Danielson Solos to USA Pro Challenge Stage Three Win

Garmin-Sharp’s Tom Danielson put in an epic effort to hold off the entire field to win Stage Three of the USA Pro Challenge.
Danielson Solos to USA Pro Challenge Stage Three Win
Tejay Van Garderen of BMC Racing pushes hard on a descent, trying to catch Tom Danielson and save his yellow jersey. He shouldn’t have lost it; as he pointed out in his post-race interview, his margin of victory in Stage Two was about the same as Danielson’s in Stage Three but Van Garderen was awarded no time over the second-place rider. “Whatever,” the former race leader concluded. “Who is in yellow on Sunday is what counts.” Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
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<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/1TomShout150590331WEB.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-282865" title="USA Pro Challenge - Stage Three" src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/1TomShout150590331WEB-676x450.jpg" alt="Tom Danielson of Garmin-Sharp crosses the finish line two seconds ahead of the chasing group to win Stage Three of the USA Pro Challenge. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)" width="750" height="500"/></a>
Tom Danielson of Garmin-Sharp crosses the finish line two seconds ahead of the chasing group to win Stage Three of the USA Pro Challenge. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Garmin-Sharp’s Tom Danielson put in an epic effort to hold off the entire field to win Stage Three of the USA Pro ChallengeDanielson bridged to an 18-rider breakaway on the Cat 1 climb up the 12,102-foot Cottonwood Pass, pushed the pace in the breakaway over the 12,060 Independence Pass until he dropped every other rider, and time-trialed to the finish line to win by a mere two seconds ahead of the charging peloton.

Danielson needed 13 seconds to take the yellow jersey away from BMC’s Tejay Van Garderen, who led the chase to catch the Garmin rider.

In the end Van Garderen’s effort was insufficient; Garmin’s Christian Vande Velde finished just a few places ahead of the BMC rider, and captured yellow. Vande Velde is the third rider to wear the jersey in three stages.

Stage Four is another tough stage, heading back over Independence pass and ending with a mountaintop finish. Garmin has attacked furiously in every stage so far; defending yellow might be beyond them.

It seems likely the jersey might pass to yet another rider and team tomorrow.

For Danielson, this was his first win since 2009, and his first stage race win since 2006—he had won hill climbs and team time trial events, but never a serious race stage. The win is all the sweeter because he made a similar titanic effort in Stage One, only to be caught three miles from the finish.

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