May 30, 2011
Wamsley is Top Domestic at USPRO
BISSELL was in the action from the start of the 2011 USPRO Road Championships. The 185k race in Greenville SC was the same grueling course as in past years. The tough course included 3 starting and finishing circuits in downtown Greenville and 4 punishing trips up Paris Mountain under the day’s scotching sun. Just after the neutral start in the opening lap, BISSELL’s Andy Baker heated things and was in the day’s initial move with about 7 other riders. Several attacks in the opening laps led to small time gaps, and Paul Mach and Andrew Dahlheim were also in the early action. The most decisive move of the day came as the riders headed up Paris Mountain for the first time. David Williams was one of 8 riders in the break and quickly the gap grew from 35 seconds to 2:10. As the pace quickened and the grade increased over the second time up Paris Mountain, the break began to feel the pressure. Williams and Robert Bush (Chipotle Development Team) eventually dropped off leaving 6 riders in the lead group. The gap fluctuated throughout the remainder of the day and the lead group slowly dwindled down to 4. On the final trip up Paris Mountain, a group of riders bridged up to the remaining break to form a new group of 9 riders. In the final 20k, 4 riders split off the front and this group held on through the 3 finishing circuits in downtown Greenville. Matthew Busche (Team Radio Shack) emerged as the new USPRO Road Champion in a photo finish. The remaining peloton came through for a field sprint and BISSELL’s Kyle Wamsley took it! Wamsley finished in 5th place and was the top domestic rider. Chase Pinkham also had an explosive race to finish 10th.
May 28, 2011
A Solid TT for BISSELL
The best of American time trialists bid for the national title in Greenville SC on Saturday. It was a small but highly qualified field of thirty four riders who took the start of the 30k course at Clemson University-International Center for Automotive Research. The riders were let off in 3 waves at 1 minute intervals. BISSELL’s Chase Pinkham and Andy Baker raced in the first wave. It was obvious from the first time check that Chase was the strongest rider in wave #1 with a time of 42:21. After the first ten riders had completed the course, Chase Pinkham sat in 1st place and Andy Baker in 3rd. The second wave included tough contenders but Chase’s time continued to hold its place in the top 5. The final wave brought BISSELL riders David Williams and Paul Mach, the reigning champion, as well as, 5-time national TT champion, Dave Zabriskie. The lightening fast times were immediately evident, and Zabriskie retook the stars and stripes with a time of 40:23. Again, BISSELL showed the strength of its youth with David Williams stopping the clock at 42:30. BISSELL continues to show the depth of its time trial strength with both Chase Pinkham and David Williams in the top 10.
USPRO TT Results
Chase Pinkham 9th
David Williams 10th
Paul Mach 15th
Andy Baker 17th
Andy Jacques-Maynes 26th
May 27, 2011
BISSELL for USPRO Road and Time Trial Championships
The month of May has seen great racing from the BISSELL Pro Cycling Team, and this weekend is sure to bring more. Eleven BISSELL riders will contest the national championships in Greenville SC this weekend. Greenville has hosted the championship race for six years but this year comes with a date change to memorial weekend. The switch to the summer kick-off holiday weekend stretches the racing across three days and gives the riders a valuable rest day between Saturday’s time trial and Monday’s road race. The new date better aligns the national championship with the international race calendar, and the change to May will certainly see riders at their peak fitness levels as opposed to the end-of-summer race date of previous years.
Five BISSELL riders will be racing Saturday’s time trial which returns to the Clemson University-International Center for Automotive Research. Riders will complete 3 laps on a 6.9 mile course. Monday's 115 mile road race course is the same as past years and consists of three starting circuits of 4.2 miles, four long laps over Paris Mountain and three downtown finishing circuits. BISSELL will have eleven riders for the road race. Ideal weather conditions are expected to greet the riders this weekend.
