On a blazing hot Memorial Day Team RadioShack's Matthew Busche won a photo finish tight sprint victory to take the 2011 USA Cycling Professional Road Race National Championship in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. The 26-year-old nipped hometown hero George Hincapie of Team BMC Racing at the finish line, keeping the three-time champion from gaining his fourth Stars-and-Stripes national champion jersey in front of his home crowd.

"It's hard to go to the line with George (Hincapie). He's known to be a really good sprinter. That's how he's won this race multiple times," young Busche commented after the race finish and continued "I had no idea (that I had won). I knew it was close, but I don't usually do bike throws so I had no idea who won."

Mid-way through the 115-mile/186 kilometer race, a strong group of eight riders was able to build more than three minutes on the field, and with all the major teams represented their prospects looked promising. Despite the heat, the powerful field turned up the pace on the final of four 22.5-mile large loops and a new lead group of nine was quickly established, including many of the heavy hitters.

Tejay Van Garderen (Team HTC-HighRoad) then attacked on the final climb up Paris Mountain breaking the lead group apart and leaving things to himself, Hincapie, Busche and Team Liquigas-Cannondale's Ted King heading into the finishing circuits.

Van Garderen made a move early in the first of three 4.2-mile finishing circuits, but couldn't get away. In the homestretch Hincapie jumped, but Busche was able to grab his wheel and outsprint the five-time Olympian for the national title.

"Matthew made a nice move where he went and then he sat up, so I thought he was finished," three-time national champion Hincapie said after being awarded the silver medal on the podium.

Hincapie admirably added "Obviously, he wasn't. He was able to get on my wheel and come around me in the end. It was a great race by Matthew. I gave everything I possibly had, put it all on the line and I'm proud of my effort. I'm proud of Matthew's effort. He hasn't been racing that long and he's done very well, here, in particular. I'm disappointed that I didn't win, but he's a very suitable national champion."

Commenting on his team's efforts and support in the race Hincapie told Roadcycling.com "I had asked the guys to make the race hard. I wanted it to be a hard, aggressive race to increase our chances to win and they did that."

"I am very pleased with the end result. National championships are always a toss up being just a one day race with lots of politics being played out on the road. A mix of domestic and international riders along with the challenge of very full teams with a dozen or so riders competing against teams with just one or two riders makes for a challenge," third-place finisher Ted King told Roadcycling.com.

"Timmy Duggan and I raced extremely well and I was just two seconds away from the national title. It's inspiring for next year ... maybe the top step of the podium," King added.

Despite the soaring temperatures and signature southern humidity, the 44 finishers recorded the fastest time on this course since it was slightly adapted in 2009. Today's mark of 04:28:02 is more than 16 minutes faster than now-former national road race champion Ben King's (Team RadioShack) 2010 time of 04:44:59.

For the blossoming Busche, a former collegiate cross-country runner who has only been in the sport of cycling for a few years, the professional road national championship marks the first major victory of his career. Saturday's time trial bronze medalist also becomes the first rider to earn podium finishes in both the time trial and the road race in the six-year history of the current us pro national championships race format.