52, 1st Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING) 24:26, 3rd Serghei TVETCOV (JELLY BELLY P/B MAXXIS) + 1:08 ... likely be the GC top 3 as well	Jersey leaders after Stage 6

Stage 7:  Boulder → Denver, 126 km  Full Results and Report

Rollout from Boulder for the final stage, Stage 7	BMC on the flats	Serghei TVETCOV (JELLY BELLY P/B MAXXIS)
Start circuits in Boulder	Jens Voigt leading the break
Cannondale helping to chase	The break on Lookout mountain	Michael Rogers at the front
Lookout Mountain KOM	Jens Voigt won the KOM	Tiago MACHADO at the front of the break
Break	Jens Voigt (Trek) and Javier Megias (Novo Nordisk) where the solo break survivors on the Denver finishing circuits	Sprint finish in Denver
Alex Howes (Garmin-Sharp) pips stage 1 winner, Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthcare), at the line	Alex Howes saves it on a sharp bend after the finish	Your overall race winner, Tejay VAN GARDEREN (BMC RACING) with his young child
Alex Howes enjoying his first pro win	The final farewell to Jens Voigt