The 2013 UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team has two sets of brothers on it, Jake and Luke Keough and Hilton and Jonny Clarke. And for the Sandwich, Massachusetts set of siblings with the surname Keough, Saturday, September 21, proved to be a successful homecoming as Luke and Jake took first and third, respectively, at the TD Bank Mayor’s Cup in Boston.
Team SmartStop presented by Mountain Khakis’, Shane Kline (who has enjoyed a tremendous year battling the boys from UnitedHealthcare), finished in second place, smack in the middle of a Keough podium sandwich. The win today was also Luke Keough’s second consecutive victory at the TD Bank Mayor’s Cup, as Keough won the race last year as a member of Team SmartStop presented by Mountain Khakis.
Less than 48 hours off winning the USA CRITS Finals in Las Vegas coupled with a Team UnitedHealthcare podium sweep on Thursday, September 19, Luke Keough returned to the top stop of the podium after a hard afternoon of criterium racing through the streets of Boston. The team worked together to produce the desired result but it didn’t come without a price to pay.
It was a tough, bittersweet day in the saddle for the Pro Continental six-man unit. Carlos Alzate, who took 3rd place behind Hilton Clarke and Luke Keough in the team’s 1-2-3 Thursday night sweep in Vegas, crashed hard during the race earlier today in Boston. But remarkably, not only did Alzate get back up and finish the race, the injured rider battled, chased and helped with the lead out in spite of the crash.
Afterward, Alzate was taken to a local hospital to receive treatment for his injuries. Initial reports indicate he suffered three broken teeth and required several stitches in his chin. Perhaps teammate Adrian Hegyvary’s post-race tweet summed up Alzate’s courage and determination.
Hegyvary tweeted, “@UHCprocycling took the win, but @alzate968 took #toughestmanalive; chased full gas for 25km, led out, then straight to the hospital for X-rays.”
The Men’s (and Women’s) Professional Criteriums at the TD Bank Mayor’s Cup were also the season’s final race of the USA Cycling National Criterium Calendar (NCC). The race followed Thursday night’s conclusion of the USA CRITS Series in Las Vegas where Hilton Clarke captured the Series’ individual title in Vegas and the team was awarded the team title. And on this Saturday in New England, Clarke added another “King of the NCC” crown to his mantle, winning top honors in the NCC for the second straight year. The Team also took home the NCC team title for the second year in a row.
Editor’s Note: A special thank you to @RaceCF, the Cystic Fibrosis Elite Racing Team and @bikeboston Boston Bikes, for the photos today.
TEAM UNITEDHEALTHCARE ROSTER FOR 2013 TD BANK MAYOR’S CUP IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSSETTS:
Luke Keough (USA)
Carlos Alzate (COL)
Jake Keough (USA)
Karl Menzies (AUS)
Hilton Clarke (AUS)
Adrian Hegyvary (USA)