The men of the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team embarked on the 8-stage Amgen Tour of California just minutes before their female teammates began their final stage in downtown Sacramento today, with the men covering 126.2 miles starting and ending at the State Capitol. The day started with an early breakaway of four riders, which would hold an advantage for much of the stage through the cities of Clarksburg, Davis, and Woodland before being engulfed by the peloton within the three 2-mile circuits once returning to Sacramento. 

Inside the final laps with less than 6 miles of racing left in the stage, the teams with sprinting ambitions assembled at the front of the race, ready to launch their fastest riders for the finale. Kiel Reijnen attacked with 5 miles remaining, adding chaos to the hectic finale while his teammates in the field assembled around John Murphy and Daniele Ratto for the inevitable sprint. Murphy was able to claim 4th place for the team, just short of the podium in the high-speed finish.

“Our UnitedHealthcare boys did an awesome job all day keeping Ratto and me in good position. Through the circuits, they kept us in the front and out of trouble. Out of the last turn, we made a run at it and came up with 4th. We will be aiming for the podium in the coming days.”

The men will race 120.4 miles on stage 2, starting in Nevada City and finishing in Lodi after 6,000 feet of climbing.