Nature Valley Grand Prix - NE

USA, June 9-13, 2004

Photos

Stage 1 - June 9: Mesabi Trail Time Trial, 5.4 miles

Images by Jason Elhardt/www.jasonelhardt.com

Team Basis director/leader Nicole Freedman
France’s Jeanie Longo (Nature Valley/Penn Cycle) rode to a 5th place finish.
Team Rona placed all of their riders in the top 26 of 107 starters.
Newly crowned pursuit World Champion Sarah Ulmer races to a top 25 finish.
Lyne Bessette (Team Quark) surprised herself with a win today.
Henk Vogels (Navigators) was 15 seconds down but that would change in the road race.
Jason McCartney (Health Net) was the fastest of the early riders. He finished 5th, 19 seconds down.
Ben Jacques-Maynes (Sierra Nevada) was the fast man today.
Eric Wohlberg (Sierra Nevada) was only 7 second off the pace of his teammate.

Stage 2 - June 10: Iron Range Road Race, 80 miles

Images by Jason Elhardt/www.jasonelhardt.com

Sierra Nevada and Navigators kept the pace high.
Local favorite Adam Bergman is well placed for a podium spot.
Jittery Joes take their turn at the front.
Dave McCook celebrates a hard-fought win.
Lyne Bessette attempts to give teammate Sarah Uhl a good lead out.
Gina Grain easily handled the sprints today.

Stage 3 - June 11: Minneapolis Downtown Classic, 60/40 minutes

Images by Jason Elhardt/www.jasonelhardt.com

The woman’s field waits for the rain to pass.
Today’s weather played into the tactics of the race.
Sarah Uhl (Quark) readies herself for the finishing sprint.
Henk Vogels (Navigators) used the time bonuses to take the leader’s jersey.
Marty Nothstein (Navigators) started the day in the sprint leader’s jersey.
Dave McCook (McGuire) wins his second stage in two days.

Images by Bruce Adelsman/www.skinnyski.com

The women get underway
Just after the start everyone was taking it cautiously in the wet conditions
Stragglers chase the lead bunch
Things get moving despite the rain
Sarah Uhl (Quark) wins the shortened race, but it won't count for GC.
The Health Net team set a fierce pace that shattered the field
The chase group in hot pursuit
Jason McCartney (Health Net) leads the men's race
The men's field heads down Nicollet Mall
Jason McCartney (Health Net) still working hard on the front
The lead group with Health Net and Sierra Nevada to the fore
Roaring up 10th Street with big crowds despite the rain.
John Lieswyn (Health Net) enjoying the sun's appearance - at last

Images by Ronald LeBlanc/GameShots

Health Net's John Lieswyn confers with team Director Sportif Jeff Corbett before the start of the stage.
Nick Reistad (Endeavour Cycling) proudly wears the Best Young Rider's jersey.
Minnesota native Adam Bergman (Jelly Belly/Aramark) awaits the stage start in Minneapolis.
Robbie Ventura (US Postal Service) ponders the wet weather.
The race gets away under far from ideal conditions.
Teammates John Lieswyn and Jason McCartney (Health Net) lead the field.
Scott Moninger (Health Net) making a hard effort.
Benjamin Haldman (Webcor) takes a pull.
Garrett Peltonen (Endeavour Cycling) leads a small chase group.
John Lieswyn leads the Health Net train.
Ben Stafford (Webcor) in pursuit.
Terry Beenken (Bianchi/Grand Performance) works to rejoin the race leaders.
The Health Net team keeps the pressure on as the race winds down.
Cameron Hughes (Subway-Express) hangs tough.
Adam Hodges-Myerson (Sharper Image - Mathis Bros.) letting it all hang out.
The lead groups drills it as they head into the final lap.
Dave McCook (McGuire) takes out his second stage win in two days.
Dave McCook( McGuire) spends a few minutes discussing his win with OLNTV.
French cycling legend Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli is interviewed before the start of the rain delayed race.
A Victory Brewing rider awaits the race start.
The women's field makes the best a dangerously wet race course.
Megan Elliott (Quark) - under twenty-three U.S. National Road Champion - leads the field.
Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli riding for the composite Nature Valley/Penn Cycle team.
A Sportsbook.com rider making the best of the difficult conditions.
The pace quickens going into the bell lap.

Images by Frank Rowe

The women's race gets going - cautiously! - in the rain
Now this is what a wet downtown crit looks like!
The women's field led by eventual winner Sarah Uhl (Quark) rounds one of the tight corners on the downtown course.
On such a wet course crashes were bound to happen.
Quark's Jenn Wangerin was injured in one of the crashes in the women's race.
The men line up for the start of the Minneapolis Downtown Classic.
Roberto Gaggioli (Monex) may be suspended from racing for the rest of the season, but he was in Minneapolis to support his wife Lynn (T-Mobile).
The men's field rounds a corner on the wet, slippery course.
John Lieswyn (HealthNet pb Maxxis) and his teammates controlled the front of the field for most of the race.
These guys are fast despite the conditions
The boisterous crowd at Brit's Pub cheered on the racers.
Cyclingnews diarist John Lieswyn was interviewed after the race.

