Nature Valley Grand Prix
MinnesotaStage 3: Minneapolis Downtown Classic
June 16, 2006
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Click image for photo galleryVan Gilder takes razor-thin, rain-drenched crit at Nature Valley
By Steve KayFor the third consecutive year, rain played a major factor in the Minneapolis Downtown Classic, the third stage of the Great River Energy's Nature Valley Grand Prix.
Heavy rain and hail hit the course about an hour before the scheduled start, delaying the start of the race by 15 minutes and shortening it from 45 to 30 minutes.
The shortened race, though, didn't short-change the spectators or racers from the drama, as TEAm Lipton's Laura Van Gilder took the hotly contested finish from Victory Brewing's Katharine Carroll.
Van Gilder's victory continued TEAm Lipton's dominance, with overall leader Kristin Armstrong keeping the leader's jersey and both Armstrong and Kori Seehofer in contention throughout the race. Armstrong also picked up a time bonus by taking the first sprint of the 1-mile, 6-corner criterium.
Van Gilder's victory was not assured. While the team lined up the train to launch her in the final lap, initially it appeared that Carroll had nipped her at the line. Only after a protest and more than 30 minutes did Carroll learn the victory was awarded to van Gilder.
"I knew going into the final stretch that it was going to be tough to keep up with them," she said. "They were really in control throughout. So I tried to make my move just before that on the back with the crosswind."
The wet pavement and threat of more rain certainly played a role in the riders' ability to move up in the beginning. TEAm Lipton attempted to control much of the race, keeping their leader near the front and out of trouble.
"It was a little slick out there for the first couple laps, but after that things seemed to go rather smoothly," Carroll said.
Early in the race, Argon 18/Champion Systems rider Katie Mactier - a former champion of the Nature Valley Grand Prix - jumped out to an early lead and seemed to be a contender until a flat tire sidelined her during the third lap. A mechanical also took Thursday's second stage winner, Palo Alto Bicycle Works/TIBCO's Brooke Miller, out of contention with a couple of laps to go.
Among the lead group was defending Nature Valley Grand Prix champion and Webcor-Platinum Builder's rider Christine Thorburn, who maintained her second place on GC.
The Nature Valley Grand Prix continues Saturday with an 86-mile road race through Mankato, Minn., which features a 4-lap circuit finish that includes a 14-percent climb. The Nature Valley Grand Prix concludes Sunday in Stillwater.
Rider Team Laura Van Gilder TEAm Lipton Katharine Carroll * Victory Brewing Team Gina Grain Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team Tina Pic Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team Anne Samplonius Team Biovail Pro Cycling Shannon Hutchison-Krupa Aaron's Pro Women's Cycling Teresa Moriarty Flanders/MBRC Alex Wrubleski * Team Biovail Pro Cycling Katie Mactier Argon 18/Champion System Kristin Armstrong TEAm Lipton Erinne Willock * Webcor-Platinum Women's Cycling Team Kori Seehafer TEAm Lipton Sarah Bambeger Cheerwine Kelly Benjamin Cheerwine Lisa Sweeney * Colorado Premier Training - Colnago Charm Breon Cheerwine Rebecca Larson * Aaron's Pro Women's Cycling Leigh Hobson Victory Brewing Team Carmen Small TRIA Caitlyn Mccullough * Advil-ChapStick Cycling Team Christine Thorburn Webcor-Platinum Women's Cycling Team Kate Sherwin Victory Brewing Team Katheryn Curi Webcor-Platinum Women's Cycling Team Liza Rachetto TEAm Lipton Emma Nelson Advil-ChapStick Cycling Team Sue Palmer-Komar Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team Sarah Ulmer Jazz Apple Cycling Team Catherine Walberg Team Kenda Tire Emilie Roy * Equipe du Quebec Alison Powers Rio Grande/Sports Garage Kristin Sanders Cheerwine Felicia Gomez Webcor-Platinum Women's Cycling Team Mara Abbott * Rio Grande/Sports Garage Michelle Hyland * Jazz Apple Cycling Team Sara Tillotson Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team Kathleen Billington * Conneticut Coast Cycling Rosara Joseph * Jazz Apple Cycling Team Lara Kroepsch TEAm Lipton Melodie Metzger McGuire Cycling Team Catherine Powers Aaron's Pro Women's Cycling Kele Murdin Velo Bella-Kona Flavia Oliveira * PABW Powered by TIBCO Sima Trapp Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team Heather Labance Advil-ChapStick Cycling Team Kendra Keeley Rio Grande/Sports Garage Ann Hansgate * Flanders/MBRC Betina Hold Webcor-Platinum Women's Cycling Team Kristin Wentworth America's Dairyland Candice Blickem Aaron's Pro Women's Cycling Iona Wynter Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team Jenn Reither TRIA Amanda Shaw Team Biovail Pro Cycling Natalie Klemko * America's Dairyland Joelle Numainville * Team Biovail Pro Cycling Taitt Sato McGuire Cycling Team Alison Testroete * Team Biovail Pro Cycling Megan Monroe Colorado Premier Training - Colnago Tamyra Barnard Team Kenda Tire Michelle Beltran Cheerwine Karol-Ann Canuel * Equipe du Quebec Marie-Pier Bédard * Equipe du Quebec Tara Ross Victory Brewing Team Courtenay Brown McGuire Cycling Team Beth Fisk Rio Grande/Sports Garage Jane Ziegler Velo Bella-Kona Rochelle Gilmore * Advil-ChapStick Cycling Team Shana Sturla Flanders/MBRC Marisa Asplund Colorado Premier Training - Colnago Nicky Wangsgard Colorado Premier Training - Colnago Kirsten Robbins Victory Brewing Team Syrae Weikle Rio Grande/Sports Garage Sharon Allpressü TRIA Julie Adams PABW Powered by TIBCO Amy Mackey * PABW Powered by TIBCO Meredith Miller TEAm Lipton Megan Elliot * Argon 18/Champion System Andrea Myers *# Team Blue Cycles/Uvex Stephanie Bourbeau Team Biovail Pro Cycling Meshy Holt Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team Sarah Caravella TEAm Lipton Elizabeth Frye Cheerwine Brooke Miller PABW Powered by TIBCO Brei Gudsell * Jazz Apple Cycling Team Jennifer Joynt Velo Bella-Kona Mackenzie Dickey * Aaron's Pro Women's Cycling Martina Patella * McGuire Cycling Team Jennifer Trew * Team Kenda Tire Victoria Vallstrom PABW Powered by TIBCO Pamela Hinton TRIA Moriah MacGregor TRIA Brooke Ourada Colorado Premier Training - Colnago Joanie Caron * Equipe du Quebec Emilie Duchow *# Team Blue Cycles/Uvex Paula Plant Birchwood/GIS Molly Vetter-Smith Mesa Cycles Racing Team Megan Hottman MRRC/Trek-VW Midwest Beth Allen Team Joy Rides/Austin Flyers Julia Bradley Team R.A.C.E. Allison Beall TRIA Johanne Cyr Equipe du Quebec Riders dropping out Katherine Lambden TEAm Lipton Abby Cooper * Team Kenda Tire The following competitors were signed out from the race: Team Reason Victory Brewing Team Did Not Start Argon 18/Champion System Did Not Start Jazz Apple Cycling Team Did Not Start Hollywood Racing/Silver Cycling Did Not Start
