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Philadelphia International Championship Presented by PCT Pennsylvania, LLC Philadelphia, PA Sunday, June 08, 2008
Commerce Bank Philadelphia International Championship
CSC’s Breschel scores dramatic sprint win
PHILADELPHIA – June 8, 2008 - On paper, Team CSC looked to be an underdog at the Philadelphia International Championship. The Danish-based team has been besieged by injuries this season and only sent six of a possible eight riders to contest the 2008 Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling series. But six was enough for the ProTour squad, which saw young rising star Matti Breschel score an impressive field sprint win at the end of Sunday’s 156-mile race.
The victory was CSC’s second straight at the prestigious event that this year celebrated its 24th anniversary. A year ago, team rider J.J. Haedo grabbed the top prize. A scheduling conflict kept the Argentinean in Europe this time around, but Breschel filled in admirably, bursting across the line first at the end of the hot, hard day in the saddle.
Americans Kirk O’Bee (Health Net-Maxxis) and Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing) were second and third respectively in a race that lasted a record 6 hours, 14 minutes and 47 seconds. The previous long day was 6:13:53 set in 2006.
“I was all by myself on the last lap,” explained Breschel, who did not have the benefit of a full lead-out train like some of his competitors. “But I got myself in a good position going through [Logan Circle] and was able to make a long sprint to the finish.”
O’Bee estimated that the difference between first and second was about half a wheel, not much considering the race included 10 14.4-mile laps from the start-finish along Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Manayunk and back, plus three shorter circuits that went as far as Lemon Hill before circling back.
“It was a crazy last lap,” explained O’Bee, who was contesting his eighth Philadelphia race. “As soon as I exited the last round-about, my teammate John Murphy led me up the left side and took me all the way to the 200-meter-to-go sign. I took it from there and almost had it, but I probably went a little early and Breschel was able to come over the top of me.”
The 23-year-old Breschel’s win also netted him top prize in the three-race series’ overall standings, dethroning 2007 champ Bernard Eisel, who was fourth on Sunday.
“I was too much in the wind at the end,” lamented Eisel, the Austrian High Road rider. “I just didn’t have enough left after such a long day in the heat.”
Indeed, the first true East Coast heat wave of 2008 made for a brutal day of racing. It was already 79 degrees when the race started just after 9 a.m. The thermostat read 94 by the finish. Near the end of the race, one official measured the temperature of the road and got a 120-degree reading. Only 81 of the 190 starters finished the race.
“I went through so many water bottles I lost count,” explained Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home), who won the day’s King of the Mountain title, a contest that awarded points to the riders who were first over the Manayunk and Lemon Hill climbs during each lap.
While the race’s endgame came down to a battle of sprinters, the middle portions of this epic test of mettle was dominated by a seven-rider break that included Frattini, Ed King (Bissell), Brian Jensen (Team Successfulliving), Dan Ramsay (Time), Ben Kneller (Jittery Joe’s), Richard Geng (Rite Aid) and Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing).
The group of escapees initially formed on the third of the 10 long laps, and rolled up an advantage that swelled above eight minutes at one point. But with temperatures on the rise all day, there was no way the move was going to stay away.
Kneller and Geng lost touch with the break with about 70 miles of racing remaining, and with the lap counter reading six to go, the five riders remaining in the breakaway passed under the start/finish banner with just a 1:10 advantage. The race was all back together midway through the next lap.
Next to take a crack at breakaway heroics were Team Type I Kiwi Glen Chadwick, Canadian Svein Tuft (Symmetrics) and Mexican Francisco Matamoros (Tecos-Trek). The threesome made their bid for glory with five laps to go. But this move failed as well. Chadwick and Matamoros were caught during the waning moments of the final long lap. Tuft stayed away for another half lap, chasing after a last handful of King of the Mountains points before being reeled in.
A handful of smaller breakaway attempts ensued, but nothing succeeded, leaving the final battle to a pack of 68 hard charging riders. Not among the group was pre-race favorite Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) who dropped out of the race early on, reportedly the victim of knee tendonitis.
Breschel, meanwhile, was proving that he’s fully recovered from a crash in February 2006 that left him with two broken vertebrae and nearly ended his career. The incident happened in a sprint not dissimilar from Sunday’s finish, except that time the baby-faced Dane was knocked unconscious.
