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Giro finale Photo ©: Bettini
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Nature Valley Grand Prix - NE/NRC
Minnesota, USA, June 8-12, 2005
Strong fields for 2005 NVGP
2005 men's winner Ben Jacques-Maynes
Photo ©: Jason Elhardt
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2005 women's winner Lyne Bessette
Photo ©: Jason Elhardt
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The Nature Valley Grand Prix, considered to be one of the top US domestic stage
races, kicks off this Wednesday, June 8, in Minnesota. The men's field includes
strong squads from Health Net, fresh from a sweep of the Wachovia Week races,
Jelly Belly-PoolGel, Webcor Builders, Navigators Insurance, Advantage Benefits-Endeavor
and McGuire-Langdale. The women's fields is equally strong, with squads from
teams like Quark, T-Mobile, Webcor Builders, Victory Brewing and Ford Basis.
This year's edition of the Nature Valley GP includes a new time trial in downtown
Saint Paul, a new road race in Mankato and a redesigned road race in Red Wing.
Both road races include hilly finishing circuits that should prove to be more
selective than past courses. Rounding out the schedule are criteriums in downtown
Minneapolis and Stillwater.
Organisers believe the 2005 pro/elite fields are the strongest yet for this
race. The men's field will include Health Net riders Greg Henderson and Gord
Fraser, winners of last week's Wachovia races in Lancaster and Trenton, along
with past under 23 world champion Danny Pate (Jelly Belly PoolGel), national
champion Frank Pipp (Advantage Benefits Endeavour), Erik Saunders (McGuire),
Ciaran Power (Navigators Insurance) and David Clinger (Webcor Builders). The
women's field is even stronger, including track world champion Katie Mactier
(T-Mobile), national champions Christine Thorburn (Webcor Builders) and Tina
Pic (Quark) and Pro Cycling Tour champion Gina Grain (Victory Brewing).
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