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Nature Valley Grand Prix
Minnesota

Stage 4: Mankato Road Race

June 17, 2006
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Armstrong flexes muscles, puts stamp on Nature Valley
By Steve Kay

For more than 80 miles, dozens of world class female riders tested there resolve in the wind and heat surrounding Mankato, Minn., in the fourth stage of Great River Energy's Nature Valley Grand Prix.

But the most exciting action of the day came with the final few laps in the city. With Olympic champion Sarah Ulmer of Jazz Apple opening a 20-second gap more than a lap into the finishing circuit, a win seemed assured.

That was until the overall leader, TEAm Lipton's Kristin Armstrong, decided to put her stamp of approval on a victory. Attacking on the third time up the Main Street hill that pitched at 14 percent, she pulled away from the competition to take the stage and increase her lead over Webcor/Platinum Builder's Christine Thorburn.

Armstrong, one of the strongest riders in the women's peloton, said it was both sensing the time and a bit of luck that gave her the win.

"As we started up that hill a third time, I could sense some of the other girls getting tired," she said. "I mean, I was tired too, but I find that when the competition is waning, you have to find that something extra and that is what I did today.

"With Sarah going the way she was at the end, I just got lucky to be in the right situation and push out in front."

And, as usual, she brought the win back to her teammates efforts.

"Being here with these eight girls makes all the difference." Armstrong said of her TEAm Lipton teammates.
The race began extremely close, with no riders seeming to want to break away early. Just after the 37-mile mark, a group of about seven finally pulled away from the main group. Among this group were Colavita/ Cooking Light's Gina Grain and the powerful TEAm Lipton's Katherine Lambden. The break was short-lived, with the field catching them at the 42-mile mark.

A final group of about 64 riders remained until the 77-mile mark and the start of the circuit race through Mankato, which included the treacherous Main Street Hill. Ulmer broke out ahead and built a 20-second lead over the field. It was during the third lap that TEAm Lipton once again flexed its muscle and catapulted Armstong to the front.

Armstrong then put on a clinic as she upped her lead and cruised to a comfortable victory over second place finisher and TEAm Lipton teammate Kori Seehofer. Alex Wrubleski of Team Biovail took third.

Webcor-Platinum Women's Cycling's Erinne Willock had another strong showing, maintaining her BMC Best Young Rider Jersey. Ulmer was awarded the SportsPro Most Aggressive Rider Jersey for her work in the final laps around Mankato. That climb also earned her the Jelly Belly Sports Beans Queen of the Hill Jersey.
With today's stage win Armstrong adds to her lead going into Sunday's Stillwater Criterium. Armstrong knows that the Nature Valley Grand Prix is far from over.

"Tomorrow is going to be tough," she said of Sunday's crit, which includes the infamous Chilkoot Hill that pitches at 24 percent and is the finish for the circuit.

Position
No.
 Rider Team
Time
Gap
Bonuses
Penalty
1.  
31  
 Kristin Armstrong TEAm Lipton
3.53'45"  
  
15"  
  
2.  
37  
 Kori Seehafer TEAm Lipton
3.54'19"  
34"  
10"  
  
3.  
76  
 Alex Wrubleski * Team Biovail Pro Cycling
3.54'19"  
...  
6"  
  
4.  
6  
 Erinne Willock * Webcor-Platinum Women's Cycling Team
3.54'19"  
...  
  
  
5.  
15  
 Sue Palmer-Komar Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team
3.54'19"  
...  
  
  
6.  
61  
 Mara Abbott * Rio Grande/Sports Garage
3.54'19"  
...  
  
  
7.  
1  
 Christine Thorburn Webcor-Platinum Women's Cycling Team
3.54'19"  
...  
  
  
8.  
195  
 Sarah Ulmer Jazz Apple Cycling Team
3.54'48"  
1'03"  
  
  
9.  
73  
 Anne Samplonius Team Biovail Pro Cycling
3.55'08"  
1'23"  
  
  
10.  
16  
 Tina Pic Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team
3.55'08"  
...  
  
