Colorado Classic 2017 – Stage 4 [FULL STAGE]

August 13, 2017

Colorado Classic 2017 – Stage 4 – Denver : 120,1 km

The Colorado Classic is a four-stage cycling race to be held for the first time in 2017. The race is designated as 2.HC and will be part of the UCI America Tour. The race will be 313 miles (504 km) in length.

BMC’s Manuel Senni wrapped up the overall title at the Colorado Classic on Sunday, finishing safely as the pack sprinted across the stage 4 finish line in Denver with Mihkel Räim (Israel Cycling Academy) nabbing the stage.

Raim’s stage win survived a protest from Nippo – Vini Fantini’s Marco Canola, who complained after the finish that Raim had deviated to his right in the sprint and boxed the Italian in. The race jury reviewed the video of the finale and upheld Raim’s result. UnitedHealthcare’s Travis McCabe earned runner-up honours on the day with Alfredo Rodríguez (Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling) taking third and Canola in fourth.

“I’ve tried many times in Europe and here in the states and been so close. I’m very happy it’s finally come,” Raim said, before addressing Canola’s protest. “I stayed on the straight line, I didn’t move from that path. Marco tried to come on the right but there was no space.

“For me, this is for sure the biggest victory in my career, and for the team also. We are very happy. This helps us to have more sponsors and people know our team more. We aren’t just a cycling team, we are something else. It’s an Israeli team, but we have so many different nationalities in the team and we’re like a big family. It doesn’t matter where you’re from.”

For BMC, the order of the day was simply keeping the race under control and keeping Senni upright within the peloton. With the race finishing in a sprint and Senni safe in the pack, it was mission accomplished for the American team and Italian rider, who eked out a top 10 result in the final kick for good measure.

“The team rode for me all day and I was still in the front in the last kilometer to stay out of trouble and take no risk, so I could even do the sprint,” Senni said. “I finished tenth, which was enough to keep the jersey. It was perfect.

“It’s really great, to win here with so many people on the roads and so friendly, it’s something special.

“For me this is an important victory that gives me a lot of morale for the rest of the season and next year. It is important for a rider to win a race, because after it changes something in your mind and gives you the morale.”

McCabe wrapped up the sprint classification, having finished on the stage podiums a frustrating three times without netting a victory. “I’m definitely happy winning the sprint jersey. It shows the consistency I have, and I feel like I rode great all week long,” McCabe said. “The form was great coming off Utah. But I am disappointed to not come away with a win. Two seconds and a third is great, but when you don’t win it’s a little bittersweet.”

How it unfolded

The final stage of the Colorado Classic in downtown Denver – just 10 laps of an 11-kilometre circuit – was quite a bit more controlled and predictable than the previous two stages. The breakaway went clear on the first lap of the bumpy, technical loop, with Antonio Molina (Caja Rural), Fabio Calabria (Novo Nordisk) and Ruben Companioni (Holowesko-Citadel) being joined by Christopher Blevins (Axeon Hagens Berman).

The quartet came together and quickly gained time as they sped through City Park, ending the first lap with almost a minute. With UnitedHealthcare’s Gavin Mannion almost single handedly controlling the gap, the leaders gained 1:45 as their maximum gap on the third lap, at the end of which Blevins took the intermediate sprint bonus.

The gap had come down to 1:30 at the second sprint, as Trek-Segafredo and BMC started contributing to the chase. Campanioni led the breakaway across the line for the second sprint, but even with the time bonus, the Cuban – best placed in the breakaway at 15:59 – was no threat to Senni’s overall lead.

With three laps to go, Jelly Belly began to help out, bringing the gap back down to 1:15, and the increased manpower in the peloton continued to help steadily decrease the leader’s advantage over the next laps.

Molina took the sprint bonus with two laps to go over Campanioni while in the peloton behind Cannondale-Drapac lost Will Clarke to a crash in a turn, but there was no time to wait as the pursuit of the breakaway was in full flight with 22 kilometres remaining.

When the gap had come down to 40 seconds, Campanioni launched his move, leaving his companions behind with a 21-kilometre individual pursuit ahead of him. Molina waited a moment but then made his own attack to go across to the Holowesko rider, and succeeded before they reached the feed zone, where Campanioni picked up an ice sock to help cool him in the sweltering conditions.

Calabria and Blevins rapidly lost ground and then were picked up by the peloton with 18.2 kilometers to go. Campanioni and Molina pressed on with a 30 second advantage, but they too were swept up as Trek-Segafredo began to ramp up the pace for Reijnen.

By the time Campanioni led across the line for one lap to go, the peloton had the pair in their sights, sweeping them up in short order to set up the final kick.

