2014 USA Pro Cycling Challenge explained

2014 USA Pro Cycling Challenge
Series:	2013–14 UCI America Tour
Date:	August 18–24, 2014
Stages:	7
Distance:	845.1
Unit:	km
Time:	20h 05' 42"
Speed:	42.055
First:	Tejay van Garderen
First Nat:	USA
First Color:	yellow
Second:	Tom Danielson
Second Nat:	USA
Third:	Serghei Țvetcov
Third Nat:	ROU
Mountains:	Ben Jacques-Maynes
Mountains Nat:	USA
Mountains Color:	red
Youth:	Clément Chevrier
Youth Nat:	FRA
Youth Color:	light blue
Sprints:	Kiel Reijnen
Sprints Nat:	USA
Sprints Color:	green
Previous:	2013
Next:	2015

The 2014 USA Pro Cycling Challenge was the fourth edition of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge stage race. Once again, the race was included on the UCI America Tour, with a UCI classification of 2.HC. As such, the race was only open to teams on the UCI ProTour, UCI Professional Continental and UCI Continental circuits. The race took place between August 18–24, 2014 as a seven-day, seven-stage race, traversing the state of Colorado. The 2014 USA Pro Cycling Challenge was one of six UCI-ranked stage races in the United States in 2014, and one of two (along with the 2014 Tour of California) that attracted multiple UCI ProTeams to compete.

Participating teams

In July, the USA Pro Cycling Challenge announced a sixteen-team field, made up of five UCI ProTeams, four UCI Professional Continental Teams and seven UCI Continental Teams, thus giving the race a total of sixteen-teams (the same as in 2013).^[1] ^[2]

UCI ProTeams

UCI Professional Continental Teams

UCI Continental Teams

Stages

Stage results
Stage	Date	Route	Terrain	Length
1	August 18	Aspen to Aspen	Medium-mountain stage	98km (61miles)
2	August 19		Mountain stage	169km (105miles)
3	August 20		Mountain stage	155km (96miles)
4	August 21	Colorado Springs to Colorado Springs	Flat	113km (70miles)
5	August 22		Medium-mountain stage	168km (104miles)
6	August 23			16.1km (10miles)
7	August 24		Medium-mountain stage	126km (78miles)
	Total		845.1km (525.1miles)

Results

Stage 1

August 18, 2014 — Aspen to Aspen, 98km (61miles)

The opening circuit for the pro challenge began in Aspen, and consisted of three laps and of climbing per lap.^[3]

Stage 1 Results and General Classification after Stage 1

	Rider	Team	Time
1			2h 26' 35"
2			+ 0"
3			+ 3"
4			+ 3"
5			+ 3"
6			+ 3"
7			+ 12"
8			+ 12"
9			+ 12"
10			+ 12"

Stage 2

August 19, 2014 — Aspen to Crested Butte, 169km (105miles)

Stage 2 Results

	Rider	Team	Time
1			4h 17' 18"
2			+ 7"
3			+ 7"
4			+ 15"
5			+ 17"
6			+ 17"
7			+ 20"
8			+ 23"
9			+ 24"
10			+ 24"

General Classification after Stage 2

	Rider	Team	Time
1			6h 44' 00"
2			+ 11"
3			+ 12"
4			+ 13"
5			+ 22"
6			+ 25"
7			+ 28"
8			+ 29"
9			+ 29"
10			+ 29"

Stage 3

August 20, 2014 — Gunnison to Monarch Mountain, 155km (96miles)

Stage 3 Results

	Rider	Team	Time
1			3h 50' 41"
2			+ 0"
3			+ 20"
4			+ 24"
5			+ 24"
6			+ 30"
7			+ 39"
8			+ 45"
9			+ 51"
10			+ 1' 06"

General Classification after Stage 3

	Rider	Team	Time
1			10h 34' 53"
2			+ 20"
3			+ 23"
4			+ 34"
5			+ 37"
6			+ 46"
7			+ 49"
8			+ 55"
9			+ 1' 09"
10			+ 1' 22"

Stage 4

August 21, 2014 — Colorado Springs to Colorado Springs, 113km (70miles)

Stage 4 Results

	Rider	Team	Time
1			2h 28' 52"
2			+ 0"
3			+ 0"
4			+ 0"
5			+ 0"
6			+ 0"
7			+ 0"
8			+ 0"
9			+ 0"
10			+ 0"

General Classification after Stage 4

	Rider	Team	Time
1			13h 03' 45"
2			+ 20"
3			+ 23"
4			+ 34"
5			+ 37"
6			+ 46"
7			+ 49"
8			+ 55"
9			+ 1' 09"
10			+ 1' 22"

Stage 5

August 22, 2014 — Woodland Park to Breckenridge, 168km (104miles)

