Nature Valley Grand Prix
MinnesotaStage 1: Saint Paul Riverfront Time Trial
June 14, 2006
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Click image for photo galleryO'Neill, Health Net smoke field in opening time trial at Nature Valley Grand Prix by James Lockwood
Waiting for an hour after posting the fastest time, Navigator Insurance's Bernard Van Ulden just shook his head as Health Net/Maxxis' Nathan O'Neill blazed through the finishing chute to post the winning time."I knew he would go fast," Van Ulden said. "If I had beaten him, you would have seen me doing back flips down the street here."
Still, the second year pro was good enough for second place at 8 minutes, 42 seconds, and he was the only rider who would spoil a Health Net sweep of both the podium and top five in the first stage of Great River Energy's Nature Valley Grand Prix.
"It makes a statement," O'Neil said of both his win and the team's performance in the St. Paul Riverfront Time Trial along the Mississippi River. The Australian national time trial champion beat Van Ulden by 13 seconds, coming in at 8:29, and stayed ahead of Greg Henderson, Karl Menzies, and Gord Fraser enough that he may be able to hold onto the leader's jersey for a bit.
That trio came in separated by about a half second, with Henderson clocking 8:48.52 and Fraser coming in at 8:49.07.
Whether the intermediate and finishing time bonuses are enough to pass the jersey around the team or he keeps the jersey, O'Neill said it is nice to have the options.
"The other three guys [on the team] behind me are all sprinters. It gives us a lot of options," O'Neill said.
"It puts us in a pretty good position," Fraser said.
Health Net's director sportif Jeff Louder was pleased with O'Neill's and the team's performance, but he wasn't surprised.
"Whether we are riding on good spirits or on the form from racing the past couple of weeks, it doesn't matter. It is finally good to be building some momentum," he said. With Henderson's wins at Mt. Hood, Reading and Philadelphia, O'Neill continues Health Net's success in the past couple of weeks.
However, Louder said given competition at this year's Nature Valley Grand Prix in the men's field – with several of North America's top teams fielding full squads – he was not as assured as his riders that the team would keep the jersey.
"The big dynamic here are the time bonuses," he said.
Van Ulden, who raced Nature Valley last year with only three other teammates, said this year having a full team will change the nature of the tactics for the team, as well as not having to defend the jersey going into stage two."I am not here to sit on some wheels,' he said. "I'm here to make something happen."
Whether that means taking the jersey in stage two is another story. Navigator's director sportif Ray Cippolini said on paper the 58.6-mile road race in stage two looks like a sprint fest, but he noted in the country, elements can play a big role.
"There's a lot of racing to be done yet this week," Cippolini said, not tipping his hat to any strategy the team may have to disrupt the Health Net momentum.
Frankie Andreau, directing Toyota-United in its first appearance at the Minnesota stage race, was a bit more direct about tactics heading into the week. "You focus more on a stage win," he said while sitting with his rider, Stefano Barberi, who walked away with the BMC Best Young Rider's jersey as well as the sixth fastest time at 8:58.
The Nature Valley Grand Prix heads to the Cannon Falls, Minn., on Thursday for a 58.6-mile road race for the second stage before returning to the Twin Cities for the Minneapolis Downtown Classic criterium on Friday. It finishes on Sunday in Stillwater, Minn.
