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Oakland, CA – After ending the nine-day, seven race Speed Week with four wins, five additional podiums and the overall team title, the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis will be looking to maintain that rapid pace as it starts the Joe Martin Stage Race Thursday in Arkansas.

“The guys worked extremely well together as a unit down at Speed Week,” said Team Director Mike Tamayo. “They raced aggressively and attentively every day. If they weren’t covering moves they were starting them. Guys like Jonny (Clarke), Adrian (Hegyvary) and (Matt) Crane were particularly effective in disrupting the other teams and applying pressure late in races to help our sprinters get to the finish fresh.”

Karl Menzies and Jake Keough were the two sprinters who benefited most from the aggressive style of racing, netting two wins each. Andrew Pinfold, the Team’s other crit squad leader, played a major role in all those wins, as well, providing stellar lead-out duties, while also making his way onto the podium in three of the races.

“When you go through a stretch of racing like that and you string some good results together, you just want to keep racing,” Menzies said. “I think we’re all looking forward to starting the race.”

Notes

This year’s squad comes in as the four-time defending champion of the Joe Martin Stage Race. The winner of the previous three additions, Rory Sutherland, is sitting out the JMSR as he prepares for the Tour of California.

In a nod to the Team’s legacy at the JMSR, the race organization put team leaders Menzies and Pinfold on the cover of the race guide (which they share with last year’s women’s champion, Alison Powers of Team Vera Bradley).

The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis for the Joe Martin Stage Race, May 6-9:

Eric Barlevav, USA
Jonny Clarke, AUS
Matt Crane, USA
Adrian Hegyvary, USA
Jake Keough, USA
Karl Menzies, TAS
Andrew Pinfold, CAN