Jackson Stewart wins stage, Jeff Louder keeps lead

BMC found itself relishing a perfect ending to a well-executed game plan as Jackson Stewart snatched the stage victory away from the pure sprinters participating at the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

Though the team spent the majority of the 90 minute criterium controlling the race on the front of the pack, Stewart conserved enough in the gas tank to take the well-deserved win. BMC’s Brent Bookwalter rode to third on the day, grabbing his second podium finish at this year’s Redlands.

Staying up front and out of trouble
BMC had every confidence that they would be able to defend the leader’s jersey in the criterium, though with the speed and dangers present in a nine corner crit, no one could feel overly secure. “Our guys are professionals and know how to ride,” General Manager Gavin Chilcott said. “For our European members, the first US crit is a shock to the system though, so it benefited us that we were taking the race from the front.” The day’s game plan would focus on conserving Stewart to go for the stage win while keeping Louder safe and rested in order to defend the overall lead into Sunday. “We had a good game plan going into the stage, and the guys executed it perfectly,” Chilcott explained. “It was really exciting to see them work so well; this is probably the best I’ve ever seen the team ride together.” Though criterium racing is not a team specialty, every member had his job to do and executed it perfectly. “We had a 100% contribution from everyone and allowing for certain
variables in how the race would unfold, the plan was executed perfectly by everyone,” Chilcott reiterated. Race leader Jeff Louder couldn’t have been happier with the way the team rode: “The guys rode amazingly, I was under zero pressure all day. They were like a freight train.”

Stewart aiming for the win
“I was definitely not expecting to win, but I was definitely was going to try,” Stewart joked. “I’ve never really had a good crit here, and since there are several high-powered criterium specialists racing today, I wasn’t really certain how much of a threat I would be.” “I’m really psyched for Jackson,” Louder said. “It was a great ride and a huge confidence builder for him; he’s a great team player and a great guy.” For BMC, success seems to breed success and the team seems to be riding a notch above the competition. “It is very exciting when we are given great plans and then are able to execute them,” Stewart explained. “We are gelling really well as a team, following the plans and going for it from the get-go.” “I think I can safely say that our guys dominated the crit today,” Louder said. “Everyone was under pressure to perform and everyone rose to the occasion.” Having won this criterium for two years in a row, first with Louder in 2008 and now Stewart in 2009, BMC has
proved that the harder the criterium, the better chance they have. “We’re not really a team made for criteriums, which is fine since they just aren’t a priority,” Jeff Louder explained. “But everyone was focused on playing his role in the day’s plan and it worked out really well.”

Final test on Sunday
Though the whole squad is feeling the glow of their recent victories, everyone knows that the real test is yet to come. “We know that the GC is by no means in the bag,” Chilcott explained. “We raced to win today, but also to conserve for the Sunset loop which will be very difficult.” The Sunset Road Race is typically a race of attrition with the remaining riders struggling up the Sunset Road climb, where a deficit of seconds can turn into minutes. “I am really confident for tomorrow,” Stewart declared. “Louder is riding fantastically and he is the kind of guy who can really captain a team; we all very much want to bring it home for him tomorrow.” The pressure will be on the group to defend the jersey throughout a historically unpredictable road race. “Everyone is excelling under the pressure, which is great since pressure is meant to make you perform better not worse,” Louder concluded. “Everything that we have or will achieve has been an entire team effort.”

Photo by Stephanie Gutowski