]]> http://www.kendaprocycling.com/news/race-reports/2012/01/2014/feed 2 http://www.kendaprocycling.com/news/race-reports/2012/01/a-closer-look-at-the-next-kpc-generation http://www.kendaprocycling.com/news/race-reports/2012/01/a-closer-look-at-the-next-kpc-generation#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:54:54 +0000 Chad Thompson http://www.kendaprocycling.com/?p=1927 [Continue Reading]]]> The team continues it march toward its desired Pro-Continental status with a new class of recruits coming aboard to join returning veterans, creating the next generation for the Kenda/5-Hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder program.  While losing GC leader Ben Day to United Healthcare in the off-season, the team gained more than it could have imagined in speed, GC talent and experience, resulting in its deepest and most talented roster ever.  Here is a closer look at the entire cast:

 Andy Jacques-Maynes (33, USA) is no stranger to the U.S. Peloton, or any of its major events.  Andy and his twin brother (Ben Jacques-  Maynes  of  Bissell)  are touted as two of the best GC men the U.S. has to offer.  In fact, team GM, Chad Thompson stated that he thinks the biggest  untapped  story of  2012 will be the twin brothers facing off at U.S. events for the first time in many years.  Andy’s departure from Bissell brings  more  excitement to the peloton with his versatile and aggressive racing style. “Andy is crazy strong.”, says Frankie Andreu.  ”It will be fun to use  his  talents to shake up the field on a regular basis.”  Hailing from Berkley, CA and now residing in Santa Cruz, CA, Jacques-Maynes comes to the  team  as a captain and  veteran of major racing.  This should bode well for the team that has generated a totally new type of roster for 2012 and  beyond.  With 42 wins and  counting, AJM has 3 national championships under his belt and is considered one of the most aggressive available. His favorite race?  Andy says, “Without question, the Amgen Tour of California is where any credible rider or team needs to be.  I aim to be there with this team in 2012!” Jacques-Maynes sites Andreu as his draw to the team and a need for change in his team dynamic and racing style.  AJM will don his new team colors with his team for the program’s first stage race defense of the year at San Dimas Stage Race in March.

 Bobby Sweeting (24, USA) is returning to the team for his second consecutive year, coming off the most successful season of his career.  The  funny  thing  is, this will be Bobby’s first year trying it full-time.  Sweeting won two NRC races and a UCI race in 2011, despite recovering from the  rarest  form of  skin cancer known during the pre-season.  Bobby chose to tell no one and have his hand at his new found racing style . . . . and it  worked!  Sweeting won the queen stage of the Cascade Cycling Classic and the road race of the Tour of Elk Grove, where he also scored second  overall  by mere  seconds in the most exciting race of the year, where he and Amaran (Jamis) exchanged leader on the road several times before a  crash  nixed  Sweeting  chances of the overall win.  While hailing from Florida, Bobby and his wife now live in Connecticut, where he was a  promising  engineer for  Cannondale.  Satisfied his job will wait for him, he is giving a shot at a full schedule in 2012 and we expect big, big things from this time trial specialist in 2012.  Both Andreu and Thompson rated Bobby as their top target to keep during 2012 contract negotiations and were fortunate enough to prevail with many teams seeking his talents for the coming year.  Sweeting says Fabian Cancellara is his cycling idol, and it shows in his riding style!  Bobby  lists the Amgen Tour of California as his top priority for 2012 and points out he has never had the opportunity to test his metal in the U.S.’s grand event as of yet.  Sweeting is yet another arrow in the Classic and Stage Race GC quiver for KPC.

 Chad Hartley  (30, USA) came to the team in 2010 and continues to captain the team, as well as become more involved in the team’s operations.  Not only a  major talent, Hartley is a top-notch mechanic and hails from a family of cyclists and shop owners.  As well as being a top rider for the  team,  Hartley is also the team’s new service course manager and assistant sponsorship coordinator.  Chad is relied upon by most of his teammates  as true  horse power for lead-outs and chases.  Team sprint ace and go-to-guy, Luca Damiani simply will not race without him.  ”I need Chad in any  race,  he is good for me and me for him.”, says Damiani.  Hartley has ridden for many top teams, including BMC before landing here, where he has  vested  himself in the program and its vision.  Chad currently resides in Fox Point, WI and is the proud father of a new baby girl.  A sprinter in his  own  right, Chad can show versatility when needed most, as shown during the late Tour de Georgia, where he was the only domestic rider keeping pace on the major climbs of the event.  Hartley overcame a major iliac surgery to find his way back to the top of U.S. racing and seems to be gaining additional strength with each passing year.  Harltey says he is excited most for returning to racing with Damiani and the new found criterium super-team that will accompany them.  He, like most others on our program point to the Amgen Tour of California as his most desired race to participate in during 2012.

 Curtis Winsor (23, USA) hails from Harrisonburg, VA and is entering his first season with KPC as a neo-pro.  With impressive results and a  successful graphic design company, Winsor also has a promising career in cycling.  Showing most of his talent in criteriums and short “punchy”  efforts, Winsor says his favorite event is the Rutas de Amercia stage race in South America.  Curtis is most excited about learning from his director,  Frankie Andreu and racing with Luca Damiani in 2012.  Winsor aspires to someday race the Amgen Tour of California.

