2010 US ProCycling Championships

Dear Genets,

Last weekend Greenville was hosting the 2010 US ProCycling Championships, an event that as you can imagine, is acting as a great "advertisement" for this city all around the country. The event itself, had been scheduled almost on the same way last year, using exactly the same circuit from Downtown to Paris Mountain. There was a nice bunch of teams present on this race, where the most popular were Radio Shack, Garmin - Transitions, BMC, Columbia - High Road, Cervelo as pro-Tour teams. Then other not at the same level, but important in national races or U-23 races Trek- Live Strong (the Lance promoted U23 team), Jelly Belly, Jamis, Bissell and Kenda.

Downtown ready for the race

As last year, it was a great experience for me, I wake up early to prepare all my stuff, camera, phone, drinks, fruit, granola bars, sun cream, ice for the small refrigerator, and then driving downtown. I arrived a little bit before noon, there was already a lot of people walking around, taking a look to the cycling "shops", the ambience, the start line, all was set and ready for the race, it was sunny, slightly windy and hot enough to made sure the race was going to be hard.

Before the race, I was just playing around trying to get the best shots, I was in front of the start line / podium, where all the riders sign the book before the race, and during that time I was able to see some of the most impressive US rides today, Levi Leipheimer, George Hincapie, Chris Horner (best Radio Shack this years Tour de France). Some of them not close enough to be able to have nice pics, as I can't go inside of the press area (this is something to work out for next year), but for others, I was on the right, or the best spot to shot some good pics, as the one with George Hincapie is already on the blog.

The Local Hero and defending Champion

The race started at 1pm with a lot of crowd in Greenville, it was impressive, the noise, the speakers, the people, the ambience...just the best you can expect. I saw a lot of known faces from my rides, so I realize that I'm really getting to a point where I'm really well connected to the bicycle world on this city. The race itself consist in 5 laps to a big circuit going from Downtown to Paris Mountain, but before these, the riders repeat three times a smaller circuit in Greenville Downtown, which is again repeated at the end, to complete a good 115 miles race.

Sped on the break away

On the first lap a small group of four riders pulled out on a nice break away, they were 1minute 15 seconds in advance after the first small lap to Greenville, amazing for the only 4 miles they went through....but they were running at two different levels, with the big group still sleeping, or thinking the day was long enough. After the first three laps to Greenville Downtown, and just before the went for first time towards Paris Mountain, they were already 5 minutes in front....a long way, but nobody was thinking this was a serious group, as most of them were under 23 riders, and all the big names were on the main group.

Nice talking on the first lap...

After that point, I moved up to Paris Mountain, where I saw two times the group, the ride on this road is great, with a first section till the top with a nice uphill percentage, the road was crowded with the more cycling fanatics, and the ambience was....impressive. I drove my car before the peloton arrived to one area, where I had a good access to the ramps. I decided to stop in a place where the TV cameras were located to cover the race. It was a nice ramp, with some visibility (a lot of forest on this area) and I tried to find the best spot with both the four one on the top, and the big group. To my surprise, by the time they arrived there, the four (now already three riders) were almost 15 minutes in front of the peloton. Mistake? or was the group thinking the race was long enough, and the riders in front had no option to made it?...

The break away ones on the third lap, 15 minutes ahead

Group on last attack to Paris Mountain

After the laps I was on Paris Mountain, till the last one I decided to go Downtown again for the final legs around the town circuit, the difference between the three riders and the peloton was not increasing, but rather going smoothly down, still 13 minutes on the last pass for the top of Paris Mountain, with almost one extra hour of race in front !!!! Enough time?....

Downtown was boiling, the big screen was showing the three riders on top were not anymore riding on group, and a solo Ben King was going as fast as he can't in top of the race, but a solo with almost 45 minutes to run, and a big group speeding up, was likely a no go scenario. People was cheering and the speakers just freaking out when Ben King arrived for first time to the finish line on Main Street, 3minutes and 40 seconds of difference, and three laps to go on Greenville Downtown before the end, almost 24 miles....a world for him, nothing for the peloton.

Speed to chase the leader...it was too late !!!!

George Hincapie family (he is the local star) was there just ready to cheer the Greenville sun, and the crowd was increasing the "ambience noise".. what an amazing experience. the group was fast, Levi Leipheimer, Chris Horner, George Hincapie, and some other riders were going really fast, looking for Ben King. Second lap, the gap was reduced to less than two minutes, Ben suffering on the bike, his face and body focused on maximize the speed and effort, but the cadence was not as high as he sure wanted at that moment. The group, just 1minute 55 seconds later, was the faster thing I ever seen on a road bike, the were really close to catch the price...but they were on time? look like despite the last effort, they missed the point on the early stages of the race, and now it was to late !!!!

Last meters, after 4h 44min 56sec, Ben King crossed the finish line as the youngest US Champion ever, becoming the first Under 23 rider to win, and the first one to win on a break away since almost the start of the race, 115 miles to win the most important US race !!!!

The Victory

It was an amazing day, I enjoyed even more than when I'm riding, I hope this blog helps you to feel close, if not.....you have a house open for next year one, that Greenville will be hosting again.

From SC, Xavi Paricio