Redlands Bicycle Classic: Stage 2 Highland Circuit Race

-HIGHLAND, Calif.–

Stage 2 of the Redlands Bicycle Classic took the peloton north of Redlands to the neighboring town of Highland, where they would complete 20 laps of a 4.5km neighborhood circuit.

The defining feature of the stair step-shaped course was the long and straight drag up Baseline Hill, a kilometer-long pitch with final sections of over 13-percent gradient.

Riders would start with 2.5-kilometer neutral section from San Manuel Village shopping center to the base of the climb, where the race would start with guns-a-blazing. The course takes a right-hand turn almost immediately past the finish line, which propels the riders down a ripping descent to another 90-degree right-hand turn. From there, riders wind through the neighborhood streets in kermesse-like fashion before finally charging through the feed zone and then making one last right-hand turn before they are back onto Baseline hill.

The goal of the day was to protect Sam Boardman, who sat 13th in the overall general classification from the time trial the day before. Maxx Chance, Quinten Kirby, and Kent Ross would hang back to shepherd Sam through the pack, while Finn Gullickson, Camden Vodicka, Ryan Jastrab, and Ryan Kingsolver would patrol the front to make sure no dangerous moves went off the front without proper team representation.

The peloton rolls through the neighborhoods of Highland, a neighboring town of Redlands.

Camden would unfortunately crash in the first turn of the first lap, and would spend the rest of the race trying to chase back on upon receiving a bike change. He would eventually have to pull out.

Ryan Jastrab would patrol the front for the next couple of laps and would put in massive efforts to keep in contact with any moves that rolled off the front. He would make sure that there was always team representation in the moves where the composition of riders proved dangerous if the peloton decided to sit up.

Eventually, more than halfway through the race, a break of two riders went up the road, and Ryan would have to relent, the extent of his efforts leaving him exhausted. The move was not a threat, as Hagens Berman Axeon, the team of the race leader, took up the chase, and the Wildlife Generation riders were able to sit-in comfortably and surf the pack until the sprint.

Maxx Chance would deposit Sam Boardman in the front pack, which chaotically raced up Baseline for the last time. Riders would pop off the front left and right, but Hagens Berman Axeon would already have the jump on the charging pack, going 1-2 on the podium. Sam would finish 7th overall and move up to 5th in the general classification.

Camden Vodicka crashed early in the race and would require a bike change.
Quinten Kirby and Finn Gullickson.
Kent ross
Quinten Kirby
Maxx Chance floats near the front of the group.
Sam Boardman follows Finn Gullickson through a turn.
Kent Ross flows through a turn.
Sam Boardman stays close to teammates.
The teams rides with the mountains of Big Bear in the background.
Quinten Kirby Powers on the front.