 Gregg Brandt (25, USA) is entering his second year as a pro and his second year with KPC.  Gregg resides in Minnesota and has proven to be a  versatile all-arounder who seems to be finding his place in big game criteriums.  His first taste of big crit life was 2011′s Athens Terrapin Twilight  Criterium,  where he and the lads rode Luca Damiani to an amazing victory over the mighty 8-man United Healthcare team for the program’s  second Athens  victory to date.  Gregg went on to play major support roles in many races, including ToAD and Gateway Cup.  Greggs most desired  race  entries in 2012 are the Cascade Cycling Classic and National Pro Road Race Championships.

  Isaac Howe (25, USA), winner of the 2010 USA Crits overall, best young rider and team competitions returns as one of the teams primary  finishers  with a speed few can match.  Despite many glitches and injuries in 2011, Howe is back to 100% and determined to notch up NRCC wins  in the  inaugural year of the national calendar category.  Born in Burlington, VT, he still calls New England home, where he now resides in New  Hampshire.  ”Isaac has proven he can beat the best, beating Cantwell more than once and being oh-so-slose to Keough as well.”, says Thompson.  Andreu also  has faith in Howe’s speed and knows it is just a matter of time before he scores the big win he has been waiting for.  You may  recognize Isaac from  the larger than life graphics that adorn the sides of the team’s trailer, and many Road Bike Action ads.  A 2010 US Pro  Crit  Championship  podium finisher who desires the stars and stripes, sites his favorite race as Terrapin Athens Twilight Criterium and aspires to one day ride the grand daddy of them all, the Tour de France.  Isaac says proudly that he looks forward to working with everyone on the team, but also says he cannot wait to see the amazing lead-out engine with the addition of John Murphy from BMC.  The program hopes Isaacs fourth  professional season will prove the most fruitful for he and the team alike.

 Jim Stemper (26, USA) returns for his third year with KPC and for his third year as a pro as well.  The Wisonsin native and winner of the 2010  Tour of America’s Dairyland overall title has developed into a dependable all-arounder early in his career, and highlights his 2011 stage 3 ToC  breakaway with then world champion, Thor Hushovd, as a day to remember.  Jim will be located in Northern California, along with four of his  teammates in 2012.  And, like many others, has his sites set on an Amgen Tour of California selection should the team find itself with an invitation  to  the event.  Stemper has a big motor and is most comfortable in long break-away attempts, which he hopes to show off in the coming season.

 John Murphy (27, USA), AKA JMurph, returns to the U.S. with massive accolades and Pro Tour experience.  The 2008 U.S. Pro Crtierium  National Champion spent the last three years with the mighty BMC team racing a heavy european racing campaign that earned him a coveted spot  on the  2011 U.S. men’s professional world championship team.  While approached by many top-tear teams, Murphy opted to contact the team’s  DS,  Frankie Andreu, early in the season in order to secure a spot on a team with growth and a solid U.S. calendar.  While John does want to race  in  europe more, he wanted to base himself and race in the states for a bit before diving back into the european calendar.  Reuniting with fellow  teammates Kilun and Milne seemed the perfect platform to take a team to Pro-Continental status and beyond, which he has done on the past.    Murph’s huge engine and uncanny ability to read a race will no doubt pay dividends and grab major results.  John enters the team as a captain and desires a berth to the Amgen Tour of California and the U.S. Pro Cycling Challenge above all other races in 2012.  John is most excited to ride under Frankie’s direction in 2012 and points to Andreu as the reason for contacting KPC first.  He lists his favorite one day target as Philly and will no doubt have a huge impact on all of these events.

 Luca Damiani (27, ITA) is the team’s only foreign rider and comes back for his third year with KPC.  Transferring from Colavita (now Jamis) in  2010, Luca came to the team as a winner of the grueling CSC invitational and a solo victor of the Iron Hill Twilight.  Luca’s most notable win,  however, came in 2011 with a masterful victory at the Athens Terrapin Twilight Criterium against the mighty United Healthcare team.  What made  the victory  sweeter for Luca and his six teammates was that it is Luca’s favorite race and one he had put in his most desired sights again, along  with the Tour  of the Battenkill, where he was fourth in 2010.  ”Luca is the go-to guy in any situation.”, said team GM, Chad Thompson.  ”He is the  smartest and  most dependable rider I know.  He relishes the break away and can handle his bike like it is a part of his body.  Damiani is simply the  most exciting  bike racer to watch and is respected by every single one of his peers.  We are glad he loves racing in the U.S. and that he is ours.”  The cagey veteran yet again sets his sites on Athens Terrapin Twilight and the Tour of the Battenkill as his most wanted races for 2012.