  
11.  
47  
 Kristin Sanders Cheerwine
3.55'22"  
1'37"  
  
  
12.  
44  
 Charm Breon Cheerwine
3.55'58"  
2'13"  
  
  
13.  
21  
 Katharine Carroll * Victory Brewing Team
3.56'09"  
2'24"  
  
  
14.  
134  
 Katie Mactier Argon 18/Champion System
3.56'12"  
2'27"  
  
  
15.  
3  
 Felicia Gomez Webcor-Platinum Women's Cycling Team
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
16.  
38  
 Laura Van Gilder TEAm Lipton
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
17.  
4  
 Betina Hold Webcor-Platinum Women's Cycling Team
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
18.  
18  
 Iona Wynter Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
19.  
24  
 Leigh Hobson Victory Brewing Team
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
20.  
227  
 Kathleen Billington * Conneticut Coast Cycling
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
21.  
74  
 Amanda Shaw Team Biovail Pro Cycling
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
22.  
84  
 Melodie Metzger McGuire Cycling Team
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
23.  
126  
 Carmen Small TRIA
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
24.  
192  
 Michelle Hyland * Jazz Apple Cycling Team
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
25.  
106  
 Victoria Vallstrom PABW Powered by TIBCO
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
26.  
175  
 Emilie Roy * Equipe du Quebec
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
27.  
141  
 Marisa Asplund Colorado Premier Training - Colnago
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
28.  
2  
 Katheryn Curi Webcor-Platinum Women's Cycling Team
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
29.  
172  
 Karol-Ann Canuel * Equipe du Quebec
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
30.  
209  
 Teresa Moriarty Flanders/MBRC
3.56'12"  
...  
  
  
31.  
65  
 Kendra Keeley Rio Grande/Sports Garage
3.56'47"  
3'02"  
  
  
32.  
165  
 Heather Labance Advil-ChapStick Cycling Team
3.56'47"  
...  
  
  
33.  
121  
 Sharon Allpressü TRIA
3.56'47"  
...  
  
  
34.  
17  
 Sima Trapp Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team
3.56'47"  
...  
  
  
35.  
142  
 Megan Monroe Colorado Premier Training - Colnago
3.56'47"  
...  
  
  
36.  
105  
 Flavia Oliveira * PABW Powered by TIBCO
3.57'39"  
3'54"  
  
  
37.  
33  
 Lara Kroepsch TEAm Lipton
3.57'43"  
3'58"  
  
  
38.  
184  
 Andrea Myers *# Team Blue Cycles/Uvex
3.57'56"  
4'11"  
  
  
39.  
72  
 Joelle Numainville * Team Biovail Pro Cycling
3.57'59"  
4'14"  
  
  
40.  
86  
 Taitt Sato McGuire Cycling Team
3.57'59"  
...  
  
  
41.  
55  
 Catherine Powers Aaron's Pro Women's Cycling
3.57'59"  
...  
  
  
42.  
42  
 Michelle Beltran Cheerwine
3.57'59"  
...  
  
  
43.  
36  
 Liza Rachetto TEAm Lipton
3.57'59"  
...  
  
  
44.  
12  
 Gina Grain Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team
3.57'59"  
...  
  
  
45.  
32  
 Sarah Caravella TEAm Lipton
3.57'59"  
...  
  
  
46.  
143  
 Brooke Ourada Colorado Premier Training - Colnago
3.57'59"  
...  
  
  
47.  
224  
 Beth Allen Team Joy Rides/Austin Flyers
3.58'17"  
4'32"  
  
  
48.  
191  
 Brei Gudsell * Jazz Apple Cycling Team
3.58'21"  
4'36"  
  
  
49.  
104  
 Brooke Miller PABW Powered by TIBCO
3.58'27"  
4'42"  
  
  
50.  
98  
 Catherine Walberg Team Kenda Tire
3.58'31"  
4'46"  
  
  
51.  
152  
 Kristin Wentworth America's Dairyland
3.58'34"  
4'49"  
  
  
52.  
123  
 Pamela Hinton TRIA
3.58'34"  
...  
  
  
53.  
124  
 Moriah MacGregor TRIA
3.58'38"  
4'53"  
  
  
54.  
125  
 Jenn Reither TRIA
3.59'18"  
5'33"  
  
  
55.  
113  
 Kele Murdin Velo Bella-Kona
3.59'20"  
5'35"  
  
  
56.  
210  
 Shana Sturla Flanders/MBRC
4.00'04"  
6'19"  
  
  
57.  
193  
 Rosara Joseph * Jazz Apple Cycling Team
4.00'06"  
6'21"  
  
  
58.  
66  
 Alison Powers Rio Grande/Sports Garage
4.00'37"  
6'52"  
  
  
59.  
52  
 Mackenzie Dickey * Aaron's Pro Women's Cycling
4.00'37"  
...  
  
