Sebastian Haedo, younger brother of CSC sprinter Juan Jose Haedo, did the family name proud on Sunday by winning the U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic in Arlington, Virginia. The Colavita-Sutter Home sprinter scored what could be a breakthrough win in his young professional career by coming out ahead in the bunch kick that decided this third event of USA Cycling’s Pro Tour calendar.

“It’s very important because it’s a UCI race,” said Haedo at the finish. “We’ve been having a great year and getting so many second places, we needed a big win.

The 12.5-kilometer circuit stretching from the Air Force Memorial to Arlington’s Crystal City neighborhood was buffeted by head and crosswinds for much of its outbound segment, which culminated in the ascent to the memorial – the course’s only notable climb. From there, riders made the 60 kph tailwind descent and doubled back towards the finish, negotiating a very criterium-like trip around the block before charging across the line. After 12 full laps of the circuit, it was those final four turns that proved to be the keys to Haedo’s victory, as his Colavita team orchestrated a textbook leadout.

The squad’s Italian veteran Davide Frattini was the first to fire, bringing the train to the front on a fast right-hander that preceded the final three 90-degree left turns. Frattini gave way to Anibal Borrajo – himself the younger brother of more seasoned Colavita sprinter Alejandro Borrajo – who drove through the next turn before giving way to Kyle Wamsley with two turns remaining. Wamsley, winner of the criterium predecessor of this race, the Crystal City Classic, last year, kept up the momentum through the final two turns to drop Haedo off with 50 meters remaining. With that, the 25-year-old Argentine hit the gas and hit the line first, while Wamsley was able to hang on for second. Alex Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast) was third.

The one who got away
Haedo’s win was a perfect example of a criterium leadout, a skill that his Colavita squad has had ample opportunity to practice during its years on the domestic circuit, but it almost wasn’t to be, thanks to Symmetrics’ Andrew Randell. The 33-year-old Canadian was, by himself, the only breakaway to gain more than 30 seconds on the field or last more than a fleeting moment. On an otherwise beautiful 75 degree day, the wind kept the field together for much of the race despite a steady string of attacks that lined out the peloton and thinned the field considerably leading into the finale.

Along with the wind, team tactics had also helped keep the peloton glued together, with exits occurring primarily through the back rather than off the front. With most of the larger domestic teams out west at the Tour of the Gila, the four present here – Symmetrics, Colavita, Kelly, and Team Type 1 – couldn’t let any move without the right combination of those teams gain much ground, for fear of inadequate firepower to bring the move back. They were also reluctant to let a move of regional teams get away, for fear of that unknown rider ready to make his talents felt.

Kelly Benefit's Alex Candelario in the peloton.

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

So when Randell, Borrajo, Jonny Sundt (Kelly), and Chris Jones (Team Type 1) jumped away just before the start of the bell lap, it looked to be a move that all of the big guns could live with. But with both the Kelly and Colavita squads working for a bunch sprint, and Type 1 in with a shot with sprinter Emile Abraham, most of the riders in the move lacked the motivation to truly dig in. But not Randell. Without its usual sprinter Andrew Pinfold in the lineup, Symmetrics needed to try something else, and that something else was Randell.

Attacking alone into the headwind, Randell quickly built a 12 second gap over the rest of the break, and 20 seconds over the peloton. While Sundt, Borrajo, and Jones returned to the fold, and despite a concerted chase by Colavita, he built his lead to 30 seconds coming into the final ascent of the memorial hill. Colavita attacked the climb in hopes of breaking the field and sweeping up Randell, but came up short and gave way to Kelly, which managed to trim the gap to just 23 seconds by the bottom of the descent with help from Type 1. Entering Crystal City, the gap was down to 15 seconds, but the effort had taken its toll on Kelly and opened the door for Colavita.

The break rolls past the rebuilt section of the Pentagon.

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

“We were going to set up Martin Gilbert,” said Candelario. “On the last lap, we hit the front a little too early and had to burn one of our leadout guys. Coming into the last four corners, [Gilbert] said he wasn’t good, so I was kind of left alone to battle the Colavita guys.”

Timing is everything
With Kelly burned out, four turns remaining, and a win looking possible for Randell, Colavita hit the gas for Haedo, hoping that the leadout effort would be enough to close the final seconds to Randell.

Colavita sticks together in the peloton, passing the Pentagon.

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

“It was going to be really close, but we had to concentrate on the leadout and do that properly rather than worry about whether we’d get him or not. If you do the leadout right, fast enough, it can dissolve 15 seconds, guaranteed,” Wamsley said.

And Wamsley was right, but just barely. Randell rounded the final turn with a small gap intact, and managed to come up with just enough speed left to hang on to the fourth spot. Given that the team didn’t have a sprinter, it was a result Randell and the team could live with.

“I thought if I could make it to the hill with a gap I’d have a pretty good shot, and they just caught me on the line pretty much,” he said. “I can sprint, but I’m not going to beat those guys in a sprint. And that last corner is pretty dicey, so I wasn’t so interested in that.”

It pays off, with Sebastian Haedo winning and on the podium.

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Oh brother, where art thou?
As the younger brother of a European ProTour sprinter, there are plenty of expectations placed on the younger Haedo, and with a breakthrough win at the U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic, those expectations certainly aren’t going away. After an abortive start to professional racing with Rock Racing last season, scrapped due to issues with immigration status that left him sitting kitted up on the sidelines at the 2007 Lancaster Classic, Haedo seems to have found a comfortable fit with Colavita, the same squad where his brother began the U.S. career that would eventually take him to Europe. And though his lone professional victory before today had come at the 2007 International Cycling Classic (Superweek), many in the sport, including older brother J.J., have hinted that Sebastian may be the better sprinter of the pair once he has more experience to put behind his legs. But for now, he shrugs off the comparisons.

“No, no. J.J. is faster than me,” he said through a translator. “I’m just lucky that we have a well-rounded team and we have two or three sprinters, so we can play the game and attack.”

Results
U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic
May 4, Arlington, VA
89 starters, 46 finishers

1. Sebastian Haedo, Colavita-Sutter Home, 150km in 3:27:41
2. Kyle Wamsley, Colavita-Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
3. Alex Candelario, Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast
4. Andrew Randell, Symmetrics, at 0:01
5. Francois Parisien, Symmetrics, at 0:02
6. Eric Wohlberg, Symmetrics, at 0:02
7. Jacob Erker, Symmetrics, at 0:02
8. John Fredy Parra, Toshiba-Santo-Herbalife, at 0:03
9. Thomas Soladay, Time Pro Cycling, at 0:04
10. Emile Abraham, Team Type 1, at 0:05