Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 2007

Redlands, Calif. – An “all or nothing” decision by the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team changed the overall complexion of the Redlands Bicycle Classic on the final stage.

Unfortunately, the aggressive approach to the 91.0-mile (146.5 km) Beaver Medical Group Sunset Road Race resulted in Toyota-United losing its hold on second place overall and the lead in the team general classification it had held since Thursday’s prologue time trial.

“The guys rode their hearts out,” Toyota-United Team Director Harm Jansen said. “It was all or nothing. This time was it was nothing.”

Toyota-United can take some satisfaction in having earned its second podium finish of the National Race Calendar (2.2) event with Chris Wherry’s third place in Sunday’s stage. That result moved the 2005 Redlands champion from 11th to fourth overall, while teammate Justin England, who was second on Stage 1, dropped from second overall to 11th place.

Only 69 of the original 190 starters finished the four-day, four-stage race. Toyota-United’s other placers were: Ivan Stevic, 22nd, 10:29 behind; Burke Swindlehurst, 29th, 16:58 behind and Sean Sullivan, 57th, 23:12 behind.

Andres Bajadali (Jelly Belly Pro Cycling Team) won the race overall as Australian Rory Sutherland (Health Net presented by Maxxis) took the stage win, his second straight of the race. Ben Brooks (Navigators Insurance Cycling Team) was second on the stage. All three were part of a 13-rider breakaway that finished three minutes and 55 seconds ahead of the peloton and dashed the hopes Scott Moninger (BMC Racing Team) had of winning at Redlands for the third time in three different decades.

Jansen said he knew it would be a tall order to get England the eight seconds he needed to overtake Moninger for the overall win.

“I’ve never had such a long team meeting with the guys,” Jansen said. “We could never really put our finger on what was going to get our win. But it’s not in my nature – or the guys’ nature – to settle for second. So we went for it. So for as small a chance as it was to win, the guys gave it their all. We ended up with nothing. But that’s how I like to race and that’s how they like to race.”

The strategy Jansen laid out was an aggressive one. Part I would be to put a rider or two in a break in an attempt to soften up the BMC Racing Team, which would be riding to protect Moninger’s lead. Part II was for England to bridge up to the break and put enough distance between himself and Moninger to overcome his deficit.

The strategy worked early on, with Toyota-United’s Chris Baldwin and Wherry going up the road. But even with Moninger’s BMC squad in shambles, getting England in touch with the breakaway proved to be too difficult.

“I had Henk Vogels with me and we were attacking to bridge up but I was just too well marked and couldn’t get away,” England said. “We wanted to try and win the GC. We weren’t happy with second place. And in the end it ended up not working out for us.”

Wherry said he and Baldwin found themselves part of a motivated bunch that had no interest in waiting for anyone behind.

“The guys in the front with us just hit the gas and blew the race apart,” Wherry said. “That put us in a position to try and go for the stage win. It was an all or nothing shot. It just didn’t matter on the GC if it wasn’t first. We raced our hearts out and it didn’t come together.”

Jansen said he’ll remember the 23rd edition of the event – traditionally the first major stage race on the NRC circuit – as one where Toyota-United faced its share of adversity.

“From Justin just barely getting second on the climb to Oak Glen, to Ivan (Dominguez) being eliminated, to having Henk’s best friend (Damian McDonald) die in a car accident in Australia, it was a tough race,” Jansen said.
The podium for the final stage (from left): second-place finisher Ben Brooks (Navigators Insurance), winner Rory Sutherland (Health Net presented by Maxxis) and Wherry.

Ivan Dominguez animated the race Friday with a 75 km breakaway.
Redlands, Calif. – Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team sprinter Ivan Dominguez said he is very disappointed that race officials decided not to allow him to start Saturday afternoon’s Centennial Bank/KWB Wealth Managers Criterium at the 23rd Annual Redlands Bicycling Classic.

Dominguez finished 39 seconds outside the time cut designated for Friday’s Stage 1 93-mile (156.6 km) Redlands Ford Oak Glen Road Race. The time cut was equal to the winner’s time, plus 10 percent, or four hours, 29 minutes and 34 seconds.

