Menzies Second in Photo Finish in Commerce Bank Leigh Valley Classic
(June 3, 2008)
Allentown, PA - After a solid 3rd place Sunday in the CSC Invitational, Karl Menzies of the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis noted that the race was a sign of things to come, and they would be looking to improve on that result.
He was right – and quickly. Two days later, at Tuesday’s Lehigh Valley Classic, Menzies moved up one step on the podium to second, missing out on the win in a photo finish with Yuri Metlushenko (Amore & Vita/McDonald’s).
“Everything went according to plan today,” Menzies said. “The guys covered moves and all I had to do was sit in and wait for it to come to a sprint if a break didn’t stay away. Rory (Sutherland) did a great lead-out and dropped off with 200 meters to go. We were on the left side and Yuri went up the right. I was coming up on him at the line and he was slowing. He posted it and I just kept going and threw my bike at the line. I thought I could’ve gotten the win. You never know.”
Everyone involved
The entire team got into the act during the race, which is the first leg of the Commerce Bank Triple Crown. “The guys did a great job,” said team directeur sportif Mike Tamayo. “They were on it today.”
If a move went, chances are a Health Net Presented by Maxxis rider was involved. “We always had someone on the go,” Tamayo said. The first half of the 85-mile race was marked by a series of failed attempts at breaks until finally a four-man move including Frank Pipp of Health Net Presented by Maxxis was able to get a gap and actually hold it.
As the field approached four 7.1-mile laps to go, the gap was out near 1:00, but with most of the major teams not represented, the chase from the field was motivated and organized. With two laps remaining, the break appeared doomed, though Pipp and one other rider refused to throw in the towel and took off, with another eight riders, including Pipp’s teammate, John Murphy, joining them in a bid for success.
But due to a lack of organization among the 10 riders in the break, it too was destined to come back. With a lap to go, the race was back together, but the combativeness hadn’t gone out of the bunch. With just over two miles remaining, a seven-rider group containing Kirk O’Bee of Health Net Presented by Maxxis opened a gap that was holding at about six seconds coming into the final 1.2 miles, where the main climb of the circuit began.
On the climb, the break fragmented, leaving O’Bee and two others out front with one kilometer to go, but they couldn’t hold off the charging peloton and were caught at the top.
“Having the guys out in the break made my job easier,” Menzies noted. “Any of those guys could’ve won the sprint out of a break. But if it came back together, I was ready.”
Notes
This was the inaugural edition of the Lehigh Valley Classic, and Tamayo noted that the course surprised a few people. “It was a good course, but harder than a lot of people thought it would be,” he said. “It was more selective at the end. Not that only a small group was there at the end for the sprint. The bunch was together, but the course definitely took the snap out of some guys legs and the energy wasn’t there to control the race at the end like you might have expected.”
Menzies agreed. “It was challenging and a hard course to chase on and there was a lot of wind,” he said
Results Commerce Bank Leigh High Valley Classic:
1 Yuri Metlushenko (Amore & Vita-McDonalds Pro Cycling Team)
2 Kari Menzies (Health Net p/b Maxxis)
3 Brad Huff (Jelly Belly)
For additional information regarding the Team, please visit www.teamhealthnet.com, or contact:
JEFF SOBUL, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Tel: 510.832.1616
Fax: 510.832.1618
Mobile: 510.334.3949
Email: jsobul@teamhealthnet.com
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