The 2010 TD Bank Philadelphia International Championship was a hard-fought battle over 156 long miles, with breakaways and solo attacks, all culminating in a fast field sprint that saw Australia’s Matt Goss (HTC-Columbia) crossing the line first. The win makes it the second year in a row for the HTC-Columbia team, in both the men’s and women’s races. Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Doimo) and Norway’s Alexander Kristoff (BMC Racing Team) came in for second and third place.

The HTC-Columbia team was on its heels most of the day, not having any riders in the main breakaways. But the veteran team did not panic, knowing that this race would likely come down to a field sprint. “We knew it was going to come back,” said Goss about the breakaway. “We were not in the best position all day, we kept missing the breaks. A lot of the other teams helped but our guys were up there chasing too.”

The field almost left the catch of the final few breakaway riders too late, sweeping them up in the final three kilometers. But once it was all back together the sprinters moved to the front for the tricky final loop around Logan Circle.

“I was in a good position coming out of the circle,” said Goss about setting up the sprint. “[The speed] kind of slowed after that and I thought we were in a bit of trouble. But some guys hit on the left so I managed to get onto their wheels. Two guys even had a bit of a gap and I thought it was going to be trouble but it actually gave us something to chase!”

Goss, who recently won a field sprint at the prestigious Tour of Italy, was able to use that speed again to come around the other sprinters for the win.

How it unfolded
Early in the race a huge breakaway of nearly 40 riders formed, but with so many miles yet to cover nobody expected this to be a major factor. In fact, after the first lap the breakaway had already shed a few riders. Later in the race the breakaway split apart with a smaller group forming on the front.

Australian Nathan O’Neill (Bahati Foundation) escaped from this group and rode on the front solo. While he knew that he would not win the race, he had another objective in mind — the SugarHouse Jackpot. By riding on the front he was able to win the majority of sprint points to take home the $5,000 first prize.

O’Neill’s teammate Cesar Grajales was also in the breakaway, and did a fine job in the climbing competition, taking the maximum points at the top of the Manayunk Wall and Lemon Hill climbs each lap. “I was working for it and it’s the best I can do for the team, so I tried to win it,” he said.

“I am just happy I was able to [win.] I had done many attacks up the wall to be sure I got the points. I had to do it every lap, twice. And I wasn’t skipping pulls, so it was very hard.”

As is the case every year, huge crowds massed in the hot viewing spots on the Manyunk Wall and Lemon Hill. One of the biggest cheers came in support of the U.S. National Team wearing the stars and stripes jersey in front of a very patriotic crowd. And the crowds on the finish line were equally as large for the spectacular finish, with Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter cheering on the racers.

