Stage 1 – 61 miles

Tina Mayolo-Pic (Diet Rite) has won the first stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix, taking line honours from an elite group of eight riders that formed in the last 25 kilometres of the stage. Without the support of her teammates, Mayolo-Pic was strong enough to lead out the sprint and hold off her seven companions, three of whom from the might of Team Saturn.

The Iron Range Road race was a 100km stage in the beautiful country area of Virginia, Minnesota. On the flat course with rolling hills towards the end, the wind was going to be the decisive factor in determining the race outcome.

The race began aggressively and 40 kilometers into the race, an attack formed that split the field, creating a lead group of 14 riders. Making the cut were Saturn riders Katie Mactier, Manon Jutras, and Amy Moore; Karen Bockel, Erin Willock and Melissa Holt (Rona); Sarah Ulmer and Margaret Hemsley (Nurnberger); Dotsy Cowden (T-Mobile); Megan Long (Freddie Fu); Sarah Conrad (DeFeet) and Tina Mayolo-Pic (Diet Rite).

The break stayed together for the majority of the race until 25km to go when former Australian champion Margaret Hemsley saw the opportunity to start an onslaught of attacks as the terrain became more challenging. Rona followed Hemsley’s initiative and continued to attack, but it was Saturn rider Monon Jutras who managed to split the break on a small pinch with only 7 of the 13 other riders able to go with her. Mactier, Cowden, Bockel, Hemsley, Ulmer and Mayolo-Pic immediately followed Jutras, with Amy Moore bridging up to the leaders in what would be the deciding break of the day.

The seven worked well together and gained a significant time gap over the peloton. Coming into town, riders faced an intermediate sprint on the completion of the first of seven, 2.5km finishing circuits, which Katie Mactier won from Tina Mayolo-Pic and Sarah Ulmer thanks to a strong lead-out from her teammates.

Confident that Mactier could do it again at the finish line, the Saturn duo of Jutras and Moore forced the pace in the break, hoping to keep it together. However in the all important sprint of the day, Mayolo-Pic (Diet Rite) showed her ability to go the distance when she led out from the final corner to take the stage and the race lead.

“Tina rode a very smart race today,” said today’s race aggressor Margaret Hemsley. “She worked just enough all day and positioned herself perfectly for the finish.”

Ulmer was second and Mactier third from Bockel, Cowden and Hemsley. Manon Jutras and Amy Moore came in a few seconds down having spent themselves for Mactier.

Mayolo-Pic has had a very strong season to date, winning multiple criteriums in the national criterium champion’s jersey and most recently at the prestigious Housatonic Valley Classic. She was also listed by many as a favourite in the Wachovia Liberty Classic last weekend where she placed 9th.

Tomorrow the riders face a double day of racing with the Mesabi Trail 10km time trial in the morning and an evening criterium in downtown Minneapolis.