BISSELL Riders for TT: Andy Baker, Andy Jacques-Maynes, Paul Mach, Chase Pinkham, David Williams
BISSELL Riders for RR: Andy Baker, Chris Baldwin, Andrew Dahlheim, Andy Jacques-Maynes, Shane Kline, Paul Mach, Chase Pinkham, Frank Pipp, Kyle Wamsley, David Williams, Eric Young
May 22, 2011
Wamsley Wins in Wilmington
BISSELL’s Kyle Wamsley won Sunday’s Wilmington Grand Prix Road Race in a solo effort in the final 1.5k and finished 2nd overall in the omnium points. Wamsley’s teammate, Eric Young, sprinted for 5th in the road race and wrapped up the omnium in the top 10. The Wilmington GP continues to be one of the top US races and is one of 3 omniums on this year’s NRC calendar.
May 22, 2011
It’s a Wrap on BISSELL’s Amazing Production at ATOC
Attacks flew from the start of the final stage of the 2011 ATOC from Santa Clarita to Thousand Oaks, and it delivered the sprint finish that was expected. At 30k into the race, a breakaway of 4 riders was established. Over the next few laps, 2 riders chased the leaders and eventually bridged across, but the break had already begun to collapse. Without a well-organized lead group, all were eventually reabsorbed. With the peloton together, BISSELL set up Frank Pipp for the finish, and he delivered with another top 20 result. Frank finished today’s stage in 16th place which brings his top 20 victories in this tour to 4!
BISSELL had an outstanding tour and added much excitement to every stage of the race. In addition to Frank’s excellent finishes, the team had other exceptional results. Jeremy Vennell finished 8th in the Solvang time trial. Rob Britton and Chris Baldwin had top 30 results on Sierra Road and Mt. Baldy both of which are among the most difficult climbing stages in North American racing. Rob and Chris finished 23rd and 27th, respectively, in the general classification. Most conclusively, the team again demonstrated its unified objective and finished as the highest placed continental team in the team classification. Great tour, BISSELL!
For the latest photos from the ATOC BISSELL Pro Cycling click here
May 21, 2011
BISSELL Commands Respect on the Queen’s Stage at ATOC
Like every stage, the attacks started as soon as the flag was dropped, to signal the start of the queen stage of the Tour of California. To claim the title of this year’s most epic stage the race course started up a mountain and finished with the biggest of them all, Mount Baldy. Without fear, Team Bissell launched themselves into every move.
Rob Britton finally achieved the privilege of riding in the breakaway, managing a career defining ride which demonstrated his astounding abilities as an exceptional hill climber. He finished the stage in 26th place, after being caught by the leaders on the last part of Mt Baldy, showing that Rob is a force to be reckoned with in the high mountains.
With the goal of Team Bissell having a rider in the breakaway achieved, the rest of the team was there to back up Rob’s great ride with Chris Baldwin and Paul Mach riding well to finish 29th and 37th. The team placed 9th overall, showing a solid performance.
The rest of the team saved their legs for the last stage of this 2011 tour. No doubt stage 8 will be a stage where Bissell will show yet again that they are the best domestic team in America and can race with the best in the world.
For the latest photos from the ATOC BISSELL Pro Cycling click here
May 20, 2011
Kiwis Really Can Fly!
Bissell's Jeremy Vennell rode an outstanding tt to finish 8th among cycling's best time trialists. The 24k course returned to Solvang this year, and the racers and crowds were both very enthusiastic to revisit this perfect time trial venue. The technical course presented an opening climb, speedy descents, and tricky cornering. The cheering crowds and blue skies made up for the pain.
Rob Britton, Chris Baldwin, and Frank Pipp also turned in fast times to move up in the overall classification. Rob moved up to 23rd and Chris now holds 28th place in the GC. The team's great racing also helped to secure their place as the best continental team in the team classification and BISSELL finished 7th out of 18 teams.
For the latest photos from the ATOC BISSELL Pro Cycling click here
May 19, 2011
Good and Bad for BISSELL in Stage 5
Today’s longest stage of the Tour of California was filled with more aggressive racing from BISSELL, but was unfortunately marred by some devastating crashes.
Ben Jacques-Maynes went down in a crash of 7 at the half-way point of the race. He was taken by ambulance and it has since been confirmed that he has a broken collarbone. The crash also resulted in two other abandons by Gustav Larson (Saxo Bank) and Alex Dowsett (Sky). It is a big loss for the team. Ben has raced an incredible tour and will be sorely missed.