“I hit my head very bad and was out for a couple hours,” Breschel recalled of the incident at the Belgian Three Days of West Flanders race. “I woke up in the hospital and was lying there for two weeks.”
It took a while, but the promising fourth-year pro’s injuries have healed, a fact that was on full display Sunday in Philadelphia.
CSC’s Breschel scores dramatic sprint win
PHILADELPHIA – June 8, 2008 - On paper, Team CSC looked to be an underdog at the Philadelphia International Championship. The Danish-based team has been besieged by injuries this season and only sent six of a possible eight riders to contest the 2008 Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling series. But six was enough for the ProTour squad, which saw young rising star Matti Breschel score an impressive field sprint win at the end of Sunday’s 156-mile race.
The victory was CSC’s second straight at the prestigious event that this year celebrated its 24th anniversary. A year ago, team rider J.J. Haedo grabbed the top prize. A scheduling conflict kept the Argentinean in Europe this time around, but Breschel filled in admirably, bursting across the line first at the end of the hot, hard day in the saddle.
Americans Kirk O’Bee (Health Net-Maxxis) and Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing) were second and third respectively in a race that lasted a record 6 hours, 14 minutes and 47 seconds. The previous long day was 6:13:53 set in 2006.
“I was all by myself on the last lap,” explained Breschel, who did not have the benefit of a full lead-out train like some of his competitors. “But I got myself in a good position going through [Logan Circle] and was able to make a long sprint to the finish.”
O’Bee estimated that the difference between first and second was about half a wheel, not much considering the race included 10 14.4-mile laps from the start-finish along Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Manayunk and back, plus three shorter circuits that went as far as Lemon Hill before circling back.
“It was a crazy last lap,” explained O’Bee, who was contesting his eighth Philadelphia race. “As soon as I exited the last round-about, my teammate John Murphy led me up the left side and took me all the way to the 200-meter-to-go sign. I took it from there and almost had it, but I probably went a little early and Breschel was able to come over the top of me.”
The 23-year-old Breschel’s win also netted him top prize in the three-race series’ overall standings, dethroning 2007 champ Bernard Eisel, who was fourth on Sunday.
“I was too much in the wind at the end,” lamented Eisel, the Austrian High Road rider. “I just didn’t have enough left after such a long day in the heat.”
Indeed, the first true East Coast heat wave of 2008 made for a brutal day of racing. It was already 79 degrees when the race started just after 9 a.m. The thermostat read 94 by the finish. Near the end of the race, one official measured the temperature of the road and got a 120-degree reading. Only 81 of the 190 starters finished the race.
“I went through so many water bottles I lost count,” explained Davide Frattini (Colavita-Sutter Home), who won the day’s King of the Mountain title, a contest that awarded points to the riders who were first over the Manayunk and Lemon Hill climbs during each lap.
While the race’s endgame came down to a battle of sprinters, the middle portions of this epic test of mettle was dominated by a seven-rider break that included Frattini, Ed King (Bissell), Brian Jensen (Team Successfulliving), Dan Ramsay (Time), Ben Kneller (Jittery Joe’s), Richard Geng (Rite Aid) and Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing).
The group of escapees initially formed on the third of the 10 long laps, and rolled up an advantage that swelled above eight minutes at one point. But with temperatures on the rise all day, there was no way the move was going to stay away.
Kneller and Geng lost touch with the break with about 70 miles of racing remaining, and with the lap counter reading six to go, the five riders remaining in the breakaway passed under the start/finish banner with just a 1:10 advantage. The race was all back together midway through the next lap.
Next to take a crack at breakaway heroics were Team Type I Kiwi Glen Chadwick, Canadian Svein Tuft (Symmetrics) and Mexican Francisco Matamoros (Tecos-Trek). The threesome made their bid for glory with five laps to go. But this move failed as well. Chadwick and Matamoros were caught during the waning moments of the final long lap. Tuft stayed away for another half lap, chasing after a last handful of King of the Mountains points before being reeled in.
A handful of smaller breakaway attempts ensued, but nothing succeeded, leaving the final battle to a pack of 68 hard charging riders. Not among the group was pre-race favorite Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) who dropped out of the race early on, reportedly the victim of knee tendonitis.
