Canadian Cyclist

 

June 17/11 9:48 am - Nature Valley Grand Prix: Men Stage 3


Posted by Editoress on 06/17/11
 

UnitedHealthcare Makes It Three-For-Three

The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team made it three in a row Thursday night by winning the Stage 3 Cannon Falls Road Race at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Robert Förster took top honors and the race lead, while teammate Jake Keough was second and Ken Hanson (Jelly Belly presented by Kenda) finished third.

Just like Förster said it was drawn up at his team's pre-race meeting, the German sprinter took the race lead from teammate Rory Sutherland with the help of a 12-second time bonus at the finish.

“I knew that I was only 11 seconds behind Rory, so we tried to make the leadout for me today, Förster said.

With a slim, one-second lead over three-time Nature Valley Grand Prix champion Sutherland, Förster said he wants to defend. But he also said he has no problem passing the leader's yellow jersey on to one of his teammates. “I want to hold the jersey as long as possible but when Rory comes back or another rider, I don't care as long as it's the team, the main thing is the team.”

Racing was fast and aggressive on the 66.5-mile road race as the riders sped through gently rolling, but wide open farmlands. Attacks and counter-attacks were flying at the front but no one was able to escape until 30 miles into the stage. Four riders – Tom Zirbel (Jamis/Sutter Home), Andy Jacques-Maynes (BISSELL Pro Cycling), Marsh Cooper (Kelly Benefit Strategies-Optumhealth) and Mat Stephens (ELBOWZ Racing) – sped free, but never managed more than a 35-second gap.

UnitedHealthcare riders worked hard to control the front for most of race and were content to let the four-man group dangle off the front. But the break was doomed from the start and the field was all back together before making the right-hand turn into the gravel road section on its way back to Cannon Falls. The fast pace was even higher on the six finishing circuits that included a short, steep climb to the finish line.

“It was a fast race, with a 48 kph average speed,” Förster explained. “All the teams tried to attack us and it was difficult to stay together. We lost some boys from the hard work in the first 70, 80 kilometers and then we came to the loops.”

Once on the circuit, the battle for control at the front was on between several teams, with the Jelly Belly squad taking over with four laps to go.

“We knew our best chance was to just ride the front and keep me out of trouble and then UnitedHealthcare was going to take over and try to lead out the sprint.” Hanson said. “Jelly Belly rode really great to get organized.”

Chaos reigned with the sprinters fighting for position behind the leadout train of UnitedHealthcare on the final lap. Sutherland was at the front, followed by Karl Menzies, Förster, Keough and Hanson. The battle to stay on the train intensified and Hanson said he had to work hard to close down a gap. After reconnecting to Keough's wheel, he got boxed in when the leadout riders peeled off at the front.

“Once I lost the momentum on the hill, that was it. So I ended up third," Hanson said. "I'm happy to get on the podium, but it could have been better.”

Kyle Wamsley (BISSELL) will be wearing the polka-dot Sports Beans King of the Hills jersey after taking top points in the first two sprint lines. Tom Zirbel (Jamis/Sutter Home) was awarded the Freewheel Bike Most Aggressive Rider jersey. The other special jerseys remain the same: Carlos Alzate (Team Exergy) in the black Wheaties FUEL Sprint Competition jersey, Chad Haga (Team Rio Grande), in the green jersey as the Nature Valley Top Amateur, and Joey Rosskopf (Team Type 1-Development) in the white jersey for the TRIA Orthopaedic Center Best Young Rider.

Racing continues Friday with the Minneapolis Uptown Criterium, the marquee event of the Nature Valley Grand Prix, attracting what many observers consider to be the largest criterium crowd in the country. Uptown is a major entertainment district that abuts dense, upscale residential neighborhoods. The flat, six-corner course and a pumped-up crowd traditionally makes for high speeds. A long drag up Lake Street leads to a short dash from the final corner to the finish line on Hennepin Avenue.

Förster hopes to make it four straight for UnitedHealthcare with another performance like Wednesday's 1-2-3 sweep of the Downtown Saint Paul Criterium.

“We'll try to do the same as yesterday, but since we lost one rider, Hilton (Clarke), who separated his shoulder, we are only seven tomorrow," he said. "We used all the guys today to do the sprint, so maybe it can be a little bit different. But the guys are good, they are all in good condition, we all work well together and we know what to do.”

