Carrera de San Rafael (GP San Rafael) - NE

USA, September 9, 2006

Results

Laine and Lloyd victorious as pro cycling returns to San Rafael

Sayers of Health Net pipped
Photo ©: Rob O'Dea

The Pro30 Carrera de San Rafael commenced with a strong turnout of riders and spectators, after a two year lay off. The race was decided by a five man break that lapped the field, with the win going to Owen Laine (BMC Racing) from Mike Sayers (Health Net-Maxxis).

In the final lap Sayers jumped to the front of the break on the back side of the course and led through the last two corners with Laine on his wheel. "I figured I'd just wait for someone to jump, hold their wheel and come around them if I could, and that's what happened," Laine described.

The California Giant Strawberries/Village Peddler team placed two riders, Andy Jacques-Maynes and John Hunt, in the group of five, while their team controlled the front of the race for the last dozen laps to set up Jacques-Maynes for the sprint.

But the race was far from decided, as the winning breakaway also contained Jacques-Maynes' twin brother Ben (Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada), who finished 7th in last weekend's USA Cycling Pro Championships, Mike Sayers, and race winner Owen Laine.

After Ken Hanson (After BMC Racing's) took a $1000 prize offered by Pro30 Funding CEO Bill Coleman with two laps to go Sayers made his move with Laine on his wheel, who managed to overall the veteran in the final run to the line.

Sayers took his fifth second-place finish in San Rafael, ahead of Andy Jacques-Maynes, Ben Jacques-Maynes and Hunt. Jackson Stewart (Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada) won the sprint for 6th ahead of Dave McCook (Jelly Belly).

Lloyd wins women's race

Lloyd crosses the line
Photo ©: Rob O'Dea

In the pro/elite women's race Rachel Lloyd (McGuire/US Armed Forces) took the win in an impressive solo effort ahead of teammate Shelly Olds. "I just started drilling it for the last lap, got a little gap on the hill and held it to the line," Lloyd recalled.

The Marin-based PROMAN/Paradigm team dominated the race, however Lloyd and Holly Borowski (McGuire/US Armed Forces) attacked out of an earlier break and opened a gap on the PROMAN-controlled field in the closing laps.

On the last lap, Borowski was dropped and swept up by the field while Lloyd stayed away for the victory ahead of Laura Charameda (Olds, McGuire Cycling) and another PROMAN/Paradigm rider, Helene Drumm.

Other races

Other winners on the day were Team Spine's Jeff Angermann in the elite Masters 35+ race, Alexis Alexander (PABW powered by TIBCO) in the Women Cat 3 field, Sarah Miller (NorCal Velo) in the Women Cat 4 race, Chris Carscadden (WTB/Santa Cruz/Fox) in the novice Masters 35+ race, Steven Reid (Easton/Specialized) in the Juniors 15-16 race, and San Rafael's own Zach Williams (Tieni Duro) in the Juniors 17-18.

The Pro30 Carrera de San Rafael was also the final event in the Northern California/Nevada Cycling Associations' nine-race NCNCA Premier Series. Billy Clark (Morgan Stanley/24Hr Fitness/Specialized) beat today's winner Angermann on a tiebreaker to capture the series title for the elite Masters 35+ category.

In the elite women's category, Olds had clinched the series title even before taking second in San Rafael, while Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics) hung on to win the pro/elite men's series despite missing today's race due to team commitments.

To the victor go the spoils
Photo ©: Rob O'Dea

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Rob O'Dea/www.baldzebra.com

Early in the Pro women's race Rachel Lloyd marked all the moves.
McGuire tried hard to crack the field.
By mid-race ProMan racers Lloyd and Drumm looked comfortable in the field as they raced past historic Mission San Rafael.
Local phenom, Lloyd looked like the one to beat…
With one to go, Rachel Lloyd of ProMan threw it down and road away from the field!
Lloyd crosses the line with plenty of time to celebrate.
Pro women's podium - Lloyd and Shelly Olds first and second for ProMan and Laura Charameda for McGuire in third.
Paul Perr of RH Villa shows the pre-race intensity…
Jamiel Danesh of RH Villa was treated to some extra TLC by Umbrella Girls USA
Despite teammate Ben Jacques Maynes being up the road in an early break, Jackson Stewart worked hard to close the gap.
Ben Jacques Maynes looked strong coming off an impressive 7th at the National Championships in North Carolina
Several riders tried in vain to bridge to the break-away
As the break worked their way around to lap the field, California Giant Strawberries took charge of the field.
Field lapped… Ben JM (Kodak) and Sayers (HealthNet) tuck in for the last 6 laps...race on!
Witht 2 to go BMC racer Ken Haines came to the front to scoop a $1,000 field preem!
When it counted BMC racer Laine out powered the big guns to the line for the biggest win of his young careare.
Sayers of Health Net pipped Andy Jacques Maynes at the line for second…his 5th 2nd in San Rafael!!!!
Laine was as shocked as the rest of the field with his break-out win…and couldn't wait to share his story.
To the victor go the spoils - Umbrella Girls USA was on hand to congratulate the winning team.
…and everyone wanted to memorialize the day!