1 Tina Mayolo-Pic (USA) Diet Rite                        2.24.56

2 Sarah Ulmer NZl TDS

3 Katie Mactier (Aus) Saturn Cycling Team

4 Karen Bockel (Ger) Rona-Esker

5 Dotsie Cowden (USA) T-Mobile

6 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) Equipe Nurnberger

7 Amy Moore (USA) Saturn Cycling Team

8 Manon Jutras (Can) Saturn Cycling Team

9 Melissa Holt NZl Rona-Esker                               0.20

10 Megan Long (USA) Jamba Juice                             3.50

11 Erinne Willock (Can) Rona-Esker

12 Jennifer Eyerman (USA) VANIQA/Red 5 Racing

13 Sarah Konrad (USA) Basis

14 Kerry Cohen (USA) ABD Cycle Club

15 Jo Kiesanowski NZl Diet Rite                             5.20

16 Tania Duff-Miller NZl Diet Rite

17 Gina Grain (Can) Victory Brewing/Amoroso's

18 Lara Kroepsca (USA) T-Mobile

19 Erin Carter (Can) TDS

20 Megan Elliott (USA) Saturn Cycling Team

21 Helen Kelly (Aus) TDS

22 Kori Kelly (USA) Diet Rite

23 Brooke O'connor (USA) Colavita-Bolla Racing

24 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Saturn Cycling Team

25 Jennifer Leonard (USA) Bianchi/Grand Performance

26 Carrie Tuck (USA) Rona-Esker

27 Nicole Freedman (USA) Basis

28 Catherine Walberg (USA) Jamba Juice

29 Katrina Grove (USA) T-Mobile

30 Christina Ruiter (USA) T-Mobile

31 Laura Vangilder (USA) Saturn Cycling Team

32 Rook (USA) Hi Tech Bikes/Harbour Lights

33 Kate Sherwin (USA) Jamba Juice

35 Petra Rossner (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger

36 Stacy Peters (USA) T-Mobile

37 Becky Broeder (USA) ICO (intermountain Cycling Org)

38 April Henderson Anderson (USA) Helens/Trek/VW

39 Melissa Sandborn (USA) ICO (intermountain Cycling Org

40 Sarah Tillotson (USA) ABD Cycle Club

41 Laura Schmidt (USA) Terry Precision

42 Anne Samplonius (Can) TDS

43 Anne Grabowski (USA) Nature Valley

44 Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn Cycling Team

44 Cybil Diguistini (Can) Diet Rite

45 Lauren Franges (USA) Victory Brewing/Amoroso's

46 Jessica Phillips (USA) Saturn Cycling Team

47 Andrea Hannos (Can) Rona-Esker

48 Lynn Gaggioli (USA)

49 Amanda Lawrence (USA) CCB

50 Lauren Gaffney (USA) Basis

51 Felicia Greer (USA) VANIQA/Red 5 Racing                  5.37

52 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nurnberger

53 Michelle Beltran (USA) VANIQA/Red 5 Racing

54 Brooke Ourada (USA) Team Goldy's

55 Erika Schwarz (USA) VANIQA/Red 5 Racing

56 Elizabeth Morse (USA) Ford Racing Team/ Orlando Velo

57 Shawn Heidgen (USA) TDS

58 Kristin Johnson (USA) T-Mobile

59 Debbie Dust (USA) Jamba Juice

60 Crystal Yap (USA) Jamba Juice

61 Laura Resor (USA) VANIQA/Red 5 Racing

62 Anne Meyer (USA) ABD Cycle Club

63 Elisa Gagnon (USA) Terry Precision

64 Jennifer Stevens (USA) VANIQA/Red 5 Racing

65 Betsy Bloom (USA) VANIQA/Red 5 Racing

66 Cory Page (USA) VANIQA/Red 5 Racing

67 Lindsay Wetzel (USA) Mercy/Cannondale

68 Kathleen Jones (USA) ICO (intermountain Cycling Org)     5.45

69 Kristen Lasasso (Can) Rona-Esker

70 Megan Mcquaid (USA) VANIQA/Red 5 Racing

71 Sophie St. Jacques (Can) Victory Brewing/Amoroso's       5.50

72 Kelly Benjamin (USA) ABD Cycle Club                      5.56

73 Laurel Sundberg (USA) MCT/Tonka Cycle                    7.03

74 Rachel Eichers (USA) America's Dairyland                 7.46

75 Rebecca Loney (USA) America's Dairyland                  8.09

76 Andrea Mugge (USA) Mercy/Cannondale

77 Megan Monroe (USA) America's Dairyland                  40.00

78 Allison Dwyer (USA) America's Dairyland

DNF Joan Wilson (USA) TDS

DNF Jamie Surges (USA) America's Dairyland

DNF Erin Syth (USA) America's Dairyland

DNF Courtney Bollman (USA) Jamba Juice

DNF Meredith Miller (USA) Team Basis

Results:

Sarah 2^nd
Erin 18^th
Helen 20^th
Anne 40^th
Shawn 42^nd