Stage 5 Results

	Rider	Team	Time
1			3h 50' 38"
2			+ 0"
3			+ 0"
4			+ 15"
5			+ 1' 11"
6			+ 1' 26"
7			+ 1' 33"
8			+ 1' 33"
9			+ 1' 33"
10			+ 1' 33"

General Classification after Stage 5

	Rider	Team	Time
1			16h 55' 56"
2			+ 20"
3			+ 37"
4			+ 39"
5			+ 51"
6			+ 1' 14"
7			+ 1' 22"
8			+ 1' 28"
9			+ 1' 49"
10			+ 1' 55"

Stage 6

August 23, 2014 — Vail, 16.1km (10miles), individual time trial (ITT)

Stage 6 Results

	Rider	Team	Time
1			24' 26"
2			+ 53"
3			+ 1' 08"
4			+ 1' 29"
5			+ 1' 40"
6			+ 1' 55"
7			+ 2' 07"
8			+ 2' 17"
9			+ 2' 20"
10			+ 2' 21"

General Classification after Stage 6

	Rider	Team	Time
1			17h 20' 22"
2			+ 1' 32"
3			+ 1' 45"
4			+ 1' 49"
5			+ 3' 11"
6			+ 3' 31"
7			+ 3' 35"
8			+ 3' 43"
9			+ 3' 44"
10			+ 5' 35"

Stage 7

August 24, 2014 — Boulder to Denver, 126km (78miles)

Stage 7 Results

	Rider	Team	Time
1			2h 45' 20"
2			+ 0"
3			+ 0"
4			+ 0"
5			+ 0"
6			+ 0"
7			+ 0"
8			+ 0"
9			+ 0"
10			+ 0"

Final General Classification

	Rider	Team	Time
1			20h 05' 42"
2			+ 1' 32"
3			+ 1' 45"
4			+ 1' 49"
5			+ 3' 11"
6			+ 3' 31"
7			+ 3' 35"
8			+ 3' 43"
9			+ 3' 44"
10			+ 5' 35"

Classification leadership

In the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, five jerseys are awarded. For the general classification, calculated by adding the finishing times of the stages per cyclist, the leader receives a yellow jersey.^[4] This classification is considered the most important of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, and the winner of the general classification will be considered the winner of the event.^[5]

Additionally, there is also a sprints classification, akin to what is called the points classification in other races, which awards a green jersey.^[4] Points are gathered at sprint line performances as well as finishing the stage in the top-fifteen places.^[5]

There is also a mountains classification, which awards a red jersey.^[4] In the mountains classifications, points are won by reaching the top of a mountain before other cyclists. Each climb is categorized, either first, second, third, or fourth category, with more points available for the harder climbs.^[5]

There is also a youth classification. This classification is calculated the same way as the general classification, but only young cyclists (under 23) are included.^[5] The leader of the young rider classification receives a blue jersey.^[4]

The last jersey is awarded to the most aggressive rider of a stage for him to wear on the next stage.^[5] It is generally awarded to a rider who attacks constantly or spends a lot of time in the breakaways. This jersey is orange.^[4]

There is also a classification for teams. In this classification, the times of the best three cyclists per stage are added, and the team with the lowest time is the leader.

Stage	Winner	General classification	Sprints classification	Mountains classification	Young rider classification	Most Aggressive
1	Kiel Reijnen	Kiel Reijnen	Kiel Reijnen	Ben Jacques-Maynes	Clément Chevrier	Daniel Summerhill
2	Robin Carpenter	Alex Howes	Robin Carpenter
3	Tejay van Garderen	Tejay van Garderen	Tejay van Garderen	Michael Rogers
4	Elia Viviani	Ben Jacques-Maynes	Jens Voigt
5	Laurent Didier	Ben King
6	Tejay van Garderen	Not awarded
7	Alex Howes	Jens Voigt
Final		Tejay van Garderen	Kiel Reijnen	Ben Jacques-Maynes	Clément Chevrier	No final award

Notes and References

http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/news/sixteen-world-class-professional-cycling-teams-confirmed-participate-2013-usa-pro-challenge Sixteen World-Class Professional Cycling Teams Confirmed to Participate in 2013 USA Pro Challenge
http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/06/news/16-teams-to-race-2013-usa-pro-challenge-announced_290475 16 teams to race 2013 USA Pro Challenge announced
Web site: Kiel Reijnen wins USA Pro Challenge stage 1 in Aspen - VeloNews.com . Velonews.competitor.com . 2014-08-19 . 2016-03-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235458/http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/08/news/kiel-reijnen-wins-usa-pro-challenge-stage-1-aspen_341509 . dead .
Web site: Leader Jersey. USA Pro Cycling Challenge. August 19, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20120920014128/http://usaprocyclingchallenge.com/leader-jerseys. September 20, 2012. dead. mdy-all.
Web site: Jerseys. USA Pro Cycling Challenge. August 19, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20140819125707/http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/jerseys. August 19, 2014. dead. mdy-all.