King uses fast start to win USA Cycling pro road race championship by less than 2 minutes

King uses fast start to win USA Cycling pro title

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Benjamin King used a fast start to win the USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championship by less than 2 minutes.

The 21-year-old from North Garden, Va., on Sunday become the first rider under the age of 23 to win the 110-mile race in Greenville, S.C. The member of the Trek-Livestrong team had a time of 4 hours, 44 minutes and 56 seconds.

Alex Candelario of Reno, Nev., finished second and Kiel Reijnen of Boulder, Colo., third, both about 1:34 minutes later. Candelario pedaled for Kelly Benefit Strategies and Reijnen for Jelly Belly p/b Kenda.

King says he was going pretty hard at the beginning to help him win the race in its 25th year.

He also finished ahead of last year’s national champion and hometown favorite George Hincapie and former Tour de France stage winner Levi Leipheimer.