USA Pro Challenge 2014: Tejay van Garderen wins Stage 6 time trial

Tejay van Garderen consolidated his overall lead with a win in Saturday’s Stage 6 time trial at the USA Pro Challenge.

“I was helped by a pretty stiff tailwind, but mainly it was just experience that was the difference,” van Garderen said. “I have raced this course three times now and both other times I blew up near the end. In 2011, it was really bad and last year was better, but not perfect. This time, I think I was perfect.”

The BMC rider smashed the record for the 16-km course up Vail Pass with a time of 26:24. He was 53 seconds faster than the next-best finisher, Tom Danielson of Garmin-Sharp. Danielson’s time earned him second place in the general classification.

Serghei Tvetcov of Jelly Belly presented by Maxxis continued his impressive week with third place in the time trial, enough to hold onto his spot in third in the GC. Rafal Majka fell from the GC podium to fourth with a time trial time 1:29 slower than van Garderen’s.

One stage remains in the race. On Sunday, the peloton will travel from Boulder to Denver, racing over two mountain passes before reaching the finishing circuit in Denver’s city centre.