Breschel, meanwhile, was proving that he’s fully recovered from a crash in February 2006 that left him with two broken vertebrae and nearly ended his career. The incident happened in a sprint not dissimilar from Sunday’s finish, except that time the baby-faced Dane was knocked unconscious.
“I hit my head very bad and was out for a couple hours,” Breschel recalled of the incident at the Belgian Three Days of West Flanders race. “I woke up in the hospital and was lying there for two weeks.”
It took a while, but the promising fourth-year pro’s injuries have healed, a fact that was on full display Sunday in Philadelphia.
These results are provided for informational purposes only. Please note that the protest period for this event has expired and no changes can or will be made to these results. PLACE NAME TEAM TIME 1 BRESCHEL, Matti Team CSC 6:14:47 2 O'BEE, Kirk Health NEt p/b Maxxis 6:14:47 3 RODRIGUEZ, Fred Rock Racing 6:14:47 4 EISEL, Bernhard Team High Road 6:14:47 5 CANDELARIO, Alex Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medif 6:14:47 6 FARRAR, Tyler Slipstream/Chipotie p/b H3O 6:14:47 7 ALDAPE, Moises Team Type 1 6:14:47 8 ROLLIN, Dominique Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 6:14:47 9 FALCON, Yosvany Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife 6:14:47 10 POWER, Ciaran Pezula Racing 6:14:47 11 SAYERS, Michael BMC Racing 6:14:47 12 MARTINEZ, Miguel Amore & Vita-McDonalds Pro Cyc 6:14:47 13 ERKER, Jacob Symmetrics Professional Cyclin 6:14:47 14 BOASSON HAGEN, Edvald Team High Road 6:14:47 15 BROOKS, Ben Team Type 1 6:14:47 16 FRIEDMAN, Michael Slipstream/Chipotie p/b H3O 6:14:47 17 CRUZ, Antonio BMC Racing 6:14:47 18 ESCUELA, Ricardo Team Successfulliving 6:14:47 19 BAUMANN, Eric Team Sparkasse 6:14:47 20 STEVENSON, Cody Jittery Joe's 6:14:47 21 METLUSHENKO, Yuri Amore & Vita-McDonalds Pro Cyc 6:14:47 22 SEVILLA, Oscar Rock Racing 6:14:47 23 BORRAJO, Alejandro Colavita-Sutter Home 6:14:47 24 MAMOS, Philipp Team Sparkasse 6:14:47 25 FREY , Sebastian Team Sparkasse 6:14:47 26 PARRA, John Fredy Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife 6:14:47 27 WYSS, Danilo BMC Racing 6:14:47 28 HUFF, Brad Jelly Belly 6:14:47 29 PARISIEN, Franois Team RACE Pro 6:14:47 30 TOLLESON, Taylor BMC Racing 6:14:47 31 MAASKANT, Martijn Slipstream/Chipotie p/b H3O 6:14:47 32 DIONNE, Charles Team Successfulliving 6:14:47 33 LILL, Darren BMC Racing 6:14:47 34 KOBZARENKO, Valeriy Team Type 1 6:14:47 35 GRABINGER, Micheal Team Successfulliving 6:14:47 36 ENGLAND, Richard Bissell Pro Cycling Team 6:14:47 37 WOHLBERG, Eric Symmetrics Professional Cyclin 6:14:47 38 MURPHY, Jonn Health NEt p/b Maxxis 6:14:47 39 SCHILLINGER , Andreas Team Sparkasse 6:14:47 40 WHERRY, Christopher Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 6:14:47 41 GUPTILL, Andrew Colavita-Sutter Home 6:14:47 42 MATAMOROS, Francisco Tecos - Trek 6:14:47 43 LADINO, Gregorio Tecos - Trek 6:14:47 44 RICE, Matthew Jelly Belly 6:14:47 45 REYNES MIMO, Vincente Team High Road 6:14:47 46 MANION, Caleb Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 6:14:47 47 WREN, Tyler Colavita-Sutter Home 6:14:47 48 CORIONI, Claudio Liquigas 6:14:47 49 DEVINE, John Team High Road 6:14:47 50 HAMMOND, Roger Team High Road 6:14:47 51 O'LOUGHLIN, David Pezula Racing 6:14:47 52 FRISCHKORN, William Slipstream/Chipotie p/b H3O 6:14:47 53 JENNINGS, Cameron Pezula Racing 6:14:47 54 KLOSTERGAARD, Kasper Team CSC 6:14:47 55 OLSON, Aaron Bissell Pro Cycling Team 6:14:47 56 MACIAS, Luis Tecos - Trek 6:14:47 57 CHADWICK, Glen Team Type 1 6:14:47 58 SPINELLI, Justin Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medif 6:14:47 59 REISTAD, Nicholas Jelly Belly 6:15:02 60 JENSEN, Brian Team Successfulliving 6:15:21 61 HAMILTON, Tyler Rock Racing 6:15:21 62 MEIER, Christian Symmetrics Professional Cyclin 6:15:21 63 BOWMAN, Dan Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medif 6:15:21 64 PIPP, Frank Health NEt p/b Maxxis 6:15:21 65 ROTH, Ryan Team RACE Pro 6:15:21 66 BAJADALI, Andrew Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medif 6:15:21 67 STEVIC, Ivan Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 6:15:41 68 FRANZOI, Enrico Liquigas 6:15:48 69 LAPTHORNE, Darren Team Sparkasse 6:16:14 70 JONES, Christopher Team Type 1 6:16:37 71 TUFT, Svein Symmetrics Professional Cyclin 6:16:51 72 SUTHERLAND, Rory Health NEt p/b Maxxis 6:17:43 73 FRATTINI, Davide Colavita-Sutter Home 6:17:43 74 PROKIC, Predrag Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife 6:17:43 75 CLARKE, Jonny Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 6:17:43 76 LOUDER, Jeffry BMC Racing 6:17:59 77 OLLERENSHAW, Doug Rock Racing 6:18:02 78 DULIN, Thaddeus DLP Racing 6:18:37 79 STEVENSON, Michael Amore & Vita-McDonalds Pro Cyc 6:20:50 80 TALANSKY, Andrew Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife 6:29:28 81 GUTTENPLAN, David TIME Pro Cycling 6:29:28 DNF BOCHMAN, Lasse Team CSC DNF STEENSEN, Andr Team CSC DNF GOSS, Matthew Team CSC DNF MCCARTNEY, Jason Team CSC DNF HENDERSON, Greg Team High Road DNF KNAVEN, Servais Team High Road DNF BENNATI, Daniele Liquigas DNF BODNAR, Maciej Liquigas DNF CURTOLO, Alberto Liquigas DNF SANTAROMITA, Ivan Liquigas DNF KOHLER, Martin BMC Racing DNF STEWART, Jackson BMC Racing DNF BACKSTEDT, Magnus Slipstream/Chipotie p/b H3O DNF COZZA, Steven Slipstream/Chipotie p/b H3O DNF DONALD, Jason Slipstream/Chipotie p/b H3O DNF CALDWELL, Blake Slipstream/Chipotie p/b H3O DNF CORTES, Phil Amore & Vita-McDonalds Pro Cyc DNF GASPARRE, Graziano Amore & Vita-McDonalds Pro Cyc DNF NISSEN, Sren Amore & Vita-McDonalds Pro Cyc DNF JACQUES-MAYNES, Ben Bissell Pro Cycling Team DNF PELTONEN, Garrett Bissell Pro Cycling Team DNF ZWIZANSKI, Scott Bissell Pro Cycling Team DNF VENNELL, Jeremy Bissell Pro Cycling Team DNF KING, Edward Bissell Pro Cycling Team DNF CORREIA, Joao Bissell Pro Cycling Team DNF BORRAJO, Anibal Colavita-Sutter Home DNF HAEDO, Lucas Colavita-Sutter Home DNF ROMERO, Luis Amaran Colavita-Sutter Home DNF WAMSLEY, Kyle Colavita-Sutter Home DNF BEAMER, Spencer DLP Racing DNF NIELSEN, Owen DLP Racing DNF PENDRY, Charles DLP Racing DNF NANKERVIS, Tommy DLP Racing DNF JACKSON, Scott DLP Racing DNF CODDINGTON, Joseph DLP Racing DNF JUDY, Christopher DLP Racing DNF JOHNSON, Tim