For immediate release
Day two at the Green Mountain Stage Race started in Hinesburg, Vermont. FrameWork Racing team leader, Ambrose Delaney of Sydney is racing for the top of the podium in his second attempt at this grueling race. Here is a rundown of where he stands after the first two stages.
After the stage 1 time trial, Delaney was only 33 seconds behind the leader, solidly in fifth place. Day 2 brought a mixed bag of results after an exciting afternoon of racing. In the overall competition, which is comprised of total time, minus time bonuses, Delaney is now tied for 5th overall, 34 seconds behind the leader, with the 4 leaders from stage 1 still in front. The first five riders across the line today earned time bonuses, allowing one rider to pull into a tie with Delaney after he scored fifth place on the stage earning a 3 second time bonus. Delaney was 8th on the stage, finishing in the lead pack and receiving the same time as the stage winner and 13 other riders out of the 35 who started.
The 50 year old Sydney resident, turned himself inside out today, scoring 8 points in the King of the Mountains competition, to sit solidly in second place in the “race within the race.” Points are given to the first 3 riders to cross the highest mountains both in the middle of the stage and at the finish, during the second and third stages of this annual Labour Day weekend event.
After several years out of the racing circuit, Delaney has spent the last three years racing mainly in the Bicycle Nova Scotia road race series, and training over 10,000 kilometers per year, including countless hours in the mountains of the Cabot Trail plus hundreds of hours indoors either alone or with friends and teammates. His biggest test will come Sunday with his favourite stage. Almost 100 kilometers of racing on hilly roads with some pavement washed out by last week’s hurricane Irene and a significant dirt road section after which the climbing specialists, make their move in the Appalachian Gap. The Appalachian Gap is Vermont’s highest 4-season maintained roadway. Racers will start the first of two climbs known as the “Baby Gap”. Baby Gap will take racers through Jerusalem and a brief but fast descent as the course rolls onto the base of App. Gap proper. This final section is only 5K, but it twists and turns and climbs very steeply in sections. As racers approach the last pitch, the canopy of trees opens up and the top of the Gap comes into view less than 1K away. The final 500m will take racers up one of the steepest pitches of the day (20% in places). This final pitch will be lined with hundreds of cheering spectators to help racers push to the finish.
After winning a similar stage in Quebec earlier this year against extremely strong competition, Delaney will not be holding anything back in his attempt to win this race and move to the top of the heap in the 50+ division.
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Bill Goldston
President
FrameWork Racing
Sydney, NS
902-561-0451
Pictured below is a copy of the photo finish printout showing the first 6 athletes across the line in the 50+ division. The stage 2 winner was #510 Tyler Munroe, 2nd place is #528 Tim Dodd, 3rd #522 Haluk Sarci, 4th #518 Keith Davies, 5th #503 Rick Sorenson, and 6th #500 Kevin Fitzmaurice. Delaney was 2 bikes behind the photo. 14 riders crossed the line in this leading pack, all receiving the same time, with the first five receiving time bonuses toward their overall position.
