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Tour of Elk Grove - NE
Illinois, USA, August 11-12, 2007
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Stage 1 - August 11: Elk Grove Village Bank & Trust circuit race, 80 km
Fast Freddie fast again in the States
By Mark Zalewski, North American Editor in Elk Grove, Illinois
The first criterium stage of the cash-tastic Tour of Elk Grove saw blistering speeds around the rather mundane parcours, with $500-$1,500 primes and bonus sprints keeping the riders awake and attentive. The fact that the two criteriums and prologue time trial will be decided on overall time, combined with a flat L-shaped course sporting two 180-degree turns meant that the nearly two minutes of time bonus sprints would be the only way to dethrone prologue winner Nathan O'Neill. That did not happen, but the already slim time gaps became miniscule while Freddie Rodriguez (Predictor-Lotto) flat out-sprinted everyone to take the win.
The race was so hard from the beginning with the sprint points," said Rodriguez. "I tried to go for the first two but just couldn't compete against those guys with the jet lag and everything. But the race was so hard that by the end it was much smoother, no more big surges and I had better legs than the beginning. It's a complete different style of racing."
In the closing laps there was a surprise show of strength from the Kelly Benefits/Medifast team, with five riders keeping the pace high. This played well into the two ProTour teammates of Rodriguez and Chris Horner. "Kelly did a great job out there," said Rodriguez. "That was what they wanted to do, and Chris went in and helped out to keep the pace steady, which is a lot easier for me."
"They got on the front with four to go and I thought to myself, that would be a much better place to be," said Horner. "I was having so much trouble with the surges that going fast on the front was much easier. I don't have the kind of fitness to go hard out of every turn!"
Horner explained the last kilometre of the race. "Coming out of the last corner one team had it strung out pretty good. I was able to open up a gap of four lengths with Freddie and the Navigators guys had to close up. They did really fast and even went around him, but they died instantly. Freddie stayed calm and didn't jump until like 100 metres, looked like he died at 50, looked back and saw he had it and put in another surge to the line."
Earlier in the race, the sprint for points was hot and heavy, with the top three point getters over the entire stage each receiving valuable time bonuses. Alejandro Acton (Colavita-Sutter Home) was the early opportunist, and was able to earn enough points early to hold the lead at the end of the day. Also mixing it up was second place overall Mike Friedman (Slipstream-Chipotle) who finished one point out of third and the time bonus that would have put him in the leader's jersey.
This meant that Nathan O'Neill would wear the leader's jersey into the final stage. However, the Aussie knows that it is both literally and figuratively a matter of time. "It's all about hedging your bets on the time bonuses," he said about the decision to ride safe and not contest the bonus sprints.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mark Zalewski/Cyclingnews.com
- Nathan O'Neill (Health Net-Maxxis) wears the leader's jersey while second place Mike Friedman (Slipstream-Chipotle) keeps a close watch.
- At least it matches his team colours.
- A dangerous break with Chris Horner (Predictor-Lotto) and Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing), but too early.
- Sterling Magnel (Rock Racing) is an imposing figure in the peloton.
- Late in the race the Kelly Benefits/Medifast team put in a lot of work, with Chris Horner (Predictor-Lotto) chipping in.
- At 125 metres it's Dave McCook (Kelly Benefits/Medifast) jumping for the line.
- But right on his wheel is fast Freddie Rodriguez (Predictor-Lotto).
- Mike Friedman (Slipstream-Chipotle) shows off the new time trial bike.
Images by Kurt Jambretz/Action Images
- Nathan O’Neill (Health Net) is all smiles on the line wearing his race leaders jersey from this morning
- Nathan O’Neill (Health Net) and Chris Horner (Predictor-Lotto) at the starting line.
- The peloton was not in a hurry to pick up the pace in the heat.
- Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United) cruises comfortably along in the pack.
- This Kodak Sierra rider shook things up early and went away after a prime.
- Soon he was joined by a small group of riders from various teams.
- Nathan O’Neill (Health Net) demonstrates why he is wearing the yellow jersey and drops the hammer.
- Adam Myerson (Nerac Pro Cycling) jumps hard on the pedal as the group strings out.
- This Priority Health rider employs his secret weapon...... his tongue.
- Toyota-United chased hard at the front of the peloton to bring back the breakaway.
- They got a little help for the Slipstream-Chipotle boys.
- Sean Sullivan (Toyota-United) spent a lot of time working hard at the front.
- Sterling Magnel (Rock Racing) jumps hard out of the last corner to get on a wheel.
- The peloton strings out along the bottom of the course as the pace intensifies.
- Kirk O’Bee (Health Net) leads the peloton up course in search of the small breakaway group.
