Colorado Classic 2018 – Stage 3 [FULL STAGE]

August 18, 2018

Colorado Classic 2018 – Stage 3 – Denver – Denver : 161,9 km

The 2018 Colorado Classic will take place August 16-19 with two stages in Vail and two in Denver. The four-day 2.HC race starts with a 103.2km circuit race on Thursday, followed on Friday by the 15.8km Vail Pass Time Trial. Saturday sees the peloton tackle the ‘queen’ stage, a 161.9km test that traverses Lookout Mountain, Cragmont Drive and Indian Hills before the finish back in Denver. The final stage is a 114km circuit race in downtown Denver.

Pascal Eenkhoorn (LottoNL-Jumbo) took the queen stage win Saturday at the Colorado Classic in Denver after the reduced peloton brought back a duo of escapees inside the final kilometre.

Edwin Avila (Israel Cycling Academy) was second ahead of third-placed Gavin Mannion (UnitedHealthcare), who saved his blue leader’s jersey after a long day of chasing a dangerous breakaway that included multiple GC threats.

Eenkhoorn emerged from the bunch as the peloton pulled back all-day escapee Toms Skujins (Trek-Segafredo) and Serghei Tvetcov (UnitedHealthcare), who bridged to Skujins from the peloton in the closing kilometres.

The duo almost made it to the finish line near Coors Field in Denver, but the motivated peloton put an end to those ambitions on the finishing straight.

“Two teammates came by, Jan Maas and Maarten Wynants, and they screamed my name, and I just followed them and they did a perfect job,” Eenkhoorn said in the post-stage press conference, adding that he didn’t think he’d be around for the finish after being dropped on the first climb.

“We said before the race that it was a really good sprint for me, but I didn’t expect to win actually,” Eenkhoorn said.

“I didn’t think that I would survive. I was dropped on the first climb. The guys from [EF Education First-Drapac] were pulling super, super hard, but I came back and I said to my teammates that I am feeling good. There was still a lot of climbing left, and I survived all of that.”

How it unfolded

Saturday’s 127.8km third stage, the four-day race’s queen stage, included three KOMs as the peloton made its way from Denver to the category 1 climb up Lookout Mountain 50.5km into the day. From there, the riders took on the category 2 climb up Deer Creek in Cragmont at 75km, and then faced the category 4 climb in Indian Hills at 111.7km before heading back to Denver for the finish.

The stage included plenty of climbing, but the final KOM topped out at more than 50km for the finish, and although the profile showed several more bumps on the way back to Denver, the mostly downhill run over the final kilometres meant trying to shake up the general classification was always going to be a tough row to hoe.

Intermediate sprints in Wheat Ridge at 9.5km and again in Wheat Ridge at 114km offered time bonuses of three, two and one second to liven up the action. Holowesko-Citadel’s Joe Lewis took the maximum bonus at the first sprint, trailed by stage 1 winner Gage Hecht (Aevolo) and Toms Skujins (Trek-Segafredo).

No escape attempts were able to gain traction in the lead up to Lookout Mountain, where EF Education First-Drapac went to the front and started drilling the pace. The team’s Hugh Carthy, Joe Dombrowski and Dani Martinez split way from the peloton and were quickly joined by Damian Howson (Mitchelton-Scott), Keegan Swirbul (Jelly Belly-Maxxis), Toms Skujins (Trek-Segafredo) and Brayan Sanchez (Holowesko-Citadel).

Carthy started the day third overall, just 21 seconds behind Mannion, while Dombrowski was fourth at 25 seconds. Howson started the day fifth at 27 seconds, followed by Martine at 29. Skujins was 10th overall at 57 seconds.

“Today was the most difficult stage and we tried,” Martinez said. “The three of us attacked on the first climb, we wanted to give it everything, but in the end it did not turn out well. The first climb was quite difficult, but the others were flat for me and quite far from the finish, but I think we did a good job.”

The peloton meanwhile, was blowing up under the pace as rain started to fall on the race and the mountain, making for a cool descent back into the valley. The EF-Drapac riders led a sweep at the KOM, with Martinez taking top points ahead of Carthy and Dombrowski.
The leaders had a one-minute gap over the reduced peloton over the top of the climb, and the GC chase was on for UnitedHealthcare.

The leaders started the ascent up to Cragmont holding their one-minute lead over Mannion and the reduced peloton. Swirbul took top mountain points at the summit head of Howson and Dombrowski, while UnitedHealthcare’s Daniel Jaramillo led the chase back in the peloton.

The leaders opened up the gap to 1:20 on the descent of the second KOM, but UnitedHealthcare was determined not to let the dangerous break too much of an advantage, hoping the other sprinters’ teams would come to the fore after the climbs to help weld things back together.

