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Nature Valley Grand Prix - NE
USA, June 14-18, 2006
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Stage 3 - June 16: Minneapolis Downtown Classic, 60/40 min
Rain stops play but Tilford and Van Gilder triumph anyway
A hailstorm delayed the women's start and torrential rain truncated the men's race in the Nature Valley Grand Prix, but despite the conditions TEAm Lipton's Laura Van Gilder and an alarmingly cheerful Steve Tilford won the women's and men's races respectively.
Women: Van Gilder takes razor-thin, rain-drenched crit at Nature Valley
By Steve Kay
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For the third consecutive year, rain played a major factor in the Minneapolis Downtown Classic, the third stage of the Great River Energy's Nature Valley Grand Prix.
Heavy rain and hail hit the course about an hour before the scheduled start, delaying the start of the race by 15 minutes and shortening it from 45 to 30 minutes.
The shortened race, though, didn't short-change the spectators or racers from the drama, as TEAm Lipton's Laura Van Gilder took the hotly contested finish from Victory Brewing's Katharine Carroll.
Van Gilder's victory continued TEAm Lipton's dominance, with overall leader Kristin Armstrong keeping the leader's jersey and both Armstrong and Kori Seehofer in contention throughout the race. Armstrong also picked up a time bonus by taking the first sprint of the 1-mile, 6-corner criterium.
Van Gilder's victory was not assured. While the team lined up the train to launch her in the final lap, initially it appeared that Carroll had nipped her at the line. Only after a protest and more than 30 minutes did Carroll learn the victory was awarded to van Gilder.
"I knew going into the final stretch that it was going to be tough to keep up with them," she said. "They were really in control throughout. So I tried to make my move just before that on the back with the crosswind."
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The wet pavement and threat of more rain certainly played a role in the riders' ability to move up in the beginning. TEAm Lipton attempted to control much of the race, keeping their leader near the front and out of trouble.
"It was a little slick out there for the first couple laps, but after that things seemed to go rather smoothly," Carroll said.
Early in the race, Argon 18/Champion Systems rider Katie Mactier - a former champion of the Nature Valley Grand Prix - jumped out to an early lead and seemed to be a contender until a flat tire sidelined her during the third lap. A mechanical also took Thursday's second stage winner, Palo Alto Bicycle Works/TIBCO's Brooke Miller, out of contention with a couple of laps to go.
Among the lead group was defending Nature Valley Grand Prix champion and Webcor-Platinum Builder's rider Christine Thorburn, who maintained her second place on GC.
The Nature Valley Grand Prix continues Saturday with an 86-mile road race through Mankato, Minn., which features a 4-lap circuit finish that includes a 14-percent climb. The Nature Valley Grand Prix concludes Sunday in Stillwater.
Men: Tilford tackles elements to take win in fourth stage of Nature Valley Grand Prix
By James Lockwood
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Officials, spectators and racers knew it was coming, but the question was when.
And 17 minutes into the hour-long race for the men's third stage of Great River Energy's Nature Valley Grand Prix, the race was called while sheets of rain drenched a happy Steve Tilford who laughed at the elements and won the Minneapolis Downtown Classic.
"It's like fat boys at night," he said, referencing the mountain bike races he also does. "You never know what's going on. You have to watch the lap cards."
That might have been easier said than done. With dark clouds draping downtown Minneapolis throughout the evening, a usually day-lit course was darkened into a twilight criterium, and as rain started to fall just 7 minutes into the race, visibility dropped even further.
Expecting the rain and a sketchy race along the 1-mile, 6-corner course, Health Net/Maxxis sent all their riders to the front, riding single file into all the corners and protecting their GC leader, Nathan O'Neill. When the rain started, O'Neill's teammates continued the high pace, stretching the peloton quickly and shelling riders off the back early.
Navigator Insurance's Bernard Van Ulden, who entered the day tied for third overall with Health Net's Karl Menzies, stayed tucked behind the Health Net train, trying to protect his position.
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When the rain started, officials gave no indication they would shorten the race and, in fact, rang the bell for the first sprint prime 10 minutes in. With bonus seconds on the line, the racers did challenge for the prime, with Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada's Martin Gilbert - the most aggressive rider in Thursday's second stage - taking the 5-second bonus for first, and Health Net's Greg Henderson and Gord Fraser following suit for the 3-second and 1-second bonus, respectively.
Then the rain began to fall harder. Twelve minutes in, Jelly Belly's Andrew Bajadali attacked with Fraser on his wheel, but it was quickly pulled back. Sensing the urgency as the weather began to worsen - with lightning directly above the course - Van Ulden then attacked and got a 5-second gap, which grew as he came around for a second solo lap.
By the next lap, though, Van Ulden was nowhere at the front as his back wheel succumbed to the rain slickened course.
"You could see his back tire just bouncing out of the corners," Tilford said.
As they came around for the next lap, officials decided the weather was too much and rang the bell for last lap, much to the delight of many of the riders, including O'Neill who raised his hand to show one to the peloton and shook his head in agreement.
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That is when Tilford saw his opportunity. A veteran bike racer a background in mountain biking and cyclocross, he attacked into the first corner and held it straight through. His lead was enough that 150 meters from the line, he sat up and began celebrating, with Henderson and Fraser cruising in behind for the bonus seconds.
Tilford said it wasn't a calculated risk that he took, just a chance for the win. "You just don't want to let everybody come up on the back of you," he said, crediting both his skill and his tires for the win. "If I'm riding good, in the rain I can ride with anyone."