The team, however, kept their resolve and continued their aggressive racing. A break of 4 riders went clear after the day’s first KOM and Chris Baldwin was there for BISSELL. The group of 4 initially got a gap of 1:25 on the peloton. The gap fluctuated a bit until additional riders bridged up to the pack to form a new group of 10. The amended lead group was made up of all very strong climbers and forged on to be a significant threat. The gap fluctuated throughout the day between 1:45-2:50. At 23 miles to go, two riders attacked the break. A determined HTC – Highroad Team led the chase and were in hot pursuit. By 2k to go, the group was all back together. BISSELL again demonstrated their strength within the peloton when Jeremy Vennell made a final dash for the finish. Unfortunately, he was overtaken by a group of 45 riders sprinting for the line.
BISSELL’s Frank Pipp had a tremendous final sprint to take 9th for the day. BISSELL riders Rob Britton and Chris Baldwin continue to hold their places in the top 30. In his strong breakaway effort, Chris Baldwin also gained a 3 second time bonus from intermediate sprints and accumulated points at two of the KOMs.
In another show of courage and strength, Andy Jacques-Maynes went down on two separate occasions today, but bravely returned to his bike to finish the day solidly.
Tomorrow’s individual time trial is sure to be an exciting day for BISSELL. Stay tuned….
For the latest ATOC photos from BISSELL Pro Cycling click here
May 18, 2011
BISSELL: Now 3 for 3 Days in the Action
Even before Wednesday’s stage left the start city of Livermore, two BISSELL riders, Jeremy Vennell and Ben Jacques-Maynes, got themselves in the day’s break. With 5 KOMs in the stage and a summit finish on Sierra Road, it was a long hard day to be in the lead group.
The group of 10 included representation from pro tour teams, domestic teams, and World Champion, Thor Hushovd (Garmin Cervelo). By the first KOM at Mines Road, the gap was up to 3 minutes and the group continued strong over the next KOM at San Antonio Valley. Under great pressure from the chasers, lead by RadioShack, the break began to disintegrate at the base of Mt. Hamilton. BISSELL fought a hard battle, and Jeremy Vennell was the final rider to be caught. RadioShack continued to force the pace up and over the climb. A few attacks leading up to the final climb up Sierra Road looked promising; however, it was a move by Chris Horner (RadioShack) halfway up the climb that dictated the day’s results. Horner continued his solo assault on the road up the climb and over the finish to take the win. He finished 3:27 minutes ahead of the next group to further affirm his strength.
BISSELL had very strong finishes with two riders, Rob Britton and Chris Baldwin, in the top 30. With their outstanding rides today, both Rob and Chris are within 4:30 of the race leader, Horner. BISSELL is the highest placed continental team in the team classification. Tomorrow’s stage from Seaside to Paso Robles is the longest of the tour, with 223k and over 10,000’ of climbing, so it is sure to deliver another day of fantastic racing.
For the latest ATOC photos from BISSELL Pro Cycling click here
May 17, 2011
More Jacques-Mania at ATOC
There was more action from the BISSELL Team today, and this time it was Andy Jacques-Maynes flying the BISSELL colors. Stage 3 took off from Auburn enroute to Modesto for the 196k relatively flat course. Intermittent rain fell throughout the stage but it was the harsh headwinds that caused the most pain.
Again, an early breakaway quickly formed and set sail. The break consisted of seven riders, and AJM was BISSELL's man in the group. They worked well together taking even pulls through the gale winds. There were 3 intermediate sprints throughout the stage, and the break captured them all. Andy took third in the first two sprints and second in the final one giving him an accumulated time bonus of 4 seconds. With 60k of racing complete, the gap had grown to 6:40. As the pressure increased from the chasing teams, the break began to unravel. After 120k of racing, one of the riders in the break dropped off and the group was down to six. Then as they approached the final intermediate sprint, Jan Barta (Team NetApp) attacked the break and Andy followed. They put out an immense effort but with a hard chasing pack the duo could no longer fight the fierce headwind. In the final 20k, the pair were finally caught; however, the significant pressure was visible in the splintered peloton. The sprinter's teams fought it out in the Modesto finishing circuits and crashes were seen dotting the downtown roads. In the end, Team Sky came through for it's second consecutive win with Greg Henderson (Sky) crossing in front of JJ Haedo (Saxo Bank) for second and Thor Hushovd (Garmin Cervelo) for third.
