Stage 2: Race Report
From Cycling Team Manager, Mark Olson:
Stage 2 was 140 miles of intense racing. The team had an excellent ride, perhaps the best team race yet.
Three riders dominated the lead after an easy rolling start. One of them was our own Garrett Peltonen who kept on the gas and stayed in front with the other two riders for 100 miles!
From the beginning before Garrett’s break away, the team was in every move. They covered each other time after time. All we heard on the race radio was Priority Health this and Priority Health that... . Excellent job boys!!!
The price of success is often paid in skin. Scott Zwizanski hit the deck hard when a group of guys went down in front of him and he T-boned them, landing on one of their chain rings, OUCH! We looked up to see Zwizanski hanging onto the medical car, receiving treatment at 30 mph.
We ride in the team car and stay close to our teammate offering encouragement. Zwizanski responds and says, "Since I'm here give me bottles for the guys!" He grabs eight bottles of water, and packs 16 pounds of H2O to the rest of the team.
Omer Kem is the team's gutsy work horse and can climb like a goat. As the day grew hotter, Omer must have carried 40-50 bottles of water to the guys. Remember, this is a race of horse power with all Pro Tour teams so even when it’s "easy" the field is rolling at 25-28 miles per hour. Omer's great effort was underscored when he blocked wind all day when he wasn't carrying water!
After racing for 128 miles, the race entered the finishing circuits which contained a WALL of a climb. This climb was short and steep! On the climb there was an opportunity to win King of the Mountain, the winner of that KOM would put on the special jersey for the day. Healthnet put their whole team on the front and drove the pace hard. We rode into town, setting it up for one of the guys to get a shot at the KOM. Ben Jacques-Maynes keyed off the Healthnet train to give it a go. BOY DID HE GO! Ben Jacques-Maynes hit them so hard he blew passed Healthnet and crossed over the KOM line with a three bike length to spare! He has SERIOUS POWER! Jacques-Maynes was presented with the KOM jersey and will ride with it on his shoulders. ANOTHER PODIUM FOR THE TEAM!
To sum it up, it was a great day for the team and fantastic effort by all the guys. Today, we taste the test of mountains and while we can’t wait, we know it will be another long one!
Mark Olson
Team Manager
Priority Health Cycling Team Presented by Bissell
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