Tour of the Gila Stage 5 Report

May 07, 2007 - Silver City, NM - Team Slipstream/Chipotle wrapped up the Tour of the Gila on Sunday with another strong team performance in the Gila Monster Road Race.

Lucas Euser and Alex Howes (in his first Pro race) joined the early breakaway as the peloton rolled out of downtown Silver City. With no GC contenders in this move, they were able to gain a significant lead by the time they reached the race’s first major climb, up to the Gila Cliff Dwellings.

After turning around at the National Park Service Visitor Center, the breakaway’s lead was shrinking at the hands of the Health Net chase. The breakaway maintained a slight lead down the descent, and as the remains of the breakaway started the second climb of the day, Howes buried himself to keep Euser towards the front.

As the peloton caught the breakaway, Michael Creed launched an attack and formed the race’s final selection - just ten or so of the field’s top climbers finished off the climb out of the Cliff Dwellings, and headed for the day’s finishing climb from Sapillo Creek to the old mining town of Pinos Altos.

In a coup for Slipstream, Euser and Tom Peterson were able to join Creed in the front group, and they worked together to keep the break going and to launch attacks trying for the stage win. Team BMC’s Scott Moninger snuck away from the group in the final 500 meters for the stage win, and Peterson managed 4th in the sprint. Creed finished 8th, and Euser 11th.

With those three team members in the lead group, and with Timmy Duggan, Blake Caldwell, and Mike Lange also having strong climbs up to Pinos Altos, Team Slipstream/Chipotle captured the Team General Classification!

OVERALL INDIVIDUAL GC RESULTS:

5) Tom Peterson
12) Michael Creed
13) Lucas Euser
19) Timmy Duggan
20) Blake Caldwell
24) Mike Lange

In the Category 2 and 3 races, Team TIAA-CREF/5280 Magazine’s juniors finished up the event Sunday with strong showings on the Gila Monster climb and in the overall General Classification.

In the Category 3 race, Robin Eckmann (on his 15th birthday!) made the lead group on the final climb and finished in 7th place. Also climbing well was his teammate Andrew Barker, who claimed 11th on the stage. Overall, Eckmann finished 7th, and Barker 10th - impressive for two teenagers!

In the Category 2 race, Taylor Phinney and Daniel Summerhill rode a smart race, limiting a small breakaway’s gap, and allowing only one rider to gain time on the final climb. An exhausted Phinney rolled across the line for 4th place, just behind 2nd and 3rd. Summerhill finished off a hard day’s work with a solid climb and 24th place.

Unfortunately the race winner managed to gain enough time on the final climb to move into a tie for first place overall, and Phinney ended up losing the tiebreaker for the overall race win (based on lowest total of all stage placings added up). It was an annoying letdown to an otherwise incredible race by the 16 year-old. Summerhill finished 16th overall, a fine result for his first major race of the season.