Ben King wins Pro Road Race National Championship
Ben King crosses the line for the solo victory in downtown Greenville.
“We were going pretty hard at the beginning there,” said King. “Once I was solo I had nine minutes; I was thinking about a lot of motivators. I was praying pretty hard after Paris Mountain and my prayers got answered.”
Alex Candelario (Reno, Nev./Kelly Benefit Strategies) and Kiel Reijnen (Boulder, Colo./Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) outsprinted the 12-man chase group 1:34 minutes later to grab the silver and bronze medals respectively.
“I couldn’t believe how slow we were going on the first lap,” said Reijnen. “The fact that Ben King had the Trek-Livestrong colors on I think guys thought the RadioShack team would help with that chase. When one big, strong team isn’t motivated it really demotivates the field. (The finishing circuits) were awesome. Coming through that start/finish line you could hear the roar. Greenville is a great place for nationals.”
King, the current USA Cycling U23 Road Race National Champion, and his breakaway companions Daniel Holloway (Morgan Hill, Calif./Bissell) and Scott Zwizanski (Mill Valley, Calif./Kelly Benefit Strategies) took off in the first of three, eight-mile opening circuits around downtown Greenville. With the peloton content to let the youngsters go so early in the nearly five-hour contest, the trio continued to build the gap to more than 15 minutes mid-way through the race.
It wasn’t until the third of four, 22-mile laps up and around Paris Mountain that the USA Cycling Professional Criterium National Champion Holloway and Zwizanski began to fall off the pace. King, fresh off the Tour of the Future with USA Cycling’s National Development Program, continued solo up the long climb with the powerful peloton bearing down.
Heading into the closing downtown circuits a lead group of around 22 riders, including yesterday’s time trial national champion Taylor Phinney (Boulder, Colo./Trek-Livestrong), reigning road race national champion and hometown favorite George Hincapie (Greenville, S.C./BMC) and former Tour de France stage winner Levi Leipheimer (Santa Rosa, Calif./RadioShack) mobilized and moved inside three minutes of King. Familiar with the art of staying away, King, who won the USA Cycling U23 Road Race National Championship earlier this summer and the 2007 USA Cycling Juniors Road Race National Championship in similar fashion, dug deep to hold off the advance in the final 12-kilometers.
"L ‘Avenir (Tour of the Future) had everything to do with it,” explained King. “I was riding the front every single day. That’s what I think I’m good at - doing the dirty work."
King is the youngest athlete in the event’s 25-year history to win the professional road race national title. King's road race and Phinney's time trial win serve as a testament to the future of American cycling and USA Cycling's National Development Programs.
Zwizanski, Reijnen and King push hard out front.
Thousands of fans lined the course for the finish as well as all of the day’s festivities, including 750 charity riders participating in the Stars-and-Stripes Challenge, more than 150 in the kid’s race and dozens contesting the U.S. Handcycling Series criterium.
Following the race USA Cycling announced plans to return the event to the City of Greenville for the next two years.
“We as an organization are committed to finding the best course and best conditions for the riders,” stated USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson. “The riders like it and community support has been remarkable. (Greenville provides a) world-class course with high-quality event management and a wonderful community spirit.”
Visit USA Cycling’s photo gallery to view photos from the event. Photos courtesy USA Cycling/Casey B. Gibson.
Read Ben King's first-hand account of his winning ride.
Read Ben King's first-hand account of his winning ride.
USA Cycling Professional Road Race National Championship RESULTS
Greenville, S.C.
