The San Dimas Stage Race started with an uphill time trial. Jelly Belly had some strong results, putting three riders in good position to advance, with Will Routley in 4th at only 16 seconds back, Phil Gaimon close by in 6th, and Matt Crane well within striking distance in 17th.
The second stage was an 84-mile, hilly road race. Matt Crane and Kiel Reijnen set the tone with an early attack, forcing the Fly V Australia team to chase hard in the opening laps. Jelly Belly continued to ride aggressively throughout the race, with attacks from Bryce Mead, Matty Rice, Jonny Clarke, and Nick Reistad keeping the pace high and the pressure on. The field sensed Fly V’s vulnerability in the closing laps, and after a flurry of attacks, it was Phil Gaimon off the front alone when the band snapped in the front group, with 6 miles left in the race. His lead was never more than 25 seconds, but it was enough to stay just clear of the charging field in the long drag to the finish, moving him up to 2nd place overall at only one second down, and earning the Points jersey and the lead in the Young Rider competition to complement the stage win. Will Routley finished in the front group to maintain his top-5 position overall.
The final stage was a 75-minute downtown criterium, with time bonuses available for intermediate sprints and the stage finish. The team rode aggressively again, working hard to take the lead in the stage race, but Fly V Australia proved hard to beat. Ben Day stretched his lead with a 6-second intermediate bonus, and clinched it when Phil was unable to place in the field sprint.
At the end of the weekend, the team held onto 2nd and 5th places overall, and the Best Young Rider’s jersey in a powerhouse field. Not a bad way to the start the season!
2009 Stories
Phil Shows Big In San Dimas
