June 21/15 12:30 pm - North Star Bike Fest: Stage 5
Posted by Editoress on 06/21/15
The Menomonie Road Race is the most difficult and decisive day of racing at the North Star Grand Prix, and this year's edition did not disappoint on Saturday. The Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies team, a handful of seconds out of the overall lead, worked to slowly dismantle the peloton, eventually dislodging the yellow jersey Ben Hill (Donkey Label Racing), who put up a fierce fight on the tough 101 mile course in the Wisconsin countryside.
"It took our whole team to take back the yellow jersey. Hill has been very strong all week, and we had to throw everything we had into the pot to finally crack him," said Zirbel. "We tried to be very aggressive, and a lot of the other teams keyed off us, which we expected. The course is so selective and there were a lot of guys out there who wanted to race today, which was pretty refreshing. Once the right combination got up the road, we were able to put a serious dent in the race."
The concerted team effort to reclaim yellow began with an extended effort by Will Routley, covering dozens of miles at the front of the racing to ensure no one was comfortable before things got tough. With a small group jumping up the road shortly after the race left town, the Orange & Black began a slow, steady march to eventually overtake it. The course's extended sequence of short, steep climbs provided numerous launching pads, and after Routley's pacemaking, Scott Zwizanski, Tom Zirbel, Ryan Anderson, and Jesse Anthony began a rapid-fire sequence of attacks. Eventually, Zirbel escaped, bridging up to a lead group where he was the highest ranked rider on general classification, a group that did not include Hill.
"The strategy was to start attacking when the climbs started around 38 miles into the race, and use our superior numbers to eventually get one of our GC guys away from Ben Hill," said Performance Director Jonas Carney. "They guys were great, throwing in nonstop attacks, and I know they are exhausted from their effort. We ended up losing four guys in the top eight overall to take the lead on GC, but that's bike racing and that's what we wanted."
On Sunday, the team must defend yellow on the race's notorious final stage, the Stillwater Criterium, if they hope to take home an unprecedented five straight overall victories at their hometown race.
"I'm never confident in Stillwater," said Carney. "It's a really hard course, and it's a dangerous course with fast downhill corners, and we only have one GC guy now in Zirbel. Anything can happen, so I don't want to count our chickens before they are hatched, but the team loves the race and are all-in for Tom."
Report courtesy Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
Results from the fifth stage in Minnesota
| Stage 5 (June 20th): Menomonie Road Race, 160.93 km | |
| 1 Joe Schmaltz (Hincapie Racing Team) | 3:49:35 |
| 2 Michael Sheehan (Elbowz Racing) | |
| 3 Jon Hornbeck (Hincapie Racing Team) | both s.t. |
| 4 Kaler Marshall (Canyon Bicycles - Shimano) | 0:06 |
| 5 Mac Brennan (Hincapie Racing Team) | 0:12 |
| 6 Morgan Schmitt (Canyon Bicycles - Shimano) | |
| 7 Bryan Stevens (Champion System-Stan's NoTubes) | |
| 8 Nicolae Tanovitchii (Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis) | |
| 9 Josh Yeaton (GS CIAO) | |
| 10 Tom Zirbel (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | |
| 11 Alexander Braico (Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis) | |
| 12 Heath Blackgrove (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | all s.t. |