Dominguez, cramping from a big effort that saw him in a breakaway for 75 km, crossed the finish line in 4:30:13. He was one of 17 riders who finished outside the time limit.

“In all the big races, the officials make exceptions,” Dominguez said. “At the Tour of Georgia, they make exceptions. At the Tour of California, they make big exceptions to keep the more prominent riders in the race.”

Dominguez figured prominently in the early going of Friday’s stage to Oak Glen, attacking at the 52 km mark and taking three riders with him. Eventually, the four gained a maximum three minutes’ lead before being caught on the second-to-last climb of the day.

During his escape, Dominguez won one of three intermediate sprints and finished second in the two others. His 17 points earned him the sprint lead and race officials presented him with the green jersey after the race.

“I was the one who made the break go and made it a show for everybody,” Dominguez said. “That’s kind of what racing is, it’s a show. People want to see riders racing aggressively and that’s what I was doing. I wasn’t just sitting in the group. I was driving that breakaway.”

Dominguez said confusion reigned at the finish line, as race officials first told him he didn’t have any points so he could not have been the sprint leader.

“Then they came back and said they made a mistake and gave me the jersey on the podium,” he said.

Saturday morning, though, Domingeuz was informed he would not be allowed to start the Stage 2, 90-minute criterium and would have to return the jersey.

Labels: Criterium, Ivan Dominguez, road race

Justin England lost out on the win in the final 50 meters to Scott Moninger.
Oak Glen, Calif. – Justin England of the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team narrowly missed out on winning the Redlands Ford Oak Glen Road Race Friday at the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team member was out-sprinted to the finish line by Scott Moninger (BMC Racing Team), who won the 97.3-mile (156.6 km) race in four hours and five minutes. England finished in the same time to move into second place overall, seven seconds off the lead, halfway through the four-day National Race Calendar stage race. Anthony Colby (Colavita/ Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light) is third, 12 seconds back.

“I think Justin started his sprint a little too early,” Toyota-United Team Director Harm Jansen said. “I’m happy for Scott, though, too. If I step out of my role as team director, it’s great for the sport to see him win at Oak Glen.”

Toyota-United leads the team standings by 2:01 over Health Net presented by Maxxis and has four riders in the top 20 overall: England, Ivan Stevic (ninth, 1:26 behind), Chris Wherry (11th, 1:31 behind) and Burke Swindlehurst (18th, 2:14 behind).

Heading into the stage, England was ninth, five places behind the 40-year-old Moninger, who was three seconds faster in Thursday’s 3.1-mile (5 km) prologue. England said the two appeared to be evenly matched when it came down to the final sprint.

“We played a little cat and mouse until 150 meters to go, then I hit it,” England said. “With 50 meters to go, he came around me. In the end, neither one of us was faster than the other. It just came down to timing the sprint right.”

Toyota-United instituted a number of moves over the course of Friday’s race to soften up the field heading into the final third of the race, which featured three categorized climbs. Ivan Dominguez figured into a three-man move that got away after 25 miles (40 km) had been covered. By earning intermediate sprint points before being swallowed up by the peloton before the second-to-last climb, Dominguez took the lead in the sprint competition.

“Ivan did a great job out there,” England said. “He helped save all the rest of us from having to do all the work behind.

When Dominguez’s group was caught, Toyota-United’s Sean Sullivan counter-attacked and only one rider followed. The pair worked together to build up to a minute’s lead before being passed on the ascent to Oak Glen.

“Our guys rode a great race,” Jansen said. “Everything pretty much went according to plan. We wanted to make sure we could take the sting out of people to have the numbers on the final climb.”

Halfway to the summit of the 3.5-mile climb, a group of five riders – including England – got a gap. They stayed together until 800 meters to go when England attacked hard. Only Moninger could stay with him.

The overall standings are not expected to change in Saturday afternoon’s 90-minute Centennial Bank/KWB Wealth Managers Criterium, which Jansen said Toyota-United will target for a stage win. Then it is back to making up England’s seven-second deficit on Sunday’s final stage, the 91.0-mile (146.5 km) Beaver Medical Group Sunset Road Race.