- The six escapees were working hard collecting primes and putting time into the field.
- Sterling Magnel (Rock Racing) takes a pull as the break is now in sight.
- I wonder why Chris Horner (Predictor-Lotto) is smiling..... Does he know something the others don’t?.
- This Navigators rider is definitely feeling the heat as he puts in a strong effort on the slight downhill.
- Late in the race a few primes split the field again.
- The peloton seemed to be having trouble getting organized for the closing laps.
- No problem.... Say’s Kelly Health Benefits/Medifast as they swarm the front and drive the pace.
- Chris Horner (Predictor-Lotto) lends a hand to the Kelly Benefits/Medifast train as darkness closes in.
- Fast Freddie Rodriguez (center, with head down) takes an amazingly close sprint after a text book lead out from Chris Horner (Predictor-Lotto).
- Freddie Rodriguez tells the crowd exactly how he managed the victory.
- The Men’s Podium (left to right) David McCook (Kelly Health Benefits/Medifast), Freddie Rodriguez (Predictor-Lotto), and Sebastian Haedo (Rock Racing).
- The Men’s Overall Podium remained the same (left to right) Mike Friedman (Slipstream-Chipotle), Nathan O’Neill (Health Net), and Timmy Duggan (Slipstream- Chipotle).
Results
Pro men 1 Freddie Rodriguez (Predictor-Lotto) 1.58.33 2 David McCook (Kelly Benefit) 3 Sebastian Haedo (Rock Racing) 4 Dominique Rollin (Kodakgallery.com) 5 Alejandro Borrajo (Rite Aid Pro Racing) 6 Keven Lacombe (Kelly Benefit) 7 Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United Pro) 8 Chris Horner (Predictor-Lotto) 9 Kirk O'Bee (Health Net) 10 Kyle Wamsley (Navigators) 11 Ricardo Escuela (Team Successful) 12 Shawn Milne (Health Net) 13 Alejandro Acton (Colavita Sutter Home) 14 Alex Candelario (Jelly Belly) 15 Stephan Kincaid (Rite Aid Pro Racing) 16 Jeremiah Wiscovitch (Rock Racing) 17 Lyman Erik (Calyon/Litespeed Pro) 18 Jackson Stewart (BMC) 19 Adam Bergman (Colavita Sutter Home) 20 Jeffery Hopkins (Jittery Joe's Pro) 21 Luca Damiani (Colavita Sutter Home) 22 Adam Myerson (Nerac Pro Cycling) 23 Daniel Holt (Nerac Pro Cycling) 24 Oleg Grishkin (Navigators) 25 Taylor Tolleson (Team Slipstream) 26 Rory Sutherland (Health Net) 27 Frank Travieso (AEG-Toshiba-Jetnet) 28 Darren Lill (Navigators) 29 Edward King (Priority Health/Bissell) 30 Cody O'Reilley (Kodakgallery.com) 31 Daniel Schmatz (BMC) 32 Brad Huff (Team Slipstream) 33 Ben Raby (Kodakgallery.com) 34 Alexi Martinez (Team Successful) 35 Yosvany Falcon (AEG-Toshiba-Jetnet) 36 Emile Abraham (Priority Health/Bissell) 37 Chad Hartley (BMC) 38 Mike Friedman (Team Slipstream) 39 Maxime Vives (Calyon/Litespeed Pro) 40 Ben Brooks (Navigators) 41 Mark Walters (Kodakgallery.com) 42 Scott Zwizanski (Toyota-United Pro) 43 Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health/Bissell) 44 Josh Thornton (Kodakgallery.com) 45 Todd Henrikson (AEG-Toshiba-Jetnet) 46 James Meadley (Jelly Belly) 47 Martin Gilbert (Kelly Benefit) 48 Timmy Duggan (Team Slipstream) 49 Patrick Walsh (Nerac Pro Cycling) 50 greg reain (Calyon/Litespeed Pro) 51 John Murphy (Health Net) 52 Charly Vives (Calyon/Litespeed Pro) 53 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Navigators) 54 Charles Coyle (Team Successful) 55 Rudolph Napolitano (Rock Racing) 56 Mike Norton (Rite Aid Pro Racing) 57 Todd Yezefski (Nerac Pro Cycling) 58 Jesse Anthony (Kodakgallery.com) 59 Scottie Weiss (AEG-Toshiba-Jetnet) 60 Jacob Nielson 61 Nathan O'Neill (Health Net) 62 Brian Sheedy (Priority Health/Bissell) 63 Chris Baldwin (Toyota-United Pro) 64 Ryan Roth (Kelly Benefit) 65 Jonathan Page (Battley) 66 Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) 67 Kasper Klostergaard 