Racing RADIOSHACK NISSAN TREK Team Hangs Tough in Tour of Utah
RADIOSHACK NISSAN TREK Returns to Racing in the USA
Staff Report
OGDEN, UT – RADIOSHACK NISSAN TREK returned to racing in the USA on Tuesday in the opening stage of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. It was fast, it was hot and there is plenty of action to come in this six-day stage race.
At 131.6mi/211.9km the first stage was a brutal one with four rated climbs contested over 10969ft/3343m of climbing, all in blistering heat soaring close to 100ºF/38ºC. In the end, Australian Rory Sutherland of United Healthcare unleashed a powerful sprint to overtake Damiano Caruso (Liquigas-Cannondale) for the win and the first leader's jersey.
Team director Lars Michaelsen: "It was not so easy today: jetlag, altitude and hot! Once the break had 12-minutes we decided to chase together with Garmin-Sharp. Joost went up and of course Jens. They did the whole job. In the end when the break was caught, it was our goal to bring our protected riders of Chris, George and Matthew safely to the last climb. That all went fine. The group was down to 45 by then and it was a full on explosion with constant attacks. We all survived, though Bennett nearly crashed in the last corner. But we're good and tomorrow is an important team time trial."
The day's break of five riders included Caleb Fairly (Spidertech) and Ben Jacques-Maynes of Bissell. There was full cooperation in the group as they steadily built the gap over the first few climbs. RSNT was watchful and went to work to bring them back before the last climb with 20km to go.
It was on the downhill from that climb that the fireworks really went off, with rider after rider trying his hand at attacking the group, including David Zabriskie (Garmin-Sharp) who went into time trial mode with 8km to go but was brought back before the red kite. After a final right-hand turn, the select group lined up for the sprint with Sutherland able to roll over the group to claim the win.
Wednesday brings stage two, the team time trial. The course will be 3 laps of a 4.5mi course for a total of 13.5mi/21.75km at the Miller Motorsports Park. Grandstand seating is available and the teams will go in waves with more than one team on course at a time.