“I think we’ll do everything we can to try and get up the road and get that time back,” England said. “And it’s not just for me, either. We have three other guys – Chris Wherry, Chris Baldwin and Ivan Stevic – who are up there on GC who can hit it and send it up the road.”

Redlands, Calif – The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team was the only squad to place four of its riders in the top 15 during Thursday's Sun Time Trial at the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

The 3.1-mile (5 km) mostly uphill prologue opened the 23rd annual edition of the race under mostly sunny skies with temperatures in the low 80s.

Toyota-United's Justin England (shown at right), Ivan Stevic, Chris Baldwin and Sean Sullivan all finished within four seconds of each other. England was the best placed in fifth, 16 seconds off the winning time by Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Cycling Team). Tuft covered the 3.1-mile (5 km) course in nine minutes and 29 seconds.

Stevic was 10th, 17 seconds behind, Chris Baldwin finished 12th (19 seconds behind) and Sean Sullivan was 14th, 20 seconds behind. Other Toyota-United placings were: Chris Wherry, 26th, 36 seconds behind; Burke Swindlehurst, 38th, 44 seconds behind; Ivan Dominguez 124th, 1:39 behind; and Henk Vogels, 127th, 1:42 behind.

Toyota-United Team Director Harm Jansen said the results on the first of four days of racing are pretty much what he expected, though he had hoped to have at least one rider in the top five.

"It's going to be an interesting dynamic tomorrow," Jansen said. "We and Health Net would seem to be the ones who will go on the offensive. Symmetrics, Jittery Joe’s, BMC and Priority Health – with riders in the top five - will want to keep things together."

Friday’s Stage 1 Redlands Ford Oak Glen Road Race features a mountaintop finish at 4,819 feet after a final climb of 3.5 miles (9 km). It comes at the end of 97.3 miles (156.6 km) of racing over three categorized climbs.

“It might just boil down to the last climb,” Jansen said. “I’m not sure how it’s going to play out. It’s tough to predict how Friday’s race is going to go.”

The all-Toyota-United podium (from left): Henk Vogels, Ivan Dominguez, Ivan Stevic.
Vasalia, Calif. - A textbook lead-out to the finish delivered the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team its first-ever 1-2-3 finish Sunday at the Quad Knopf Sequoia Cycling Classic Criterium.

Ivan Dominguez took the win – his fifth of the season – while teammates Ivan Stevic and Henk Vogels crossed the finish line in second and third, respectively, at the end of the 40-mile (64.4 km) race in Visalia, Calif.

“You can pretty much say domination was the word of the day,” Vogels said.

Dominguez said the victory was even more memorable because of his teammates’ finishes.

“It was nice to see Stevic and Henk get second and third,” he said. “I looked back and saw they were right behind me and thought ‘this is good.’ ”

Toyota-United Team Director Harm Jansen said he knew a sweep was possible, but not likely due to the quality of sprinters in the field.

“It was a perfect lead-out from setting tempo, to ramping it up and having the guys peel off,” Jansen said. “I think the guys are pretty much getting the feel of each other.”

Toyota-United’s sweep of the top three podium places is a rare accomplishment on the National Race Calendar circuit. It was last achieved on June 18, 2006 when the Health Net presented by Maxxis squad finished 1-2-3 overall at the Nature Valley Grand Prix Stage Race.

Key to accomplishing the impressive finish, Jansen said, was keeping the pace high throughout the 57-lap race.

“Every team knew to have a chance to win, they would have to break away,” he said.

There were plenty of attacks launched in the first half of the race, but none of them stuck thanks to the rapid pace set by Toyota-United. With 20 laps to go, the team put all eight of its riders on the front to prepare for a furious finish.

“With five laps to go, we were riding tempo at 45 kph (29 mph),” Vogels said. “When Chris Wherry took over with a lap to go, the speed was up to 55 kph (34 mph) and I was doing about 60 kph (37 mph) when Ivan and Stevic came around me down the stretch.”

Dominguez’s victory was Toyota-United’s seventh of the season and its third at an NRC event. The Cuban said despite his impressive results to date, there is still room for improvement.

