Pate rides in day’s long breakaway

April 20, 2007 - Dalton to Brasstown Bald - Team Slipstream/Chipotle’s Danny Pate got his team into the action early during Friday’s infamous Brasstown Bald stage of the Tour de Georgia.

Pate joined a strong breakaway group that formed over the first KOM climb of the day. This group was allowed a comfortable 4-5 minute margin over the peloton, but since it contained many strong riders, the teams looking to propel their climbers up the brutal finishing climb to the top of Brasstown Bald (the highest point in GA) were well aware of how much leeway to give.

As the breakaway hit the base of the final climb, Pate was hanging tough. He eventually faded when riders started to attack from the group, and the best climbers from the chasing peloton began to catch up to the breakaway - making the pace incredibly fast up such a steep climb.

Pate would end up finishing 22nd after his long day in the breakaway. Teammates Tom Peterson and Lucas Euser also climbed well, finishing in the top 30.

In the General Classification after Stage 5, Euser sits in 9th place, and Pate 18th place. Euser is also in 3rd place in the Best Young Rider competition.