 Max Korus (23, USA) is a neo-pro for the 2011 season and earned his right of passage with a convincing win at the 2011 U.S. Elite National  Championship Road Race win.  A win at this event is traditionally an earned contract to the professional ranks and it the very case with Max and  his contract at KPC.  At only 23 and a solid climber and finisher, Max will aim to hone his skills under the tutelage of Gaimon, Jacques-Maynes,  Mach and  Sweeting.  Max says he is most excited to race with Phil Gaimon, his mentor and biggest advocate for his team selection.  While Korus  dreams of a ToC  selection, he has set his ambitions on the Tour of the Battenkill and adding a professional road  race championship to his resume.  It should be noted,  too, that Max was born in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, where the team’s management company is based.
 Nathan English (27, USA), a Berkley, CA resident and neo-pro for 2012 was Frankie Andreu’s first pick during the early season as a rider to  watch.  Nate impressed Andreu with consistently placing in national caliber stage races, and grabbing a GC win at Mt. Hood, to boot.  English’s  ability  lies in the race against the clock and climbing ability, making him an eventual stage race threat on the national level.  With the team’s  strong GC  presence, it should not be long before Nathan is winning many overall titles in the U.S.  Being a California resident, English focuses  solely on  racing his home state race, the Amgen Tour of California.

 Pat Lemieux (24, USA) is a second year pro hailing from Minnesota.  Entering 2011 as a a neo-pro and completing college proved a bit tough in
in the early months for Pat.  But time proved Lemieux was up to the task.  Pat got his first taste of the big leagues at the Philadelphia International  Champinship, replacing an injured rider for the event.  He rode well and completed every task asked of him.  He would later prove a great asset at  the U.S.  Pro Criterium Championship, keeping Isaac safe and being a constant aggressor and chaser for the team.  Lemieux is in his early years of  bike  racing and is eager to progress.  Pat sees Chad Hartley as the person he can learn from most on the team and desires to race Philly again,  above any  other event.
 Paul Mach (29, USA) is one of the U.S.’s top GC threats, winning Mt. Hood overall and being a top-10 contender at the brutal Tour of Utah on  more than one occasion.  Mach has been a long-time Bissell Pro Cycling rider and transfers to KPC with the hopes of completing his Masters  Degree and competing at the  highest level simultaneously.    We have seen it done before.  Mach was an easy decision for Andreu and Thompson  alike, as he is a formidable time  trialist and climber, and his addition brings increased fire power to our growing stage race roster.  Paul, being a  California  resident aspires to again race the  Amgen Tour of California, as well as the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah in 2012 and sites working with  Andreu  and Gaimon  as his draw to the program.
 Phil Gaimon (25, USA).  At 25, Phil still has a lot of growing room.  With an already quick learning curve, Gaimon is proving to be the U.S.’s  next biggest GC contender and has shown this at many major events in and out of the states.  In 2010, Gaimon was second overall by only eight  seconds at the Tour de Taiwan, claimed the Redland’s Stage Race KOM Jersey for two days and was the KPC rider with the most break-away time at  the Tour of California and many other races.  ”We hired Gaimon from Jelly Belly in 2010 knowing he would be the best GC guy in the U.S.” states  Chad Thompon, the team’s GM.  ”We still believe this and he only lacks a pure time trial ability.  He has everything else.  But, he proved at the Tour  de Beuace, with a fourth in the ITT, that he is quickly patching up that hole.  He was only beaten by Pro Tour riders.  Phil will win a stage race this  year, mark my words.”  While Phil is still the teams GC man, he has a lot of pressure off of his shoulders with Sweeting racing full-time and the addition of Jacques-Maynes, Mach, and English.  The quintet are all GC favorites and can play off of each other to keep the peloton guessing and chasing.  Gaimon has talents off the bike, too, running three companies (including Podium Legs) and writing an extremely informative and humorous column for VeloNews.  He looks most forward to racing along side of Bobby Sweeting and being yelled at by Frankie Andreu.  While he is no doubt heading to Europe in the near future, Gaimon claims his strongest desire is to be chosen for the Amgen Tour of California, along with his favorite classic race, the Tour of the Battenkill.

 Roman Kilun (30, USA) is a dual citizen and a barred attorney, in addition to being a professional cyclist.  Born in Uzbekistan and now residing  in  Oakland, CA, Roman is a pursuit specialist on the track with multiple national championship titles.  Despite his pursuit prowess, Roman can  climb  and sprint, making him one of the most well-rounded riders on the team.  Kilun came to KPC after many years under the HealthNet/Ouch  team  colors and slid right into his role as a natural leader and strong domestique immediately.  Off the bike, Roman plays a large role in team  communications and rider advocacy, as well as mediation.  Kilun says he loves working with everyone on the team, but is most excited to have the  new arrivals of English and Mach to the team.  As a Northern California resident, he repeatedly voices his excitement over his group of teammates  also located in the California Bay Area (Mach, Jacques-Maynes, English and Stemper).  Roman sees the Amgen Tour of California as his biggest goal, but also says it would be so great if the team would get a U.S. Pro Cycling Challenge berth in 2012.

  Shawn Milne (30, USA) continues his co-captain role at KPC in 2012 and beyond.  The sprint and stage race specialist has had massive  experience  on teams such as HealthNet, Navigators and TT1.  The 2007 U.S. Pro Criterium National Champion grabbed a narrow second on a  stage at the  Tour de Beuace, two top-10 finishes at the Amgen Tour of California and in all reality won a stage at the SRAM Tour of the Gila prior to  a major  error on the officials’ behalf, seeing the results changed despite many objections.  Milne is an optimistic and calm individual that often  has most riders coming to  him for  advice during race time.  Milne says he cannot wait to be back with Bobby Sweeting, Andreu and Thompson,  but sees the reunion of  himself and  John Murphy as the highlight to the 2012 roster.  ”Shawn is a natural leader and a great stage race sprinter.”,  claims Thompson.  ”Frankie wanted  him right away when he became available, and I am so glad we made it happen.  He was a major priority for us and it has paid dividends.”  Shawn wants most to be back in the Amgen Tour of California to improve upon his 2011 performance and also sees the Tour of the Battenkill as a desired event in the coming season.

 Stephen Housley (22, USA) resides and was born in Marietta, GA and is entering his first professional season as a neo-pro for 2012.  Considered a rising time trial talent, Housley prefers long road races and lead-out duties.  Perfect!  He idolizes George Hincapie’s riding style and  accomplishments and tries to emulate the same riding style.  While Stephen (AKA Nick) is fairly new to racing at his level, his most desired race is  the Tour of the Battenkill, where he thinks he can make a large contribution to the team.

2/25 – 3/4
Pre-Season Training Camp presented by WCJ Pilgrim Wire
Tucson, AZ

3/2 – 3/4
Old Pueblo Stage Race  (USA Crits)
Tucson, AZ

3/16 – 3/18
San Dimas Stage Race
San Dimas, CA

3/22 – 3/25
Redlands Bicycle Classic Stage Race (NRC)
Redlands, CA

3/30 – 4/8
Tour of Uruguay (UCI)
Uruguay, South America

4/15
Tour of the Battenkill (NRC/UCI)
Cambridge, NY

4/21
Sunny King Criterium (NRCC)
Anniston, AL

4/28
Terrapin Twilight Criterium (USA Crits)
Athens, GA

5/2 – 5/6
SRAM Tour of the Gila (NRC/UCI)
Silver City, NM

5/13 – 5/20*
Amgen Tour of California (UCI)
California, USA

5/26 – 5/28
U.S. Professional TT and RR Championships (UCI)
Greenville, SC

5/31
Base Camp International Criterium (NRCC)
Basking Ridge, NJ

6/3
Philadelphia International Championship (UCI)
Philadelphia, PA

6/9 – 6/10
U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic (NRCC)
Washington DC, USA

6/13 – 6/17
Nature Valley Grand Prix (NRC)
Minneapolis, MN

6/21 – 7/1
Tour of America’s Dairyland (NRCC)
Wisconsin, USA

7/14
Boise Twilight Criterium (NRCC)
Boise, ID

7/17 – 7/22
Cascade Cycling Classic (NRC)
Bend, OR

7/28
U.S. Professional Criterium Championship (NRCC)
Grand Rapids, MI

8/3 – 8/5
Alexian Brothers Tour of Elk Grove (NRC/UCI)
Elk Grove, IL

8/7 – 8/12*
Tour of Utah (UCI)
Utah, USA

8/20 – 8/26*
U.S. Pro Cycling Challenge (UCI)
Colorado, USA

8/26
Chris Thater Memorial Criterium (NRCC)
Binghamton, NY

9/3
Capital Criterium (USA Crit)
Washington DC, USA

9/15
Univest Grand Prix (UCI)
Souderton, PA

9/23
Mayor’s Cup Criterium (NRCC)
Boston, MA

RS:  The biopsy results came back in early November of 2010,  but it took over a month to begin treatment.

KPC:  Was it scary?  Be honest and not tough.

RS:  Of course it was scary.  I don’t think anybody could hear that they have cancer and not be terrified.  I always took for granted that I would live a long life, never once thinking that it could end tomorrow.  To think that if things hadn’t gone exactly as they did, that if I hadn’t moved to Connecticut, it would have gone undiagnosed and possibly killed me later.  That is a scary thought, for sure.

KPC:  How did the team take it when you told them, and what did you take from it?

RS:  I decided not to tell the team at first.  I didn’t want to be viewed as anything other than a rider, or for anyone to think that it had taken a negative effect on me.  I told Chad Thompson (the team’s GM) last week (November 30, 2011)  for the first time because I knew that it would eventually be released to the public in the New Yorker.  I wanted to tell him first.  Both he and Frankie wondered why I hadn’t mentioned it sooner!  But, neither was anything but concerned for me and my family.

KPC:  Did it affect your training or performance?

RS:  Fortunately neither the cancer nor the radiation treatment affected my training from a physiological standpoint.  I must say, though, that there were some very hard days where the depression got to me.  There were days where I sat in bed and did nothing but feel sorry for myself.  There weren’t many of them, but at times the whole situation made cycling seem unimportant altogether.  Once I realized that sitting in bed wasn’t going to cure me I was able to go out for the day’s training, and always felt better afterward.

KPC:  You won the final stage of Cascade.  Was that your biggest win to date?  Was it your only NRC to date?

RS:  That was my first NRC win and definitely my biggest.  The Awbrey Butte circuit is notoriously tough and I feel like I’ve raced it a hundred times at Cascade and at the national championships.  Winning that stage meant a lot to me.  It also proved I had a well rounded riding talent.  It proved to my bosses and myself that I could time trial, climb, ride tempo and sprint.  It was a great day.

KPC:  Then you won the road race stage at Elk Grove, both UCI and NRC ranked.  Did that become your biggest win?  How did you overcome the last minute crash with less than 10K remaining?  You pulled it off!  Did Frankie play a role?

RS:  I think on paper the Elk Grove win is bigger, but I believe the Cascade stage win means more to me.  The Elk Grove road race was tactically very tough but it doesn’t compare to how selective the Awbrey Butte circuit is.  The team put me in a position to win the overall during the final day’s circuit and I was leading on the road for a while.  To a lot of fans, that was the most dramatic day of racing in the US.  Amaran led, then I led, then we were tied.  So exciting.  Unfortunately the skies opened up with a few laps to go and all tactics went out the window once the crashes started.  I played it safe in the corners but didn’t expect a pile up on the straight away with one lap to go.  I had quite a few teammates around me when I got back on my bike and that was obviously a huge help.  Then Frankie was there straight away to keep me relaxed and focused while chasing, which was a huge help.  I’m not sure if I’ve ever ridden quite as hard as I did during the final 3k, but watching the clock when I reached the line to see that I had kept 2nd overall was a great feeling.  I could not have done it without my team or such a great director.

KPC:  This was your 5th pro season, but first with KPC.  Did you like it?  If so, what do you like about it?

RS:   I’ve been on quite a few teams with some great riders, but what stood out to me was the leadership roles that the veteran riders took on.  The road captains (Hartley, Day and Milne) took control in the races and it really kept things fluid and organized.  Everyone knew how we were going to win each race that we entered and knew that we could trust the experience of our director and veteran riders.  That level of trust is important for any team and I definitely feel it here at Kenda/5-Hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder.

KPC:  Are you excited to come back?

RS:  I’m more motivated for 2012 than I’ve ever been.  After five years as a pro, I’ve never had the chance to race full time, and Kenda/5-Hour Energy is allowing me to do that next year.  I’m planning on improving myself immensely and am already anxious to start racing.

KPC:  What are your goals for 2012, realistically and seriously?

RS:  My biggest goals are to win NRC and UCI races such as Battenkill, Nature Valley, Elk Grove, and some individual stages that suit me at bigger stage races.  I am also working towards the Tour of California and know that the team we’ve built for 2012 will have a very strong showing there.  All of our fingers are crossed for the nod and invitation to attend the event.

KPC:  Where do you see the team in June of 2012 and June of 2013?

RS:  We have much more depth on the team for 2012 and I think that will allow us to split up and win a lot of races.  Being able to field two strong squads at a time should put us very high in the NRC rankings come June, I hope.  In 2013 I believe this team will have a much stronger international presence.  A strong European and Asian schedule is important for the progression of the team and I think that’s certainly the direction we’re heading.

KPC:  When will you start training again?

RS:  I took my time off in October as I always do and starting my winter program in early November.  The strength and endurance work is definitely in full swing right now.  I feel great!

KPC:  What is the race on US soil you want to do the most?

RS:  I think every US rider, myself included, sees the Tour of California as the biggest race in the country.  The USA Pro Cycling Challenge and Tour of Utah are at the top of this list as well, but California is a special race for me and for the team and is at the top of our wish list.

Be sure to follow Robert “Bobby” Sweeting all year long, as we are all sure of even more success for him during his first true full year of professional racing.  Good luck, Bobby, and congratulations on beating one of the rarest cancers known to man.  You are a true depiction of strength, courage and selflessness.  KPC is lucky and proud to have you back.

     
Murphy arrives from BMC                    AJM – Credit Podium Insight

The team received a series of good news in the early months of 2011, starting with the announcement of an Amgen Tour of California berth, a long sought after goal for the program.  Shortly after, the team was able to capitalize on the unfortunate demise of the Pegasus ProTour project by hiring the 2010 US Stage Racer of the Year, Australian Ben Day.  Following the previous series of events, corporate energy supplement giant, 5-Hour Energy, signed on as the team’s co-sponsor, allowing for a broadened race schedule for its athletes.

KPC came out of the gates swinging with an immediate win and record breaking three-peat victory performance at the season’s warm-up, San Dimas Stage Race.  ”It was a new feeling for the team to be defending a jersey,” states Frankie Andreu, the team’s director. “We have had jerseys, but never the team to defend it.  We have always been a criterium based team, and defending an important jersey, let alone the yellow one, was new.”  The team functioned flawlessly and controlled the peloton to deliver Inferno Racing and its UCI team its first national caliber stage race win to add to its previous jerseys and UCI world track championships.  The following week, Luca Damiani stole the crown US criterium jewel from under the mighty UHC’s (United Healthcare Pro Cycling Team) feet with a masterful and well-deserved Terrapin Athens Twilight Criterium victory, lending credence to the media’s predicton of KPC moving from a small pro team to the top-3 domestic team tier.  Despite a mid-season lull marred by crashes, injury and illness, starting at ToC and plaguing the team through the early summer, the team again elevated its performance with solid performances at ToAD (Tour of America’s Dairyland), Tour de Beauce, Gateway Cup, Alexian Brothers’ Tour of Elk Grove and the Cascade Cycling Classic.  Phil Gaimon would prove to be the GC hopeful he was hired for, and Bobby Sweeting had a break-out year winning the final stage of Cascade (NRC) and the queen stage of the Tour of Elk Grove (UCI).

     
Mach – Credit Podium Insight               Both Damiani & Hartley return

“We had a great year, despite the many challenges of a pro team,” says founder and general manager, Chad Thompson.  ”We have experienced numerous positives, as well as some negatives that plague many other teams, such as non-paying sponsors, illness, bad crashes, and staff changes.  But these guys and this program are amazing.  Seriously amazing.  We have taken a don’t-look-back approach to the program and aim to improve and escalate our program’s focus and talent each year. We have definitely done that for 2012 in order to capture the major race organizers’ attention (ToC, Utah and Colorado).  Let’s hope it works.”

Will it work?  The team has kept its major veteran horsepower in Shawn Milne and Chad Hartley, as well as retained its Athens Twilight winner, Luca Damiani.  The team’s GC star, Phil Gaimon, returns for year three, and Bobby Sweeting will be back on board to try his hand at professional racing on a full-time basis.  Sprinter Isaac Howe and 2010 ToAD winner Jim Stemper remain too.

The team bolsters the talent by bringing in the 2008 US Pro Criterium Champion, John Murphy (BMC Cycling team); Bissell’s long-time GC threat and Time Trial specialist, Paul Mach; and the newly crowned US Elite National Road Race Champion, Max Korus (BikeReg.com).  KPC aimed to continue strengthening its GC contender pool, hired amateur stage race sensation, Nathan English (Yahoo Cycling Team), and brought on one of the biggest names in US cycling, Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) to fortify the GC roster and race-against-the-clock talent.

     
English is a Neo-Pro                              Korus is a Neo-Pro too

Thompson says, “We are and always have been a top-tier criterium team, winning major criteriums both during our amateur days and in our current UCI format.  We found ourselves as a true GC contender this year and now aim to solidify our role as such and assure we go to all of the major US races, but the Amgen Tour of California above any other is our goal.  We believe with the large group of California resident GC men (English, Jacques-Maynes, Mach, and Kilun), our ProTour talent (Murphy) and list of proven national winners, that we deserve a spot in these events, as we know we can contend against the best in the world.  We are hoping we are fortunate enough to get the invitations to do so for our sponsors and our riders alike, and get the chance to prove we have yet again taken our team up a notch.

Returning members:  Robert (Bobby) Sweeting, Chad Hartley, Greggory (Gregg) Brandt, Isaac Howe, Jim (James) Stemper, Luca Damiani, Patrick Lemieux, Philip (Phil) Gaimon, Roman Kilun, Shawn Milne.

New members: Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell), Curtis Winsor (Neo-Pro), John Murphy (BMC), Max Korus (Neo-Pro), Nathan (Nate) English, Paul Mach (Bissell), Stephen (Nick) Housley (Neo-Pro).

Phil Gaimon up to his normal shenanigans.

The temperature and humidity were nearly unbearable for everyone competing, including our very own KPC riders.  Luckily, our DS extraordinaire Frankie Andreu provided enough water for the guys to complete there task, which not many could state after the day was done.  With a high-caliber field and legs wanting a post-season rest, the action started quickly with the day’s winning move going almost immediately.  KPC’s star finisher and winner of Athens Twilight, Luca Damiani, was responsive and made this first selection.  Although tough climbs remained ahead, KPC was content to allow the other big teams work to catch the strong group with their star already in the front.  It would never happen, as the group reached a 12 minute gap with Carlos Barredo pushing the tempo and pain threshold of every rider with each incline.  Even the strongest World Tour riders were succumbing to the conditions and pace.

The guys head out for some final season miles in beautiful Taiwan.

Carlos Barredo’s relentless up-hill attacking took its toll on our sprinter, Damiani, but his tenacity and hair-raising descending abilities kept him in contact with the lead group until the finale, where he finished a respectable and well earned 8th place on the day.  Isaac Howe and Chris Monteleone, both represented KPC in a variety of moves and chase attempts, and each finished off their respective groups by winning the sprint finishes.

We wish the best of luck to our 3-year veteran, Chris Monteleone, who is moving to Mtn. Khakis/Smartshop Pro Cycling Team in 2012 and thank him for his years of professionalism and stellar riding capabilities.  We thank the rest of our team that attended the Taiwan Cup for visiting and competing in our sponsor’s homeland.  We cannot wait to return for a win in 2012!

