Goss wins cycling championship; Teutenberg wins women’s race

After more than six hours of racing on a hot and humid Sunday afternoon, the 26th TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship came down to a sprint to the finish line.

It was anybody's race, and anybody turned out to be Matthew Goss of Australia and the HTC-Columbia team.

It was Goss' third attempt at winning the 156-mile classic, and he won this one in 6 hours, 15 minutes, 46 seconds.

The victory made it the second year in a row that HTC-Columbia won both the men's and women's races. Ina Teutenberg of Germany and HTC-Columbia won the women's Liberty Classic.

In the men's race, Slovak Peter Liquigas Sagan of the Liquigas-Doimo team and Norway's Alexander Kristoff of the BMC Racing team came in second and third, respectively. All three leaders finished with the same time.

No fewer than 33 other riders were vying with Goss in a desperate sprint at the end.

"I was in good position coming out of [Logan Circle]," said Goss, who received a winner's share of $13,500 of the $51,690 prize money. "I made my move with 180, 200 meters to go."

More than 200 riders participated in the men's race, but only 67 were listed in the final results. Australia's Nathan O'Neil had the lead with nine laps to go on a course that started and ened on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and ran along Kelly Drive, through Manayunk, up the famous Manayunk Wall and back through Fairmount Park.

With five laps remaining, Will Routley of Canada was setting the pace. At one point, he had a lead of 1:30 on his closest rival. But, on his last trip up the Wall in Manayunk, Routley struggled, and the pack that was chasing him caught up.

That waa when Goss' teammates on HTC-Columbia helped push him to the front.

"Coming off the Wall behind the first group, it wasn't the best situation," Goss said. "But, it's a long way to go from the top of the Wall, so I kind of knew [the leaders] would come back. We missed some big breaks every time and had to do a lot of work at the end. It's nice to some out with the win."

Episcopal Academy graduate Tyler Wren was 42d in 6:28.06.

While Goss won the men's event for the first time, Teutenberg captured her fourth title in the 16th women's Liberty Classic. Her time of 2:31:39 in the 57.6-mile.race put her on top of a field of 120 competitors that was the race's largest ever.

It was the second straight year that Teutenberg earned the women's crown, which she also claimed in 2007 and 2005. This year, a group of 22 riders was packed together as the end of the race neared. In the final stretch, Teutenberg beat out Shelly Evans of the Peanut Butter and Co. Twenty12 team, who was attempting to become the first American to win the Liberty Classic.

"Out of [Logan Circle on the final lap], Shelly jumped a little early, and she was flying," said Teutenberg, who received $2,210. "I was able to get back on top of it. It was a great race."

MEN

1. Matthew Harley Goss, HTC-Columbia   6:15:46

2. Peter Liquigas Sagan, Doimo,    same time

3. Alexander Kristoff, BMC    same

4. Alejandro A. Borrjo, Jamis-Sutter Hme    same

5. Vidal Celis, Footon-Servetto-Fuji    same

6. Guillaume Boivin, Spidtch pb Plt Energy    same

7. Martin Gilbert, Spidrtch pb Planet Enrgy    same

8. David Vitoria, Footon-Servetto-Fuji    same

9. Javier M. Leal, Team Type 1    same

10. Shawn Milne, Team Type 1    same

WOMEN

1. Ina Teutenberg, HTC-Columbia    2:31:39

2. Shelly Evans, Pnt Bttr & C. Twnty 12    same time

3. Theresa Cliff-Ryan, Clvta/Bci Pro Cyclng    same

4. Brooke Miller, TIBCO - To The Top    same

5. Trixi Worrack, Noris Cycling Team    same

6. Joelle Numainville, Webcor Builders    same

7. Ruth Corset, TIBCO - To The Top    same

8. Carla Swart, Team Vera Bradley Found.    same

9. Joanne Kiesanowski, TIBCO - To Th Top    same

10. Anna McLoon, Team Kenda    same