| 13 Andres Diaz (Incycle-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) | 4:19 |
| 14 Timothy Rugg (GS CIAO) | 4:50 |
| 15 Marcos Lazzarotto (BATTLEY H-D /Spokes Etc p/b District Taco) | 6:33 |
| 16 Diego Sandoval (Incycle-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) | s.t. |
| 17 Brian McCulloch (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo) | 9:46 |
| 18 Zeke Mostov (California Giant / Specialized) | |
| 19 Colin Strickland (Elbowz Racing) | |
| 20 Pat Casey (Canyon Bicycles - Shimano) | |
| 21 Scott Zwizanski (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | |
| 22 Andrew Clemence (The Colorado Collective) | |
| 23 Kevin Girkins (Elbowz Racing) | |
| 24 Taylor Warren (The Colorado Collective) | |
| 25 Neal Shepherd (The Colorado Collective) | |
| 26 Tobin Ortenblad (California Giant / Specialized) | |
| 27 Chris Barton (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo) | |
| 28 Ryan Anderson (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | |
| 29 Alberto Covarrubias (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | |
| 30 Nathaniel Beams (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | |
| 31 Ben Hill (Donkey Label Racing) | |
| 32 Andrew Dahlheim (Canyon Bicycles - Shimano) | |
| 33 George Simpson (GS CIAO) | |
| 34 Dustin Morici (Ego p/b Sammy's Bikes) | |
| 35 Tony Olson (Grand Performance) | |
| 36 Drew Christopher (Champion System-Stan's NoTubes) | |
| 37 Chris Winn (GS CIAO) | |
| 38 Matt McLoone (BATTLEY H-D /Spokes Etc p/b District Taco) | |
| 39 Andrew Hemesath (The Colorado Collective) | |
| 40 Efren Flores (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo) | |
| 41 Stefan Rothe (Elbowz Racing) | |
| 42 Martin Vecchio (Netherland Rubber p/b MVP) | |
| 43 Jean-Michel Lachance (Grand Performance) | |
| 44 Jake King (California Giant / Specialized) | |
| 45 Fabio Calabria (Champion System-Stan's NoTubes) | |
| 46 Gregory Wittwer (BATTLEY H-D /Spokes Etc p/b District Taco) | |
| 47 Alex Meyer (Grand Performance) | |
| 48 Gabriel Baca (Elbowz Racing) | |
| 49 Eric Thompson (Donkey Label Racing) | |
| 50 Dillon Caldwell (Canyon Bicycles - Shimano) | |
| 51 Robin Eckmann (GS CIAO) | |
| 52 Freddie Rodriguez (Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis) | |
| 53 Jesse Anthony (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | |
| 54 Jack McCann (Netherland Rubber p/b MVP) | |
| 55 Greg Capelle (Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan Coaching) | |
| 56 Will Routley (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | |
| 57 Steven Perezluha (Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan Coaching) | |
| 58 Andrew Buntz (Credite Velo) | |
| 59 Stefano Barberi (California Giant / Specialized) | |
| 60 Ryan O'Boyle (Credite Velo) | |
| 61 Corey Davis (Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan Coaching) | |
| 62 Cole House (Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan Coaching) | |
| 63 Efren Ortega (Incycle-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) | |
| 64 Sergio Hernandez (Incycle-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) | |
| 65 Fabrizio VonNacher (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo) | |
| 66 Robert Sroka (Netherland Rubber p/b MVP) | |
| 67 Ulises Castillo (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo) | all s.t. |
| 68 Jamie Anderson (Netherland Rubber p/b MVP) | 30:53 |
| 69 Michael Burleigh (GS CIAO) | 31:50 |
| 70 Jake Buescher (Ego p/b Sammy's Bikes) | 34:20 |
