Team NetApp-Endura had gone into the USA Pro Challenge with the hope that Leopold König could mix it up with the best in the GC. After the first stage, however, illness has taken the Czech out of contention.

Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) won the first stage of the US Pro Challenge. After a late attack, the US rider was able to claim victory in a two-man sprint, ahead of his fellow breakaway rider Alex Howes (Team Garmin-Sharp) and a chasing group of about 25 riders, including most of the classification riders. Tiago Machado and Bartosz Huzarski, the two NetApp-Endura pros, did not lose any time to the favorites. Gregor Mühlberger is in second place in the young rider classification.

"Our aim today was to support Leo and Tiago and to avoid time losses, especially since a treacherous final stretch was expected. We knew it would be a tough day due to the elevation and the demanding course, and this is reflected in the result with the large number of groups. Tiago and Bartosz were ultimately in a position to reach the end of the stage together with the favorites. But Leo was not able to perform at his peak due to an illness that he has been trying to overcome since we arrived, and had to be satisfied with a time loss of five minutes," sums up Sport Director Alex Sans Veag following the finish in Aspen Snowmass.

Tomorrow the riders will have to tackle the first of the longer climbs. In particular, the last 50 kilometers, with the Kebler Pass and the mountain finish on Mt. Crested Butte, will sort out the riders.

"Tiago and Bartosz still give us every opportunity in the overall classification. And Leo will hopefully improve every day so that we are able to chase a stage win," Sans Vega explains the new direction being pursued by the NetApp-Endura team.