Kiel Reijnen got very close to another stage victory in the USA Pro Challenge when he was beaten by his best friend Alex Howes in a photo finish on the final day. Despite winning the sprints jersey, the Unitedhealthcare rider was brokenhearted after his teammates had worked for him all day.

When the USA Pro Challenge started in Aspen, Alex Howes was beaten into second by his training partner Kiel Reijnen after the pair had escaped in the finale of the first stage. Today the pair were again involved in a close battle and this time Howes came out on top.

After their teams had combined forces all day, the final stage came down to reduced bunch sprint and here the two Americans again battled it out for the stage win. In a photo finish, Howes held off Reijnen after the peloton had brought back Jens Voigt (Trek) who had been on the attack in the final race of his long career.

The second place was enough for Reijnen to secure the sprints jersey but after Ben Day had sacrificed himself completely in the final race of his career, the sprinter had a hard time dealing with the near-miss.

“I’m brokenhearted for my guys,” Reijnen told Velonews. “You saw the way they rode out there. That was Ben’s last day as a bike racer, and he just left everything he had on the road for me. It feels a lot more emotional than winning on the first day. I really felt like I had it today. I got stuck behind Tejay there, when he swung off. I had to pick a side, and I knew I’d picked wrong, and had to hit the brakes. Losing it by a mile is one thing, but in a bike throw…

“Alex really wanted a stage win here, and he deserved it. I’m not taking anything away from him. He’s my best friend. It’s motivating. We’re both in front of our home crowds. I think that was a big factor for both of us. I’ve got my family here, visiting, and I wanted to put on a show for them, but mostly it was about my guys today. Ben put his whole heart on the road for me, and to do that on your last day as a bike racer, for somebody else, I just can’t describe what means for me.

“The team had two goals coming into this race: to win a stage, and to win the green jersey. Today was a close one. Anyone watching the race could see how hard my guys rode for me. It was a bit heartbreaking, to not pull off a win for them, but I am really satisfied. It’s been an honor for everyone who is from Colorado. It’s been really special. We got to start in Boulder, where Alex and I live, to Golden, to Denver, where my wife grew up. It’s been really special. It really is an honor.”