| 71 Brais Dacal (Team Novo Nordisk Development) | |
| 72 Tim Savre (Credite Velo) | |
| 73 Shawn Wayland (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo) | |
| 74 Jonathan Toftoy (Donkey Label Racing) | |
| 75 Carmen Small (Elbowz Racing) | |
| 76 Mehdi Benhamouda (Team Novo Nordisk Development) | |
| 77 David Guttenplan (Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan Coaching) | |
| 78 Julian Rodas (Incycle-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) | |
| 79 Gavriel Epstein (Champion System-Stan's NoTubes) | |
| 80 Colton Jarisch (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | |
| 81 Adam Mills (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | |
| 82 Zachary Felpel (BATTLEY H-D /Spokes Etc p/b District Taco) | |
| 83 Jake Magee (Donkey Label Racing) | |
| 84 Kyle Selph (Ego p/b Sammy's Bikes) | |
| 85 Kevin Mollervy (Champion System-Stan's NoTubes) | |
| 86 Isaac Howe (Champion System-Stan's NoTubes) | |
| 87 Ross White (Credite Velo) | |
| 88 Eric Hill (Grand Performance) | |
| 89 Michael Woell (Grand Performance) | |
| 90 Sven Gartner (Ego p/b Sammy's Bikes) | all s.t. |
| DNF Evan Hartig (Credite Velo) | |
| DNF Trevor Rolette (Ego p/b Sammy's Bikes) | |
| DNF Rudyard Peterson (Ego p/b Sammy's Bikes) | |
| DNF Zack Allison (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | |
| DNF Kit Recca (The Colorado Collective) | |
| GC | |
| 1 Tom Zirbel (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 9:01:35 |
| 2 Mac Brennan (Hincapie Racing Team) | at 0:23 |
| 3 Nicolae Tanovitchii (Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis) | 0:28 |
| 4 Morgan Schmitt (Canyon Bicycles - Shimano) | 0:30 |
| 5 Jon Hornbeck (Hincapie Racing Team) | 0:33 |
| 6 Heath Blackgrove (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | 0:37 |
| 7 Kaler Marshall (Canyon Bicycles - Shimano) | 0:41 |
| 8 Bryan Stevens (Champion System-Stan's NoTubes) | 1:05 |
| 9 Alexander Braico (Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis) | 1:16 |
| 10 Josh Yeaton (GS CIAO) | 1:33 |
| 11 Andres Diaz (Incycle-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) | 4:41 |
| 12 Joe Schmaltz (Hincapie Racing Team) | 6:03 |
| 13 Ben Hill (Donkey Label Racing) | 9:20 |
| 14 Ryan Anderson (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 9:40 |
| 15 Scott Zwizanski (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 9:47 |
| 16 Colin Strickland (Elbowz Racing) | 9:48 |
| 17 Stefan Rothe (Elbowz Racing) | 9:49 |
| 18 Jesse Anthony (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 9:50 |
| 19 Chris Barton (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo) | 9:51 |
| 20 Kevin Girkins (Elbowz Racing) | 9:54 |
| 21 Tobin Ortenblad (California Giant / Specialized) | 9:54 |
| 22 Eric Thompson (Donkey Label Racing) | 9:57 |
| 23 George Simpson (GS CIAO) | 9:58 |
| 24 Andrew Clemence (The Colorado Collective) | 9:59 |
| 25 Zeke Mostov (California Giant / Specialized) | 10:02 |
| 26 Jean-Michel Lachance (Grand Performance) | 10:22 |
| 27 Chris Winn (GS CIAO) | 10:24 |
| 28 Andrew Dahlheim (Canyon Bicycles - Shimano) | 10:26 |
| 29 Andrew Hemesath (The Colorado Collective) | 10:26 |
| 30 Greg Capelle (Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan Coaching) | 10:31 |
| 31 Fabrizio VonNacher (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo) | 10:31 |
| 32 Fabio Calabria (Champion System-Stan's NoTubes) | 10:32 |
| 33 Dustin Morici (Ego p/b Sammy's Bikes) | 10:32 |
| 34 Gabriel Baca (Elbowz Racing) | 10:33 |
| 35 Jake King (California Giant / Specialized) | 10:45 |
