Skip to content
Sports
Link copied to clipboard

Denmark's Rasmussen, Italy's Bronzini tops at Philadelphia Cycling championships

For the second consecutive year, the winner of the Philadelphia International Championship pro cycling race came from the HTC-Highroad racing team.

For the second consecutive year, the winner of the Philadelphia International Championship pro cycling race came from the HTC-Highroad racing team.

The team opted not to send defending champion Matt Gross to the race, but Alex Rasmussen, of Denmark, kept the championship with HTC-Highroad.

Rasmussen finished the 156 miles, featuring 10 circuits of about 15 miles and the vaunted Manayunk Wall, in 5 hours, 59 minutes, 4.6 seconds.

Last year's runner-up Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) took second again. Robert Forster (Team UnitedHealthCare) was third.

Team United Healthcare led into the final sprint, but the lead-out was a little too early and Forster was overtaken by Rasmussen at the front of the final rush to the finish that included more than 100 riders.

Rasmussen made his name on the track as a four-time world champion and a silver medalist at the 2008 Summer Olympics, but has dedicated himself to a full road schedule in 2011.

In the women's Liberty Classic, current world champion Giorgia Bronzini, of Italy and Team Colavita Forno d'Asolo, finished the 57.6-mile course in 2 hours, 28 minutes, 28 seconds, ahead of Shelley Olds, of Diadora Pasta Zara, and Jennifer Purcell, of Team Danbury Audi.

Most of the race was led by Canadian Lex Albrecht (Juvederm-Specialized), who made a solo move on the first lap.