Trek-Segafredo, Israel Cycling Academy and UnitedHealthcare battled for position coming onto the final straight with UnitedHealthcare the last team with a lead-out man at the front. McCabe was the first of the contenders to launch but Raim came around quickly and surged to the front.

Canola tried to pull past on Raim’s right but ran out of room, immediately throwing up his arms in protest. Raim held on for the win.

“I was faster than [Raim] but I was on the right side and I couldn’t go on the left. At the start of the sprint I was on the right side but [whoever] was in front did not take the straight line. I had to stop and did the last 80 metres without pedaling,” Canola said. “It was frustrating for me because I knew today was a good chance.”

The jury deemed Raim’s sprint legal, solidifying the result, with Canola settling for fourth.

“The final was really hectic because there were two corners and a long finishing straight,” Raim said. “I lost my lead-out guys at some point. It wasn’t good to lose them because I can always count on them. I think tactically I made a good choice – I let Travis McCabe’s lead out pass me, and I knew Travis was also coming from behind. I just stuck on his wheel and when he launched the sprint I was waiting two or three seconds then started my sprint. That’s how Canola started to come on the right a little bit. I closed the door on the right side like every sprinter has to do. It was just pure legs.”

Senni rolled home 10th to wrap up the overall title.

Results :
1 Mihkel Räim (Est) Israel Cycling Academy 2:32:50
2 Travis McCabe (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
3 Jose Rodriguez (Mex) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling
4 Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:00:01
5 Joseph Lewis (Aus) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear
6 Taylor Phinney (USA) Cannondale-Drapac
7 Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Drapac
8 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Cycling Academy
9 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo
10 Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team 0:00:02
11 Miguel Benito (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
12 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
13 Ulises Castillo (Mex) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
14 Greg Henderson (NZl) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:00:03
15 Justin Oien (USA) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
16 Jhonatan Navarez (Ecu) Axeon Hagens Berman
17 Umberto Poli (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
18 Edward Ravasi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:04
19 Valerio Conti (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
20 Joey Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team
21 Colin Joyce (USA) Rally Cycling
22 Alan Marangoni (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini
23 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Israel Cycling Academy 0:00:05
24 Simone Petilli (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
25 TJ Eisenhart (USA) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear
26 Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
27 Gonzalo Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
28 Matteo Moschetti (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:06
29 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo
30 Sepp Kuss (USA) Rally Cycling
31 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo
32 Shane Kline (USA) Rally Cycling
33 Tyler Williams (USA) Israel Cycling Academy
34 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini
35 Gregory Daniel (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:07
36 Gavin Mannion (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
37 Andrei Krasilnikau (Blr) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear
38 Ruben Companioni (Cub) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear 0:00:08
39 Serghei Tvetcov (Rom) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
40 Alex Hoehn (USA) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling
41 Edward Anderson (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:00:10
42 Christopher Butler (USA) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:00:11
43 Nigel Ellsay (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
44 Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
45 Antonio Molina (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:00:12
46 Hugh Carthy (GBr) Cannondale-Drapac
47 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
48 Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:00:14
49 Eder Frayre (Mex) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling
50 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac 0:00:17
51 Manuel Sola Arjona (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:00:18
52 Taylor Shelden (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:00:19
53 Keegan Swirbul (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:00:23
54 Jean Claude Uwizeye (Rwa) Team Rwanda Cycling
55 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk 0:00:24
56 Martin Elmiger (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:00:25
57 Jean Paul Rene Ukiniwabo (Rwa) Team Rwanda Cycling 0:00:39
58 Giacomo Berlato (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:00:43
59 Daniel Jaramillo (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:00:44
60 Luis Lemus (Mex) Israel Cycling Academy 0:00:52
61 Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:00:53
62 Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo
63 Tom Bohli (Swi) BMC Racing Team
64 Evan Huffman (USA) Rally Cycling 0:00:54
65 Danny Pate (USA) Rally Cycling
66 Yuma Koishi (Jpn) Nippo – Vini Fantini
67 Damiano Cima (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:00:55
68 Daniel Eaton (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:01:16
69 John Murphy (USA) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear 0:01:28
70 Miguel Bryon (USA) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear 0:02:00
71 Bonaventure Uwizeyimana (Rwa) Team Rwanda Cycling 0:02:05
72 Seid Lizde (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:02:11
73 Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk 0:02:24
74 Julien Gagne (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
75 Robert Britton (Can) Rally Cycling 0:02:25
76 Sam Brand (GBr) Team Novo Nordisk 0:02:47
77 Guy Niv (Isr) Israel Cycling Academy
78 Joseph Schmaltz (USA) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling
79 Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:03:57
80 Rik Van Ijzendoorn (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk 0:04:11
81 Gasore Hategeka (Rwa) Team Rwanda Cycling 0:04:12
82 Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:05:19
83 Alexander Cowan (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
84 Christopher Blevins (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:06:56
85 Didier Munyaneza (Rwa) Team Rwanda Cycling 0:16:26
DNF William Clarke (Aus) Cannondale-Drapac