68 Gustavo Artacho (Colavita Sutter Home) 69 Justin England (Toyota-United Pro) 70 Ryan DeWald (Rite Aid Pro Racing) 71 Andrew Baradali (Jelly Belly) 72 Brice Jones (Jelly Belly) 73 Eric Keim (AEG-Toshiba-Jetnet) 74 Kristian House (Navigators) 75 Jonathan Mumford (Kelly Benefit) 76 Ian MacGregor (Team Slipstream) 77 Matty Rice (Jelly Belly) 78 Curtis Gunn (Team Successful) 79 Jonathan Clarke (Colavita Sutter Home) 80 Mariano Friedick (Rock Racing) 81 Chris Wherry (Priority Health/Bissell) 82 Heath Blackgrove (Toyota-United Pro) 83 Jonathan Sundt (Kelly Benefit) 84 Keith Norris (AEG-Toshiba-Jetnet) 85 Matt Shriver (Jittery Joe's Pro) 86 Bryce Mead (Jelly Belly) 87 Alessandro Bazzana (Team Successful) 88 Austin King (Jittery Joe's Pro) 0.37 89 Cody Stevenson (Jittery Joe's Pro) 90 Sean Sullivan (Toyota-United Pro) 91 Trent Wilson (Jittery Joe's Pro) 92 Evan Elken (Jittery Joe's Pro) 93 Sterling Magnell (Rock Racing) 5.28 94 Richard England (Priority Health/Bissell) 5.34 95 Guido Palma (Rite Aid Pro Racing) 96 Phillip Cortes (Calyon/Litespeed Pro) Pro women 1 Catherine Cheatley (Cheerwine) 1.33.23 2 Laura Van Gilder (Cheerwine) 3 Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine) 4 Gina Grain (Expresscopy.com) 5 Brooke Miller (Team Tibco) 6 Sam Schneider (Mesa Cycles) 7 Katharine Carroll (Aaron's Corporate) 8 Dale Tye (Hub Racing) 9 Dickey Mackenzie (Colavita/Sutter Home) 10 Briana Kovac (Texas Roadhouse) 11 Mackenzie Woodring (Priority Health -) 12 Julie Bellerose (Aberdeen) 13 Anne Samplonius (Expresscopy.com) 14 Sarah Bamberger (Cheerwine) 15 Sarah Caravella (Aaron's Corporate) 16 Gina Voci (Team Kenda Tire) 17 Trish Bell (Morgan) 18 Robin Farina (Targetraining) 19 Laurel Green (Team Mack Paper) 20 Chrissy Ruiter (Cheerwine) 21 Sharon Allpress (ValueAct Capital) 22 Hannah Banks (ValueAct Capital) 23 Martina Patella (ValueAct Capital) 24 Kristin Wentworth (Team Kenda Tire) 25 Carries Cash (Xplane/Team) 26 Megan Elliot 27 Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire) 28 Tamyra Barnard (Team Kenda Tire) 29 Christine Dekec (HT Nautural) 30 Natalie Klemko (Advil ChapStick) 31 Andrea Myers (Targetraining) 32 Laura Bowles (Advil ChapStick) 33 Lara Kroepsch (TEAm Lipton) 34 Leigh Valletti (Targetraining) 35 Jenette Williams (Hub Racing) General Classification Pro men 1 Nathan O'Neill (Health Net presented by Maxxis) 4.38.30 2 Mike Friedman (Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle) 0.03 3 Timmy Duggan (Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle) 0.06 4 Freddie Rodriguez (Predictor-Lotto) 0.07 5 Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United Pro Cycling) 6 Dominique Rollin (Kodakgallery.com) 0.08 7 Darren Lill (Navigators) 0.10 8 Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health/Bissell) 9 Chris Horner (Predictor-Lotto) 0.12 10 Alejandro Acton (Colavita Sutter Home) 11 Edward King (Priority Health/Bissell) 0.13 12 Chris Baldwin (Toyota-United Pro Cycling) 0.15 13 John Murphy (Health Net presented by Maxxis) 0.17 14 Taylor Tolleson (Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle) 0.18 15 Ryan Roth (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 16 Adam Bergman (Colavita Sutter Home) 0.19 17 Frank Travieso (AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork) 18 Brad Huff (Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle) 0.22 19 Ben Brooks (Navigators) 20 Curtis Gunn (Team Successful Living/Parkpre) 0.23 21 Shawn Milne (Health Net presented by Maxxis) 0.25 22 Josh Thornton (Kodakgallery.com) 0.26 23 Yosvany Falcon (AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork) 24 Rory Sutherland (Health Net presented by Maxxis) 0.28 25 Justin