“Right now I’m about 70 percent,” Dominguez said. “I don’t want to get in form too quickly because there are still a lot of races to come.”

Coming into the weekend, Toyota-United led the NRC team standings and had three riders in the top 10 in the individual rankings.

“We go into Redlands with very good morale,” Jansen said, looking ahead to this week’s four-day stage race which begins Thursday.

Labels: Criterium, Dominguez, Stevic, Vogels

Exeter, Calif. - Led by Chris Baldwin’s runner-up finish, the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team placed five riders in the top 10 Saturday at the Quad Knopf Sequoia Cycling Classic Time Trial in Exeter, Calif.

Toyota-United’s Chris Wherry was fourth, Sean Sullivan was seventh, Ivan Stevic finished eighth and Justin England placed 10th in the 18.3-mile (30 km) mostly uphill race that played out under sunny skies with temperatures in the mid-80s.

“It was a good day, but then again, some teams like Health Net and Navigators took the weekend off,” Toyota-United Team Director Harm Jansen said. “This is more of a relaxed weekend for us.”

Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health Cycling Team) averaged 27.7 mph to defeat Baldwin by 35 seconds. Anthony Colby (Colavita/ Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light) finished third, 1:21 behind Jacques-Maynes’ winning time of 39 minutes and 41 seconds.

Other placings for Toyota-United riders were Burke Swindlehurst (17th), Caleb Manion (33rd), Henk Vogels (48th), Jose Manuel Garcia (62nd) and Ivan Dominguez (68th).

Jacques-Maynes had the advantage of starting last – and only 30 seconds behind Baldwin. Heading into the event, the Priority Health rider and Baldwin stood 1-2, respectively, in the National Race Calendar standings.

“I don’t want to take anything away from his ride, but starting that close behind Baldwin in such a long time trial might have been a big advantage for him,” Jansen said of Jacques-Maynes’ ride.

Baldwin – the 2003 and 2005 national time trial champion – is showing steady progress in the “race of truth.” In another challenging individual time trial at the Tour of California in Solvang last month, Jacques-Maynes beat Baldwin by a wider margin – 53 seconds – over a shorter, 14.5-mile (23.5 km) distance.

Fresno, Calif. – Henk Vogels won his first race in nearly four years Sunday when he captured the third and final stage of the Bentley’s Central Valley Classic Stage Race in Fresno, Calif.

Vogels easily won the field sprint at the end of the 80-minute Tower District Criterium to give Toyota-United its fifth victory of the season and its second in two weeks in a National Race Calendar event. Last year, Toyota-United won 24 NRC races and scored 55 victories overall.

“It was a big relief to be able to throw my hands in the air and finally get that monkey off my back,” Vogels said. “I’ve been pretty much working for other sprinters the past couple years so it was nice to get back in the winner’s circle.”

Vogels had not tasted victory since winning the Stage 1, 136-mile road race from Augusta to Macon in the inaugural Tour de Georgia on April 23, 2003. Later that year, he nearly died following a high speed crash in the third stage of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic. Descending at more than 60 mph, Vogels made contact with a rider in front of him and crashed horrifically. He suffered severe head, spine, and ankle injuries and was unable to walk for more than two months.

“This is a huge win for Henk,” Toyota-United Team Director Kirk Willett said. “He’s had other top 10 finishes since his major accident, but to get to the top step of the podium after what he’s gone through is just a great day for him.”

Vogels’ win slightly overshadowed an outstanding performance by teammate Chris Baldwin, who finished third overall. Baldwin placed sixth in Friday’s opening 102-mile (163 km) road race and fifth in Saturday’s 16.5-mile (26.4 km) individual time trial. His time trial moved him into third place behind Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health Cycling Team) and Rory Sutherland (Health Net presented by Maxxis) heading into Sunday’s final stage, which had no effect on the final three places overall.

“I think justice was served,” Baldwin said. “The two strongest guys in the race got first and second.”

In addition to Baldwin, five other Toyota-United riders placed in the top 20 on the final general classification.

