Downtown Grand Prix Results

Foothills Road Race results

VALUEACT CAPITAL CYCLING TEAM
(San Francisco)

Team Members Pictured
Sharon Allpress
Martina Patella
Lisa Hunt - Director
Michael Smartt - Team Coach

This is their first year on the NATIONAL RACING CALENDAR for USA Cycling. They are entered in both the DOWNTOWN GRAND PRIX on Saturday as well as FOOTHILLS ROAD RACE.

TEAM WASTE MANAGEMENT (Phoenix)

Team Members Pictured
Justin Hale
Jonathan Parrish
Ron Jensen
Tim Doud
Sean Mazich

Justin is a local Merced resident

KODAK GALLERY (Chico)
presented by Sierra Nevada Brewery Co.

Team Members Pictured
Cody O"Reilly
Mark Walters
Jamiel Reza Danesh
pictured with Ellie Wooten (Mayor of the City of Merced)

This is their first year together on the Cycling Team.

"photo credit:
Ronald Mariano".

February 8, 2007

Toyota United Pro Cycling Team Coming to Merced

The excitement is growing around the MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classic presented by McLane Pacific as more international teams are registering for the March race in Merced, CA.

The Toyota United Pro Cycling Team, directed by former McLane Pacific Road Race winner Kirk Willett, has confirmed a full team entry for both days of racing at the MERCO  "Toyota United most definitely is proposing the most international of squads to attend MERCO this year" states event director Doug Fluetsch.  "Only one of the ten riders who will compete at MERCO for Toyota United is from the U.S. and all have European experience, as well as one having substantial Tour de France/Pro Tour experience." 
 
The team entry at MERCO this year consists of:
 
Stefano Barberi (Brazil)
Heath Blackgrove (New Zealand)
Ivan Dominquez (Cuba)
Jose-Manuel Garcia (Mexico)
Caleb Manion (Australia)
Mark Scanlon (Ireland)
Ivan Stevic (Serbia)
Sean Sullivan (Australia)
Burke Swindlehurst (USA)
Henk Vogels (Australia)
 
The rider most eyes will be on is Henk Vogels. Vogels is no stranger to racing on the streets of the US, having competed for Mercury and Navigators in the past, but has most recently been participating in the European races such as the Tour de France and the Vuelta Espana.  MERCO will mark the return of Vogels to the USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar, and a win must surely be in the cards for the Australian. 
 
It is obvious that with these riders, team manager Kirk Willett has prepared a team made for hard racing. If the currently calm and warm California weather turns nasty for MERCO, Willett may send his riders to the front to cause the race to split - a tactic often used by Mercury in years past.  "It appears that during the windy and rainy conditions at McLane in years past, the tactic of enforcing a tough pace early in the 124 miles has created the winning formula.  It was often the case when Kirk Willett was a rider that Mercury would eliminate any weak riders early, creating a more natural selection.  When a team with as many hard riders as Toyota is attending, the tactic may be the same." referenced Fluetsch.
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Source: Jennifer West, J. West Group

The Health Net presented by Maxxis Cycling Team has entered nine riders, out of maximum of ten allowed, for the MERCO CREDIT UNION Cycling Classic Presented by McLane Pacific in Merced, CA. The Health Net Team has become a dominant team over the past few years with one of their riders, now retired, winning the Downtown Grand Prix four consecutive years and the Road Race once. The Health Net Team’s wins can be attributed to individual rider strength as well as solid team work. Three of the noteworthy team members traveling to Merced in March for MERCO appear to have exceptional abilities for the tasks at hand.

Kirk O’Bee (USA) is considered one of the top sprinters in the U.S. right now as well as having solid international experience. Last year he won the Tour of Taiwan and in years past has won several races in Europe.

Karl Menzies (AUS) has only been racing in the U.S. for three years and has raced in Merced previously. He is a fierce competitor and has won one stage of the Tour Down Under, one stage of the International Tour de Toona, and a stage at the Tour de Nez.

Russell Downing (GBR) has a strong reputation in Europe as a sprinter, but has never raced in the U.S. He has won several races in Europe in 2005 and 2006 and was the national champion of Great Britain in 2005.

"photo credit: Ronald Mariano".

To win at MERCO – in normal weather conditions – it takes a rider with a huge amount of speed and sprinting skills. The races are long (124 miles in the Road Race and 45 in the Grand Prix) so teamwork is important. Most teams send their sprinters. If the weather gives riders some wind and rain these three riders may have what it takes to go the distance in a breakaway and win.

Source: Jennifer West, J. West Group

MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classic Attracts
International Participation

Cyclists from around the world will once again hit the streets of downtown Merced in the MERCO CREDIT UNION Cycling Classic Presented by McLane Pacific. The event will take place March 3-4, 2007.

This year’s main event Saturday, March 3rd is the Downtown Grand Prix. From all over the globe, professional cyclists will race on a wide, fast .8 mile track that circles the historic Merced County Courthouse in full view of the crowds. The MCUCC is sanctioned by the USA Cycling, the official organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee responsible for identifying, training and selecting cyclists to represent the United States in international competition. Part of the National Racing Calendar for USA Cycling, MCUCC is one in a series of the 45 most prestigious cycling races on American soil.

MCUCC organizers are pleased to see such a variety of international cycling teams competing this year. The T-Mobile Women’s Cycling Team finds the MCUCC an important race and is sending three cyclists to Merced, while other cyclists are attending another race in Australia. Event organizer, Doug Fluetsch, is excited about the T-Mobile cyclists coming to Merced, “We are thrilled that the T-Mobile team places such value in the MERCO Cycling Classic. The race has been growing consistently since its start in 1993 and T-Mobile’s participation emphasizes its importance in the cycling community.”

One of the cyclists, Suzanne de Goede, a former Dutch Road and Time Trial Champion and former Junior World Champion, is one of the T-Mobile team members racing in Merced in March. "The race in California will be nice to get some early racing and in the
warmer weather. For me it will be even more fun as it will be my first time I race in America."

Source: Jennifer West, J. West Group