Salt Lake City — Simply competing in the Toyota Downtown Criterium was an accomplishment for Rock Racing’s Fred Rodriguez Friday night at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah.
A stomach virus nearly kept the three-time U.S national road race champion from finishing Thursday’s University Health Care Road Race. The unpleasant feeling actually had Rodriguez considering withdrawing from the third stage of the five-day race before the twilight criterium in Downtown Salt Lake City.
“So second place isn’t bad,” he said. “I gave it everything I had.”
Ricardo Escuela (Successful Living presented by ParkPre) won the one-hour-plus-five-laps race ahead of Rodriguez while Johnny Clark (Toyota-United Pro Cycling) was third. Rock Racing’s Oscar Sevilla placed fifth, just behind overall race leader Blake Caldwell (Garmin-Chipotle).
Rodriguez said a pair of big efforts by Rock Racing teammate Cesar Grajales on the bell lap put him in position for the final sprint.
“But coming around the last corner, one of my teammates thought the other guy was yelling to ‘go’ so he sat up,” Rodriguez said. “When he sat up, there was a lull in the sprint and I couldn’t make up the gap.”
The flat, four-corner criterium in front of a big crowd led to no changes in the overall classification. But that will not be the case for Saturday’s “Queen Stage” of the event. The Snowbird Road Race, which begins at the Lodge at Park City, travels 98 miles (158 km) and gains 14,778 feet in elevation.
Among the 12 contenders who are within 30 seconds of Caldwell’s lead are three from Rock Racing: Grajlaes in eighth, Tyler Hamilton in ninth and Sevilla (10th).
In addition to Rodriguez’s podium finish in Utah, Rock Racing also earned a bronze medal Friday at the USA Cycling Junior Track National Championships in Carson, Calif., when Danny Finneran placed third in the men’s 17-18 division of the 3 km individual pursuit.
Photos: Vero Image
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