BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Will Dickeson, riding in a six-man breakaway, led Stage 5 of the Amgen Tour of California on Thursday, marking the fourth straight day that Jelly Belly p/b Kenda has put a rider in the front group.
“Will did a great job,” said team director Danny Van Haute. “We put a guy in the break again.”
As the stage got going out of Visalia, attack after attack tried to escape in the first 20 miles. Jelly Belly riders all joined the efforts.
“Everybody did their part on the team to get in the breaks. And then finally one got away and Will Dickeson was in it,” Van Haute said.
The six riders held the front for more than 80 miles. Dickeson had to fend off attacks from within the break.
“I was communicating with him all the time, feeding him bottles, feeding him Sport Beans, giving him information,” Van Haute said.
The break got caught at the steep, 4.9k circuit at the end of the stage. Peter Sagan of Liquigas-Doimo claimed the stage win while David Zabriskie of Garmin-Transitions retained the yellow jersey.
Starting with Mike Friedman in Stage 2 on Monday, Jelly Belly p/b Kenda has had a rider in the lead group all week. Will Routley got in on the action in Stage 3, winning the day’s Most Courageous Rider jersey. Jeremy Powers rode on the front in Stage 4.
“That’s significant,” Van Haute said. “That’s huge.”
With three stages left in the race, the Jelly Belly riders have established a routine that could get them on the podium.
“One of these days, hopefully we’re in the break and it’s going to stay away and we’re going to be racing for the win,” Van Haute said.
[Photo of Will Dickeson by Maria Nasif]
