Armstrong led with one lap remaining(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
Amber Neben (HTC Highroad) in the final yellow jersey with the women's trophy.(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
Stillwater Criterium podium: Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth), Rory Sutherland (United Healthcare Pro Cycling), Frank Pipp (Bissel Pro Cycling)(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth) crosses the finish and celebrates his overall victory in the Nature Valley Grand Prix(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
Late in the race Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth) works to close the opened by the attack of Robert Forster (United Healthcare Pro Cycling.(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
Timothy Rugg (NVGP Pro Ride) launches the attack that forms the only break of the day.(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
Jeremy Vennell (Bissell) works to open the gap on the climb.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
The only break of the day: Andrew Dahlheim and Jeremy Vennell (Bissel Pro Cycling) and Timothy Rugg (NVGP Pro Ride).(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
Giorgia Bronzini (Colavita/Forno d'Asolo p/b Cooking Light) celebrates her 3rd stage win at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
Giorgia Bronzini (Colavita/Forno d'Asolo p/b Cooking Light) launches an attack on the final climb up Chilkoot Hill.(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
With a couple laps to go Kristin Armstrong (Peanut Butter & Co/Twenty 12) makes an attempt to break from the lead group.(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
Michael Creed (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth) and the rest of the Kelly team set the pace for the field for most of the race.(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
HTC Highroad were the top women's team in the 2011 edition of the Nature Valley Grand Prix.(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
HTC Highroad led the peloton around the Stillwater course for most of the race.(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
The final jerseys of the 2011 NVGP: Sport Beans Queen of the Hill/Wheaties Fuel Top Sprinter Leah Kirchman (Colavita/Formo d'Asolo p/b Cooking Light), TRIA Best Young Rider Ally Stacher (HTC Highroad), Freewheel Bike Most Aggressive Evelyn Stevens (HTC Highroad), Nature Valley Race Winner Amber Neben (HTC Highroad), Nature Valley Top Amateur Jade Wilcoxson (NVGP Pro Ride)(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth) in the final yellow jersey with the men's trophy.(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
The final men's podium: Freewheel Bike Most Aggressive Timothy Rugg (NVGP Pro Ride), Wheaties Fuel Top Sprinter Robert Forster (United Healthcare Pro Cycling), Tria Best Young Rider Josephy Schmalz (Elbowz Racing), Nature Valley Race Winner Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth), Nature Valley Top Amateur Chad Haga (Team Rio Grande), Sport Beans King of the Hill Kyle Wamsley (Bissel Pro Cycling)(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
The men's field rounds a corner(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
Rory Sutherland is surrounded by the media after his stage win(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
Giorgia Bronzini wins the final stage of the NVGP(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
There's a small crash at the start of the women's climb on Chilkoot(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
Bissel Pro Cycling Team(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
The men start the race climbing Chilkoot HillImage(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
The men begin another climb(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
The race leader and the world champion round a corner(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
The Elite men's podium.(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
Double celebration as Rory Sutherland wins the stage and Jesse Anthony wins the race(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
A rider takes a corner(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
Bronzini checked to see who was behind her on the last lap(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
The men work their way through the course(Image credit: Stephanie Williams)
Jeremy Vennell (Bissell) driving the break.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Timothy Rugg (Nature Valley Pro Ride) working in the break.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
UnitedHealthcare gets on the front to bring back the break.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Robert Forster (UnitedHealthcare) working to set up the attack.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare) launches his race winning attack.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Luis Amaran (Jamis) responds to an attack at the top of the climb.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly) sporting the most aggressive riders jersey from his ride yesterday.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare) wins again in Stillwater.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Robert Forster (UnitedHealthcare) trying to cool off after a hot stage.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
The women are off.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
The women head for the climb on the first lap.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Todays top three men.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
The HTC-Highroad women take the team prize and send out a special message.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Bissell takes the team prize for the mens race.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefits) had the pressure on today to hold onto yellow.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
The men attack the climb on the first lap.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Kelly Benefits got on the front right away to protect the yellow jersey.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Kyle Wamsley (Bissell) going hard to hold on to the climbers jersey.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
The scenic crate on the streets of Stillwater.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Women riders get stopped on the steep hill and need help getting going again.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad) on the climb.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Leah Kirchmann (Colavita-Forno d'Asolo) holding on to the climbing and sprint jersey.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad) leads stage winner Georgia Brozini (Colavita-Forno d'Asolo).(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
The women have the top of the climb in site.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Only 5 laps left for the women.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Evelyn Stevens (HTC-Highroad) bringing up the lead group.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Kristin Armstrong (Peanut Butter & Co) hung in their today even with her injured elbow.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Kristin Armstrong (Peanut Butter & Co) leading the women up the climb.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Georgia Brozini (Colavita-Forno d'Asolo) putting pressure on at the top of the climb.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Georgia Brozini (Colavita-Forno d'Asolo) launches her attack for the win.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Georgia Brozini (Colavita-Forno d'Asolo) takes another stage win.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Georgia Brozini (Colavita-Forno d'Asolo) rolls through for the win.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Todays stage podium for the women.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefits) working to retain the race lead.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
The men spread out on the climb.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Fans line the climb to the finish.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Kelly Benefits setting the pace on the climb.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Elite Men
By Lyne Lamoureux
The Stillwater Criterium once again provided thrills and excitement to conclude the Nature Valley Grand Prix as defending champion Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team) attacked the penultimate time up Chilkoot Hill Sunday to win the final stage.
