The Americans have a pretty nice course designed to give a fair few riders a chance of victory. The circuits are are fairly lengthy 33km which involve a pretty steep 4km climb towards the beginning of it.
What strength in depth the United States has these days with CalGiant now joining long time protour heavyweights Wikipedia in the big time. Both teams have split squads here, which see's a rare confrontation between Taylor Phinney and Tejay Van Garderen.
Hollister have had a pretty good year in the Continental Tour and they may well be joined by American Express.
By the third lap we have a decent break establish itself.
Paul Mach Kiel Reijnen Nick Kinney Saul Raisin Roman Kilun Ethan Weiss Scott Zwizanski
are the days break.
Some riders from one man teams here and also one each from CalGiant and Hollister. Wikipedia are under a bit of pressure here to keep things together. Obscure website favourite Danny Pate is one of those on domestique duty.
The team has split into two, one supposedly working for Tejay Van Garderen and the other for Taylor Phinney. In truth the two squads seem to be working together and it manages to get the break under control. Coming onto the final climb the gap is a bridgable 90 seconds clear.
The two big names attack together.
It is going to be a game of thrones between the two former world champions one in the road race and the other in the time trial. Matthew Busche, Edward King, David Zabriskie, Danny Summerhill manage to follow the two big stars.
The biggest name missing out is highly rated 20 year old Ryan Eastman.
It's obvious from this group who the strongest riders are as TvG attacks on the downhill in a similar style to how he won his world title in Croatia in 2011.
But Phinney is sticking right on his teammates wheel, TvG is looking back with a hint of frustration on his face. This season has not worked out for him, at times the world champions jersey seems to have weighed heavy on his shoulders.
Phinney is playing a dangerous game, but he probably feels he has the legs to outkick everyone. Even so all 13 of the break have a chance of winning this. TvG is burning them off though into the last 2km, but one rider keeps glued to his wheel a very large shadow in Phinney.
The American stage racing superstar makes his move with one km left.
Wikipedia have dominated the day, but what is this Weiss slips through their net chasing Phinney.
Alas too little too late as Phinney takes his win with a mainly defensive ride marking his dangerous teammate.
Away from the tactical elements out on the road, Phinney was powerless to stop his former teammate taking the American TT crown. You wonder what kind of outfit Z nuts will have in store for us!
It underlines the problems the US have with the team time trial that Phinney and Zabriski are so far clear of 3rd placed Jason Donald