Danny Van Haute, director sportif for Jelly Belly, said the officials made the right call to end the race.
"It's a safety issue," he said. "Just let everybody start tomorrow."
O'Neill retained the leader's jersey, and Henderson solidified his second position on GC with the bonus seconds from the sprint and finish.
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On Saturday, the riders head to Mankato, Minn., for an 86-mile road race that finishes with a 4-lap circuit that includes a climb of 14 percent. The Nature Valley Grand Prix finishes Sunday in Stillwater, Minn.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Caroline Yang/www.carolineyang.com
- The ageless wonder Steve Tilford (Trek/Shimano) preparing for another victory.
- Bernard Van Ulden (Navigators Insurance) is sitting pretty in 4th place GC at 13 seconds back.
- Nathan O'Neill (Health Net /Maxxis) leads the Health Net stranglehold in the GC race
- Local rider Ben Raby sports the new Bianchi / Grand Performance jersey.
- Jelly Belly rider Caleb Manion enjoying the festivities at the start.
- Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United) focusing on staying upright in the treacherous conditions.
- The race is on amidst a June Thunderstorm.
- The NVGP's race through downtown Minneapolis has become a great local sporting tradition.
- Nathan O'Neill (Health Net/Maxxis) guided by the dominant Health Net squad.
- The heavy rain turned the city streets into a mid-summer skating rink.
- The riders needed much focus and a bit of luck to stay rubber side down.
- Faithful fans endured the tempestuous weather to watch the top US riders.
- The sight of the riders in the storm darkened streetscape was surreal.
- Minneapolis rider Teresa Moriarty (Flanders/MBRC) was third in yesterday's stage.
- Kristin Armstrong (Team Lipton) in control of the leader's jersey
- The Grand Dame of US cycling Tina Pic (Colavita/Cooking Light).
- Kristin Armstrong guided by Team Lipton teammate.
- Sara Tillotson (Colavita/Cooking Light) negotiating a turn on the weather shortened race
- Laura Van Gilder (Team Lipton) paced the lead pack for several of the final laps.
- Laura Van Gilder (Team Lipton) takes the women's final sprint finish.
Images by Matthew Moses/www.moses-images.com
- Severe weather was the story of the day with significant hail accumilation
- The hail, wind and water took its toll on the early race setup efforts
- The rain was fast and furious causing the sewer main to dance in the air.
- Hail up to a quarter inch in size gathered around the course prior to the women's start.
- Team Lipton rider Meredith Miller glances back for her teammates before the start of stage 3.
- Four time criterium national champion Tina Pic (Colavita/ Cooking Light Cycling Team) is announced to the crowd.
- Former world champion Katie Mactier (Argon 18/Champion Systems) prepares for the start of stage 3.
- Sarah Ulmer (Jazz Apple Cycling Team) the current Sportbeans Queen of the Hill jersey leader.
- The ever smiling Erinne Willock (Webcor-Platium Women's Cycling Team) sports the BMC Best Young Rider Jersey.
- Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine) settles in at the start line
- Kristin Armstrong (Team Lipton) takes a flyer off the front in route to the first time bonus sprint of the evening.
- Anne Samplonius and her Team Biovail teammates tried attacking the Team Lipton lead peloton
- Laura Van Gilder and her Team Lipton teamates stayed up front and in control of stage 3.
- Stage 2's winner and current Freewheel Bikes Sprint jersey leader Brooke Miller (PABW powered by Tibco) chases back to the pack after free laps had expired.
- Laura Van Gilder (Team Lipton) just nips Katharine Carroll (Victory Brewing Team) at the line to win stage 3.
- Bernard Van Ulden (Navigators Insurance Cycling Team) relaxed and smiling before the start of stage 3.
- Stage 2's Sports Pro Most Aggressive Rider Martin Gilbert (Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling Team)
- Ivan Dominguez (Toyota United Pro Cycling Team) rolls forward for call-ups on stage 3, traditionally the sprinters stage.
- Jonathon Page (Colavita Olive Oil - Sutter) leads the fields through the start finish just before the first points sprint.
- Martin Gilbert (Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling Team) leads Greg Henderson (Healthnet pb Maxxis) through the first turn.
- The Jelly Belly team puts in an attack trying to shake things up in the race.
- A TargeTraining rider makes his way towards the first turn as the rain gets heavier.
- Steve Tilford (Trek/Shimano) celebrates the abbreviated final sprint, ultimately the stage was actually cancelled due to severe weather.
- In the end, the men raced just short of 19 minutes.
Images by Frank Rowe
- A hailstorm delayed the women's start for a half hour.
- Cheerwine teammates await the delayed start.
- The women's race gets under way in downtown Minneapolis.
- The colorful women's field hits the first wet corner.
- There were no crashes despite the slick conditions.
- The women's field keeping it rubber-side-down.
- Team Biovail's Joelle Numainville rounds the corner onto Nicollet Mall.
- Race leader Nathan O'Neill (Health Net presented by Maxxis) in a light mood before the men's start.
- It's important to choose the right eyewear for a late-evening downtown criterium.
- What a mess!
- The men's race started in wet conditions ...
- ... and it only got worse ...
- ... and worse until the race was finally cancelled.
- Afterwards, several soggy members of the GrandStay/Out-N-About Gear team took shelter in a nearby parking garage.
Results
Women 1 Laura Van Gilder (TEAm Lipton) 2 Katharine Carroll (Victory Brewing) Men 1 Steve Tilford (Trek/Shimano) 2 Greg Henderson (Health Net) 3 Gord Fraser (Health Net)