The leaders reached the bottom of the Indian Hills climb with their 1:20 lead intact. The peloton picked up the pace from there, and as the leaders entered the outskirts of Denver, their lead was down to 45 seconds.

Carthy sensed the danger and jumped, bringing Dombrowski, Howson and Skujins with him. With 5km to go and multiple teams now contributing to the chase, including Mannion himself, the gap was down to 15 seconds.

Tvetcov bridged to the group with less than 3km to go as the field bore down on the breakaway. As Tvetcov made contact, Skujins tried a solo move and was soon joined by Tvetcov. The lead duo had a workable gap inside 2km to go, and a new alliance was formed. With Tevtcov starting the day second overall, just 11 seconds off the lead, his move was a danger to Mannion’s jersey, but the UnitedHealthcare leader said it was all in the family.

“I actually didn’t even realise he was up the road until after the finish,” Mannion told Cyclingnews. “I was talking to my director, and he was telling me that it was Serghei. But, no, he’s second on GC, so if he finishes with someone it’s pretty much a guarantee that he takes over the lead, and for me that’s fine. It worked out well.”

EF-Drapac picked up the chase, but as they closed on the leaders a Silber rider jumped away. It was too little, too late, however, and the field pounced just before the line, with Eenkhoorn sailing across the line for the win.

Results :
1 Pascal Eenkhoorn (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 3:42:54
2 Edwin Alcibiades Avila Vanegas (Col) Israel Cycling Academy
3 Gavin Mannion (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
4 Joseph Lewis (Aus) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources
5 Pier Andre Cote (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
6 Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
7 Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
8 Eder Frayre Moctezuma (Mex) Elevate-KHS
9 Sean Bennett (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
10 Maarten Wynants (Bel) LottoNL-Jumbo
11 TJ Eisenhart (USA) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources
12 Griffin Easter (USA) 303 Project
13 Gage Hecht (USA) Aevolo
14 Travis McCabe (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
15 Nicola Conci (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
16 Neilson Powless (USA) LottoNL-Jumbo
17 Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo
18 Daan Olivier (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
19 Jan Maas (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
20 Serghei Tvetcov (Rom) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
21 Nathan Brown (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
22 Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
23 Christopher Blevins (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
24 Koen Bouwmam (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
25 Ed Anderson (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
26 Daniel Martinez (Col) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
27 Luis Ricardo Villalobos Hernandez (Mex) Aevolo
28 Jack Burke (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
29 Joe Dombrowski (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
30 Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
31 James Piccoli (Can) Elevate-KHS
32 Alex Hoehn (USA) Aevolo
33 Rob Power (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
34 Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
35 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo
36 Niklas Eg (Den) Trek-Segafredo
37 Nigel Ellsay (Can) Rally Cycling
38 Alexander Cataford (Can) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
39 Brayan Stiven Sanchez Vergara (Col) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources
40 Robert Britton (Can) Rally Cycling
41 Keegan Swirbul (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
42 Jose Neves (Por) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
43 Cullen Easter (USA) 303 Project
44 Ruben Plaza (Spa) Israel Cycling Academy
45 Ruben Companioni (Cub) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources 0:00:30
46 Kyle Murphy (USA) Rally Cycling 0:00:47
47 Luis Lemus (Mex) Israel Cycling Academy 0:01:10
48 Stephen Bassett (USA) Silber Pro Cycling
49 Tyler Magner (USA) Rally Cycling 0:03:57
50 Evan Huffman (USA) Rally Cycling 0:06:30
51 Travis Samuel (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
52 Danny Pate (USA) Rally Cycling
53 Brayan Chaves Rubio (Col) Mitchelton-Scott 0:08:56
54 Isaiah Newkirk (USA) 303 Project
55 Nickolas Zukowsky (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 0:12:12
56 Tyler Williams (USA) Israel Cycling Academy
57 Guy Sagiv (Isr) Israel Cycling Academy
58 Gregory Daniel (USA) Trek-Segafredo
59 Thomas Revard (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
60 Andrei Krasilnikau (Blr) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources
61 Lance Haidet (USA) Aevolo
62 Daniel Alexander Jaramillo Diez (Col) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
63 Christopher Winn (Aus) 303 Project
64 Austin Stephens (USA) 303 Project
65 Ulises Alfredo Castillo Soto (Mex) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
66 Taylor Phinney (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
67 Lachlan Norris (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
68 Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo
69 Cole Davis (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon
70 Michael Hernandez (USA) Aevolo
71 Taylor Shelden (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
72 Kevin Girkins (USA) Elevate-KHS 0:14:25
73 Jordan Cheyne (Can) Elevate-KHS
74 Samuel Bassetti (USA) Elevate-KHS
DNF Morgan Schmitt (USA) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources
DNF Nicholas Torraca (USA) Elevate-KHS
DNF Lionel Mawditt (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
DNF Emile Jean (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
DNF Maxx Chance (USA) 303 Project
DNF Nsengimana Jean Bosco (Rwa) Rwanda

