Nebraska Cycling News

Former Junior Time Trial Champion Outlasts Breakaway for Victory in St. Charles

St. Charles, MO – Team Slipstream's Danny Pate of Colorado Springs, Colo., accelerated past two other cyclists with less than 2 miles to go and propelled his way to victory in front of an estimated 30,000 spectators at the finish of Stage 5 of the inaugural Tour of Missouri.

Pate crossed the finish line eight seconds ahead of Mexico's John Fredy Parra of Team Tecos and and Salt Lake's Jeff Louder of the Health Net presented by MAXXIS team in a time of four hours, 50 minutes and 21 seconds over the rolling 125-mile course.

Danny Pate of Slipstream wins stage 5 in St. Charles. Photo John Pierce/PHOTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL

With less than two miles before the finish line, Pate pushed past Bernado Colex (Tecos) and Matti Helminen (DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed), who launched their own attack on the remaining breakaway group of six riders. As the three battled, Colex and Helminen briefly caught Pate, when Pate used a final burst of speed to leave the two behind. “There were a lot of attacks in the last 12 kilometers and there was always someone in front,” said Pate.  “I had some good timing on getting away from the group and then up to the two guys.  A lot of race experience from some of the races I’ve done, and being in breakaways helped me get the win.”

Well-protected by his Discovery Channel team, George Hincapie will wear the yellow jersey into the final day of competition as General Classification (G.C.) leader, with  a one-minute, 40-second lead on Will Frischkorn (Slipstream/Chipotle.) David Cañada (Prodir-Saunier Duval) holds onto third, two minutes and 20 seconds off the pace. Today's stage win moves Pate up to 13th place in the G.C. Other notables in the G.C. include, Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) in 14th, Nathan O'Neill (Health Net/Maxxis) in 15th, and 2007 Tour de France champion Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel), who dropped to 23rd.

In the shadows of The Capitol Building, the riders were sent off to a rousing ovation in front of the Governor Matt Blunt and Lt. Governor Peter Kinder in Jefferson City.  The race took athletes from Missouri's current capital city to its original capital in St. Charles.  It was another long, tough stage of 126.8 miles/ 204.0 km through the hills of Missouri's beautiful wine country. Another set of daunting challenges awaited the racers as they faced three Michelob ULTRA King of the Mountain (KOM) races, and the cobblestone roads of historic St. Charles, one of the first colonial settlements in the country.

In addition to the beautiful wine-producing region, today’s course showcased Missouri’s rich history.

Not only was St. Charles the launching point for Lewis and Clark's historic trek up the Missouri River, but it was also the first state capital of Missouri, making today's stage a race from Missouri's present to its past.

“We’re glad to be here in the Show Me State, and to be able to show off some of its most beautiful assets,” commented Jim Birrell, race director.  “Going through Hermann, Washington, Augusta, and along the Missouri River, you couldn’t ask for a better backdrop.”

The crowds through Missouri's wine country were massive, said the athletes, and reminiscent of those in the Tour de France said one.    

A new jersey was awarded to John Fredy Parra (Tecos), voted the Drury Hotels Most Aggressive Rider by the judges.  The other leader jerseys remain the same; Stage Four winner Luciano Pagliarini will keep the Edward Jones Sprint Leader jersey, Jeff Louder remains as the Michelob Ultra King of the Mountain Leader and for the third straight day, Steven Cozza (Slipstream/Chipotle) will wear the Build-A-Bear Best Young Rider jersey.

Sunday is the grand finale for the Tour of Missouri, which will culminate with circuit race through the streets of St. Louis. The 74.2-mile/119.4-km race will begin and end at St. Louis Union Station, formerly the largest passenger rail terminal in the world, now a high-end shopping and entertainment area. Cyclists will compete in the shadows of the St. Louis Archway and cut through Forrest Park, home of the 1904 World's Fair.
 
Quotes from 2007 Tour of Missouri Stage Five
 
Danny Pate, Team Slipstream Powered by Chipotle
 
About today’s race…
“It was really aggressive the last 12 kilometers or so. We knew the time gap was big enough that we were going to make it.  There were a lot of attacks in the last 12 kilometers and there was always someone in front.  I had some good timing on getting away from the group and then up to the two guys.  A lot of race experience from some of the races I’ve done, and being in breakaways helped me get the win.”
         
About the Tour of Missouri…
“The atmosphere was great. It was right along the lines of California and Georgia.  There were a lot of people out there.  At the finish today, at the podium there were probably more people than I’ve seen at those races, even. All the spectators had a lot of energy out there.”
 
“The Tour of Missouri has been a great race, it’s one of the biggest races now in the States.  It’s been put together really well. The courses have been great. The time trial was really challenging, probably the hardest time trial I’ve been for awhile.  All the courses were great.    I was surprised at the big highways we were riding on, seemed like they were willing to shut down any road for us.”  
 
Jeff Louder, Team Health Net Presented by Maxxis
 
About today’s course…
“Today was probably the most beautiful of all the stages, just riding along the Missouri, cutting off up these hard little climbs, through the small times.  It was very quaint.”
 
“Yesterday’s stage was extremely undulating, not a flat bit of road. Add to that the headwind the entire way, we didn’t really it made for a grind.  Today was a little more varied – there were some long flat sections along the river, and then some … Two really different stages, and tactically it made for a different race.  I think the reason we could stay away is that we had more flat area for cohesion. Yesterday was just brutal, it was a really hard day.”
 
About the Tour of Missouri…
“It’s been a fabulous race. It compares to anything that I’ve done all over the world. The terrain is amazing for bike racing, reminds me a lot of Northern Europe and Northern France.”
 
“Next year everyone will know what the stages are like, I think more people are going to want to come to this race. We didn’t really know what to expect, but it’s been really well organized and the terrain has been amazing, and the spectators have been amazing.  I think this is something people will put on their calendar in years to come.”
 
Jim Birrell, Race Director
“It’s a great honor to be able to create platforms for these young athletes to fulfill their dreams. The fact that we’re helping these guys achieve greatness with their peers and their mentors and their peers is a great honor for us and all the sponsors who’ve helped us make this come true for these guys.”  

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder
“Each stage has built upon the previous one and really exceeded our greatest hopes.  And on this magnificent day in St. Charles, you can really feel the momentum and the excitement building.”