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Clinger flies as Horner fries in Waterbury

By Chris Milliman
Published: May. 17, 2003
Prime Alliance's David Clinger salutes the crowd in Connecticut.
Prime Alliance's David Clinger salutes the crowd in Connecticut.
Photo: Chris Milliman

For the first eight of the 15 laps in Saturday’s Waterbury Circuit Race in Waterbury, Connecticut, it looked like racing as usual on the men’s pro circuit. That is, Saturn’s Chris Horner was dancing all over the field on a brutal course that saw an attrition rate of nearly 75 percent.

But in the end, a potent combination of patience and strength finally paid off for Prime Alliance, the team that has spent the better part of the past three months watching Horner and his Saturn teammates ride away from them. David Clinger (Prime Alliance) sprung loose from the dwindling pack on lap 12 and soloed to a satisfying win in the second stage of the inaugural Tour of Connecticut.

Eschewing normal tactics, Horner took a third-lap flyer on the 4.1-mile course, which traversed Waterbury’s stately neighborhoods. With more than 500 feet of climbing per lap, and some insane descents thrown in for good measure, Horner built a lead of almost a minute within a few laps. But when his lead stopped growing and Prime Alliance went to the front with Clinger, Danny Pate and Jonathan Vaughters, Horner’s days were numbered. Pate was the first to catch Horner, who admitted after the race that he started to suffer after failing to drink enough.

“Horner was really impressive, but it was too much for one guy to do,” said Pate, who ended up second on the day.

“Vaughters turned to me and said, ‘I think we’re riding for second,’” added Clinger about Horner’s break. “But he started dying, and we got excited again and brought it back.”

“I knew it was going to be super hard,” said Horner, “but every now and then I like to try some different tactics and see if I can catch guys off guard.”

Saturn's Chris Horner went early - a little too early.
Saturn's Chris Horner went early - a little too early.
Photo: Casey Gibson

With all eyes on Pate and Vaughters, who most figured to be the danger men of the Prime Alliance trio, Clinger made his move up the course’s steepest pitch. The 25-year-old, in his first year on Prime Alliance, made the gap stick as any potential chase was quickly marked by his teammates. Clinger showed the same form, or better, that took him to his final stage win in last month’s Tour de Georgia.

“I don’t think the other guys thought I could attack like that,” said Clinger after the race.

Meanwhile, today's stage was only an appetizer for tomorrow’s 120-mile Housatonic Valley Classic road race. A notoriously difficult, point-to-point trip through western Connecticut’s hills, the Housatonic will certainly decide the overall order of finish.

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