With the assistance of his Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth teammates, Jesse Anthony survived all the attacks to finish second on the stage and claim the overall classification. Frank Pipp (BISSELL Pro Cycling) was third on the stage.
"Everyone here sees the crowd and how many people come out to cheer us on, it's an awesome stage and it's fantastic for the city of Stillwater to have such an event, there are not many like this in the country," Sutherland said.
Anthony, perhaps better known for his cyclocross prowess until now, credited his team for helping him win the first stage race of his career.
"Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth has been working super hard all year," he said. "We've been racing aggressively in every race we've done and we threw it down this week as hard as we could. Everyone went in 110 percent, everyone on the team was committed and it ended up working out for us."
Only the strong survive the notoriously brutal criterium course that features Chilkoot Hill's 21 percent grade at its steepest point during a two-block climb to the finish line. Riders started falling off the fast pace set by Anthony's green train as it controlled the front, quickly reacting and neutralizing dangerous attacks from Luis Amaran and Tom Zirbel (Jamis/Sutter Home).
With two laps to go, Robert Forster (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team) upped the pace on Chilkoot, exploding the dwindling field as the battle for the stage win commenced. Sutherland, Anthony, Amaran and third-on-general classification Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly presented by Kenda) all went with the attack. Sutherland attacked the next time up the climb and was able to hold on to enjoy his second consecutive victory at Stillwater.
"Last year was beautiful," Sutherland said. "But this year, being actually able to enjoy the climb on the last time instead of having to sprint up, was nice."
Anthony battled until the last lap keeping his closest rivals close and then passing them on the final climb to the finish line.
"The crowd here in Stillwater is unbelievable," he said. "It rivals the Mayanunk Wall in Philadelphia. The hill is unexplainable until you really do it, even if you're having the best of days, it hurts so much. I had great legs today and all week, but it was a battle to stay up front and stay with my teammates and follow the wheels at the end."
Halfway through the 20-lap race, Timothy Rugg (Nature Valley Pro Ride) and Jeremy Vennell (BISSELL) got away and built a gap of 25 seconds before being reeled in eight laps later. Rugg was awarded the red Freewheel Bike Most Aggressive Rider for his efforts.
Kyle Wamsley (BISSELL) won the Sports Beans King of the Hills jersey after a tough fight with Logan Hutchings (ELBOWZ Racing) for it the final two stages.
"It makes me that much more happier that I could hold on to the jersey when I have somebody racing me for it," Wamsley said about his fight for the polka dot jersey.
Forster won the Sprint Competition. Chad Haga (Team Rio Grande) took home the final Nature Valley Top Amateur green jersey while Joseph Schmalz (ELBOWZ Racing) won the white Best Young Rider jersey. The BISSELL Pro Cycling team won the team classification.
Elite Women
Bronzini Wins Third Nature Valley Grand Prix Stage; Neben Finishes In Yellow
By Cynthia Lou
Giorgia Bronzini (Colavita Forno D'Asolo) attacked at the bottom of Chilkoot Hill Sunday to secure her third stage win at this year's Nature Valley Grand Prix as Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad) held on to win the race overall.
Kristin Armstrong (Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12) attacked the penultimate time up the leg-breaking climb that was packed with spectators, hoping to repeat her previous years' success at the Stillwater Criterium. But Neben's HTC-Highroad teammate, Evelyn Stevens, and Bronzini jumped after her. Bronzini's win was the reigning world road race champion's third of the five-day, six-stage race.
"I have no words for Evie [Stevens] - she made the race," Bronzini said, laughing. "I tried to save my power for the last climb because I came here with all of the best climbers and I'm a sprinter. So I tried only to follow [wheels] and save my best sprint for the final."