Sept. 19, 2010
|
Place
|
First
|
Last
|
Time
|
Team
|
|
1
|
Benjamin
|
KING
|
4:44:56.9
|
Trek Livestrong
|
|
2
|
Alex
|
CANDELARIO
|
4:46:30.9
|
Kelly Benefit Strategies
|
|
3
|
Kiel
|
REIJNEN
|
4:46:31.0
|
Jelly Belly presented by Kenda
|
|
4
|
Christopher
|
HORNER
|
4:46:31.2
|
RadioShack
|
|
5
|
George
|
HINCAPIE
|
4:46:31.3
|
BMC
|
|
6
|
Shawn
|
MILNE
|
4:46:31.7
|
Team Type 1
|
|
7
|
Matthew
|
BUSCHE
|
4:46:31.9
|
RadioShack
|
|
8
|
Taylor
|
PHINNEY
|
4:46:32.8
|
Trek Livestrong
|
|
9
|
Andy
|
GUPTILL
|
4:46:35.2
|
Jamis/SutterHome presented by C
|
|
10
|
Craig
|
LEWIS
|
4:46:35.2
|
Columbia High Road
|
|
11
|
Lucas
|
EUSER
|
4:46:35.2
|
SpiderTech presented by Planet
|
|
12
|
Jacob
|
RYTLEWSKI
|
4:46:35.5
|
Kenda presented by Geargrinder
|
|
13
|
Scott
|
STEWART
|
4:46:35.5
|
Team Type 1
|
|
14
|
Brent
|
BOOKWALTER
|
4:46:35.9
|
BMC
|
|
15
|
Chris
|
BALDWIN
|
4:46:36.0
|
UnitedHealthcare presented by M
|
|
16
|
Maxim
|
JENKINS
|
4:46:36.1
|
UnitedHealthcare presented by M
|
|
17
|
Neil
|
SHIRLEY
|
4:46:36.2
|
Kelly Benefit Strategies
|
|
18
|
Jason
|
MCCARTNEY
|
4:46:36.5
|
RadioShack
|
|
19
|
Andrew
|
TALANSKY
|
4:46:36.5
|
Garmin Slipstream
|
|
20
|
Levi
|
LEIPHEIMER
|
4:46:37.0
|
RadioShack
|
|
21
|
Carter
|
JONES
|
4:46:37.4
|
Jelly Belly presented by Kenda
|
|
22
|
Christopher
|
BUTLER
|
4:46:37.7
|
BMC
|
|
23
|
Chris
|
JONES
|
4:46:50.4
|
Team Type 1
|
|
24
|
Timothy
|
DUGGAN
|
4:49:33.9
|
Garmin Slipstream
|
|
25
|
Oscar
|
CLARK
|
4:53:06.3
|
Mountain Khakis fueled by Jitte
|
|
26
|
Tim
|
FARNHAM
|
4:53:10.3
|
Adageo Energy
|
|
27
|
Joey
|
ROSSKOPF
|
4:53:10.6
|
Mountain Khakis fueled by Jitte
|
|
28
|
MAYNES Andy
|
JACQUES
|
4:53:12.4
|
Bissell Pro Cycling
|
|
29
|
Ted
|
KING
|
4:53:12.5
|
Cervelo
|
|
30
|
Tyler
|
WREN
|
4:53:12.6
|
Jamis/SutterHome presented by C
|
|
31
|
Adrian
|
HEGEVARY
|
4:53:13.6
|
UnitedHealthcare presented by M
|
|
32
|
Frank
|
PIPP
|
4:53:13.6
|
Bissell Pro Cycling
|
|
33
|
Paul
|
MACH
|
4:53:59.4
|
Bissell Pro Cycling
|
|
34
|
Philip
|
GAIMON
|
4:53:59.5
|
Kenda presented by Geargrinder
|
|
35
|
Matthew
|
COOKE
|
4:53:59.5
|
Mountain Khakis fueled by Jitte
|
|
36
|
Jesse
|
ANTHONY
|
4:55:22.1
|
Kelly Benefit Strategies
|
|
37
|
James
|
DRISCOLL
|
4:57:02.9
|
Jamis/SutterHome presented by C
|
|
38
|
Bradley
|
WHITE
|
4:57:02.9
|
UnitedHealthcare presented by M
|
|
39
|
Jeffry
|
LOUDER
|
4:57:02.9
|
BMC
|
|
40
|
Phil
|
ZAJICEK
|
4:57:03.0
|