Final General Classification :
1 Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team 12:00:35
2 Serghei Tvetcov (Rom) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:00:15
3 Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Drapac 0:00:31
4 TJ Eisenhart (USA) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear 0:00:33
5 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:44
6 Sepp Kuss (USA) Rally Cycling 0:01:05
7 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:02:16
8 Miguel Benito (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:02:19
9 Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) UAE Team Emirates 0:02:21
10 Travis McCabe (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:02:22
11 Simone Petilli (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:02:33
12 Edward Ravasi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:02:47
13 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:03:00
14 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac 0:03:06
15 Hugh Carthy (GBr) Cannondale-Drapac 0:03:07
16 Christopher Butler (USA) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:03:58
17 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
18 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:05:06
19 Jhonatan Navarez (Ecu) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:08:04
20 Taylor Shelden (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:08:23
21 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:09:52
22 Joey Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:15:46
23 Gavin Mannion (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
24 Ruben Companioni (Cub) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear 0:15:52
25 Nigel Ellsay (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 0:15:58
26 Joseph Lewis (Aus) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear 0:15:59
27 Valerio Conti (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:16:21
28 Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:17:27
29 Antonio Molina (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:20:14
30 Robert Britton (Can) Rally Cycling 0:20:48
31 Eder Frayre (Mex) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 0:21:13
32 Gonzalo Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:21:56
33 Justin Oien (USA) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:22:20
34 Taylor Phinney (USA) Cannondale-Drapac 0:22:38
35 Daniel Jaramillo (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:22:39
36 Martin Elmiger (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:22:43
37 Jacob Rathe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:23:26
38 Gregory Daniel (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:24:02
39 Alexander Cowan (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 0:25:29
40 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Cycling Academy 0:26:28
41 Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:27:30
42 Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo 0:27:34
43 Tom Bohli (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:27:54
44 Luis Lemus (Mex) Israel Cycling Academy 0:28:07
45 Seid Lizde (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:28:27
46 Manuel Sola Arjona (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:28:45
47 Jean Claude Uwizeye (Rwa) Team Rwanda Cycling 0:28:50
48 Alex Hoehn (USA) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 0:29:00
49 Andrei Krasilnikau (Blr) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear 0:29:03
50 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Israel Cycling Academy 0:29:05
51 Jean Paul Rene Ukiniwabo (Rwa) Team Rwanda Cycling 0:29:06
52 Edward Anderson (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:29:15
53 Mihkel Räim (Est) Israel Cycling Academy 0:29:24
54 Colin Joyce (USA) Rally Cycling 0:29:34
55 Keegan Swirbul (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:30:17
56 Yuma Koishi (Jpn) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:30:26
57 Tyler Williams (USA) Israel Cycling Academy 0:30:41
58 John Murphy (USA) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear 0:31:48
59 Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:32:16
60 Daniel Eaton (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:32:42
61 Umberto Poli (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk 0:33:09
62 Greg Henderson (NZl) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:33:13
63 Miguel Bryon (USA) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear 0:33:59
64 Ulises Castillo (Mex) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:34:16
65 Alan Marangoni (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini
66 Shane Kline (USA) Rally Cycling 0:34:31
67 Danny Pate (USA) Rally Cycling 0:35:08
68 Julien Gagne (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 0:35:29
69 Christopher Blevins (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:35:58
70 Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 0:36:15
71 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk 0:37:19
72 Evan Huffman (USA) Rally Cycling 0:37:27
73 Gasore Hategeka (Rwa) Team Rwanda Cycling 0:40:06
74 Matteo Moschetti (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:40:17
75 Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:41:00
76 Joseph Schmaltz (USA) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 0:42:06
77 Sam Brand (GBr) Team Novo Nordisk 0:42:20
78 Giacomo Berlato (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:42:31
79 Guy Niv (Isr) Israel Cycling Academy 0:42:44
80 Damiano Cima (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini 0:43:14
81 Jose Rodriguez (Mex) Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling 0:44:25
82 Rik Van Ijzendoorn (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk 0:45:49
83 Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Novo Nordisk 0:49:47
84 Bonaventure Uwizeyimana (Rwa) Team Rwanda Cycling 1:00:35