DENVER (VN) — Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Sharp) won the 2012 USA Pro Challenge on Sunday as Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) won the final stage, an individual time trial in downtown Denver.
The final 9.5-mile stage from Civic Center Park to City Park and back again had been billed as a showdown between race leader Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and third-placed Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing Team).
But it was Vande Velde, sitting second overall, who pulled out the ride of the day.
Phinney turned the fastest time of the day — 17 minutes and 25 seconds, posting an average speed of 32.7 mph. And “blazed” is not a figure of speech, as temperatures reached the 90s downtown.
Van Garderen covered the course in 17:44, good for second on the day at the moment. But Vande Velde followed in 17:35, and put paid to the BMC rider’s hopes of regaining the yellow jersey.
To keep that jersey, Leipheimer had to finish in 17:44 — but he didn’t hit the line until 18:08, good only for ninth on the day. And that gave the overall to Vande Velde.
Van Garderen slipped to second overall at 21 seconds with Leipheimer third at 24 seconds.
The race was notable for one other item: It was the last race of BMC’s George Hincapie, who on Monday will awaken to his first day as a retiree after 19 years of professional cycling. He finished in 18:28, waving to the crowd as he rolled across the line.
Editor’s note: Stay tuned for more from the final stage of the 2012 USA Pro Challenge.
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