March 27/10 22:36 pm - Redlands Classic: Stage 2

Posted by Editoress on 03/27/10
 

Reports and results from stage 2 in Redlands CA

Women

Ina-Yoko Teutenberg put on an aggressive display in the criterium of Redlands Classic on Saturday, taking 1'12" out of the field with her seven breakaway companions. Teutenberg took the yellow jersey from former race lead Amber Neben with one stage remaining and now leads by 33 second from Kat Carroll (Peanut Butter & Co.).

"Actually, it wasn't our plan to attack today," said Teutenberg. "Our focus was on the time bonus seconds but it turned out a lot better than that.

"My team did the perfect job keeping everything together for the first sprint at the half way mark and then led me out for the sprint. After the first sprint there was a counter attack and I jumped on it. The field was all strung out but it looked like it was going to come back together so I attacked again.

"After a couple of laps the gap went up and I knew I had to give it everything. The break worked well together. Tibco had three riders in the break so it was also in their interest to keep the break alive. I had to get as much time out of the bunch as possible.

"I think the race is still wide open because tomorrow's stage is pretty hard to control for a team and if the legs don't work, you can't fake it. There are also a few girls still in contention so I'm sure it will be aggressive."

Tomorrow's final stage is a 100km circuit race around the hilly neighbourhoods of Redlands.
Report courtesy Team HTC-Columbia

Men

The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis took control of the Stage 2 Redlands Criterium in the final 10 laps and delivered sprinters Jake Keough and Andrew Pinfold to 2nd and 3rd in the sprint.

Keough and Pinfold Podium“The guys executed really well today,” said Team directeur sportif Gord Fraser. They were really dialed in, they took control and executed a lead-out the best they have all season.”

Coming into the final lap, UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis had Rory Sutherland, Karl Menzies, Pinfold and Keough lined up on the front of the pack, with the latter two riders coming out of the final corner sitting one and two.

“Unfortunately, Hilton Clarke (Bahati Foundation) found a faster line through the final corner and had just enough momentum to pip Jake on the line,” Fraser said. “Hilton’s a smart rider and a fast finisher and it took perfect execution on his part to get over Jake.”

Despite the disappointment of not getting the victory, Fraser was encouraged by the result and the execution that earned it.

“As a director, I’m happy with the performance of the guys,” he said. “They took a big step forward today in executing, and it bodes well in the sprint department for the rest of the season.”

The Redlands Classic finishes Sunday with the notoriously difficult Sunset Loop, a 94-mile race covering 12 laps of a hilly and at times technical circuit. UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis still has four riders within 0:32 of race leader Ben Day (Fly V).

Report Courtesy UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis