USA Pro Challenge 19-25 August 2013 **spoilers**

[smutchin]

http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/

Kicks off in Aspen today with a 66mile stage - 3 laps of a 22mile circuit, with over 3000ft of climbing per lap.

Ouch.

Live from 9pm on British Eurosport 1.

 

[smutchin]

Tejay and Tommy D look like the main contenders.

Froome and Porte will be there - to ride as domestiques for Dombrowski!

http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/08/news/favorites-look-ahead-to-usa-pro-challenge_299480

 

[thom]

Twitter reports of Sagan winning the first stage with a wheelie fast sprint

 

[Strathlubnaig]

And Andy Schleck comes in at M.T. good effort.

 

[ColinJ]

Looks lovely out there, but the altitude must take some getting used to!

 

[thom]

Looks lovely out there, but the altitude must take some getting used to!

Yes and when you do get used to it the cycling is great, particularly mtb. The road cycling routes are perhaps less varied than you might think although they are spectacular. I think this is because the mountains are so big, people aren't dispersed in houses through them as much as the Alps say, so there aren't so many surfaced roads going off the main connecting roads.

 

[smutchin]

Looks lovely out there, but the altitude must take some getting used to!

It gave Joe Dombrowski a nosebleed!

Sagan won quite comfortably, really. The stage was made for him. Good effort by GVA for second, but it was a one-horse race.

By the way, how flipping tall is Ian Burnett?

 

[ColinJ]

By the way, how flipping tall is Ian Burnett?

Height 6' 4" (1.93 m), weight 180 lbs or 12 st 12 lbs (81.5 kg)!

 

[smutchin]

Height 6' 4" (1.93 m), weight 180 lbs or 12 st 12 lbs (81.5 kg)!

So, about the same as Taylor Phinney - slightly shorter, in fact... I thought he looked bigger but perhaps it's just that his two fellow breakaway riders yesterday were especially small.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Shame they can't show the Independence pass. All the riders were down the other side by the time the coverage starts.
Pete Kennaugh was one of four who climbed off apparently.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

It looks like Sky have decided to go for stage wins. Froome for a stab at the TT and Josh Edmonsen out on one of his mad breakaways. 33 miles to go, almost 5 minutes ahead of the peloton.

EDIT: But Jens has gone ahead, Josh can't catch him. Though there's always the Rabbit's Ear Pass ahead....

 

[Noodley]

Sagan gets it, great to see that nobber Voigt getting caught.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Sagan gets it, great to see that nobber Voigt getting caught.

Yeah, but he did do the hope against hope bit to animate the final miles.

 

[Noodley]

Yeah, but he did do the hope against hope bit to animate the final miles.

Yeh, one trick pony Jensie...animates those stages does good old Jensie.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Yeh, one trick pony Jensie...animates those stages does good old Jensie.

That's no way to talk about a senior cycling citizen!