“The guys are riding really well,” Willett said. “We’re off to a great start. It’s a long season, but we need to chip away every week at our season-long goals.”

Unselfishness was the name of the game all weekend for Toyota-United as rider after rider sacrificed their own chances to help Baldwin – and later Vogels – succeed. In Friday’s road race, Jose Manuel “Chepe” Garcia, Chris Wherry, Burke Swindlehurst, Caleb Manion and Stefano Barberi each took turns chasing down breakaways.

But the spectacular teamwork was most evident in Sunday’s criterium. Several times, Manion covered breakaways up front while his Toyota-United teammates joined with Priority Health behind to make sure the race would end in a field sprint. When it came time for the final lap, Wherry ramped up the speed to string the peloton out into single file. Stevic took over the pacemaking with two corners to go and guided Vogels through the chicane that led into the finishing straight.

Vogels passed Stevic (who finished fifth himself) and won by enough of a margin that he had time to give the traditional two-arm victory salute. Vogels said he thought of something Stevic had said Saturday night as he crossed the finish line.

“I had mentioned to him (Stevic) that I had not won in three years and that I was very motivated for today’s race,” Vogels said. “The idea was to have him come around me in the last corner. But Ivan told me after the race that he sacrificed for me so I could win.”

Central Valley Classic, Stage 2, Tower District Criterium
80 minutes, Sunday, March 11, 2007:
1. Henk Vogels, Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
2. Alejandro Acton Colavita/ Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light
3. Ricardo Escuela Successful Living.com P/B Parkpre
4. Russell Downing Health Net presented by Maxxis
5. Ivan Stevic, Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
6. Kyle Wamsley, Navigators Insurance
7. Rory Sutherland, Health Net presented by Maxxis
8. Luca Damiana Colavita/ Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light
9. Cesar Grajales Jittery Joes
10. Josh Thornton Kodak Gallery P/B Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Labels: Baldwin, Criterium, Vogels

Chris Baldwin’s fifth place finish for Toyota-United in Saturday’s Belmont-Piedra time trial moved him into third place overall at the Central Valley Cycling Classic.

Baldwin is one of five Toyota-United riders in the top 20 overall with only Sunday’s 80-minute criterium remaining in the three-day, three-stage race. He sits 39 seconds out of the lead and 21 seconds behind second place rider Rory Sutherland (Health Net presented by Maxxis).

Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health) won the 16.5-mile (26.4 km) time trial in 35 minutes and two seconds. Baldwin was only 20 seconds slower, while his teammate, Ivan Stevic, finished sixth in a time of 36:00.

With only Sunday's Old Tower Criterium remaining, Baldwin has a chance to give Toyota-United its seventh podium finish of the young season.

Central Valley Classic, Stage 2 Belmont-Piedra Time Trial (26.4 km)
Saturday, March 10, 2007:
1. Ben Jacques-Maynes Priority Health, 35.02
2. Rory Sutherland Health Net pb Maxxis, 4 seconds behind.
3. Tom Zirbel Priority Health, at 8 secs.
4. Brian Buchholz BPG/Montano Velo, at 17 secs.
5. Chris Baldwin, Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team, at 20 secs.
6. Ivan Stevic, Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team, at 58 secs.
7. Jeff Louder, Health Net pb Maxxis, 1:02 behind.
8. Karl Bordine, 5 Star Fish b, same time.
9. Garett Peltonen, Priority Health, 1:05 behind.
10 Eric Wohlberg Symmetrics Cycling, 1:09 behind.

Labels: Baldwin, time trial

Sean Sullivan (left) and Ivan Dominguez signed autographs after the ride.
When Toyota-United's Sean Sullivan and Ivan Dominguez were in Solvang, Calif., last month for Stage 5 of the Amgen Tour of California they spent a combined 67 minutes racing their bicycles in the individual time trial.

But when the pair returned to the quaint Danish town Saturday, they spent much more time in the saddle and it was all for a good cause. They were two of the more than 5,000 cyclists who participated in the 25th annual Solvang Century.

The ride is a fundraiser for Specialized Coronary Outpatient Rehabilitation (SCOR), a recreational bike club that promotes cycling as a method of rehabilitative therapy for heart-related conditions. SCOR uses money raised from the ride to sponsor two summer camps for children with heart problems.

