Launching later than anticipated, Luke Lamperti (Trinity Racing) made his move on the final corner and won a third consecutive men's criterium title at the USA Pro Road Championships.
Racing solo, Lamperti surfed wheels in the final chaotic lap before coming around Tyler Williams (L39ION of Los Angeles) before the dash to the finish line. Colby Simmons (Jumbo-Visma) took second ahead of Williams who was third.
“It’s a tricky course. Luckily I know it pretty well after the last few years. It’s a matter of not going too early but you have to quite early and I knew that. Actually I went a lot later than I anticipated. I wanted to go with three corners to go and then, Tyler went early and I had to get on his wheel and come around before the last corner,” Lamperti said.
In his two previous victories, Lamperti launched his sprint before the final two corners, but this year he had to adjust his tactics until he saw an opening when Williams had a bit of a bobble before the final turn for the finish.
“I was thinking 'oh I’m a bit late, a bit late'. And then Tyler clipped his pedal with two corners to go and it killed a bit of his momentum and I was able to get around the outside, but it’s one of those where I wanted to go a bit earlier than I did.”
After winning a stage at the Giro Next Gen with his British-based Trinity team, Lamperti returned to the United States to race at the USA Pro Road Championships.
“Confidence is always good, in bike racing you don’t win often, so a few wins always help. I had a lot more race days and I’m coming off an eight-day race just last week so I’m a bit more fatigued but it’s always nice to be racing here in the States and racing the crit as well.”
How it unfolded
The 80-minute pro criterium for elite men saw 99 riders hit the 1.7km course in the Friday twilight in downtown Knoxville. Just like the women’s criterium held prior to the men's race, the key to winning the race was positioning on the final climb with three corners leading to the Gay Street downhill finish straight.
After a fast start, the pace stretched out the peloton in single-file formation on the first lap. Attacks and counter-attacks flew from the front for the first 15 minutes and even defending champion Lamperti tried to make something happen, but to no avail. Two crashes marred the back of the field in quick succession but they did not impact the ebb and flow of the race.
No break was able to get succeed though it wasn’t for lack of trying. L39ION of Los Angeles covered almost every move, especially Robin Carpenter who did a lot of work to try and control the field for his team.
Among riders to try attacks were Colin Fitzgerald (Bike Works p/b Fred Beans), Gabriel Shipley (Aevolo), Fergus Arthur (Texas Roadhouse), Lewis Whiley (Expeditors), Jonny Clarke (Miami Nights), Cole Kessler (Israel Premier Tech) and Miami Blazers teammates Tanner Ward and Spencer Moavenzadeh.
With 10 laps to go, the single-file peloton was still together, organizing for the inevitable bunch sprint though that did not stop the attacks.
Earlier than many expected, the battle of the lead-out trains started with seven laps to go. At the front, five L39ION riders with the Miami Blazers, Project Echelon and Expeditors massing together behind them. Lamperti was sticking close to the L39ION train.
The Miami Blazers team took over briefly on the next lap, but L39ION kept in control for the next four laps. They lost control on the penultimate lap when Simmons and an Aevolo rider broke up the train and slotted in behind the lone L39ION rider at the front.
Project Echelon made their move on the bell lap but Williams was able to come to the front to lead on the climb with Lamperti on his wheel followed by Simmons.
Results
Full results provided by One2Go Event Services.