Wednesday brings Sierra Road and let the climbing begin!
May 16, 2011
BISSELL’s Ben Jacques-Maynes Brought Heat to Today’s Frigid Race
After Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California was canceled due to a winter storm, race organizers were again confronted by the cold and icy conditions at today’s scheduled start in Squaw Valley. Early this morning, race officials made the decision to relocate the start to Nevada City. Overall, the stage was reduced to 122k, the intermediate sprints and the Donner Pass KOM were eliminated, and 2 finishing circuits around the Sacramento Capital were added.
After joking about wanting to take a few powder runs at Squaw this morning, BISSELL’s Ben Jacques-Maynes melted the ice off the road as he bridged to join an early 3 man breakaway. The four riders fought a tough battle throughout the day on the predominantly downhill course into Sacramento. At 70k to go, the leaders had a gap of 5 minutes. With the sprinter’s teams organizing for the finish, the gap began to narrow. As the riders approached the downtown finishing circuits, three of the four riders were caught. However, BJM had more in his tank, and in one final burst, put out a great solo effort in front of the enthusiastic Sacramento crowds. At 13k to go, Ben was finally caught and the sprinters set their plans into motion. Sky’s Ben Swift won the sprint and BISSELL’s Frank Pipp made an outstanding effort for a 15th place finish.
It was an amazing start for the BISSELL Team who raced hard and showcased the team for the world to see.
For the latest ATOC photos from BISSELL Pro Cycling click here
May 15, 2011
No Racing in Tahoe
The impending May snowstorm had teams and tour organizers concerned about race conditions for the opening stage of the Amgen Tour of California. The stage was scheduled to be a 191k loop-and-a-half around Lake Tahoe starting in South Lake Tahoe and finishing in Northstar at North Lake Tahoe. When eyes opened on Sunday morning to snow filled roads, race organizers delayed the start from 10:30 to 1:15 and reduced the stage to 80k. At 1:15 as riders readied at the start, a decision was made by race organizers to abort the stage. It was a difficult but very justified decision given the dangerous race conditions.
Monday’s stage from Squaw Valley to Sacramento is also facing questionable race conditions, but the BISSELL Team is looking to get the action started!
May 11, 2011
BISSELL Announces ATOC Roster
Chris Baldwin, Ben Jacques-Maynes, Andy Jacques-Maynes, Rob Britton, Paul Mach, Frank Pipp, Jeremy Vennell, and Jay Thomson will represent BISSELL in the Amgen Tour of California. The goals for the eight day race are to compete aggressively and stand out in all the race action. In addition to animating the race, BISSELL will look for stage victories and podium placement. The team is ready for a great race.
May 9, 2011
BISSELL Reigns at Joe Martin
BISSELL reaped the benefits of persistency at the Joe Martin Stage Race and took the overall win, the sprinter’s jersey, and the team classification. The final stage of Joe Martin was an 85 minute crit on a 2.5k L-shaped course with a steep climb and a technical cornered descent. The team knew that they needed to continue to control the race, isolate the race leader Francisco Mancebo (RealCyclist), and take the available time bonuses. With 4 riders in the top 10, BISSELL was in a great position to use their high placed riders to draw out Mancebo.
The first move came from Ben Jacques-Maynes who started the day in 2nd , only 7 seconds out of the lead. Ben entered an early breakaway, putting pressure on RealCyclist and forcing Mancebo to close the gap. As soon as the group was brought back, a counter attack ensued. This group was made up of 5 riders including BISSELL's Jay Thomson. Again, Mancebo was forced to react. BISSELL launched a series of attacks that eventually wore out RealCyclist and put BISSELL in a position for a great finish.
May 8, 2011
Thomson Wins at Joe Martin
BISSELL’s Jay Thomson took the win on Saturday’s stage 3 at Joe Martin from a mid-race breakaway. The racing was aggressive from the start with all teams watching for the inevitable breakaway. The field stayed intact during the initial 2 of 4 23-mile loops despite constant and immediate attacking. On the third lap, a small breakaway emerged including BISSELL’s Paul Mach and Jay Thomson and RealCyclist’s Cesar Grajales. The break grew to twelve after the large number of riders bridged across; however, the bigger bunch lacked organization and was reabsorbed. Thomson and 3 others mounted a counter attack and eventually gained 1:20 on the field. The chasing was furious and eventually took its toll on many teams. Jay smartly sat in the group and waited to the perfect moment to initiate his move. With the finish just out of site and the field closing in, Jay exploded out of the lead group to take the win with the field crossing just seconds behind.