Sullivan and Dominguez completed their 100-mile ride in a little more than six hours, then signed autographs for fans.

“We had our boss (Sean Tucker) with us so we couldn't just race through,” Sullivan told a reporter for the Lompoc Record. “It's nice to ride something different because everyone's relaxed and having a good time.”

The century route took riders over 5,000 feet of elevation gain as they rode north through Santa Maria, and then back south through Lompoc.

This was the first of several charity events the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team will participate in this year.

In May, team members will ride in the Commerce Bank Five Boro Bike Tour in New York City.

Then in August, they will take part in the Hotter’N Hell Hundred, the largest sanctioned century ride in the U.S.

Chris Baldwin rode vigilently near the front
during Friday's 102-mile road race.
Fresno, Calif. - Toyota-United’s Chris Baldwin made the decisive break of the race to place sixth, 19 seconds behind winner Ben Jacques-Mayne (Priority Health) in Friday’s 102-mile (163 km) Raymond Granite Road Race.

Five other Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team riders (Ivan Stevic, 10th; Henk Vogels, 20th; Justin England, 41st; Jose Manuel “Chepe” Garcia 59th; Caleb Manion, 61st) finished in the main pack, which rolled in 58 seconds after the winner.

A five-mile climb on each of the three laps of a 34-mile circuit split the field on the opening lap, with three Toyota-United riders making the group. But on the windy, difficult course, the break was swallowed up 15 miles later.

Baldwin’s group made its escape the final time up the climb, starting as a group of a dozen riders, but eventually dropped to seven by the finish.

Saturday's Stage 2 is the Belmont-Piedra 16.5-mile individual time trial. Barberi will be Toyota-United's first rider off - at 10:16 a.m. Baldwin will be the team's last rider down the start ramp at 10:59 a.m.

Central Valley Classic, Stage 1 Raymond Granite Road Race
Raymond, Calif., Friday, March 9, 2007:
1. Ben Jacques-Maynes, Priority Health
2. Eric Wohlberg, Symmetrics Cycling, at :06.
3. Rory Sutherland, HealthNet presented by Maxxis, at :14.
4. David Vitoria, BMC Professional Cycling Team, at :19.
5. Dominique Rollin, Kodak Gallery presented by Sierra Nevada, s.t.
6. Chris Baldwin, Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team, s.t.
7. Cesar Grajales, Jittery Joe's, s.t.
8. Ricardo Escuela, Successful Living.com presented by Parkpre USA , s.t.
9. Russel Downing, HealthNet presented by Maxxis, s.t.
10. Ivan Stevic, Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team, s.t.

Labels: Baldwin, road race, Stevic

Two members of the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team will ride alongside thousands of recreational cyclists to benefit the SCOR Cardiac Cyclists Club, Camp Del Corazon, Camp Bon Coeur.

As part of the team’s commitment to promoting health and wellness, Toyota-United’s Ivan Dominguez and Sean Sullivan will join more than 5,000 recreational cyclists in the fight against heart disease at the annual Solvang Century Ride on Saturday, March 10th in Solvang, Calif.

The ride, now in its 25th year, is the hallmark event of the SCOR Cardiac Cycling Club, a non-profit bike club started in 1974 to encourage bicycling as rehabilitative therapy after heart surgery, angioplasty and other forms of heart disease. All proceeds will benefit SCOR and heart-related projects, Camp del Corazon and Camp Bon Coeur.

“Toyota-United is thrilled to be participating in one of Solvang’s richest cycling traditions and ride for such an important cause,” says Team Owner, Sean Tucker who will be joining Dominguez and Sullivan on the 100-mile charity ride. “Heart disease is the number one killer in this country and by supporting the efforts of SCOR, we hope to educate people on the long-term health benefits of cycling.”

