Image 1 of 23 Tom Zirbel (Optum) stays smooth and steady on the way to the finish (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 2 of 23 Nathan Brown (Bontrager) on the way to the turnaround (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 3 of 23 Matthew Busche (Radioshack) on his last lap of the course. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 4 of 23 Tom Zirbel (Optum) with his head down heading into the finish. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 5 of 23 Brent Bookwalter (BMC) comes by with a fast intermediate time. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 6 of 23 Phil Gaimon (Bissell) with one big lap to go. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 7 of 23 Tom Zirbel (Optum) leaves the podium with his new stars and stripes jersey. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 8 of 23 Lawson Craddock (Bontrager) nearly got on the podium for third. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 9 of 23 Ben Jacques-Maynes (Jamis-Hagens Berman) looking smooth out on the course. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 10 of 23 Scott Zwizanski (Optum) was looking good on the way out. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 11 of 23 Tom Zirbel (Optum) gets congratulations after his win. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 12 of 23 Chad Haga (Optum) has a good aero position on the bike. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 13 of 23 The pressure builds as start times get closer. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 14 of 23 Nathan Brown (Bontrager) on the way to the turnaround. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 15 of 23 Brent Bookwalter (BMC) on his way to second place. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 16 of 23 Tom Zirbel (Optum) stays smooth and steady on the way to the finish. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 17 of 23 Tom Zirbel (Optum) going as fast as he can all the way to the line. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 18 of 23 2013 US pro men's time trial podium (L-R): Brent Bookwalter (BMC), Tom Zirbel (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) and Nathan Brown (Bontrager) (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 19 of 23 Adrian Hegyvary (UnitedHealthcare) focused and ready to start. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 20 of 23 Tom Zirbel (Optum) puts on the new National Champion jersey for the first time. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 21 of 23 Brent Bookwalter (BMC) on his way to second place (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 22 of 23 Tom Zirbel (Optum) going as fast as he can all the way to the line (Image credit: Jonathan Devich) Image 23 of 23 The top three on the day for the men (Image credit: Jonathan Devich)

Fan favorite Tom Zirbel (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) finally won his long sought after National Championship in Chattanooga, Tennessee after coming up short in Greenville, SC in 2008 and 2011. Zirbel outpaced Brent Bookwalter (BMC) and Tennessee-native Nathan Brown (Bontrager Cycling Team) to win his first national championship and cross off the biggest item he still had on his bucket list.

"It's a cliché but it's going to take a while to sink in," said the soft-spoken Zirbel. "I'm just kind of worked over right now. I'm spent both physically and emotionally. I don't know how I would be feeling if I was third or second again this year because I try not to put too much pressure on myself. I just want to get the most out of myself, and I felt like I did that today but it's nice to be validated with a victory."

The course, which wound around race sponsor Volkswagen's acclaimed new eco-friendly manufacturing plant, was set with open rolling roads, slight wind, and sunny skies. Humid weather, which had bothered riders earlier in the week, gave way to temperatures in the 70s and 80s for a picture perfect day.

Chad Haga (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) set the fastest intermediate time as the first wave of riders set off only to be eclipsed by Lawson Craddock (Bontrager.) Craddock would hold onto his lead and move into the hot seat with his time of 38:57.92, a handful of seconds faster than Haga. As the second wave of riders started coming through, it was clear from Zirbel's split time of 19:06 that he was having a special ride, and barring disaster, would be the man to beat. Bookwalter was only 17 seconds behind the leader, but Zirbel held strong to finish in 38:16.03 and win his first national championship. Craddock was knocked of the podium by close friend and teammate Nathan Brown, who finished in 38:57.15, a fraction of a second faster than Craddock.

Brent Bookwalter was looking to improve on his third place finish of last year and take home a championship title. Bookwalter was feeling stronger than prior years after his team's strong showing at the Amgen Tour of California where teammate Tejay van Garderen won overall and the squad claimed the team title as well. "It's not a great course for me, I knew that coming in," said Bookwalter. "That didn't change the belief that I was coming here to win, and I thought I could. I prepared well for it in the days leading up to it, was still confident, had a good race plan, stuck to it, and even gave some more, but Zirbel was really good today."

Zirbel, who like Bookwalter had been close to the podium in the past, has had to fight battles on many fronts in his pursuit of a cycling career, including a controversial doping suspension in 2009, which was subsequently reduced. "I've definitely had my lows in the sport where I almost walked away. I do love riding my bike, I love racing, I think I was made to race a bike," said Zirbel who is a popular rider within the racing community. "I'm glad I stuck with it, and I'm glad I found a home on Optum, This is definitely a career highlight, but I know that you have to keep the highs at a medium, and the lows at a medium, because you can't swing to far either way."

At twenty-two years-old Nathan Brown's career is just unfolding and his excitement for a championship race so close to home was clear. "It's an honor to come back here and race in Tennessee in front of all my old friends and all my family," said Brown. Brown who won the Most Courageous rider jersey on Stage 4 at last week's Amgen Tour of California, is hoping to get to the WorldTour next year. "My goals are definitely to go to the next level, to the WorldTour, and with the guidance of Axel [Merckx] and the team behind me I think I can do that."

Both Bookwalter and Zirbel spoke eloquently in support of holding the women's championships races along with the men's at the post-race press conference. "It just feels right, doesn't it?" said Zirbel when asked how having the women's race has affected the championship experience. "They are some of the best athletes in the world and they are winning races in Europe. I think they belong, and deserve their own tours right alongside us."

The Professional US Championships continue on Monday, May 27 when the men take the road at 1:15pm EDT.