Home > News

Lizzie Armitstead and Carlos Barbero win Philadelphia International Cycling Classic

Can Lizzie Deignan (née Armitstead) repeat?
June 7, 2015
Share on SMS

Brit Lizzie Armitstead (Boels-Dolmans) and Spaniard Carlos Barbero (Caja Rural) triumphed in Sunday’s Philadelphia International Cycling Classic, with Armitstead taking over the lead of the UCI Women’s World Cup. Canadian Michael Woods of Optum came runner-up to Barbero and Canadians took the mountains classifications of both races.

The men rolled nine-laps of 19.2-km in the UCI 1.2-rated event, while the World Cup women’s race was six-laps. Each lap finished on the Manayunk Wall, a steep, short Spring Classics-style climb with a maximum grade of 17%.

Early in the men’s race, a 33-rider break scuttled away but Team Smartstop pulled it back on the second haul up Manayunk Wall. The early laps were restless ones, as moves formed and reformed. Canadian squads Silber and H&R Block were very active in the breaks and bridges. Canadian Adam de Vos of H&R Block’s efforts garnered him the King of the Mountain crown.

One rider who was very committed was Robin Carpenter (USA/Hincapie), often in the lead moves. Carpenter and teammate Tyler Magner were first over the sixth passage of Manayunk. United HealthCare worked to run down the duo. Carpenter crested alone on the seventh passage.

Three reinforcements arrived for Carpenter, one of whom was a teammate. Silber and Amore & Vita were represented as well. Jamis-Sutter Homes joined United HealthCare in the pace-making. By the final lap the breakaway was a fourteen riders, including Canadians Guillaume Boivin and Michael Woods of Optum, Ryan Roth and Matteo Dal Cin of Silber and 2013 Vuelta a España champion Chris Horner (Airgas-Safeway).

Dal Cin fell off the back on Lemon Hill. Horner’s teammate Connor McCutcheon bolted on his breakmates but was reabsorbed with 4-km remaining. After good work from Boivin, Woods led up Manayunk Hill, but Cuesta Barbero flew around the Canadian before the line and had time to celebrate. Toms Skujinš (Latvia/Hincapie) rounded out the podium.

The women’s Philadelphia International Cycling Classic was updated to UCI World Cup status for 2015, 14-years after the Liberty Classic was part of the competition schedule. American Evelyn Stevens of Boels-Dolmans won the last two editions, while Rabo-Liv’s Anna van der Breggen (The Netherlands) led the World Cup. However, Rabo-Liv, and the next two women in the WC standings, weren’t in attendance.

Twenty 16 presented by Sho-Air and Velocio-SRAM worked at the front of the peloton Dalia Muccioli (Italy/Ale Cipollini) was reeled in late. Canadian Jasmin Glaesser (Optum) had been out in the break all day, cresting Lemon Hill first on laps one to three to take the mountain classification. She took home a crown engraved with a profile of the Wall.

The teams all tried to deliver their favourites to the foot of the Wall. Brianna Walle (USA/Optum) was in the early lead but Armitstead and Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy/Wiggle-Honda), right behind Armistead in the World Cup standings, separated themselves from the pack, with Armitstead holding off the Italian at the line. The Brit also won the Trofeo Alfredo Binda-Comune di Cittiglio World Cup race in March.

In general, it was a fine day for British cycling as Sir Bradley Wiggins beat the hour record and Peter Kennaugh (Sky) took the first stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné.

Alena Amialiusik (Belorus/Velocio-SRAM) placed third while Leah Kirchmann was the top Canadian in 7th.

Philadelphia International Cycling Classic UCI 1.2
1) Carlos Barbero (Spain/Caja Rural) 3:54:11
2) Michael Woods (Canada/Optum) +0:01
3) Toms Skujinš (Latvia/Hincapie) +0:04

Philadelphia International Cycling Classic World Cup
1) Lizzie Armitstead (Great Britain/Boels-Dolmans) 2:58:01
2) Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy/Wiggle-Honda) s.t.
3) Alena Amialiusik (Belorus/Velocio-SRAM) +0:01
7) Leah Kirchmann (Canada/Optum) +0:06

Categories: News |