A day of firsts for Parbo and Stetson-Lee
First UCI wins come in Southern California
The opening race of the first Southern California UCI doubleheader in two years proved to be a day of firsts for Dane Joachim Parbo and Colorado native Teal Stetson-Lee. The pair claimed their first ever UCI race wins, and while Stetson-Lee's was in her first season as an elite rider, Parbo's came after a long history in the sport.
Parbo slipped away late in the race, leaving behind mountain bike legend Sid Taberlay to claim second ahead of Chris Jones (Rapha-Focus) with Tyler Wren (Boo Bicycles) and Danny Summerhill (Holowesko Partners/Felt/Garmin) rounding out the podium.
Parbo overcame a sore throat which he blames on the heat in California combined with the air conditioning inside. After being sick for three days, he said, "I was so amazed that I could get to the front - I thought for sure there were more guys ahead. I couldn't believe it.
"It's just amazing - it's like a star dropping from the sky and drinks passed all around!"
The Rapha-Focus duo of Zach McDonald and Jones set out hard on the first lap, but Jones said he rolled a tire and spent much of the race chasing to get back on, leaving him lacking a bit in the sprint.
The lead changed hands several times during the first half, with Summerhill and Wren having some time at the front, but it was Canadian Chris Sheppard who spent the largest part of the race leading before fading back with four laps to go.
Parbo, who was in a second chase group for the mid-part of the race, made his way up to the lead group as Sheppard was reeled in, and then made his move on the penultimate lap.
"I developed a plan during the race where I would invest my power and not care about the others. I attacked at a point where the guys kind of slowed down," Parbo said. "Once you slow down on this grass you really slow down, so I attacked there, and I think Chris Jones went with me but he skidded out in a corner. When I heard that I said I should play it safe."
Parbo held onto just enough margin to take his first UCI victory, while Taberlay dispatched the chase group to solo in for second.
Taberlay had to fight his way through the field on the early laps from a poor starting position, bunny hopping the barriers to gain an advantage much to the thrill of the crowd.
"I'm not fit enough this time of year, that hurt," the Australian said. "I had fun in a couple sections but the rest of the time I was just hanging. When it actually got hard on the straights I was struggling and just getting back on in the corners."
Wren, who still has a stage race in China and the Tour of Japan on his road program, used the race as a way to stay fit and motivated late in the season, but said his technical skills were a bit lacking.
"It's hard to get away from them because every time I'd attack they'd come back to me on the corners," he said. Riding on a Boo Bicycles bamboo bike, Wren was excited to get in the race. "I've been excited and having insomnia thinking about setting up the bike and getting in the race. I was hoping for a top five so I'm happy with it."
Stetson-Lee powers to her first elite win
Teal Stetson-Lee (California Giant Berry/Specialized) claimed a commanding win in the women's race, soloing from the second lap to top Devon Haskell (Bike Station Aptos).
"It's kind of surreal. I've had dreams about this moment for a long time," said Stetson-Lee. "Even though it's a smaller UCI race, this is my first year racing elites, and it's my first UCI win. I've got a lot of work to do, but this is my dream and it's pretty exciting!"
Haskell took the hole shot and led for much of the first lap, but a minor crash saw her pulled back. Stetson-Lee didn't wait long to make her move, and by the second lap she was away solo and never looked back. She was briefly joined by Barb Howe (Ibis), but a bobble in the mud sent Howe into the tape, leaving Stetson-Lee to go it alone.
"I wasn't sure how fast the pace was going to be, so I sat in there to see what was going to happen. I'm from Colorado so I'm not used to the heat and humidity, so I didn't know how that would affect me. I thought I had the legs for it, so I attacked and I felt really good in the turny sections. So that was where I made up a lot of time, and I had enough energy to hold it."
"I tried to go out hard and not burn myself up," Haskell said. "Teal made a good move and I didn't have the punch for it. She's riding really well. I had to keep going strong because I had a couple chasers behind me."