It was a great day of racing for BISSELL. In addition to the stage win, Thomson also holds the sprinter’s jersey and the team securely holds the team classification with 4 riders in the top 10. Sunday’s 85 minute crit offers BISSELL a good opportunity to earn time bonuses to move Ben Jacques-Maynes into the lead. “We have a number of cards to play tomorrow and RealCyclist will be in the position to have to defend,” says Director Kem. “It is also a good finish for Ben because it is hard and it is uphill and the time bonus at the finish could get us the jersey.”
May 7, 2011
Collegiate National Road Champion Andy Baker
BISSELL’s Andy Baker won the USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships on Friday in Madison, Wisconsin. Andy, riding for Furman University, dominated the race in a solo effort. Andy crossed the finish over 5 minutes ahead of his competitors. Congratulations, Andy!
May 7, 2011
Pipp 4th in Stage 2 at Joe Martin
BISSELL delivered all the action in the stage 2 road race at Joe Martin. The 110 mile course had over 5,400 ft of climbing and included a 350 meter finishing straight at 6% grade. The long day started with loads of attacks which continued throughout the opening 30 miles until BISSELL’s Jay Thomson and one other rider were able to get away. Jay drove the break for over 60k with time gaps growing to 2:45. The duo was eventually caught, but, again BISSELL dominated the action. As the field approached 20 miles to go, a group of 4 including BISSELL’s Andy Jacques-Maynes got away and held the gap to 30 seconds. The breakaway was caught in the final miles, and BISSELL set up Frank Pipp for the finish. In a very messy bunch sprint, Frank came across for 4th. Race leader, Francisco Mancebo (RealCyclist), finished third and picked up a 4 second time bonus which increased his lead over Ben Jacques-Maynes to 7 seconds. Mancebo is showing solid form and has been a rightful adversary; however, BISSELL will continue to mount a defiant challenge.
BISSELL continues to hold 4 places in the top 10 GC with BJM in 2nd, Jeremy Vennell in 3rd, Paul Mach in 4th, and Frank Pipp in 7th. BISSELL also solidly leads the team classification.
Saturday will likely be the toughest stage of the tour, but BISSELL is ready. The course includes four 23 mile loops with 1,500 ft of climbing each lap. BISSELL will look to be in the day’s breakaway which given the right composition could likely stay away for the entire stage.
May 5, 2011
Great Start for BISSELL at Joe Martin
The Joe Martin Stage Race kicked off today with a 4k time trial which involved punishing climbing. BISSELL had a tremendous start to the 4 day tour placing 5 riders in the top 11. Ben Jacques-Maynes was BISSELL’s fastest rider and was only 3 seconds behind stage winner, Francisco Mancebo (RealCyclist). Also among the fastest times of the day were BISSELL’s Paul Mach in 3rd, Jeremy Vennell in 4th, Frank Pipp in 7th, and Andy Jacques-Maynes in 11th.
The short but steep time trial opened with an initial flat section but steadily climbed 600 ft to the finish. With the majority of the grade at 10%, this course definitely gave advantage to the climbers. BISSELL is in great position as they head into tomorrow’s 110 mile race. The race will likely end in a sprint and is well suited for BISSELL finishers, Ben Jacques-Maynes and Frank Pipp. BISSELL’s goal is to focus on the available time bonuses to close the 3 second gap to the leader.
May 3,2011
BISSELL® TO PROVIDE OFFICIAL ‘CLEAN-UP CREW’ FOR 2011 AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES (April 28, 2011) – In an effort to keep the 15 Host Cities of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California clean for residents, athletes and fans, BISSELL will provide the official Clean-Up Crew for the race. The 2011 race, which will cover nearly 800 miles of scenic California roadways and highways from May 15 – 22, kicks off in South Lake Tahoe and ends in Thousand Oaks, California, and will feature many of the world’s elite cyclists vying for the title of Amgen Tour of California winner.
