At 39 years of age, and in his first national race of the year, Fred Rodriguez overcame the odds to win the US national championships yesterday in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

“It's a little nerve-wracking that my first race was going to be US Pro Championships,” Rodriguez told CyclingNews. “I've always specialized in one day races. I know how to read them, how to conserve and be smart, and it played out to where I needed it to play out, a group sprint. Once we get into the last couple of kilometers, everything just kind of clicks and I just know where to go, who to follow, where to turn.”

“It was a little rough going through the last corner so no one could really pass,” said Rodriguez of the sprint finish. “By the time I caught Jacques-Maynes for the last corner, he had put in his effort in. He did the lead out and it just worked perfect where I came around him.”

Runner-up Brent Bookwalter (BMC) said he got gapped a bit with 500 m to go when third-place finisher Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthcare) dropped his chain near the front of the group of 17 riders that came to the finish together. “I lost those guys a little bit there,” Bookwalter said. “I was telling myself to go into the sprint in front of Freddie because I knew it would be really hard to come around him. But to hold him off is something else. I got out of the last corner and started my sprint about the same time as him. I was coming up alongside him, but didn't quite have enough road.”

With his victory, Fred Rodriguez has now won four US titles, making him the sole record holder ahead of retired George Hincapie with three titles.

Result:

1. Fred Rodriguez (Jelly Belly) 4:06:56

2. Brent Bookwalter (BMC)

3. Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthcare)

4. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (Jamis-Hagens Berman)

5. Gavin Mannion (Bontrager)

6. Caleb Fairly (Garmin-Sharp)

7. Edward ‘Ted’ King (Cannondale)

8. Alex Howes (Garmin-Sharp)

9. Matthew Busche (RadioShack-Leopard)

10. Christopher Baldwin (Bissell)