Report by Lyne Lamoureux, Nature Valley Grand Prix

Stage 3: Cannon Falls Road Race, 106.98 km
1 Robert Forster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 2:17:19
2 Jake Keough (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
3 Kenneth Hanson (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
4 Ben Kersten (Aus) V Australia
5 K Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
6 Joseph Schmalz (USA) Elbowz Racing
7 Chad Haga (USA) Team Rio Grande
8 Benjamin Chaddock (Can) Team Exergy
9 Tom Zirbel (USA) Jamis Sutter Home
10 Fernando Antogna (USA) Jamis Sutter Home
11 Luis Romero Amaran (USA) Jamis Sutter Home
12 Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
13 Christian Helmig (USA) Elbowz Racing
14 Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
15 Zachary Davies (USA) V Australia
16 Karl Menzies (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
17 Heath Blackgrove (USA) Elbowz Racing
18 Eric Schildge (USA) Jamis Sutter Home
19 Tyler Wren (USA) Jamis Sutter Home
20 Adrian Hegyvary (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
21 Jeremy Vennell (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
22 Tanner Putt (USA) Team Type 1-Development
23 Nic Frey (USA) Jamis Sutter Home
24 Eric Young (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
25 Zack Allsion (USA) Mercy Elite Cycling Team
26 Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
27 Emerson Oronte (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
28 Jonathan Toftoy (USA) GrandStay Hotels
29 Andrew Dahlheim (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
30 Erik Hamilton (USA) Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist
31 Adam Carr (USA) Penn Cycle
32 Jerome Townsend (USA) Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop
33 Drew Christopher (USA) Team Rio Grande
34 Chris Winn (USA) V Australia
35 Stefan Rothe (USA) NVGP Pro Ride
36 Matthew Cooke (USA) Team Exergy
37 Ryan Knapp (USA) Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist
38 Daniel Holt (USA) Team Type 1-Development
39 Michael Woell (USA) GrandStay Hotels
40 Ian Holt (USA) Team Rio Grande
41 Ty Magner (USA) Team Type 1-Development
42 Timothy Rugg (USA) NVGP Pro Ride
43 Brad Cole (USA) Mercy Elite Cycling Team
44 Alexander Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
45 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
46 Shadd Smith (USA) Mercy Elite Cycling Team
47 Stephen Mull (USA) NVGP Pro Ride
48 Alec Donahue (USA) NVGP Pro Ride
49 Marsh Cooper (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
50 Adam Koble (USA) GrandStay Hotels
51 Erik Slack (USA) Team Exergy
52 Michael Creed (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
53 Joshua Roeser (USA) Penn Cycle
54 Daniel Holloway (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
55 Dan Ajer (USA) Penn Cycle
56 Quinn Keogh (USA) Team Exergy
57 Sergio Hernandez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
58 Jamey Driscoll (USA) Jamis Sutter Home
59 Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
60 Daniel Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth
61 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
62 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
63 Colton Jarisch (USA) Mercy Elite Cycling Team all s.t.
64 Andrew Gonzales (USA) Elbowz Racing 3:12
65 Travis Livermon (USA) Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop 3:12
66 Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
67 Charles Huff (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
68 Chris Baldwin (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
69 Logan Hutchings (NZl) Elbowz Racing
70 Carlos Alzate Escobar (USA) Team Exergy
71 Joey Rosskopf (USA) Team Type 1-Development
72 Freddie Rodriguez (USA) Team Exergy
73 Andres Diaz Corrales (USA) Team Exergy
74 Hilton Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
75 Alejandro Borrajo (USA) Jamis Sutter Home all s.t.
76 Adam Mills (USA) Mercy Elite Cycling Team 4:19
77 Brandon Feehery (USA) NVGP Pro Ride
78 Will Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda both s.t.
79 Alastair Loutit (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 4:26
80 Austin Stewart (USA) Elbowz Racing s.t.
81 Jay Thomson (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 4:33
82 Ben Anderson (USA) GrandStay Hotels
83 Scott Tietzel (USA) Team Rio Grande
84 John Phillips (USA) Team Rio Grande
85 Brandon Krawczyk (USA) GrandStay Hotels
86 Adam Myerson (USA) Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop
87 Ryan Aitcheson (Can) Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist
88 Kyle Wamsley (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
89 Mat Stephens (USA) Elbowz Racing
90 Michael Dalterio (Can) Team Type 1-Development
91 Benjamin Zawacki (USA) Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop all s.t.
92 Tucker Olander (USA) Penn Cycle 4:40
93 Tyler Jewell (USA) Elbowz Racing 6:15
94 Mac Brennan (USA) Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist
95 Jens Brabbit (USA) GrandStay Hotels both s.t.
96 Nicholas Coil (USA) Mercy Elite Cycling Team 7:21
97 Kai Applequist (USA) Team Exergy 7:32
98 Trevor Connor (Can) Team Rio Grande 7:47
99 Jason Donald (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth 8:00
100 Thomas Brown (USA) Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop 11:05
101 Micah Moran (USA) GrandStay Hotels 13:05
102 Scott Gray (USA) NVGP Pro Ride s.t.
 