Haskell held off the chase from Sarah Maile (Ventana Bikes), who took third over Carolyn Popovich (PAvalleys.com), while Howe rounded out the top five.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Teal Stetson-Lee (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized | 0:36:49 |
2 | Devon Haskell (USA) Bike Station Aptos | 0:00:58 |
3 | Sarah Maile (USA) Ventana Mountain Bikes | 0:01:12 |
4 | Carolyn Popovic (USA) PAValleys.com | 0:01:13 |
5 | Barbara Howe (USA) Ibis and the Danger Twins | 0:01:26 |
6 | Emily R Thurston (USA) Missing Link | 0:01:36 |
7 | Courtney Dimpel (USA) Bike Station Aptos | 0:01:43 |
8 | Katrina Baumsteiger (USA) Team Rambuski Law | 0:01:55 |
9 | Allison Mann (USA) Rock N' Road | 0:02:10 |
10 | Sarah Jordan (USA) Bay 101/HRS/Rock Lobster | 0:04:08 |
11 | Amanda Schaper (USA) SDG Factory Team | 0:04:25 |
12 | Beverly Chaney (USA) Team Roaring Mouse | 0:04:50 |
13 | Tonya Bray (USA) Pablove Racing | 0:05:11 |
14 | Dorothy Wong (USA) The Team | 0:05:23 |
15 | Ivie Crawford (USA) The Team | 0:10:12 |
-2laps | Alexis M Ryan (USA) The Team | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
-4laps | Annette Padilla (USA) Celo Pacific | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kendall G Ryan (USA) The Team | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Joachim Parbo (Den) Kch Leopard Cycles | 0:59:25 |
2 | Sid Taberlay (Aus) Sho-Air/Specialized | 0:00:02 |
3 | Christopher Jones (USA) Rapha Focus | 0:00:04 |
4 | Tyler Wren (USA) Boo Bicycles | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Daniel Summerhill (USA) Garmin/Holowesko Partners | 0:00:07 |
6 | Sean Babcock (USA) Kona | 0:00:12 |
7 | Chris Sheppard (Can) Rocky Mountain Bicycles/Shimano/Giro/Trp | 0:00:21 |
8 | Jeremy Ferguson (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized | 0:00:40 |
9 | Craig Richey (Can) Cyclocrossracing.Com P/B Blue | 0:00:55 |
10 | Alexander Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies | 0:01:43 |
11 | Aaron Schooler (Can) Team H&R Block | 0:01:45 |
12 | Frank Spiteri (USA) Peninsula Velo/Pomodoro | 0:02:00 |
13 | Brent Prenzlow (USA) Celo Pacific/B+L Bikes | 0:02:02 |
14 | Zach Mcdonald (USA) Rapha Focus | 0:02:09 |
15 | Joseph D Schmalz (USA) Kccx/Verge Presented By Challenge | 0:02:41 |
16 | Adam Mcgrath (USA) Feedback Sports/Van Dessel Cyclocross | 0:02:42 |
17 | Josh C Snead (USA) Bay 101/Hrs/Rock Lobster | 0:02:46 |
18 | Cody Kaiser (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized | 0:03:04 |
19 | Scott Chapin (USA) Hrs/Rocklobster | 0:03:06 |
20 | John Behrens (USA) Bailey Bikes | 0:03:22 |
21 | Kyle J Gritters (USA) Rock N Road Cyclery | 0:03:27 |
22 | Jason Siegle (USA) Bike Religion | 0:04:01 |
23 | John Bailey (USA) Bailey Bikes | 0:04:08 |
24 | Morgan Ryan (USA) The Team | 0:04:40 |
25 | Aaron O'dell (USA) Bay 101/ Hrs/ Rock Lobster | 0:04:44 |
26 | Adam R Mills (USA) Kccx/Verge Presented By Challenge | 0:04:51 |
27 | Donny Carroll (USA) Bailey Bikes/Donny'S Café | 0:04:57 |
-1lap | Eric J Christenson (USA) Sdg Factory Team | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Anton A Petrov (USA) Sdg Factory Team | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Brue Syvertsen (USA) De La Paz | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Chance A Noble (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Sergio A Hernandez (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Benjamin L Dodge (USA) Bay 101/Hrs/Rock Lobster | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Frederick Bottger (USA) Sdg Factory Team | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
-2laps | Eric Colton (USA) The Team | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | Derek Yarra (USA) Box Dog Bikes | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | David Sheek (USA) Sdg Factory Team | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | Tony Smith (USA) Focus Bikes Usa | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
-3laps | Ted W Willard (USA) The Team | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
-4laps | Tyler Wertenbruch (USA) Slo Nexus-Gym One | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
-4laps | Dean Poshard (USA) Rock Lobster | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
-4laps | Gregory Osborn (USA) La Velocity | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
-5laps | Alex F Boone (USA) Pablove Racing | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
-6laps | Lawrence Leonard (USA) Successful Living | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gary Douville (USA) Platinum Performance | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Brandon Gritters (USA) Rock N Road Cyclery | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mark Noble (USA) Franco Factory Team | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Molly Cameron (USA) Portland Bicycle Studio | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonathan Baker (USA) Hudz-Subaru | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
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Laura Weislo has been with Cyclingnews since 2006 after making a switch from a career in science. As Managing Editor, she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news. As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track, Laura has a passion for all three disciplines. When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads, paths and gravel tracks. Laura specialises in covering doping, anti-doping, UCI governance and performing data analysis.
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