US Team SmartStop is taking part in the Vuelta Independencia Nacional underway through 1 March 2015. A six-man roster captained by Zach Bell, who finished second on stage six last year, came for the eight-day UCI 2.2 stage race that began on 22 February.
This year, the team is back to win first. As reported in Cycling News, in the 2014 race, SmartStop won three stages and placed second in the overall general classification with Rob Britton. Director Michael Creed and his team are now looking for similar success a second time around as well as the opportunity to collect some vital UCI points towards the UCI America Tour.
“This is not a training race,” Creed told Cycling News. “This is a chance to solidify our chances at starting the World TTT and an important marker of where the new guys on the team are at and how hard we will have to chase UCI points for the rest of the year.”
Team members are Zach Bell and Travis McCabe, who both competed in 2014, and Bobby Sweeting, Travis Livermon, Evan Huffman and Chris Butler.
The Dominican cycling tour is a cross-country event, with a focus on reaching beach, mountain and city destinations.
Vuelta Independencia Nacional:
The start was on Sunday, 22 February at 12:30pm from Parque Independencia in Santo Domingo. The first stage took racers to Boca Chica, then to Juan Dolio, the cities of San Pedro de Macoris and La Romana for a distance of 187 km. It was won by Eduardo Colon, from Puerto Rico.
The second stage of 184 km is set for Monday, 23 February at 12:30pm from Punta Cana to La Romana, San Pedro de Macoris back to Santo Domingo ending at the Columbus Lighthouse in eastern Santo Domingo.
The third stage departs on Tuesday, 24 February from the City Government of Santo Domingo headquarters (ADN) at 12:30pm and goes northeast from Santo Domingo to Sanchez and Samana, for 177 km.
The fourth stage leaves Samana on Wednesday, 25 February to go west to Nagua, Castillo, and ends in San Francisco de Macoris, covering 135.8 km.
The fifth competition stage on Thursday, 26 February is a mountain route. It departs from the Palace of Justice in Moca to Santiago, La Vega, Bonao and Constanza, covering 131 km.
The sixth stage on Friday, 27 February is a circuit around the monumental area of Santiago for 104 km.
The seventh stage on Saturday, 28 February is from Santiago to Santo Domingo, ending at the Sambil Mall for 151.6 km.
The final eighth stage on Sunday, 1 March is a tour along Abraham Lincoln Avenue in Santo Domingo, for a distance of 96 km.
The race can be followed on the webpage of the Cycling Federation at http://www.fedoci.com
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/news-shorts-smartstop-headed-for-dominican-republic
http://www.fedoci.com/noticias/2015/febrero/eduardo-colon-conquista-la-primera-etapa-vuelta-cicl%C3%ADstica/#.VOtM60vxj7I
http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Vuelta_Independencia_nacional_Republica_Dominicana_2015_Stage_1_Punta_Cana