NAME TEAM Nathan O'Neill Health Net presented by Maxxis Bernard Van Ulden Navigators Insurance Cycling Team Greg Henderson Health Net presented by Maxxis Karl Menzies Health Net presented by Maxxis Gordon Fraser Health Net presented by Maxxis Scott Nydam Rio Grande/Sports Garage Doug Swanson Nature Valley Racing Team Reid Mumford ABD Cycling Team Kirk O,Bee Health Net presented by Maxxis Stefano Barberi Toyota-United Pro Cycling team Bryce Mead ABD Cycling Team Matt Rice Jelly Belly Cycling Team Hilton Clarke Navigators Insurance Cycling Team Chris Harkey Hincapie Sports/Bianchi/ Dasani Scottie Weiss Hincapie Sports/Bianchi/ Dasani Frank Pipp TARGETRAINING Oleg Grichkine Navigators Insurance Cycling Team Justin Morgan Broadmark / Hagens-Berman Nick Reistad Jelly Belly Cycling Team Mike Olheiser MMW/CARVE Ian Stanford Nature Valley Racing Team Tim Johnson Health Net presented by Maxxis Scott Zuizanski Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling Team Sharon Allpress TRIA Jackson Stewart Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling Team Mike Jones Health Net presented by Maxxis Sterling Magnell Toyota-United Pro Cycling team Aric Hareland Hollywood Cycles/Silver Cycling Jose Garcia Toyota-United Pro Cycling team Mark Hekman Abercrombie & Fitch p/b Inferno Andrew Bajadali Jelly Belly Cycling Team Caleb Manion Jelly Belly Cycling Team Jason Allen Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling Team Ivan Stevic Toyota-United Pro Cycling team Jason Klikna BMC Racing Team T. Burke Swindlehurst Navigators Insurance Cycling Team David Sachs Vision Quest Brian Jensen Jelly Belly Cycling Team Dale Sedgwick Bianchi/Grand Performance Shawn Milne Navigators Insurance Cycling Team Michael Grabinger Grandstay/Out N About Gear Jacob Rosenbarger Rio Grande/Sports Garage Chad Nikolz Broadmark / Hagens-Berman Ryan Nenninger Mercy-Specialized Alexander Boyd VMG Racing Brice Jones Jelly Belly Cycling Team Pete Hanna Bianchi/Grand Performance Guy East CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25 Osvaldo Olmos BMC Racing Team Daniel Casper Grandstay/Out N About Gear Peter Fairbanks Bianchi/Grand Performance Paul Deninger Mercy-Specialized Johnny Hayes CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25 David Robinson Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling Team Eric Marcotte Bianchi/Grand Performance Jonathan Garcia Team Einstein's Cycling Michael Dietrich Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling Team Spencer Beamer VMG Racing Duane Dickeyü Bianchi/Grand Performance Siro Camponogara Navigators Insurance Cycling Team Phillip Gaimon VMG Racing Steve Tilford Trek/Shimano Josh Thornton Toyota-United Pro Cycling team Jared Faciszewski VMG Racing Shane Weaver Hincapie Sports/Bianchi/ Dasani Ken Hanson BMC Racing Team Brian Dziewa Mercy Cycling Brian Eppen Mercy-Specialized Matt Shriver TARGETRAINING Chris Kuhl CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25 Philip Wikoff Team Hotel San Jose Jarred Grandstay/Out N About Gear Chase Fullerton VMG Racing Owen Laine BMC Racing Team Stefan Rothe Mercy Cycling Lee Rosenthal CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25 Barkley Robinson Rio Grande/Sports Garage Tim Mulrooney Hollywood Cycles/Silver Cycling Andrew Fischer Broadmark / Hagens-Berman Corey Steinbrecher Jelly Belly Cycling Team Thomas Luke HRRC/CollegePoint/Specialized/BikeSource John Meehan Mercy-Specialized David Rodriguez BMC Racing Team Bill Stolte HRRC/CollegePoint/Specialized/BikeSource Jed Schneider Subaru Cycling Team Andrew Guptill TARGETRAINING Tone Coughlin Hollywood Cycles/Silver Cycling Erik Dahl FLANDERS/MBRC Andy Minier Nature Valley Racing Team Jon Randall ALL9YARDS.COM CYCLING TEAM Abraham Mcnutt Abercrombie & Fitch p/b Inferno Lane Anderson ALL9YARDS.COM CYCLING TEAM Pat Lemieux Bianchi/Grand Performance Martin Gilbert Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling Team Thomas Soladay LSV/Kelly Benefit Strategies Jonathan Parrish LANDIS/TREK/VW Rudy Robaina VMG Racing Brandon Gavic Wheel & Sprocket Josh Bezecny TARGETRAINING Jason Knight HRRC/CollegePoint/Specialized/BikeSource Jonathon Page Colavita Olive Oil - Sutter Brian Bibens Subaru Cycling Team David Zimmerman FLANDERS/MBRC Jack Seehafer Team Einstein's Cycling Frank Dierking ABD Cycling Team Jay Henderson Hollywood Cycles/Silver Cycling John Olney Mercy-Specialized Ralph Henderson ALL9YARDS.COM CYCLING TEAM Matt Williams Grandstay/Out N About Gear Andrew Crater Wheel & Sprocket Jered Gruber Abercrombie & Fitch p/b Inferno Dan Schmatz Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling Team Hayden Brooks Subaru Cycling Team Adam Curry Broadmark / Hagens-Berman Chad Vandelune ALL9YARDS.COM CYCLING TEAM Chris Doig FLANDERS/MBRC Dan Swanson Nature Valley Racing Team Ben Brooks Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
