Hsinchu City, Taiwan (March 13, 2008) – American Shawn Milne scored his first win in a field sprint in nearly two years Thursday at the Tour de Taiwan, earning Team Type 1 its inaugural victory as a professional cycling team. Milne picked up a 10-second bonus at the end of the 92-mile (148 km) Hsinchu City Circuit Race to climb into second place overall, seven seconds behind John Murphy (Health Net presented by Maxxis) with three stages left in the eight-day race. Last year, Milne won the Tour de Taiwan while racing for Health Net.“As they have done so well all week, the Merida squad took control of the final 10 kilometers to set up the sprint, but our guys played it nearly perfectly at the end,” Team Type 1 Sport Director Ed Beamon said. “This win will certainly be one for Shawn and the entire team to remember.”
Team Type 1 is in its first season as a professional cycling team. It was founded in 2004 by racers Phil Southerland (inset) and Joe Eldridge to inspire people living with diabetes to take a proactive approach to managing their health and overcoming obstacles often associated with the condition. The past two years, Team Type 1 has won the eight-rider corporate division of the Race Across America (RAAM). All 11 racers on its elite/developmental team have Type 1 diabetes, as do four of its 15 pro riders.“This victory is definitely a big day – not only for all of us on the team – but for everyone who is affected by diabetes,” Southerland said. “It shows that people with diabetes can compete on the highest of levels and also be a part of a winning team. We could not have accomplished today’s win without the tremendous support of all of our friends and sponsors along the way. This victory takes us one step closer to our ultimate goal of someday racing in the Tour de France.”
Wesoly Marek (Merida Europe Team) finished second and Sung Baek Park (Seoul City Cycling Team) was third as Murphy placed sixth to keep the race lead he seized on Stage 2. The pancake-flat stage was completed at an average speed of 28 miles an hour (45.3 kph).
Beamon said without an individual time trial, the Tour de Taiwan has shaped up to be a battle for the sprinters. Up until Thursday's stage, Murphy had held a commanding lead and was beginning to look impenetrable.
“We really wanted to put pressure on Health Net since today and tomorrow were the only semi long stages left,” Beamon said. “The roads are flat, but we were hoping for some wind, and we feel we have the endurance to race hard and put pressure on the other teams.”
Strong and savvy riding by the Japanese teams of Team Meitan Hompo-GDR, Skill Shimano, and the very fast AISAN Racing Team have kept the action hot, and the Australian Drapac Porsche team has made certain that the southern hemisphere has been well represented. The Polish Merida Europe team has reflected its CCCP roots by coordinating spectacular late race attacks and strong, coordinated lead-outs while their Taiwan-based bike sponsor is sure to be proud of their wins on Stages 2 and 4.
Milne came into Stage 5 in sixth place, 16 seconds behind Murphy. But at the first bonus sprint at mile 32, the Beverly, Mass., resident picked up one second by finishing third. Taiji Nischitani (AISAN Racing Team), who now lies third overall, also closed the gap on Murphy with second place in the sprint.
Twenty miles later, Team Type 1 launched an attack after the second bonus sprint that sprung Valeriy Kobzarenko and Emile Abraham into a 12-man breakaway.
“Health Net and AISAN were forced to chase hard for one-and-a-half laps,” Beamon said. “As the break was caught Milne and Erik Hoffman (Giant Asia Racing Team) continued to turn the screws by escaping in a group of five. That break lasted less than a lap, but Health Net was starting to show fatigue, and the race was nearing the finish.”
Friday's stage is a 79-mile (127.7 km) circuit race through Taipei County.
Photos: Courtesy of Team Type 1
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