Fly V Australia
|
|
41
|
Peter
|
STETINA
|
4:58:58.0
|
Garmin Slipstream
|
|
42
|
Morgan
|
SCHMITT
|
4:58:58.0
|
UnitedHealthcare presented by M
|
|
43
|
Ian
|
BOSWELL
|
4:58:58.0
|
Bissell Pro Cycling
|
|
44
|
Jeremy
|
POWERS
|
4:58:58.0
|
Jelly Belly presented by Kenda
|
|
DNF
|
Chad
|
BEYER
|
|
BMC
|
|
DNF
|
Bjorn
|
SELANDER
|
|
RadioShack
|
|
DNF
|
Steven
|
COZZA
|
|
Garmin Slipstream
|
|
DNF
|
Caleb
|
FAIRLY
|
|
Garmin Slipstream
|
|
DNF
|
Danny
|
PATE
|
|
Garmin Slipstream
|
|
DNF
|
Daniel
|
HOLLOWAY
|
|
Bissell Pro Cycling
|
|
DNF
|
MAYNES Ben
|
JACQUES
|
|
Bissell Pro Cycling
|
|
DNF
|
REILLY Cody
|
O
|
|
Bissell Pro Cycling
|
|
DNF
|
Kyle
|
WAMSLEY
|
|
Bissell Pro Cycling
|
|
DNF
|
David
|
WILLIAMS
|
|
Bissell Pro Cycling
|
|
DNF
|
Nicholas
|
FREY
|
|
Jamis/SutterHome presented by C
|
|
DNF
|
John
|
SIMES
|
|
Jamis/SutterHome presented by C
|
|
DNF
|
Frank
|
TRAVIESO
|
|
Jamis/SutterHome presented by C
|
|
DNF
|
Sergio
|
HERNANDEZ
|
|
Jelly Belly presented by Kenda
|
|
DNF
|
Brad
|
HUFF
|
|
Jelly Belly presented by Kenda
|
|
DNF
|
Sean
|
MAZICH
|
|
Jelly Belly presented by Kenda
|
|
DNF
|
ULDEN Bernard
|
VAN
|
|
Jelly Belly presented by Kenda
|
|
DNF
|
Dan
|
BOWMAN
|
|
Kelly Benefit Strategies
|
|
DNF
|
Guy
|
EAST
|
|
Kelly Benefit Strategies
|
|
DNF
|
Reid
|
MUMFORD
|
|
Kelly Benefit Strategies
|
|
DNF
|
Scott
|
ZWIZANSKI
|
|
Kelly Benefit Strategies
|
|
DNF
|
Robert
|
BUSH
|
|
Kenda presented by Geargrinder
|
|
DNF
|
Chris
|
MONTELEONE
|
|
Kenda presented by Geargrinder
|
|
DNF
|
Nicholas
|
WAITE
|
|
Kenda presented by Geargrinder
|
|
DNF
|
Scottie
|
WEISS
|
|
Kenda presented by Geargrinder
|
|
DNF
|
Andrew
|
BAKER
|
|
Mountain Khakis fueled by Jitte
|
|
DNF
|
Thomas
|
BROWN
|
|
Mountain Khakis fueled by Jitte
|
|
DNF
|
Mark
|
HEKMAN
|
|
Mountain Khakis fueled by Jitte
|
|
DNF
|
William
|
HOFFARTH
|
|
Mountain Khakis fueled by Jitte
|
|
DNF
|
Eric
|
SCHILDGE
|
|
Mountain Khakis fueled by Jitte
|
|
DNF
|
Scott
|
TIETZEL
|
|
Mountain Khakis fueled by Jitte
|
|
DNF
|
Alex
|
BOWDEN
|
|
Team Type 1
|
|
DNF
|
William
|
DUGAN
|
|
Team Type 1
|
|
DNF
|
Ken
|
HANSON
|
|
Team Type 1
|
|
DNF
|
Eric
|
BENNETT
|
|
Adageo Energy
|
|
DNF
|
Adam
|
CARR
|
|
Adageo Energy
|
Find more information on the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships on the event’s official web site at www.usacyclingchampionships.com.
This Article Published September 19, 2010 For more information contact:
