Golden finish to USA Pro Challenge

In the final day of competition for the state’s biggest bike race, Rohan Dennis held on to his overall lead, and helped show just how dominant he and the rest of Team BMC had been.

After seven days of racing hundreds of miles over some of the highest terrain the field of 158 world-class cyclists have ever seen, Dennis of Australia still had enough energy left to break off the front of the pack and try for a sprint win in Denver.

The move electrified the crowd in Golden’s Parfet Park, where spectators could watch the Pro Challenge finale on a jumbo screen.

Dennis was quickly caught up by the main pack as it surged for the line. At the very end, it was between John Murphy of Team UnitedHealthcare, and Boulder’s Taylor Phinney (BMC) to see who could cross the line first, and Murphy had the edge.

“The run in, it was always going to be a fast and furious one,” Kiel Reijen (USA) of UnitedHealthcare said after the race. “It was great that John was able to finish it off. We knew he was the fastest guy today.”

The day’s race started in Golden, looping around North Table Mountain, before making the iconic climb up Lookout Mountain’s switchbacks, then plunging down to the plains,through Wheat Ridge and Lakewood, before ending in a series of laps around a downtown circuit, and a sprint finish.

Dennis, riding for the dominant Team BMC, looked comfortable throughout the day.

The green sprint jersey went to Reijen of UnitedHealthcare. Dennis was also given the King of the Mountains jersey. Geoghegan Hart Tao from the Axeon squad was the best finishing rider under 23, earning him the Best Young Rider jersey. The most aggressive rider award went to Javier Megias of Team Novo Nordisk.

Even before the slopes of Lookout, a breakaway had formed, eventually getting as much as 1:45 ahead of the main group.

Dennis, riding for the dominant Team BMC, looked comfortable, sitting near the front of the peloton for much of the day, even as the last two breakaway riders survived until caught on the final circuit lap.

Brent Bookwalter (BMC) and Rob Britton (Team Smartstop) rounded out the overall leaders podium for the men.

BMC was clearly the team of the tour. In addition to the one, two finish, the team also added stage wins by Bookwalter, and Phinney as well as the team title –; all this despite not bringing the 2014 USA Pro Challenge defending champion Tejay van Garderen to the competition.

The green sprint jersey went to Reijen of UnitedHealthcare. Dennis was also given the King of the Mountains jersey. Geoghegan Hart Tao from the Axeon squad was the best finishing rider under 23, earning him the Best Young Rider jersey. The most aggressive rider award went to Javier Megias of Team Novo Nordisk.In the final day of competition for the state’s biggest bike race, Rohan Dennis held on to his overall lead and helped show just how dominant he and the rest of Team BMC had been.

After seven days of racing hundreds of miles over some of the highest terrain the field of 158 world-class cyclists have ever seen, Dennis of Australia still had enough energy left to break off the front of the pack and try for a sprint win in Denver.

The move electrified the crowd in Golden’s Parfet Park, where spectators could watch the Pro Challenge finale on a jumbo screen.

Dennis was quickly caught up by the main pack as it surged for the line. At the very end, it was between John Murphy of Team UnitedHealthcare and Boulder’s Taylor Phinney (BMC) to see who could cross the line first, and Murphy had the edge.

“The run in, it was always going to be a fast and furious one,” Kiel Reijen (USA) of UnitedHealthcare said after the race. “It was great that John was able to finish it off. We knew he was the fastest guy today.”

The day’s race started in Golden, looping around North Table Mountain, before making the iconic climb up Lookout Mountain’s switchbacks, then plunging down to the plains, through Wheat Ridge and Lakewood, before ending in a series of laps around a downtown circuit, and a sprint finish.

Even before the slopes of Lookout, a breakaway had formed, eventually getting as much as 1:45 ahead of the main group.

Dennis, riding for the dominant Team BMC, looked comfortable, sitting near the front of the peloton for much of the day, even as the last two breakaway riders survived until caught on the final circuit lap.

Brent Bookwalter (BMC) and Rob Britton (Team Smartstop) rounded out the overall leaders podium for the men.

BMC was clearly the team of the tour. In addition to the one, two finish, the team also added stage wins by Bookwalter and Phinney as well as the team title –; all this despite not bringing the 2014 USA Pro Challenge defending champion Tejay van Garderen to the competition.

The green sprint jersey went to Reijen of UnitedHealthcare. Dennis was also given the King of the Mountains jersey. Geoghegan Hart Tao from the Axeon squad was the best finishing rider under 23, earning him the Best Young Rider jersey. The most aggressive rider award went to Javier Megias of Team Novo Nordisk.

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