Gretsch wins the opener in the USA Pro Cycling Challenge

Patrick Gretsch has boosted a bad week for HTC by taking the prologue of the USA pro cycling challenge.

Gretsch adjusted to the altitude the best, on the time-trial, to pip Christian Vande Velde by a mere two seconds. The 24-year-old has added this two his other two victories, as a pro rider, and will do his prospects for next year no harm. Brent Bookwalter, who finished third, was the first of three BMC riders to take a top ten position. George Hincapie and Cadel Evans finished only a second apart and seven seconds behind Gretsch.

 Peter Velits, who would have suspected a high finishing position, could only manage to get within 38 seconds of his teammate. Just ahead of him were the Schleck brothers, who still couldn’t set the time-trial world alight, with Andy finishing 36 seconds down and Frank one second down on that.

Many riders have been worried about the altitude and Andy Schleck arrived two weeks before the race start. With most of the race up in the mountains, it is expected many of the South American teams could perform well. With the big Monarch Pass right at the start it could be the chance for the Schlecks to get their own back on Evans. The USA Pro Cycling Challenge is a six stage race, plus the prologue.