Nature Valley Grand Prix - GC

Elite Men Final General Classification

		Result
1	Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies	7:32:16
2	Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling	0:00:17
3	Andres Diaz (Col) Team Exergy	0:00:18

Nature Valley Grand Prix – Stage 6 Stillwater Criterium

The sixth and final stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix was short and sweet…just 20 laps of a 1.4-mile circuit. Well, maybe not so sweet because each lap featured a 22%-grade climb to really get the heart pumping and the legs burning.

Exergy's Andres Diaz started tonight’s Stillwater Criterium in third place overall, just 18 seconds behind Optum Pro Health’s Tom Zirbel. Diaz had moved up from ninth after yesterday’s Menomonie Road Race.

Carlos Alzate entered tonight’s crit in the Blue Exergy Sprinter’s Jersey and in need of just a few more points to secure it. Locking in that blue jersey took no time at all--Carlos’ first-place sprint on the very first lap meant he would end the race on top in the points’ category.

Optum rode the rest of the race at the front of the pack in a successful effort to keep Zirbel in the yellow jersey. Their defense of the lead meant that there was no change in the General Classification after tonight’s race. Zirbel ended the Nature Valley Grand Prix in first overall, followed by Bissell’s Ben Jacques-Maynes in second and Andres in third.

Pua Mata 2nd US Pro XCT #3: Ute Valley 2012

Elite women

		Result
1	Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna	1:38:09
2	Monique Pua Mata (USA) Sho-Air/WN	0:02:25
3	Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Trek	0:04:59
4	Erin Huck (USA)	0:05:28
5	Lauren Catlin (USA)	0:07:16
6	Rose Grant (USA)	0:07:30
7	Diedre York (USA)	0:08:27
8	Kelly Boniface (USA)	0:08:50
9	Jane Rynbrandt (USA)	0:12:21
10	Zephanie Blasi (USA)	0:12:56

Lumberjack 100 "Amanda Carey" 28 min over 2nd.

Amanda is not the type of gal that wears a ton of makeup to put on a show. Like most of the mtb top racer's, she is pretty kicked back. So it's funny to see her in the above pic with the dust black around her eyes (punk-rock naught).

History is the pudding, not false claims, Amanda Carey win's most of her races by 30 min or more over 2nd in the 100 mtb races. She took it easy at the Lumberjack, only taking first place over 2nd by 28 min.

Amanda knows how to cut it up. Every stroke counts and she does it for 100 mtb miles. She was out of ear of her comp, they couldn't hear or see her swing it.

The trails at the Lumberjack - sandy & very dusty, it was said racers looked like logger's at the end of the race.

To take it easy and WN by 28 min? Amanda has WN'ing ways!

Congrats!

Team Exergy's Matt Cook uncorks a WN! stage 3 Tour de Beauce -

Cooke triumphs on Mont-Mégantic

team exergy

The Cookie Monster, showing Paco Mancebo a thing or two...

Carlos Alzate WN's Stage 2 Nature Valley GP

Nature Valley Grand Prix Day 1

Day one of the Nature Valley Grand Prix offered fans two-for-one racing in St. Paul, MN, with a morning time trial followed by an evening criterium.

Team Exergy's Andres Diaz finished the morning’s 7.7 mile time trial in eighth place, just 18 seconds off the lead. By the time Fred Rodriguez’s start time rolled around the rain had started, which likely slowed his time a bit. Despite the wet pavement, he still came in at 17th place, just 31 seconds behind first place winner Tom Zirbel of Team Optum.

The day’s second offering of pro racing came in the evening’s 40-lap St. Paul Downtown Criterium. Team Optum rode the front of the peloton the entire night in an effort to keep their man Zirbel in the leader’s jersey. Team Exergy, loaded with great sprinters, took advantage of the situation by sending out Carlos Alzate to win two intermediate sprints. Carlos gained enough points to give him a solid lead in the points competition, an especially sweet prize because the blue Sprinter’s Jersey is sponsored by Exergy Development Group.

With one and one-half laps to go, Carlos again pushed to the front of the pack, this time ushered by Logan Loader and Freddie. Their successful lead-out gave Carlos the stage win and put him solidly in the Exergy Sprinter's Jersey.

CARLOS ALZATE WN'S STAGE 2 Nature Valley Grand Prix!

Nature Valley Grand Prix - Team Exergy In the hunt!

Team Exergy in the hunt!

Elite men - General classification after stage 1

1	Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies	0:15:56
2	John Murphy (USA) Kenda/5-Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder	0:00:04
3	Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies	0:00:06
4	Frank Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling	0:00:10
5	Bobby Sweeting (USA) Kenda/5-Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder	0:00:14
6	Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling	0:00:17
7	Mike Olheiser (USA) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team
8	Andres Diaz (Col) Team Exergy/WN Precision	0:00:18
9	Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Kenda/5-Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder	0:00:21
10	Eric Young (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling	0:00:22
11	Jose Antogna (Arg) Jamis-Sutter Home	0:00:23
12	Mike Friedman (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies	0:00:25
13	Jesse Anthony (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies	0:00:27
14	Devan Dunn (USA) CashCall Mortgage
15	Freddie Rodriguez (USA) Team Exergy/WN Precision