Bobby’s Stage 2 podium.  We like big check and we cannot lie . . .

This time, after several dangerous break aways and reshuffling during stage 2, the mighty United Health Care had missed a small break that turned into bad news for them.  As the day wore, the numbers dwindled, and only Amaran (Jamis) and Sweeting would remain in the lead break with several splintered chases behind.  The nearest chase group was over 1:30 behind and the peloton had all but given up, finishing an astounding 12:09 behind the winning duo, with no one willing to help UHC and race leader, Karl Menzies.  Amaran and Sweeting would come out of the final corner with no other contenders in sight and Sweeting out-sprinted the tired Jamis rider for a glorious victory in front of huge crowds.  Amaran’s effort was not in vein, as he was the virtual leader on the road and had to do the work to get the coveted yellow jersey.  Bobby’s sprint to victory would catapult him into second overall on GC behind Amaran by a scant three seconds going into the final stage.

Milne peels off as Hartley drives the lead out for Bobby’s time bonus.

The plan was simple and we believed we had the stronger team team among the two overall contenders entering the last stage.  Bobby would strike first, winning a critical time bonus and actually creating a tie for victory on the road.  How much more exciting can racing be?  Well, Amaran raised the bar on the next bonus sprint, again placing mere seconds between he and Bobby for the overall grand prize.  Enter bad weather and bad luck.  A torrential downpour created tough racing and dangerous conditions in the closing kilometers of the stage and UHC had set up the all too familiar blue train to salvage their tour with bookend wins.  The speed, high winds and drenched pavement created a massive pile-up with only six kilometers remaining, and Sweeting would be stuck right in the middle, along with all of his teammates, while Amaran escaped the tangled mess unscathed.

This incident almost ruined our day and the race for KPC.  6K to go.

All but defeated, Bobby found himself now out of the top five podium placings at nearly two minutes behind the peloton before even getting a functioning bike under his legs.  The chase was on.  How much time can the average pro close in the final six kilometers with UHC’s train at full speed?  Many would have not even tried and surrendered to Murphy’s Law on the spot.  Bobby’s team would rally and he rode with an anger that closed the gap to only thirty four seconds from UHC’s winner, Hilton Clark.  Amazing!  The effort left him breathless and near collapse, but also saved his second position in the overall general classification, and made him the talk of the race organizers, fans and cycling media.  The mayor of Elk Grove and the race promoter called him the race’s toughest rider and announcers could not get enough of the KPC sensation.  Bobby had this to say “I owe it all to my amazing team.  The guys were awesome all weekend, every one of them.  Without them or Frankie giving me direction, I could not have done this.  What a great result for us!”  Congrats Bobby and everyone on the Tour of Elk Grove roster.  Here’s to a job well done.

Gaimon has steadily improved his stage racing talents over the years, and is proving to be becoming a top contender.  While he has impressive results in multi-stage, including runner-up at the 2010 Tour de Taiwan (UCI) and 6th overall at this year’s Tour de Beauce (UCI), he has steadily been focusing on the tools to be a repeating podium contender whenever he competes.  Phil would use his natural climbing ability to grab two top-ten finishes and a 14th in the ITT with his much-imporved race against the clock skills to grab 8th overall at Cascade.

Gaddy showing battle wounds.

The team would face some of it’s famous bad luck, too.  Spencer Gaddy, who has suffered two broken elbows and sat out most of the 2011 season as a neo-pro, would get caught up in a crash on stage 1 and be struck in the head.  The blow was hard enough to fracture his helmet and cause confusion to Gaddy.  Nonetheless, determined to show he belongs at this level, he would fight his way back to the peloton and finish, despite initially being over ten minutes down.  The team doctor was hesitant to allow him to start the next day’s ITT, but was convinced by Spencer to get the nod to start.  He would suffer dizziness, headache, lack of power and nausea and end up with a major concussion diagnosis after failing the IMPACT test following the stage.  As a result, at the doctor’s request, Spencer withdrew from the stage race after stage 2.  He is slated to race again at Charlotte if symptom free.

Gaimon excels in the mountains.

Apart from GC success, first year KPC rider, Bobby Sweeting, would emerge victorious on the final stage, capping a great week for the team with a crazy win.  Bobby selected the right move and found himself in the final stage’s successful break away with the majority of riders being from Chipotle Development.  Along with Michael Creed (KBS), Sweeting allowed the young squad to throw everything at the race while they attempted to unseat Mancebo from yellow, allowing the need to work hard in the break fall by the wayside.  The extra rest was all Bobby needed to launch a late attack with 3Km remaining in the race.  Sweeting attacked at a confusing time as the break caught the tail end of the women’s caravan.  There was no stopping Sweeting, though, who use his time trial prowess and nerve in the caravan to extend his gap to thirteen seconds over his nearest chaser.  Bobby proudly rolled in for a solo win in KPC colors, but had to post up while in the middle of the women’s field.  We’ll take it!  Congrats to Bobby and the entire KPC team at Cascade for a race well ridden.  Off to Charlotte!

