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Van Vooren wins Tour of Pennsylvania prologue
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Steven Van Vooren (Johan Bruyneel Cycling Academy) won the kickoff to the inaugural American Eagle Outfitters Tour of Pennsylvania on Tuesday in Philadelphia.
Vooren took stage 1a, a 3.51km prologue time trial in Philadelphia, in four minutes and 18 seconds. Keven LaCombe (Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast) was second at three seconds back with Christoff Van Heerden (KON-Konica Minolta Continental) third at four seconds.
The mostly flat course started outside Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park before taking the 120 riders along the Memorial Hall concourse and looping back around to Martin Luther King Drive for the finish.
“It was a tail wind going out in to the descent and then there were some fast turns,” said Van Vooren. “A headwind down along the river was where I felt like I was going strong, pushing a big gear. I conserved a little bit of energy for that last climb toward the finish and I hoped that that was enough for the win.”
Van Vooren will wear the yellow leader’s jersey in stage 1B’s 48km criterium on the path paved 250 years ago by Gen. John Forbes and the young George Washington’s Forbes Expedition.
The six-day, 450-mile Tour of Pennsylvania will parallel the Forbes Trail (Highway 30), the first road paved to the western border of Pennsylvania, before concluding Sunday in Pittsburgh. Its 20 teams are composed of six riders each, ages 18 to 24, from the United States, Argentina, Canada, Belgium, Australia, Ireland, Netherlands and South Africa.
The newly minted race leader called the Tour of Pennsylvania a good opportunity to test his legs against a group of riders of his age group and ability.
“It’s really important for sponsors and for myself personally,” said Van Vooren. “This is a big race, a UCI 2.2 ranking, and great for gaining UCI points. The field is strong and the stages are difficult so I think doing well here means a lot to bigger teams who are looking for younger riders.”
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