Anderson second in USA Pro Challenge finale

Canada’s Ryan Anderson (Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies) secured a second place in the Stage 7 finale at the USA Pro Challenge in Denver, on Sunday. Sprint sensation Peter Sagan (Cannondale) won making it his fourth stage win of the seven-day race. Alessandro Bazzana (UnitedHealthcare) place third on the day.

Tejay van Garderen (BMC) wrapped up the stage race with an overall win ahead of his teammate Mathias Frank and Tom Danielson (Garmin-Sharp).

The seventh stage was a 117-km circuit race held through the streets of Denver. It was a relatively flat course, compared to the previous six stages through the Rocky Mountains. The peloton completed seven laps of a 15-km loop. An early breakaway of seven riders stayed off the front for most of the race but was reeled back in by the field on the last lap.

Sagan’s Cannondale teammates assumed control of the lead-out trains with some opposition coming from teams UnitedHealthcare, BMC, Argos-Shimano and Jelly Belly presented by Kenda.

Anderson relied on his Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies team to help him stay near the front of the peloton. He then tucked himself inside the top-10 group of riders until the last corner with 300 m to go. Coming out of the corner, he was the first to launch a sprint and nearly held off the charging field led by Sagan, who over took him at the finish line.