2015 USA Pro Challenge Stage 3: Reijnen victorious in Aspen, Bookwalter still leads

UnitedHealthcare’s Kiel Reijnen (USA) read the chaotic end of the 2015 USA Pro Challenge’s third stage correctly to take the sprint win in Aspen. Reijnen won the first stage of last season’s race and Stage 1 of the Tour of Utah earlier this month. Brent Bookwalter (USA/BMC) kept the race lead.

BMC Racing Team's @brentbookwalter retains the @USAProChallenge leader's jersey! pic.twitter.com/xXzxwioO21

— BMC Racing Team (@BMCProTeam) August 19, 2015

The riders faced two categorized climbs over the 162-km length–the Cat. 4 Fremont Pass that started almost from the gun in Copper Mountain and the Cat. 1 Independence Pass that peaked 30-km from the finish in Aspen.

A move formed on the first climb with Daniel Jaramillo (Colombia/Jamis-Hagens Berman) cresting first. When the dust had settled eleven riders had broken free and rolled towards the first of two intermediate sprints between the two climbs. The roads were rough enough to cause flats and bounce bottles out of their cages.

Tinkoff-Saxo’s Spaniard Jesus Hernandez took the first intermediate sprint in Leadville and Jaramillo was first over the second one in Twin Lakes, just before the slog up Independence Pass. The escapees were more interested in increasing their 4:00 lead to counter the effects of gravity. As soon as the road tilted up, the gap wilted.

Independence Pass is 3600-metres high, 26-km of 4% grade. Midway up the climb three fugitives pulled away from their breakmates. On a steeper slope, Laurent Didier (Luxembourg/Trek) attacked the two others and distanced them right away. Back in the peloton, 2:15 in arrears of Didier, Davide Formolo (Italy/Cannondale-Garmin) lit out on his own, but the move came to naught.

Didier crested with a minute over the peloton. Lachlan Morton (Australia/Jelly Belly) made the kind of move Formolo was hoping for, thrusting himself into second place on the road and chasing Didier down towards Aspen. However, with 25-km to go, the small yellow jersey group caught them.

The attacks on the drop were numerous, but BMC’s Rohan Dennis (Australia) covered them as the peloton grew. Dennis himself attacked with compatriot Jack Bobridge (Budget Forklifts) at the 5-km to go mark. Waves of attacks continued as Aspen loomed. It was sprint time, with BMC leading under the red kite.

Despite BMC’s control, Reijnen followed the right wheel, whipped around his man and powered through the line, where he pounded his chest in exuberant triumph.

Canadian Will Routley (Optum) still wears the King of the Mountains kit.

On Thursday the riders will turn around and climb Independence Pass from the other side. Later, the peloton has two categorized climbs within the final 30-km before the finish in Breckenridge.

2015 USA Pro Challenge Stage 3
1) Kiel Reijnen (USA/UnitedHealthcare)
2) Rohan Dennis (Australia/BMC) s.t.
3) Ruben Zupuntke (Germany/Cannondale-Garmin) s.t.
6) Ryan Anderson (Canada/Optum) s.t.

2015 USA Pro Challenge GC
1) Brent Bookwalter (USA/BMC)
2) Rohan Dennis (Australia/BMC) +0:06
3) Jonny Clarke (Australia/UnitedHealthcare) +0:10
12) Rob Britton (Canada/Team SmartStop) +0:47