  
60.  
208  
 Ann Hansgate * Flanders/MBRC
4.01'33"  
7'48"  
  
  
61.  
26  
 Tara Ross Victory Brewing Team
4.03'17"  
9'32"  
  
  
62.  
144  
 Lisa Sweeney * Colorado Premier Training - Colnago
4.03'17"  
...  
  
  
63.  
25  
 Kirsten Robbins Victory Brewing Team
4.05'37"  
11'52"  
  
  
64.  
96  
 Jennifer Trew * Team Kenda Tire
4.05'37"  
...  
  
  
65.  
163  
 Rochelle Gilmore * Advil-ChapStick Cycling Team
4.05'37"  
...  
  
  
66.  
11  
 Sara Tillotson Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team
4.05'37"  
...  
  
  
67.  
219  
 Molly Vetter-Smith Mesa Cycles Racing Team
4.05'37"  
...  
  
  
68.  
35  
 Meredith Miller TEAm Lipton
4.05'37"  
...  
  
  
69.  
116  
 Jane Ziegler Velo Bella-Kona
4.05'37"  
...  
  
  
70.  
205  
 Paula Plant Birchwood/GIS
4.05'37"  
...  
  
  
71.  
145  
 Nicky Wangsgard Colorado Premier Training - Colnago
4.05'37"  
...  
  
  
72.  
67  
 Syrae Weikle Rio Grande/Sports Garage
4.05'53"  
12'08"  
  
  
73.  
54  
 Rebecca Larson * Aaron's Pro Women's Cycling
4.06'33"  
12'48"  
  
  
74.  
91  
 Tamyra Barnard Team Kenda Tire
4.07'13"  
13'28"  
  
20"  
75.  
71  
 Stephanie Bourbeau Team Biovail Pro Cycling
4.07'43"  
13'58"  
  
  
76.  
51  
 Candice Blickem Aaron's Pro Women's Cycling
4.08'03"  
14'18"  
  
  
77.  
27  
 Kate Sherwin Victory Brewing Team
4.08'15"  
14'30"  
  
  
78.  
166  
 Caitlyn Mccullough * Advil-ChapStick Cycling Team
4.10'25"  
16'40"  
  
  
79.  
225  
 Julia Bradley Team R.A.C.E.
4.10'44"  
16'59"  
  
  
80.  
103  
 Amy Mackey * PABW Powered by TIBCO
4.10'44"  
...  
  
  
81.  
167  
 Emma Nelson Advil-ChapStick Cycling Team
4.10'44"  
...  
  
  
82.  
92  
 Abby Cooper * Team Kenda Tire
4.10'44"  
...  
  
  
83.  
173  
 Joanie Caron * Equipe du Quebec
4.10'44"  
...  
  
  
84.  
101  
 Julie Adams PABW Powered by TIBCO
4.10'44"  
...  
  
  
85.  
171  
 Marie-Pier Bédard * Equipe du Quebec
4.10'44"  
...  
  
  
86.  
112  
 Jennifer Joynt Velo Bella-Kona
4.10'44"  
...  
  
  
87.  
75  
 Alison Testroete * Team Biovail Pro Cycling
4.10'44"  
...  
  
  
88.  
155  
 Natalie Klemko * America's Dairyland
4.10'44"  
...  
  
  
89.  
53  
 Shannon Hutchison-Krupa Aaron's Pro Women's Cycling
4.10'44"  
...  
  
  
90.  
34  
 Katherine Lambden TEAm Lipton
4.10'44"  
...  
  
  
91.  
45  
 Elizabeth Frye Cheerwine
4.16'28"  
22'43"  
  
  
92.  
41  
 Sarah Bambeger Cheerwine
4.20'33"  
26'48"  
  
  
93.  
85  
 Martina Patella * McGuire Cycling Team
4.20'38"  
26'53"  
  
  
Riders dropping out
  
13  
 Meshy Holt Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team
  
  
  
  
  
43  
 Kelly Benjamin Cheerwine
  
  
  
  
  
63  
 Beth Fisk Rio Grande/Sports Garage
  
  
  
  
  
81  
 Courtenay Brown McGuire Cycling Team
  
  
  
  
  
122  
 Allison Beall TRIA
  
  
  
  
  
131  
 Megan Elliot * Argon 18/Champion System
  
  
  
  
  
174  
 Johanne Cyr Equipe du Quebec
  
  
  
  
  
181  
 Emilie Duchow *# Team Blue Cycles/Uvex
  
  
  
  
  
220  
 Megan Hottman MRRC/Trek-VW Midwest
  
  
  
  

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