FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling team kept the results coming this past week in Arkansas with a solid overall third from Gavin Mannion and a stage win from Sebastian Haedo at the Joe Martin Stage Race (2.2). Haedo’s win marks the fourth time he’s taken top honors on the second stage of the race.
“We are happy with the overall result for our first US race,” UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Director Sebastian Alexandre said. “A stage victory and podium GC are the main highlights for us this week.”
A short, uphill individual time trial kicked off the four-day stage race, where Mannion found his legs early and powered to third place.
“I felt good in training the past few days, but it’s been a while since I’ve raced so I wasn’t sure what to expect,” Mannion said. “Pacing was very important today and I think I did that well so I’m happy with third place.”
The next day, it was Haedo’s turn to reign – as he had three times before on stage two. Alexandre said the plan was to focus on the stage win and it paid off. The team had Haedo in good position to unleash his sprint after 177 km of racing.
“It was pretty hard. The team did very well. In the morning we made a plan to be in the front at 300 meters, when that happened, I was fourth wheel, a little far back but I made it work,” Haedo said after his win.
The Argentinian powerhouse also nabbed third place the next day, while Mannion’s GC position stayed safe.
“Stage 3 was very controlled and tactical,” Alexandre said. “After 60kms of attacks finally a break was established with no GC threats. With 5 km to go, the race came back together and the team gave Haedo a good lead out.”
After four days of racing, a rainy criterium marked the finale of the Joe Martin Stage Race. The team’s plan was to go for overall victory and delivered several attacks to soften Team Rally, who had to protect their GC leader, Adam De Vos.
“We did a very good job and had Jonny Clarke in a break,” Alexandre said. “Unfortunately Jonny flatted with four laps to go and because of the rules he couldn’t get back in the race. The officials gave him the same finishing time as the break. Our chances for stage victory went away at that moment. The gap was 20 seconds and in with a rain and with few laps to go there was no time for us to bring it back.
In the end, the GC changed hands and Robin Carpenter from (Holowesko|Citadel|Hincapie) won the overall. Adam De Vos (Rally) and Gavin Mannion completed the podium.
Next up for the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling men’s team is the Sunny King Omnium in Anniston, Alabama on April 7.
Photography: Ethan Glading
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