DENNIS PUTS ON THE HURT TO TAKE STAGE 4 OF THE USA PRO CHALLENGE AND LOCKS IN YELLOW JERSEY FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT DAY FOR BMC RACING TEAM
Breckenridge, CO. (August 20, 2015) – Rohan Dennis of BMC Racing Team took his first win since winning the opening stage of the Tour de France last month and secured the leader’s jersey for BMC Racing Team.
Wednesday’s 126-mile ride from Aspen to Breckenridge was designated as the Queen’s Stage, and Dennis turned out to be king. By winning the stage, Dennis hit a rare trifecta, taking over the Smashburger Leader’s Jersey, the Lexus Sprint Points jersey, and the Sierra Nevada King of the Mountains jersey. BMC Racing teammate Brent Bookwalter, leader of the race the past two days, said he couldn’t sustain power of Dennis up the steep 18% grades on the final climb up Moonstone Road.
“I was definitely in the red. I kept looking at my power and making sure I didn’t go too far into it,” said Dennis. “I was sort of letting go a little bit. I rode my own tempo. Robbie Squire attacked. I was using Robbie as a carrot.”
Dennis held off Bookwalter and Hincapie’s Robbie Squire, who attempted to break away on the final climb, to win.
Dennis win
Bookwalter finish
Rohan added, “I was playing mind games with myself. I was waiting for the 1k to go to the KOM and I never saw it. Then I saw the 200-meter, the crowd was going nuts. I kicked it into a B gear and went. It hurts still. I’m not gonna lie.”
“It was crazier than I remember,” said Bookwalter, about the masses lining the final climb up Moonstone Road. “The climb was harder than I remember. The turns kept coming and coming, and the climb just kept going and going. It didn’t disappoint in that regard. It was brutal.”
For the jerseys, Rohan Dennis (AUS) of BMC Racing Team takes the Smashburger Race Leader Jersey, Lexus Sprint Points Jersey and Sierra Nevada King of the Mountain Jersey. The Colorado State University Best Young Rider Jersey goes to Hugh Carthy (GBR) of Caja Rural-Seuros RGA and FirstBank Most Aggressive Rider Jersey was awarded to Robbie Squire (USA) of Hincapie Racing Team and Edward Jones Best Colorado Rider Jersey keeps close to Alexandr Braico (MDA) of Jelly Belly P/B Maxxis once again.
Bookwalter, Dennis (in Ullr hat) and Squire on the podium in Breckenridge
Stage 4 Results & GC Standings
First – Rohan Dennis (AUS) of BMC Racing Team
Second – Brent Bookwalter of BMC Racing Team
Third – Robbie Squire (USA) of Hincapie Racing Team
Jersey Winners
Smashburger Leader Jersey – Rohan Dennis (AUS) BMC Racing Team
Lexus Sprint Jersey – Rohan Dennis (AUS) BMC Racing Team
Sierra Nevada King of the Mountains Jersey – Rohan Dennis (AUS) BMC Racing Team
Colorado State University Best Young Rider Jersey – Hugh Carthy (GBR) of Caja Rural-Seuros RGA
FirstBank Most Aggressive Rider Jersey – Robbie Squire (USA) of Hincapie Racing Team
Edward Jones Best Colorado Rider Jersey – Alexandr Braico (MDA) of Jelly Belly P/B Maxxis
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STAGE 5 TOMORROW:
Friday, Aug. 21 – Breckenridge (Time Trial)
Start Time: 1:00 p.m. MT
Estimated Finish Time: 3:50 p.m. MT
Satellite Feed Time: 5 p.m. – 5:15 p.m MT / 7 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. EST
Completely new for 2015, the Breckenridge Time Trial will test all of a rider’s skills and will produce a truly worthy winner.
The 8.5 mile time trial starts out flat for the pure time trialists. Then it’s back onto the climb up Moonstone road, still fresh in the pain file from the day before, for a test of climbing skills. Finally, the race could be won or lost going downhill this day, as racers will push the limits on the Boreas Pass descent to shave seconds off their time. Whoever wins will certainly be a racer who can hammer the flats, dance up the climbs, and carve down the descents.
