Jake Keough wins Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium 2011 - Cycling News
UnitedHealthcare team’s Jake Keough showed a magnificent effort and took the victory of Presbyterian hospital invitational criterium 2011 on Saturday, July 30.
The race started in Charlotte and ended in North Carolina. The 24-year-old American cyclist took the total of 1 hour, 55 minutes and 35 seconds to cover the distance of 80 kilometres.
The Australian Criterium Champion Jonathan Cantwell of V Australia was runner-up and Alejandro Borrajo of Jamis-Sutter Home finished third with the same timing of Keough.
After winning the stage, Keough said, “We raced smart all night and it was really hard and we didn’t control it until those last few laps when we did our lead-out. Everyone was attacking, it was stop and go and everyone was attacking. It was a hard race
to win and I think we earned the win.”
After the final sprint several cyclists said that Keough abruptly switched the line but the officials were in favour of the American cyclists and said he did not see the incident.
A number of cyclists that got away in the Pro-Cat 1 including, Luca Damiani, Menzies, Frank Pipp, Kyle Wamsley, Mark Hekman, Christian Helmig, Emile Abraham (AeroCat-Cycling) and USA CRITS overall series leader Luke Keough (MountainKhakis p/b Smart Shop).
Borrajo told the media, due to heat the whole race was quiet and this race was easy for the cyclists because it does not contain several attacks but still it was a hard pace.
After few laps Heath Blackgrove (Elbowz Racing) went on solo move and increased his pace and followed by Jose Navarro (GM Bikes). The two team including Bissell and UnitedHealthcare working together in the front of the field while John Loehner gain a several
race primes.
Blackgrove told the media, “The primes were an incentive tonight, but I think breakaways would go and then a prime would just happen.”
Kenda/5-hour Energy team showed his good effort but marked by the cyclists. Yosvany Falcon (RealCyclist.com) made solo move and was joined by Chad Hartley. However, the three cyclists managed to gain a lead and tried to cross the bridge.
With few laps to go, the three cyclists made their breakaway lead including, Kyle Wamsley (Bissell), Clayton Barrows and Tom Soladay (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth).
All of them working together to build a lead while UnitedHealthcare and Bissell showed a tremendous performance in the front of the stage. Andy Baker launched an attack with a solo move but was covered by Davide Frattini.
However, in the final three laps Blackgrove made a solo move to take the lead but failed and Keough increased his pace and took the victory ahead of the other cyclists.
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