July 16, 2005
Team GTC Scores Upset
July 16, 2005 Bishop, GA - The turnout for the Masters 45+ race was surprisingly good, in fact it was a bit intimidating seeing that many strong riders at the start line. Representing GTC in this event was Stephen Simpson and Dan Coy while other teams fielded much larger squads. RBM/Velo Voodoo had five teammates, Smith Barney had four riders and teams like Cycleworks and Locos also had numbers.
Stephen Simpson (GTC), who has not been on the local race scene much this season, came to support his teammate and his efforts left quite an impression on the whole peloton. In the opening laps the attacks, chases and counter-attacks were relentless and the action was the most fierce of any of the races so far this season. Like a tenacious bulldog, Simpson chased, shut down breaks, rode hard tempo, and neutralized everything RBM and Smith Barney threw at the peloton.
Halfway through the third lap Kent Williams (Smith Barney) and Phil Bonfiglio (RBM) got a good gap on the field. Sensing the two largest teams were about to shut down the pace and begin blocking, Dan Coy (GTC) launched out of the group and bridged solo to the breakaway. Williams, of the Smith Barney squad, was instructed not to work because Coy is a contender in the overall series standings. Bonfiglio and Coy traded pulls while Williams sat on the back for the next five laps.
The Gwinnett Touring Club was in attendance around the course and cheering for their team and the moral support was having a positive effect on the GTC racers!
The breakaway's gap increased slowly and was about 5 minutes back to the peloton by the 8th and final lap. Then the attacks began among the leading trio, Bonfiglio flew up the inclines but found they were not long enough to separate himself from the other two. Williams attacked from behind and tried to get away on the flats. Coy felt his chances were good in the sprint and followed as close as possible, waiting.
Turning onto the final straight to the finish line, Bonfiglio went for the long flyer. Coy sat on Williams wheel and waited for the counter-attack. Williams went hard and flew past Bonfiglio, but at the line Coy had come around Williams and won by half a bike length.
In the end, the two-man GTC squad of Simpson and Coy conquered all the big teams and shared the spoils.
Dan's HRM data