The race began well for the Jelly Belly p/b Kenda Pro Cycling Team, with Brad Huff and Will Routley in the break. However the good effort from the guys went south pretty quickly. The first stage of the Tour of Korea was 177km of flat to rolling terrain and 55 degrees with rain and wind. Huff and Routley had flats while the team car was still back with the main group. Since the UCI officials didn’t allow the car to get up to the break, by the time it arrived Huff and Routley were waiting on the side of the road with wheels in their hands. It was bad luck for the team, but they still have Mike Friedman and Kiel Reijnen in the main group. Friedman ended the day in 6th, and Reijnen was in 15th. Stage Two was much better. Routley got into the KOM while Friedman got 2nd and Routley ended in 3rd for the day.
Stage Three was one of the longest stages, with 219km of rolling hills and two CAT 3 climbs thrown in the mix. Routley wore the climbers jersey after stage three, and the team worked very well together during this stage. “They were in every break that was important,” van Haute said. “Guys were falling back to bring teammates back to the peloton after getting flats. It was great teamwork.” Unfortunately, Bernard van Ulden and Brad Huff have had to drop out of the race due to not feeling well.
2010 Stories
News from Tour of Korea; First Four Stages
Stage Four was 150km and very flat allowing the peloton to start out at a quick pace. Four riders were off the front immediately and had gained 4 minutes at one point. The Jelly Belly p/b Kenda Team decided to ride for a field sprint. Allowing the Japan National Team, who were defending their yellow jersey, to take control Jelly Belly miscalculated their comeback of the four riders in the break, and the field just caught Jelly Belly at the line. Friedman won the field sprint putting him into 5th in the GC. There was no change for Routley, who remains in the KOM jersey and is 3rd in the GC with six stages to go.
