Grose Prevails To Win Tour De Newtown

The four-stage 2010 Tour De Newtown, the second annual bike race, was held in late August. Tucker Grose prevailed to win the event, with Matt Narel placing second, and Pete Wlasuk finishing third.

Last year’s Tour winner, Narel, looked to defend his crown in the 8.5 mile Stage 1, however an early attack on Col Du Philo Curtis by 2009 runner-up Grose gave Narel an early 24-second deficit.

Stage 2 of the Tour was a 6-mile sprint down Glen Road which featured a one man breakaway by race leader Grose, However this time Grose was reeled in by a group of two newcomers, Max Beitel and Erik Wessel. The three raced toward the finish ahead of the peloton and were able to stay away. A sprint finish saw Grose capture his second stage win of the 2010 Tour.

Stage 3 was held on Route 302 and was a 3.5-mile time trial. Rob Brautigam set the early time to beat at 10:42, however Brautigam was unable to hold off the heavy hitters who began to break into the low 9s. Wessel and Beitel set very tough times, however Tour leader Grose again proved his dominance and took the stage with a time of 9:03, earning his third stage win of the year and his sixth stage win overall.

Stage 4 provided challenges for all riders. An early move by Mike Lago left him on a solo breakaway, however a chase group of Narel and Grose brought back the bold Lago at the foothills of the Col de le sunset hill. Narel and Grose battled on the hills but neither were able to shake the other and so they rode the remainder of the race together. In the finishing straight, Narel pulled ahead to earn his first stage win of the 2010 Tour and his second ever, while Grose cruised over the line comfortably ahead of Narel and the other followers in the overall standings.