Up to 25 local volunteers will be selected by race organizers to be a part of the official BISSELL Clean-Up Crew, which will be stationed at both the start and finish line locations of each stage. A first for the Amgen Tour of California, the Clean-Up Crew will wear BISSELL-branded shirts designating them as members of the crew who will be on hand to clean up public areas as needed.
“At BISSELL, we create products that make your home a cleaner place to live. With the BISSELL Pro Cycling Team participating in the Amgen Tour of California, we want to do the same for the race’s host cities, creating cleaner places for the residents, fans, athletes and others who make the Tour possible,” said Mark Bissell, Chairman and CEO of the company.
The 2011 Amgen Tour of California will visit 15 Host Cities for official stage starts and finishes, while other cities along the route also will have the opportunity to witness the excitement of elite professional cycling. Stages for the 2011 Amgen Tour of California include:
- Stage 1: Sunday, May 15 – South Lake Tahoe to North Lake Tahoe-Northstar at Tahoe Resort
- Stage 2: Monday, May 16 – North Lake Tahoe-Squaw Valley USA to Sacramento
- Stage 3: Tuesday, May 17 – Auburn to Modesto
- Stage 4: Wednesday, May 18 – Livermore to San Jose
- Stage 5: Thursday, May 19 – Seaside to Paso Robles
- Stage 6: Friday, May 20 – Solvang Individual Time Trial
- Stage 7: Saturday, May 21 – Claremont to Mt. Baldy
- Stage 8: Sunday, May 22 – Santa Clarita to Thousand Oaks
About the Amgen Tour of California
The largest cycling event in America, the 2011 Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race, presented by AEG, that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course through the state from May 15-22.
About Bissell
A 135-year-old company, Grand Rapids, Mich.-based BISSELL Homecare Inc. is the top-selling brand in floor care appliances in North America,* with an expanding presence worldwide. As an innovator of cleaning products, BISSELL produces and sells vacuums, sweepers, deep-cleaning machines, bare-floor cleaners and cleaning formulas at retail locations across the globe. The company is in its fourth generation of family leadership.
* Based on NPD sales data
About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures, and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe, effective medicines from lab to manufacturing plant to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, bone disease, and other serious illnesses. With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.
About AEG
AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including
facilities such as STAPLES Center, The Home Depot Center, Sprint Center, The O2, NOKIA
Theatre L.A. LIVE and NOKIA Theatre Times Square; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), two Major League Soccer franchises, two hockey franchises operated in Europe, management of privately held shares of the Los Angeles Lakers, the ING Bay to Breakers foot race and the Amgen Tour of California cycling road race; AEG LIVE, the organization’s live-entertainment division, is a collection of companies dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring and a variety of programming and multi-media production. For more information, visit AEG today at www.aegworldwide.com.
May 1, 2011
Dahlheim 4th in Athens
The USA Crit National Speed Week kicked off on Saturday night with the Terrapin Twilight Crit in Athens, Georgia. BISSELL sent riders Andrew Dahlheim, Patrick Bevin, and Eric Young to contest the NRC crit. The three-man BISSELL roster was up for a tough fight against top teams with full rosters including United HealthCare and Kenda. With 24 laps to go, Dahlheim and 3 others lapped the field. Paddy was in great position to assist Andrew in the closing laps but was up against the full team support for the others in the lead group. In a very strong effort, Andrew got a hard earned 4th in this opening event of the 10 race series.
May 1, 2011
Downtown Silver City Crit
The stage started out according to plan with BISSELL covering the early moves and keeping their eyes on the intermediate sprints. Ben Jacques-Maynes and Jeremy Vennell covered the first solo move of the day and, after 2 laps, the group was back together. Almost immediately another break was launched, but BISSELL managed to bring them back before the final intermediate sprint to set up Frank Pipp. Pipp went hard and took the bonus; however, that was not enough to keep Frank in the sprinter’s jersey which eventually went to the stage winner. BISSELL was leading the field going into the finish. Because of their position at the front, they were caught up in confusion on the last lap caused by an inaccurate lap counter. BISSELL sprinted for the win but was one lap too early. When the true finish came, Jay Thomson went for it again and came through for a very hard fought 8th.