GC
1 Robert Forster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 3:45:40
2 Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team at 0:01
3 Adrian Hegyvary (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:10
4 Tom Zirbel (USA) Jamis Sutter Home s.t.
5 Michael Friedman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth 0:16
6 K Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:17
7 Fernando Antogna (USA) Jamis Sutter Home 0:18
8 Jake Keough (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:24
9 Jeremy Vennell (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:25
10 Andres Diaz Corrales (USA) Team Exergy 0:28
11 Chris Baldwin (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:31
12 Joey Rosskopf (USA) Team Type 1-Development 0:35
13 Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
14 Daniel Holloway (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth both s.t.
15 Michael Creed (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth 0:40
16 Marsh Cooper (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth 0:41
17 Hilton Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 0:42
18 Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:43
19 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth s.t.
20 Alejandro Borrajo (USA) Jamis Sutter Home 0:45
21 Luis Romero Amaran (USA) Jamis Sutter Home 0:46
22 Eric Young (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:47
23 Chad Haga (USA) Team Rio Grande s.t.
24 Tyler Wren (USA) Jamis Sutter Home 0:48
25 Carlos Alzate Escobar (USA) Team Exergy 0:49
26 Nic Frey (USA) Jamis Sutter Home 0:52
27 Benjamin Chaddock (Can) Team Exergy s.t.
28 Matthew Cooke (USA) Team Exergy 0:54
29 Emerson Oronte (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:55
30 Alexander Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth s.t.
31 Joseph Schmalz (USA) Elbowz Racing 0:56
32 Kenneth Hanson (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda s.t.
33 Karl Menzies (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 1:00
34 Christian Helmig (USA) Elbowz Racing 1:02
35 Heath Blackgrove (USA) Elbowz Racing 1:06
36 Jamey Driscoll (USA) Jamis Sutter Home 1:07
37 Drew Christopher (USA) Team Rio Grande 1:09
38 Sergio Hernandez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 1:11
39 Erik Hamilton (USA) Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist 1:14
40 Eric Schildge (USA) Jamis Sutter Home 1:15
41 Zachary Davies (USA) V Australia 1:17
42 Ben Kersten (Aus) V Australia 1:19
43 Chris Winn (USA) V Australia s.t.
44 Timothy Rugg (USA) NVGP Pro Ride 1:22
45 Freddie Rodriguez (USA) Team Exergy 1:24
46 Andrew Dahlheim (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 1:34
47 Ty Magner (USA) Team Type 1-Development s.t.
48 Jonathan Toftoy (USA) GrandStay Hotels 1:42
49 Daniel Holt (USA) Team Type 1-Development 1:43
50 Ryan Knapp (USA) Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist 1:48
51 Alec Donahue (USA) NVGP Pro Ride 1:53
52 Brad Cole (USA) Mercy Elite Cycling Team 2:03
53 Charles Huff (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 2:05
54 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 2:31
55 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 3:02
56 Adam Koble (USA) GrandStay Hotels 4:31
57 Travis Livermon (USA) Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop 5:05
58 Shadd Smith (USA) Mercy Elite Cycling Team 5:13
59 Jay Thomson (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 5:14
60 Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 5:23
61 Zack Allsion (USA) Mercy Elite Cycling Team 5:25
62 Quinn Keogh (USA) Team Exergy 5:34
63 Stefan Rothe (USA) NVGP Pro Ride 5:42
64 Daniel Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth 5:44
65 Adam Carr (USA) Penn Cycle 6:00
66 Kyle Wamsley (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 6:07
67 Ryan Aitcheson (Can) Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist 6:23
68 Adam Myerson (USA) Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop 6:38
69 Mat Stephens (USA) Elbowz Racing 6:41
70 Jerome Townsend (USA) Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop 6:56
71 Colton Jarisch (USA) Mercy Elite Cycling Team 7:28
72 Mac Brennan (USA) Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist 7:46
73 Will Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 8:50
74 Benjamin Zawacki (USA) Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop 9:26
75 Ben Anderson (USA) GrandStay Hotels 10:07
76 Brandon Feehery (USA) NVGP Pro Ride 11:34
77 Austin Stewart (USA) Elbowz Racing 12:07
78 Thomas Brown (USA) Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop 13:00
79 Trevor Connor (Can) Team Rio Grande 13:40
80 Michael Woell (USA) GrandStay Hotels 20:20
81 Jason Donald (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth 21:07
82 Joshua Roeser (USA) Penn Cycle 23:43
83 Tucker Olander (USA) Penn Cycle 24:57
84 Tanner Putt (USA) Team Type 1-Development 25:35
85 Logan Hutchings (NZl) Elbowz Racing 25:42
86 Stephen Mull (USA) NVGP Pro Ride 25:48
87 Ian Holt (USA) Team Rio Grande 25:57
88 Erik Slack (USA) Team Exergy 26:17
89 Jens Brabbit (USA) GrandStay Hotels 26:55
90 Dan Ajer (USA) Penn Cycle 26:59
91 Scott Tietzel (USA) Team Rio Grande 27:43
92 Andrew Gonzales (USA) Elbowz Racing 29:34
93 Alastair Loutit (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 30:08
94 Brandon Krawczyk (USA) GrandStay Hotels 31:01
95 Michael Dalterio (Can) Team Type 1-Development 31:02
96 John Phillips (USA) Team Rio Grande 31:07
97 Adam Mills (USA) Mercy Elite Cycling Team 31:28
98 Kai Applequist (USA) Team Exergy 33:07
99 Tyler Jewell (USA) Elbowz Racing 33:07
100 Scott Gray (USA) NVGP Pro Ride 33:44
101 Nicholas Coil (USA) Mercy Elite Cycling Team 34:23
102 Micah Moran (USA) GrandStay Hotels 39:37

 

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