General Classification after Stage31 :
1 Gavin Mannion (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 6:41:33
2 Serghei Tvetcov (Rom) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:00:15
3 Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 0:00:22
4 Joe Dombrowski (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 0:00:29
5 Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:30
6 Daniel Martinez (Col) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 0:00:33
7 James Piccoli (Can) Elevate-KHS 0:00:46
8 Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:52
9 Robert Britton (Can) Rally Cycling
10 Alexander Cataford (Can) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:00:53
11 TJ Eisenhart (USA) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources 0:01:02
12 Jack Burke (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:01:03
13 Neilson Powless (USA) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:01:04
14 Luis Ricardo Villalobos Hernandez (Mex) Aevolo 0:01:11
15 Niklas Eg (Den) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:14
16 Nathan Brown (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
17 Gage Hecht (USA) Aevolo
18 Rob Power (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:01:23
19 Brayan Stiven Sanchez Vergara (Col) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources 0:01:27
20 Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:01:38
21 Koen Bouwmam (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:01:41
22 Nigel Ellsay (Can) Rally Cycling 0:01:44
23 Griffin Easter (USA) 303 Project 0:01:53
24 Daan Olivier (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:02:00
25 Sean Bennett (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:02:02
26 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:02:21
27 Jan Maas (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:02:22
28 Keegan Swirbul (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:02:29
29 Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 0:02:32
30 Joseph Lewis (Aus) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources 0:02:36
31 Alex Hoehn (USA) Aevolo 0:02:38
32 Stephen Bassett (USA) Silber Pro Cycling 0:02:47
33 Nicola Conci (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:02:53
34 Travis McCabe (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:03:08
35 Christopher Blevins (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:03:24
36 Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:03:25
37 Pascal Eenkhoorn (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:03:37
38 Kyle Murphy (USA) Rally Cycling 0:03:43
39 Ruben Plaza (Spa) Israel Cycling Academy 0:03:53
40 Edwin Alcibiades Avila Vanegas (Col) Israel Cycling Academy 0:03:54
41 Ed Anderson (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:04:13
42 Cullen Easter (USA) 303 Project 0:04:42
43 Pier Andre Cote (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 0:05:40
44 Ruben Companioni (Cub) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources 0:06:01
45 Tyler Magner (USA) Rally Cycling 0:08:40
46 Eder Frayre Moctezuma (Mex) Elevate-KHS 0:09:39
47 Maarten Wynants (Bel) LottoNL-Jumbo 0:09:43
48 Luis Lemus (Mex) Israel Cycling Academy 0:11:18
49 Daniel Alexander Jaramillo Diez (Col) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:14:02
50 Nickolas Zukowsky (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 0:14:17
51 Jose Neves (Por) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 0:14:19
52 Travis Samuel (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 0:15:13
53 Taylor Phinney (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 0:15:22
54 Taylor Shelden (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:15:33
55 Evan Huffman (USA) Rally Cycling 0:15:41
56 Michael Hernandez (USA) Aevolo 0:15:59
57 Isaiah Newkirk (USA) 303 Project 0:16:27
58 Lachlan Norris (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:17:00
59 Christopher Winn (Aus) 303 Project 0:17:06
60 Tyler Williams (USA) Israel Cycling Academy 0:17:18
61 Andrei Krasilnikau (Blr) Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources 0:17:36
62 Thomas Revard (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:17:57
63 Cole Davis (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon 0:17:59
64 Danny Pate (USA) Rally Cycling 0:18:08
65 Kevin Girkins (USA) Elevate-KHS 0:18:54
66 Ulises Alfredo Castillo Soto (Mex) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 0:19:17
67 Lance Haidet (USA) Aevolo 0:19:37
68 Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo 0:20:34
69 Gregory Daniel (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:21:37
70 Austin Stephens (USA) 303 Project 0:22:18
71 Brayan Chaves Rubio (Col) Mitchelton-Scott 0:23:37
72 Jordan Cheyne (Can) Elevate-KHS 0:23:46
73 Samuel Bassetti (USA) Elevate-KHS 0:24:03
74 Guy Sagiv (Isr) Israel Cycling Academy 0:28:38