Wherry Wins Wachovia USPRO Championship in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /?>
Philadelphia <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /?>

Team Health Net - Maxxis sweeps Wachovia cycling series

An early break led Chris Wherry to the stars and stripes and gave his team, Health Net ? Maxxis, the first ever hat trick in the Wachovia Cycling Series. Wherry joins teammates Greg Henderson, winner of Wachovia Cycling Series - Lancaster, and Gordon Fraser, winner of Wachovia Cycling Series ?
Trenton, as the third winner in the men?s three race 2005 Wachovia Cycling Series.

The men?s 156-mile trek through the streets of
Philadelphia for the 2005 Wachovia USPRO Championship started with a crash in the opening parade laps. Two Jelly Belly-Pool Gel riders were involved though both were able to continue. The field then got the pace going early with a 37-man breakaway in the first full lap of ten. Then nine chase riders caught the breakaway making a full 46-man break. Despite being an early break it stuck because nearly every major team was in the mix. Notable teams in the break included Navigators, Health Net ? Maxxis, TIAA ? CREF, Jelly Belly ? Pool Gel, Colavita ? Sutter Home, and European ProTour squads CSC, Davitamon ? Lotto, Lampre Caffita, Discovery Channel and Prodir ? Saunier Duval.

Moving into lap 5 of 10 of the 14.4-mile large loops the break which included the 2004 Wachovia USPRO Champion, Francesco Ventoso (Prodir -  Saunier Duval), and former Tour de Georgia Champion, Chris Horner (Prodir -  Saunier Duval) was still in command. They in fact remained as one until the ninth lap when Danny Pate (Jelly Belly ? Pool Gel) started the break from the break opening up a 24 second gap. He was quickly joined by eventual winner Wherry, and Horner.

In the final three short laps that circled Lemon Hill and the finish line the trio worked as one to stay away from the chase group. They indeed held off the charge of Freddie Rodriguez (Davitamon ? Lotto) and the rest of the pack who finished 44 seconds back. Wherry with a strong sprint held off Pate the second place finisher and Horner, the third place finisher, to take his first Wachovia USPRO Championship. The race win gives Horner of Durango, Colorado, the privilege of wearing the U.S. National Professional jersey until next year?s race.

The Subaru Master of the Mountain and the Sprint Classification winners on the day were Adam Livingston (Team Seasilver), and Pate respectively. Pate narrowly edged out Lucas Euser (Webcor Builders) by one point to take the Sprint Classification while
Livingston more than doubled the points of second place finisher Horner in the Subaru Master of the Mountain competition.

Wachovia USPRO Championship ? Complete results:
1 Chris Wherry (
USA) Health Net ? Maxxis        06:01:16

2 Danny Pate (USA) Jelly Belly-Pool Gel

3 Chris Horner (USA) Saunier Duval - Prodir

4 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Davitamon Lotto                    0.44

5 Kirk O'Bee (USA) Navigators Insurance

6 Max Vanheeswijk (Ned) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team

7 Mark McCormack (USA) Colavita / Sutter Home

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