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BMC's Taylor Tolleson and Cheerwine's Anne Samplonius win at Michigan's Tour de Leelanau
Starting under darkening skies with scattered rain showers, the 4th annual Priority Health Tour de Leelanau was fortunate to end in bright sunshine after some very aggressive racing. Organizers said the Tour de Leelanau drew the deepest fields of racers to ever compete in Michigan.
Starting in the fishing village of Leland and ending in Peshawbestown on the edge of Traverse Bay, the race course for the Tour de Leelanau traveled from corner to corner of this scenic Michigan county.
Going into the men’s race the odds were on the winner coming from one of the several UCI registered professional teams competing. Taking part in a homecoming of sorts, BMC Pro Cycling brought a talented roster to support Brent Bookwalter, who is a Michigan native. Meanwhile the Bissell team was determined to put on great showing in front of their Grand Rapids, Michigan-based sponsor as well as defend its title from 2007. Rounding out the roster of favorites from the pro ranks were the Successful Living and Rite-Aid teams. Other professional teams competing were Team R.A.C.E. Pro Cycling and Jet Fuel Coffee, both from Canada.
Surprisingly, the men’s race stayed more or less together over several demanding climbs in the first 25 miles. However, a cold rain shower hit the field just as it was cresting the first KOM sprint. On the extremely fast, rain slickened descent, a gap opened, allowing 12 racers to roll off the front of the field. With BMC, Bissell, and Successful Living all represented, a promising break was formed.
As the breakaway put distance on the chasers, BMC unleashed Bookwalter on the KOM sprints, allowing him to win every KOM on his way to winning the KOM competition.
Over the lumpy final 10 miles to the finish Taylor Tolleson of BMC, Ben Jacques-Maynes and
Teddy King of Bissell and Charles Dionne of Successful Living all escaped the field and maintained a gap of 10 seconds going into the finish. On the short final climb to the finish, Tolleson got the jump on Jacques-Maynes and King to nip the Bissell duo on the line.
Women's race
With the women's World Cup in Montreal looming only a week away, the Priority Health Tour de Leelanau drew in competitors ready to test their legs.
Starting from the Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor and racing over the final 112.6km of the men’s course, the women’s race would prove to be a tactical battle.
Going through the second town line sprint in Maple City, Anne Samplonius of Cheerwine found herself alone off the front with a significant gap. “Sometimes in cycling you just go with the move,” said Samplonius. “I took a turn fast and found I had a gap.”
While Samplonius settled into time trial mode at the front, the teams behind played a bit of cat and mouse. When the pace would pick up, Samplonius’ teammates would successfully cover any counterattacks.
“We actively worked together to chase,” Iona Wynter-Parks of Colavita/Sutter Home said. “We would see her dangling off the front, but we never brought her back. Cheerwine played the race out perfectly.”
With 30km to race, Samplonius had a lead of 2 1/2 minutes. Behind Joanne Kiesanowski of Team TIBCO pulled clear of the field, unfortunately with only Leigh Hobson of Cheerwine on her wheel. Having a teammate up the road meant that Hobson had no obligation to help chase. As Kiesanowski buried herself to create a gap over the chasing field, Hobson enjoyed her armchair ride. At the finish Samplonius crossed solo, 2:14 in the lead. In addition to winning the race, Samplonius won every Queen of the Mountain sprint and all but one of the town line Sprints to wrap up both competitions.
As expected, Hobson sprinted around Kiesanowski to take second. Cheerwine completed its tour de force when Laura Van Gilder take fourth.
