Gainesville, GA – Sporting the King of the Mountains jersey he earned in Stage 2, Frank Pipp of the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis went back on the attack in Stage 3. He was the driving force behind a four-man break that left the peloton about 39 miles into the 108-mile stage. The foursome stayed away for the next 60 miles, with Pipp being the last hold-out to be caught by a charging peloton driven by the sprinters’ teams.

“I was one of the guys on break duty today,” Pipp said. “We were all trying to get in moves. I just happened to get in the right one.”

Despite his work to help get the break established and stay away, Pipp wasn’t rewarded with the day’s Most Aggressive Rider jersey. That honor went to his teammate, Rory Sutherland. In the closing kilometers, Sutherland, who helped Pipp with a lead-out to take the KOM in Stage 2, took a late flyer in an attempt to steal the stage from the sprinters. He quickly opened a 12-second gap, but was tracked down by the charging peloton, setting up the sprint finish that was won by Greg Henderson (High Road).

“I wasn’t too upset that I didn’t get the most aggressive jersey,” Pipp said. “It stayed in the family, so it’s all good. Though Rory didn’t suffer for quite as long as I did today.”

With no KOM points on the offer in Stage 3, Pipp retained his KOM jersey. He’ll keep it at least through the end of Friday’s Stage 5 since Thursday’s stage is the team time trial and again, no KOM points will be awarded.

Notes
Corey Collier of Health Net Presented by Maxxis was one of three riders taken down in a high-speed crash just as Pipp’s break was establishing. Collier’s front wheel got caught in a groove in the concrete on a bridge and he was sent over the handlebars. Collier got back up and rejoined the peloton. He suffered bruises, road rash and one cut that required stitches, but is otherwise okay. However, Timmy Duggan (Slipstream-Chipotle) was less fortunate, and was transported by ambulance to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a broken collarbone and scapula.

For Sutherland, this is the second consecutive U.S. “Grand Tour” in which he’s earned a Most Aggressive Rider jersey. He earned that honor on Stage 6 of the Amgen Tour of California as well.

The two other jersey wearers who shared the podium with Pipp and Sutherland today are both former members of Health Net Presented by Maxxis: stage winner and current overall race leader Greg Henderson (High Road) and Best Young Rider classification leader Tyler Farrar (Slipstream-Chipotle).

“It’s a testament to the strength of this organization that Hendy and Tyler both have gone on to be highly successful at the top level of the sport,” said Tamayo.