1 GOSS Matthew Harley HTC-Columbia THR 6:15:46 0:00:00
2 SAGAN Peter Liquigas – Doimo LIQ 6:15:46 0:00:00
3 KRISTOFF Alexander BMC BMC 6:15:46 0:00:00
4 BORRAJO Alejandro Alberto Jamis / Sutter Home JSH 6:15:46 0:00:00
5 CELIS Vidal Footon-Servetto-Fuji FOT 6:15:46 0:00:00
6 BOIVIN Guillaume Spidertech pb Planet Energy CSM 6:15:46 0:00:00
7 GILBERT Martin Spidertech pb Planet Energy CSM 6:15:46 0:00:00
8 VITORIA David Footon-Servetto-Fuji FOT 6:15:46 0:00:00
9 MEGIAS LEAL Javier Team Type 1 TT1 6:15:46 0:00:00
10 MILNE Shawn Team Type 1 TT1 6:15:46 0:00:00
11 FRIEDMAN Michael Jelly Belly JBC 6:15:46 0:00:00
12 HOLLOWAY Daniel Bissell Pro BPC 6:15:46 0:00:00
13 GRECHYN Serhy Amore e Vita AMO 6:15:46 0:00:00
14 SUMMERHILL Danny US National Team USA 6:15:46 0:00:00
15 STARCHYK Volodymyr Amore e Vita AMO 6:15:46 0:00:00
16 PETERSEN Sorren Danish National Team DEN 6:15:46 0:00:00
17 HEKMAN Mark Team Mountain Khakis TMK 6:15:46 0:00:00
18 STEVENSON Cody Adageo Energy Pro ADG 6:15:46 0:00:00
19 CIMOLAI Davide Liquigas – Doimo LIQ 6:15:46 0:00:00
20 BELL Zachary Kelly Benefit Strategies KBS 6:15:46 0:00:00
21 SCHILDGE Eric Team Mountain Khakis TMK 6:15:46 0:00:00
22 SUTHERLAND Rory UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis UHC 6:15:46 0:00:00
23 ROMERO AMARAN Luis Jamis / Sutter Home JSH 6:15:46 0:00:00
24 RICE Matthew Bahati Foundation BFN 6:15:46 0:00:00
25 KOBZARENKO Valery Team Type 1 TT1 6:15:46 0:00:00
26 RYTLEWSKI Jacob Kenda Pro p/b Geargrinder KPC 6:15:46 0:00:00
27 DIONNE Charles Fly V Australia VAU 6:15:46 0:00:00
28 LEWIS Craig HTC-Columbia THR 6:15:46 0:00:00
29 CANTWELL Jonathan Fly V Australia VAU 6:15:46 0:00:00
30 GRAJALES Cesar Augusto Bahati Foundation BFN 6:15:46 0:00:00
31 WALKER Johnnie Footon-Servetto-Fuji FOT 6:15:46 0:00:00
32 AGNOLI Valerio Liquigas – Doimo LIQ 6:15:46 0:00:00
33 LANGLOIS Bruno Spidertech pb Planet Energy CSM 6:15:46 0:00:00
34 BOWMAN Dan Kelly Benefit Strategies KBS 6:15:46 0:00:00
35 DAMIANI Luca Kenda Pro p/b Geargrinder KPC 6:16:58 0:01:12
36 ROTH Ryan Spidertech pb Planet Energy CSM 6:16:58 0:01:12
37 RANDELL Andrew Spidertech pb Planet Energy CSM 6:16:58 0:01:12
38 EUSER Lucas Spidertech pb Planet Energy CSM 6:16:58 0:01:12
39 LATHAM Peter Bissell Pro BPC 6:16:58 0:01:12
40 DUGAN William Team Type 1 TT1 6:16:58 0:01:12
41 MUMFORD Reid Kelly Benefit Strategies KBS 6:17:43 0:01:57
42 WREN Tyler Jamis / Sutter Home JSH 6:18:06 0:02:20
43 GUPTILL Andy Jamis / Sutter Home JSH 6:18:06 0:02:20
44 PEREYRA Andres Jamis / Sutter Home JSH 6:18:06 0:02:20
45 RABON Frantisek HTC-Columbia THR 6:18:06 0:02:20
46 DRISCOLL James Jamis / Sutter Home JSH 6:18:06 0:02:20
47 ZWIZANSKI Scott Kelly Benefit Strategies KBS 6:18:06 0:02:20
48 HOWES Alex US National Team USA 6:18:06 0:02:20
49 CAPELLI Ermanno Footon-Servetto-Fuji FOT 6:18:06 0:02:20
50 MENZIES Karl UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis UHC 6:18:39 0:02:53
51 MURPHY John BMC BMC 6:18:39 0:02:53
52 FRATTINI Davide Team Type 1 TT1 6:19:01 0:03:15
53 STEWART Jackson BMC BMC 6:21:45 0:05:59
54 BOILY Eric Spidertech pb Planet Energy CSM 6:22:05 0:06:19
55 JACQUES-MAYNES Ben Bissell Pro BPC 6:22:16 0:06:30
56 BUSH Robert Kenda Pro p/b Geargrinder KPC 6:22:16 0:06:30
57 BEYER Chad BMC BMC 6:22:16 0:06:30
58 WAITE Nick Kenda Pro p/b Geargrinder KPC 6:22:16 0:06:30
59 JONES Christopher Team Type 1 TT1 6:22:16 0:06:30
60 ROUTLEY Will Jelly Belly JBC 6:23:31 0:07:45
61 KEMPS Aaron Fly V Australia VAU 6:24:36 0:08:50
62 TIETZEL Scott Team Mountain Khakis TMK 6:24:36 0:08:50
63 KEMP David Fly V Australia VAU 6:31:50 0:16:04
64 GAIMON Phillip Kenda Pro p/b Geargrinder KPC 6:31:50 0:16:04
65 FAIRLY Caleb US National Team USA 6:31:50 0:16:04
66 WHITE Bradley UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis UHC 6:31:50 0:16:04
67 LEA Bobby Bahati Foundation BFN 6:31:50 0:16:04

King of the Mountain Results
1 GRAJALES Cesar Augusto Bahati Foundation BFN 50
2 ROUTLEY Will Jelly Belly JBC 33
3 WAITE Nick Kenda Pro p/b Geargrinder KPC 25
4 CAPELLI Ermanno Footon-Servetto-Fuji FOT 21
5 PEREYRA Andres Jamis / Sutter Home JSH 15
6 GRECHYN Serhy Amore e Vita AMO 14
7 ROTH Ryan Spidertech pb Planet Energy CSM 12
8 FRIEDMAN Michael Jelly Belly JBC 5
9 JONES Christopher Team Type 1 TT1 2
10 BOWMAN Dan Kelly Benefit Strategies KBS 1

Photo by Scott Scaffrick