Results

Men

1 Owen Laine (BMC Racing Team)
2 Michael Sayers (Healthnet/Maxxis)
3 Andy Jacques-Maynes (California Giant Strawberries/Specialized)
4 Ben Jacques-Maynes (Kodak Gallery.com-Sierra Nevada)
5 John Hunt (California Giant / Village Peddler)
6 Jackson Stewart (Kodak Gallery.com-Sierra Nevada)
7 David McCook (Jelly Belly)
8 Adam Switters (Lombardi Sports)
9 Todd Hennings (Pacific State Bank/Anderson Homes)
10 Chris Hipp (Labor Power)
11 Dean Peters (Safeway/GA Communications)
12 Takumi Shimomura (3BRT)
13 Jason Killran (BMC Racing Team)
14 Joseph Iannarelli (davis bike club)
15 Sean McBride (Metromint Cycling)
16 Andres Gil (Pacific State Bank/Anderson Homes)
17 Judd Van Sickle (Davis Bike Cub)
18 Tyler Gough (Tieni Duro)
19 JD Bergmann (Metromint Cycling)
20 Roman Krilvar (Healthnet/Maxxis)
21 Bob Newman (Pacific State Bank/Anderson Homes)
22 Mack Chew (Arete' Racing/Vellum Cycles)
23 Ken Akita (Aisan)
24 Kevin King (Pegasus/Vandon Berghe Properties)
25 Mike Telega (California Giant / Village Peddler)
26 Uthman Ray III (McGuire)
27 Robert Pasco (Safeway/GA Communications)
28 Paul Perr (RH Villa Montano Velo)
29 Dylan Seguin (Solano/Soule Cycling)
30 Bruce Wilford (Webcor/Alto Velo)
31 Max Jenkins (California Giant / Village Peddler)
32 Christian F Kearney (RHVilla.com/Montano Velo)
33 Keith Szolusha (Pacific State Bank/Anderson Homes)
34 Eric Walle (Solano/Soule Cycling)
35 Alton Dunnigan (Team Spine)
36 Shawn Harless (Arete' Racing/Vellum Cycles)
37 Dirk Copeland (California Giant/Village Peddler)
38 Dario Druing (Lombardi Sports)
39 Forrest Koenig (Solano/Soule Cycling)
40 Aaron Beardsley (Metromint Cycling)
41 Rob Evans (RH Villa Montano Velo)
42 Jamiel Danesh (RHVilla.com/Montano Velo)
43 Peter Sullivan (Amgen Cycling)
44 Osvaldo Olmos (BMC Racing Team)
45 David Rodriguez (BMC Racing Team)
46 Thomas Noviokoff (Tradewind Cycling Team)
47 Jason Williams (Team Spine)
48 (Pacific State Bank/Anderson Homes)
49 Chris Swan (Peninsula Velo)
50 Patrick Dunaway (California Giant / Village Peddler)
51 Fred Stamm (Metromint Cycling)
52 Justin Hale (BMC Racing Team)
53 Jonathan Eropkin (Central Valley Cycling)
54 Devin Vigus (Monex)
55 James Mattis (California Giant / Village Peddler)
56 Paul Sumner (GS Lombardi Sports)
57 Anastasio Flores Jr. (Cal Giant)
58 Patrick Briggs (California Giant / Village Peddler)

Women

1 Rachel Lloyd (Proman/Paradigm)
2 Shelley Olds (Proman/Paradigm)
3 Laura Charameda (McGuire Women's Team)
4 Helene Drumm (Proman/Paradigm)
5 Taitt Sato (McGuire Racing Team)
6 Holly Borowski (McGuire/ US Armed Forces)
7 Kristin Drumm (Proman/Pardigm)
8 Courtney Brown (McGuire)
9 Mary Ellen Ash (Bay Area Velo Girls)
10 Jane Robertson (Cycling-training.com)
11 Sara Ellis (Ultimate Fitness)
12 Emily Thurston (Easton/Specialized)
13 Lisa Hunt (The Olympic Club)
14 Lea Adams (Helens/Trek/VW)
15 Lori Cox (Proman/Paradigm)
16 Martina Patella (Mcguire)