Between attacks from Team TIBCO/To The Top and Peanut Butter & Co.TWENTY12 and the sheer difficulty of the 18 percent average grade on Chilkoot Hill, an elite group of riders quickly separated themselves from the peloton. The decisive breakaway group formed within five laps of the 13-lap race and featured a mix of experienced veterans and promising newcomers. It included Bronzini, Neben with teammates Stevens, Ally Stacher, and Amanda Miller, overall runner-up Erinne Willock (Team TIBCO/To The Top) and teammate Joelle Noumainville, defending champion Armstrong and teammate Kristin McGrath, Anne Samplonius (NOW and Novartis for MS), and Jade Wilcoxson (Nature Valley Grand Prix Pro Ride).
As the teams battled for the general classification, Armstrong and Bronzini were able to sit in the pack and save themselves for the finish.
"I wanted to sit and let Highroad do their work to protect the jersey," Armstrong said. "I knew two minutes would be too much to gain today so we went for the stage win for the team. I tried my best, I tried to go with two to go but everyone out there was really strong. I just couldn't get that extra acceleration."
Neben said it actually was a very easy day for her because her team was so good.
"I didn't really have to do anything but just watch them," Neben said. "It went according to plan. I'm proud of them, they rode really well this week. I have the yellow, but really, we all won."
Stevens' performance earned her the Freewheel Bike Most Aggressive Rider jersey.
"Ally, Amanda and Chloe raced their hearts out," Stevens said. "Amanda and Chloe took it on the back, then I would take control on the climb. I think it was perfect teamwork - no one could get away. It was really exciting."
Before the race, Stacher was honored with the "Carla Swart Sportsmanship Award," recognizing the female athlete at the race who sacrificed her own chances for the good of her team. Swart was a South African Olympic hopeful and the most decorated collegiate rider in U.S. history who died when she was hit by a truck during a training ride.
"We raced how Carla would have raced," Stevens said. "She was just an amazing woman, and I know Ally was her best friend. I can't think of someone better than Ally to wear that jersey. The way she rode today, she rode her heart out. It's just incredible, the whole team."
Stacher's performance also won her the Best Young Rider jersey, and HTC-Highroad won the Team classification.
Riding for the Nature Valley Pro Ride team, Wilcoxson finished with the front group of elite riders to win the Nature Valley Grand Prix Best Amateur.
"I was really nervous to start it, but it turned out to be a really good course for me," Wilcoxson said. "I kind of shocked myself as well. I was really surprised to hang with the big dogs like that. I just wanted to be able to finish the race today, so, I'm really excited about the results."
Leah Kirchmann (Colavita Forno D'Asolo) held onto her Sports Beans Queen of the Hill jersey and Wheaties Fuel Sprint Competition jersey.
Results
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Elite Men
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team)
1:09:50
2
Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
0:00:01
3
K Frank Pipp (Bissell Pro Cycling)
0:00:03
4
Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
0:00:06
5
Luis Romero Amaran (Jamis-Sutter Home)
Row 4 - Cell 2
6
Tyler Wren (Jamis-Sutter Home)
0:00:25
7
Boy Van Poppel (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team)
0:00:29
8
Zachary Davies (V Australia)
Row 7 - Cell 2
9
Robert Förster (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team)
Row 8 - Cell 2
10
Joseph Schmalz (Elbowz Racing)
Row 9 - Cell 2
11
Tanner Putt (Team Type 1-Development)
Row 10 - Cell 2
12
Ryan Aitcheson (Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist)
Row 11 - Cell 2
13
Chad Haga (Team Rio Grande)
Row 12 - Cell 2
14
Sergio Hernandez (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
0:00:32
15
Joey Rosskopf (Team Type 1-Development)
Row 14 - Cell 2
16
Tom Zirbel (Jamis-Sutter Home)
0:00:35
17
Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling)
Row 16 - Cell 2
18
Jamey Driscoll (Jamis-Sutter Home)
0:00:37
19
Andres Diaz Corrales (Team Exergy)
0:00:40
20
Chris Baldwin (Bissell Pro Cycling)
0:00:45
21
Matthew Cooke (Team Exergy)
Row 20 - Cell 2
22
Scott Gray (NVGP Pro Ride)
0:00:47
23
Carlos Alzate Escobar (Team Exergy)
0:00:49
24
Travis Livermon (Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop)
Row 23 - Cell 2
25
Timothy Rugg (NVGP Pro Ride)
Row 24 - Cell 2
26
Andrew Bajadali (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
Row 25 - Cell 2
27
Daniel Holt (Team Type 1-Development)
Row 26 - Cell 2
28
Chris Winn (V Australia)
Row 27 - Cell 2
29
Alexander Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