“ToAD is gaining major traction in the US, despite going head-to-head with the UCI Tour de Beuace in Canada and the NRC ranked Nature Valley Grand Prix.” Says Thompson, the teams GM.  ”You see it in the quality and field size increase each consecutive year.  The prize purse and race load become a bigger attraction than once important NRC or UCI points.”  The opinion is echoed by team captain, Chad Hartley, who said “Man, I love this race.  I was lucky enough to win it in 2009, and it reignited my career after a major surgery.  I always look forward to racing ToAD and after grabbing the win for Jim (Stemper) last year and being runner-up, anything else would be a bummer.”

Isaac struck first with a win.

KPC would opt for the prestigious UCI Tour de Beauce – ToAD double, and skip the NRC NVGP event.  While the team was having good success at Tour de Beuace, Chad Hartley would captain an ever changing roster throughout the 2011 event, due to Luca Damiani leaving early for a trip home to Italy, illness striking Weiss and Godsey, and many of the team’s strongmen being at the Beauce race.  Nonetheless, the team would come out swinging and poise themselves for a seemingly easy victory.

Isaac Howe struck first at Shorewood (stage 1) with a photo-finish victory over V Australia’s Jonny Cantwell, catapulting the team into the top spot in the overall and team competitions.  Day 2 found the team with a back-to-back victory and Chad Hartley grabbing the win.  From there the team had a string of successful performances in all events, including a 5th place from former team veteran, Jonny Sundt in the individual time trial.  The team had a succession of ill timed bad luck as well, with Isaac Howe crashing on the final lap of two consecutive races, knocking him out of the overall picture.  Hartley would have to scramble for damage control to catch the hard charging Aerocat, but fell only points shy after an impressive effort.  Hartley and the team would grab runner-up in both competitions.

Hartley repeated team success.

“We could not be more proud of the guys.” stated Thompson.  ”They started off showing the true colors of Kenda/5-hour Energy Pro Cycling presented by Geargrinder and our true form.  But, we can never seem to completely dodge bad luck.  Once Howe was knocked out, Hartley and the guys did their best to make up the points and claim another win, but it was not in the cards.  2nd in each category after winning for two straight years is nothing to shake a stick at and speaks volumes for their integrity.  They made our team and all of its sponsors proud, especially our road captain, Hartley.  Kudos.”

Stage 1 saw a massive break-away go early and it contained all of the race’s GC contenders, including Ben Day, Phil Gaimon and Bobby Sweeting from KPC. The break would gain a twenty two minute advantage on the main peloton by day’s end. KPC would place both Gaimon and Day within striking distance of the lead and virtually unreachable by the bulk of the race’s attendees. Day two was full of action as well, where a field sprint was decided only by a tire. Shawn Milne would take second on the stage and grab his first major UCI podium appearance of the year. Stage 3 was to be the queen stage with a brutal mountain top finish and seemed tailored for both Gaimon and Day. Day, still recovering from illness is yet to be at 100%, and set Phil on his way to take over GC hopes. Gaimon would climb his way up the GC to ninth by the stage’s conclusion and entered the Stage 4 Time Trial with hopes of getting into the top five. Stage 4′s Individual Time Trial would prove to be Phil Gaimon’s best ever, earning fourth on the stage and being beaten only by three others, all of World Tour caliber. The impressive ride against the clock earned Phil a climb to fifth overall on GC and also put Kenda/5-Hour Energy Pro Cycling atop the Team Classification.

With the bulk of the GC contenders trying to rest during Stage 5, KPC’s own Rytlewski and former teammate, Rob Bush (Chipotle Development) would initiate a six man move that would make it to the end. After pulling the lion’s share of the workload along with Bush, Jake grabbed fifth place (and Bush would be the victor) and added some space in the Team Classification for KPC. Stage 6, the finale, proved brutal for the entire field. Only fifty one of the one hundred fifty entrants would see the finish, with Gaimon finishing the deathly circuit race in fifteenth, along side his teammates Day, Sweeting and Rytlewski. Svein Tuft would slip by Gaimon on the GC by two seconds after picking up a time bonus on the second circuit. The time bonuses also had KPC lose the grasp on the Team Classification by the race’s conclusion. Phil Gaimon would end the event in sixth place overall, an impressive result for a rising stage race talent. Ben Day is consistently improving during his recovery and would finish with his teammate, Sweeting in the top twenty overall.

“The team rode an amazing race.” said DS, Frankie Andreu. “We knew Ben was still a bit off and still within recovery mode, but he had an awesome Stage 1 performance. We planned ahead thoug,h and did not have all our eggs in one basket. Once Day knew he was not yet 100%, he gave Phil the green light and Phil capitalized on it. I am happy with the daily and overall performance here.”

The team’s next stage race will be the BMC Cascade Cycling Classic, a NRC stage race contended in mountainous Bend, Oregon. The Cascade Classic Roster is Ben Day, Bobby Sweeting, Isaac Howe, Jim Stemper, Phil Gaimon, Roman Kilun, Shawn Milne and Spencer Gaddy, who is returning from his second elbow separation of the season at the event.