Health NEt p/b Maxxis DNF ZAJICEK, Phil Health NEt p/b Maxxis DNF CRANE, Matt Health NEt p/b Maxxis DNF GRITTERS, Kyle Health NEt p/b Maxxis DNF SANDERSON, Nicholas Jelly Belly DNF TUCKERMAN, Aaron Jelly Belly DNF LANGE, Michael Jelly Belly DNF POWERS, Jeremy Jelly Belly DNF VAN ULDEN, Bernard Jelly Belly DNF KNELLER, Benjamin Jittery Joe's DNF SHIRLEY, Neil Jittery Joe's DNF ELKEN, Evan Jittery Joe's DNF CANTWELL, Jonathan Jittery Joe's DNF SHRIVER, Matt Jittery Joe's DNF HARTLEY, Chad Jittery Joe's DNF SULLIVAN, Ryan Jittery Joe's DNF GILBERT, Martin Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medif DNF LACOMBE, Kevin Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medif DNF MUMFORD, Reid Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medif DNF SUNDT, Jonathan Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medif DNF FOX, Morgan Pezula Racing DNF IRVINE, Martyn Pezula Racing DNF CONNOLLY, William Pezula Racing DNF BARROWS, Clayton Rite Aid Pro Cycling p/b Shebe DNF ELLISTON, William Rite Aid Pro Cycling p/b Shebe DNF ERDELYI, Jonathan Rite Aid Pro Cycling p/b Shebe DNF GENG, Richard Rite Aid Pro Cycling p/b Shebe DNF KING, Robbie Rite Aid Pro Cycling p/b Shebe DNF KINCAID, Stephen Rite Aid Pro Cycling p/b Shebe DNF LEA, Bobby Rite Aid Pro Cycling p/b Shebe DNF RYTLEWSKI, Jake Rite Aid Pro Cycling p/b Shebe DNF BAHATI, Rahsaan Rock Racing DNF CREED, Michael Rock Racing DNF PENA, Victor Hugo Rock Racing DNF WISCOVITCH, Jeremiah Rock Racing DNF BELL, Zachary Symmetrics Professional Cyclin DNF RANDELL, Andrew Symmetrics Professional Cyclin DNF PINFOLD, Andrew Symmetrics Professional Cyclin DNF EVANS, Cameron Symmetrics Professional Cyclin DNF WALTERS, Mark Team RACE Pro DNF TIMMERMAN, Dan Team RACE Pro DNF MILLER, Kevin Buck Team RACE Pro DNF MACBURNIE, Dustin Team RACE Pro DNF BATTY, Mark Team RACE Pro DNF ROBERTSON, Eric Team RACE Pro DNF WACKERNAGEL , Lars Team Sparkasse DNF SCHLER , Tilo Team Sparkasse DNF GUNN, Curtis Team Successfulliving DNF BAZZANA, Alessandro Team Successfulliving DNF WHITE, Brad Team Successfulliving DNF VALENZUELA, Christian Team Successfulliving DNF CALABRIA, Fabio Team Type 1 DNF ELDRIDGE, Joe Team Type 1 DNF WILSON, Matt Team Type 1 DNF COLEX, Bernardo Tecos - Trek DNF CERVANTES, Omar Tecos - Trek DNF GUITIERREZ, Lui Tecos - Trek DNF OYARZUN, Carlos Tecos - Trek DNF RAMOS TORRES, Florencio Tecos - Trek DNF BAKER, Andy TIME Pro Cycling DNF SOLADAY, Thomas TIME Pro Cycling DNF STOOP, Michael TIME Pro Cycling DNF SIMES, Jackie TIME Pro Cycling DNF RAMSAY, Daniel TIME Pro Cycling DNF MYERSON, Adam TIME Pro Cycling DNF FREY, Nick TIME Pro Cycling DNF SWEETING, Bobby Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife DNF HEKMAN, Mark Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife DNF TRAVIESO, Frank Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife DNF VAILLANCOURT, Daniel Toshiba - Santo p/b Herbalife DNF BLACKGROVE, Heath Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team DNF DOMINGUEZ, Ivan Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team DNF VOGELS, Hendricus Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
