Podiums and Breakthrough rides this weekend.
The team was well spread out this past weekend preparing for several weeks of one days and stage races. A six man squad started things off in Lancaster, PA at the Tour of Ephrata, a two-day, three-stage race. John Minturn continued his roll into form with a 3rd place in the opening road race. While the team time trial didn’t go as well as planned the team was still able to maintain the 3rd spot in the general classification when Minturn lapped the field in the final criterium stage with a few breakaway companions. He was able to make up some lost time and maintain the podium position. While the result wasn’t exactly what the team was after DS Mike Sherry is optomistic of things to come. “The guys really stuck together after a major setback in the team time trial, something we are generally very good at. I’m really proud of these guys for having a short memory and going for the jugular in the final stage. Minturn is definitely coming into some great form and it won’t be long before we see him on the top step of the podium for sure. Zmolik is also secretly on fire tending to race in a strong support role. I think we’ll start to see some big rides from him in the next few races as well.”
Up in Massachusetts the team executed great tactics and was on the attack at all the right times. Mike Margarite and Jake Hollenbach were able to roll the decisive break setting up Margarite to make a solo effort with 5k to go. He was caught only by Matt White (Bikereg/Cannondale) in the finale for a two-up finish. Hollenbach finished in 4th and Johnson in 8th. “It looked like Margarite’s line to the finish could have been cleaner but it’s hard to make sound decisions when you’re over your limits like that. If he took the center of the road, out of the gutter, you never know how it could change the result. Hats off to White for making the bridge and taking the win though. He was clearly one of the strongest guy out there. It’s a great result either way and we’re really pleased with how well this squad rode as a group today.” commented DS Mike Sherry.
The breakthrough rides came from a flying Mike Mathis. Mike raced the the La Vuelta de Bisbee all on his own this past weekend starting on Friday April 24th. He started with a 26th place finish in the Prologue, followed by a 23rd place finish in the first road race stage. Mike then turned the gas on during the Stage 2 Individual Time Trial finishing way up in 8th place and climbing up to 14th on the GC. Mike then followed up in the hectic attacking final stage with an 11th place finish taking 3rd in the bunch sprint. Mathis finished the weekend in 12th overall behind some North America best riders. Next up for Mike is the Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville Arkansas.