Stage 4 - June 12: Red Wing road race, 80 miles

Images by Jason Elhardt/www.jasonelhardt.com

Dave McCook (McQuire) makes it three in a row.
Lyne Bessette (Quark) keeps an eye on the front of the race.
Joanne Kiesanowski (Colavita Olive Oil) takes Bessette at the line.

Stage 5 - June 13: Stillwater criterium, 70/50 minutes

Images by Bruce Adelsman/www.skinnyski.com

The women's field heading up Chilkoot Hill
The women's lead pack on Chilkoot Hill
Jeanie Longo deep in the mix
The lead pack cresting First Street Hill
Pressing the pace on First Street Hill
Lyne Bessette keeps the pace up
Ther descent down Third Street
Sprinting up Chilkoot Hill to the finish
Annette Beutler hurting on the "gentle climb"
The race for second place between Lyne Bessette and Katrina Grove
The mens field hits Chilkoot Hill on their second lap
Jay Bergman takes an early flyer
Bergman is still in front over Chilkoot Hill
Plenty of locals turned up to watch the race
Racers heading onto Chestnut Ave at high speed
The lead group late in the race, with historic Stillwater bridge in the background
The leaders single-file towards Chilkoot Hill
The key break - John Lieswyn makes his attack on Chilkoot Hill with just a few laps left to go
John Lieswyn heads to the finish line at full throttle for the victory

Images by Jason Elhardt/www.jasonelhardt.com

Anette Beutler (Leitzsport Cycling) takes the stage win today.
Evan Elkin (RMS) looking to take the best amateur jersey.
John Lieswyn (Health Net/Maxxis) lauches his winning attack.
Henk Vogels (Navigators) put up a fight but lost his leaders jersey.
Ben Jacques-Maynes (Sierra Nevada) rides away with the overall win.
World record holder and World Champion, Sarah Ulmer (TDS-Schwalbe) leads the field early on.
Lyne Bessette retains her overall leaders Jersey.
Kate Sherwin (Kenda Tire) now leads the best young rider competition of the Women’s Prestige Series.
Lynn Gaggioli (T-Mobile) tries to make a mid-race attack.

Images by www.sportsshooter.com/ronaldleblanc

Phil Zajicek (Navigators) looks ready for the day's difficult stage.
Henk Vogels (Navigators) is the GC leader heading into the Stillwater stage.
Olympic gold medalist Marty Nothstein (Navigators) wearing the sprint leader's jersey.
The first lap is underway.
The pro men's field begins to make their way up the up the 24 percent grade of Chilkoot hill on the first lap.
The men's field attacks Chilkoot Hill.
Team Health Net sets the pace.
Nick Reistad (Endeavour Cycling) wearing the Best Young Rider's jersey.
A Nature Valley/Penn Cycle rider leads a small chase group.
Reid Mumford (XXX Racing/AthletiCo) speeds down the backside of the course.

Images by Frank Rowe

Lynn Gaggioli (T-Mobile) is looking good on one of the early climbs up Chilkoot Hill.
Lyne Bessette (Quark) leads Sarah Ulmer (TDS-Schwalbe) on Chilkoot Hill.
The ageless Jeannie Longo (Nature Valley/Penn Cycle) climbs Chilkoot.
Wow, that's a steep climb!
Lyne Bessette (Quark) looks around on the climb to see who's with her.
The Genesis Scuba/FFCC team was well-represented in the race.
Lyne Bessette (Quark), overall winner of the Nature Valley Grand Prix, leads Erinne Willock (Rona), winner of the young rider jersey, and Annette Beutler (Leitzsport Cycling) on the Chilkoot climb.
Annette Beutler (Leitzsport Cycling) wins the stage ahead of Lyne Bessette (Quark).
Aussie Henk Vogels (Navigators) ponders the upcoming "big spectacle".
The men's field works its way up the first climb of Chilkoot Hill.
Tim Larkin (Ofoto) and Ben Jacques-Maynes (Sierra Nevada) tackle the climb.
Local favorite Adam Bergman (Jelly Belly/Aramark) makes an early attack on Chilkoot.
Oh my, that's steep!
Shawn Brick (Birchwood/GIS) shows how it's done.
Henk Vogels (Navigators) follows a teammate through the corner, followed closely by Ben Jacques-Maynes (Sierra Nevada).
Stage winner John Lieswyn (Health Net p/b Maxxis) shows the pain of his successful attack.