England (Toyota-United Pro Cycling) 26 Matty Rice (Jelly Belly) 27 Kristian House (Navigators) 28 Jackson Stewart (BMC) 0.30 29 Todd Henrikson (AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork) 0.31 30 Valeriy Kobzarenko (Navigators) 31 Greg Reain (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team) 0.33 32 Jonathan Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 0.34 33 Patrick Walsh (Nerac Pro Cycling) 0.35 34 Eric Keim (AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork) 35 James Meadley (Jelly Belly) 36 Scott Zwizanski (Toyota-United Pro Cycling) 0.40 37 Martin Gilbert (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 38 Andrew Baradali (Jelly Belly) 39 Todd Yezefski (Nerac Pro Cycling) 0.41 40 Luca Damiani (Colavita Sutter Home) 0.43 41 Keven Lacombe (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) 0.45 42 Gustavo Artacho (Colavita Sutter Home) 0.47 43 Daniel Holt (Nerac Pro Cycling) 0.50 44 Daniel Schmatz (BMC) 0.53 45 Alex Candelario (Jelly Belly) 0.54 46 Jeffery Hopkins (Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling) 0.57 47 Jeremiah Wiscovitch (Rock Racing) 0.58 48 Emile Abraham (Priority Health/Bissell) 0.59 49 Cody O'Reilley (Kodakgallery.com) 50 Adam Myerson (Nerac Pro Cycling) 1.00 51 Sebastian Haedo (Rock Racing) 1.01 52 Kasper Klostergaard 1.05 53 Scottie Weiss (AEG-Toshiba-Jetnetwork) 1.20 54 Jonathan Page (Battley Harley-Davidson) 1.24 55 Maxime Vives (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team) 1.26 56 Mike Norton (Rite Aid Pro Racing) 1.38 57 Lyman Erik (Calyon/Litespeed Pro Cycling Team) 1.39 58 Alejandro Borrajo (Rite Aid Pro Racing) 1.40 59 Matt Shriver (Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling) 1.46 60 Charles Coyle (Team Successful Living/Parkpre) 1.51 61 Kirk O'Bee (Health Net presented by Maxxis) 2.00 62 Alexi Martinez (Team Successful Living/Parkpre) 2.03 63 Oleg Grishkin (Navigators) 2.06 64 Mark Walters (Kodakgallery.com) 2.09 65 Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) 2.12 66 Stephan Kincaid (Rite Aid Pro Racing) 2.21 67 Alessandro Bazzana (Team Successful Living/Parkpre) 2.24 68 Rudolph Napolitano (Rock Racing) 3.02 69 Trent Wilson (Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling) 3.28 70 Jonathan Clarke (Colavita Sutter Home) 3.29 71 Evan Elken (Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling) 3.39 72 Ben Raby (Kodakgallery.com) 4.37 73 Richard England (Priority Health/Bissell) 6.47 Pro women 1 Catherine Cheatley (Cheerwine) 1.33.23 2 Laura Van Gilder (Cheerwine) 3 Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine) 4 Gina Grain (Expresscopy.com) 5 Brooke Miller (Team Tibco) 6 Sam Schneider (Mesa Cycles) 7 Katharine Carroll (Aaron's Corporate) 8 Dale Tye (Hub Racing) 9 Dickey Mackenzie (Colavita/Sutter Home) 10 Briana Kovac (Texas Roadhouse) 11 Mackenzie Woodring (Priority Health -) 12 Julie Bellerose (Aberdeen) 13 Anne Samplonius (Expresscopy.com) 14 Sarah Bamberger (Cheerwine) 15 Sarah Caravella (Aaron's Corporate) 16 Gina Voci (Team Kenda Tire) 17 Trish Bell (Morgan) 18 Robin Farina (Targetraining) 19 Laurel Green (Team Mack Paper) 20 Chrissy Ruiter (Cheerwine) 21 Sharon Allpress (ValueAct Capital) 22 Hannah Banks (ValueAct Capital) 23 Martina Patella (ValueAct Capital) 24 Kristin Wentworth (Team Kenda Tire) 25 Carries Cash (Xplane/Team) 26 Megan Elliot 27 Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire) 28 Tamyra Barnard (Team Kenda Tire) 29 Christine Dekec (HT Nautural) 30 Natalie Klemko (Advil ChapStick) 31 Andrea Myers (Targetraining) 32 Laura Bowles (Advil ChapStick) 33 Lara Kroepsch (TEAm Lipton) 34 Leigh Valletti (Targetraining) 35 Jenette Williams (Hub Racing)