| 36 Efren Ortega (Incycle-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) | 11:02 |
| 37 Gregory Wittwer (BATTLEY H-D /Spokes Etc p/b District Taco) | 11:06 |
| 38 Tony Olson (Grand Performance) | 11:19 |
| 39 Martin Vecchio (Netherland Rubber p/b MVP) | 11:24 |
| 40 Robin Eckmann (GS CIAO) | 11:25 |
| 41 Corey Davis (Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan Coaching) | 11:32 |
| 42 Will Routley (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 11:36 |
| 43 Marcos Lazzarotto (BATTLEY H-D /Spokes Etc p/b District Taco) | 11:38 |
| 44 Freddie Rodriguez (Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis) | 11:51 |
| 45 Brian McCulloch (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo) | 12:16 |
| 46 Steven Perezluha (Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan Coaching) | 12:35 |
| 47 Cole House (Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan Coaching) | 13:19 |
| 48 Nathaniel Beams (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | 13:43 |
| 49 Jack McCann (Netherland Rubber p/b MVP) | 14:06 |
| 50 Alberto Covarrubias (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | 14:28 |
| 51 Ryan O'Boyle (Credite Velo) | 14:44 |
| 52 Robert Sroka (Netherland Rubber p/b MVP) | 14:46 |
| 53 Andrew Buntz (Credite Velo) | 14:57 |
| 54 Alex Meyer (Grand Performance) | 14:58 |
| 55 Ulises Castillo (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo) | 16:41 |
| 56 Timothy Rugg (GS CIAO) | 18:01 |
| 57 Neal Shepherd (The Colorado Collective) | 19:04 |
| 58 Efren Flores (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo) | 19:51 |
| 59 Stefano Barberi (California Giant / Specialized) | 22:59 |
| 60 Michael Sheehan (Elbowz Racing) | 24:43 |
| 61 Sergio Hernandez (Incycle-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) | 25:53 |
| 62 Matt McLoone (BATTLEY H-D /Spokes Etc p/b District Taco) | 26:01 |
| 63 Pat Casey (Canyon Bicycles - Shimano) | 26:18 |
| 64 Michael Burleigh (GS CIAO) | 32:23 |
| 65 Jamie Anderson (Netherland Rubber p/b MVP) | 33:02 |
| 66 Jake Magee (Donkey Label Racing) | 35:05 |
| 67 Kevin Mollervy (Champion System-Stan's NoTubes) | 35:06 |
| 68 Isaac Howe (Champion System-Stan's NoTubes) | 35:14 |
| 69 David Guttenplan (Isagenix / SeaSucker / Guttenplan Coaching) | 35:35 |
| 70 Diego Sandoval (Incycle-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) | 36:39 |
| 71 Kyle Selph (Ego p/b Sammy's Bikes) | 37:33 |
| 72 Julian Rodas (Incycle-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) | 37:41 |
| 73 Dillon Caldwell (Canyon Bicycles - Shimano) | 38:30 |
| 74 Colton Jarisch (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | 39:32 |
| 75 Gavriel Epstein (Champion System-Stan's NoTubes) | 40:08 |
| 76 Drew Christopher (Champion System-Stan's NoTubes) | 44:56 |
| 77 Sven Gartner (Ego p/b Sammy's Bikes) | 46:42 |
| 78 Carmen Small (Elbowz Racing) | 50:20 |
| 79 Jonathan Toftoy (Donkey Label Racing) | 56:16 |
| 80 Adam Mills (Elevate Elite Cycling Team) | 57:36 |
| 81 Taylor Warren (The Colorado Collective) | 57:37 |
| 82 Mehdi Benhamouda (Team Novo Nordisk Development) | 59:14 |
| 83 Zachary Felpel (BATTLEY H-D /Spokes Etc p/b District Taco) | 1:04:17 |
| 84 Ross White (Credite Velo) | 1:04:19 |
| 85 Tim Savre (Credite Velo) | 1:05:34 |
| 86 Brais Dacal (Team Novo Nordisk Development) | 1:13:40 |
| 87 Michael Woell (Grand Performance) | 1:14:34 |
| 88 Shawn Wayland (KHS-Maxxis-JLVelo) | 1:22:34 |
| 89 Eric Hill (Grand Performance) | 1:26:52 |
| 90 Jake Buescher (Ego p/b Sammy's Bikes) | 1:31:05 |
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