Canadian David Veilleux (Kelly Benefit Strategies) won the USA Cycling Professional Criterium National Championship, but the stars and stripes jersey was earned by Dan Holloway (Bissell), ending the race in fourth place. A 13-man break decided the race's outcome, with the foreigners escaping easily in the end. The Americans were busy watching each other and Holloway won the US Nationals race by the smallest of margins against Ken Hanson of Team Type 1.
"It's tough to lose the jersey by that much," said Hanson after earning his silver medal. "But he [Holloway] made the right move and took a gamble and it paid off," Hanson said.
Hanson said he lost valuable position as the remnants of the breakaway bunched up just before the final right-hand turn, less than 200 meters from the finish. "I got boxed in when Holloway jumped, so I had a bit of gap to make up," he said. "I came up on him but just didn't have enough."
The strategy to let the foreign riders get away thus backfired, with Holloway getting the better end for himself. Hanson also felt another teammate in the break would have been good as the lap counter ticked down and the humidity and wind picked up.
"In the last couple laps, it was an in-fight with all the Americans," Hanson said. "The other guys got up the road, so we were just attacking each other. I was trying to keep it together and the field was getting close to catching us."
The break formed midway through the 100km race on the new course in Glencoe. After a quarter century, the Downer's Grove course was overlooked for 2010. The new course features an uphill section that was also a headwind area. The figure eight course is 2.1km long.
The foreigners did their own race for the win, ahead of the Americans fighting for the jersey. Veilleux beat the Fly V Australia duo of Australian Bernard Sulzberger and Italian Alessandro Bazzana.
Hanson said he will turn his disappointment into motivation to go for another stars-and-stripes jersey at the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Road National Championship in Greenville, South Carolina.
"Up until today, my focus has been the criterium jersey," he said. "After today, I've essentially got a month until that race. I'm 100 percent focused on that jersey now. I'm hungry."
Results
1. David Veilleux (Kelly Benefit Strategies) 2h29'31
2. Bernard Sulzberger (Fly V Australia)
3. Alessandro Bazzana (Fly V Australia)
4. Daniel Holloway (Bissell) - US Champion 0'27
5. Ken Hanson (Team Type 1)