Toyota-United will also have a presence at the event’s Cycling Expo with a fan interactive tent area. The tent features a look a the new Hybrid Synergy Drive-powered 2007 Toyota Prius Team Car, team video, a retail store including apparel and team merchandise, and membership kiosks allowing fans to become a part of the Toyota-United team

Throughout the 2007 cycling season, Toyota-United will be participating in a number of recreational rides across the country in support of a variety of wellness-related causes. Scheduled events include Bike New York in New York City on May 5th and Pan Mass Challenge in Boston on August 4th.

Labels: Dominguez, Sullivan

Henk Vogels (left) and Stefano Barberi round a corner.
Merced, Calif. – The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team put Ivan Dominguez back on the podium a day after he won the Downtown Grand Prix.

Dominguez finished third behind Karl Menzies and Russel Downing (both of HealthNet presented by Maxxis) in the 120-mile (193.1 km) Merco Credit Union Foothills Road Race.

“It got pretty wild in the sprint,” Toyota-United Team Director Kirk Willett said. “You had a lot of guys who had never touched the front all day, so they had fresh legs.”

With 60 kilometers to go, Toyota-United worked hard to bring back three riders who had gained a four-minute lead. Jose Manuel Garcia, Burke Swindlehurst and Stefano Barberi led the chase, which caught the trio less than three miles from the finish line.

From there, riders began attacking, forcing Toyota-United to chase again.

“It was going great until we reached a couple of 90 degree turns in the final kilometers,” Willett said. “Our guys kind of got swarmed and boxed in with about 500 meters to go. Dominguez went hard on his own from about 400 meters, but the two HealthNet riders had attacked up the other side of the road and gained quite a gap.”

14th Annual MERCO Cycling Classic Foothills Road Race
Merced, Calif. Saturday, March 4, 2007:
1. Karl Menzies, HealthHet presented by Maxxis
2. Russel Downing, HealthNet presented by Maxxis
3. Ivan Dominguez, Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
4. Ben Jacques-Maynes, Priority Health
5. Shawn Milne, HealthNet presented by Maxxis
6. Ivan Stevic, Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
7. Dominique Rollin, Kodak Gallery presented by Sierra Nevada
8. Dusan Ganic, Successful Living.com presented by Parkpre USA
9. Andy Jacques-Maynes, Priority Health
10. Luca Damiana, Colavita-Sutter Home

Labels: Ivan Dominguez, Kirk Willett, road race

Merced, Calif (March 3) – Ivan Dominguez scored the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team’s fourth victory of the young season Saturday by winning the 14th Annual MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classic Downtown Grand Prix, the opening event of the National Race Calendar series.

The Cuban native easily outsprinted Ricardo Escuela (Team Successful Living presented by Parkpre USA) and Dan Schmatz (BMC Racing) at the end of the 40-mile (65 km) criterium through the downtown streets of Merced, Calif.

Toyota-United Team Director Kirk Willett said the victory could not have been achieved without cohesive teamwork. Toyota-United kept a pair of breakaways in check to set up Henk Vogels’ lead out of Dominguez. Vogels held on to finish fifth, while teammate Sean Sullivan was 13th.

“This was a hard-fought one,” Toyota-United Team Director Kirk Willett said. “We were pushed to the limit.”

The win was Dominguez’s fourth of the year and his second in less than a week. On Feb. 25, the “Cuban Missile” won Stage 7 of the Amgen Tour of California in a sprint finish in Long Beach, Calif.

Toyota-United, Health Net presented by Maxxis, BMC Racing and Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifest were among a number of teams fielding full squads for the 50-lap race. Health Net was the early animator, determined not to let it finish in a bunch sprint, which would favor Dominguez.

One third of the way through the race, a 20-man group did get away, sparked by an attack by a pair of Health Net riders. Toyota-United covered the move by putting Ivan Stevic and Caleb Manion into the break while keeping the pace high of the peloton behind.

“That was a dangerous point because we had two guys up the road but we had to keep the gap close enough to motivate other teams to be able to jump across to it,” Willett said. “Guys like Chepe (Jose-Manuel Garcia), Burke (Swindlehurst) and Stefano (Barberi) were really riding well.”

After the peloton came back together, two riders jumped off the front and gained a maximum of 15 seconds’ lead. But just as the efforts of Toyota-United closed the gap to five seconds, a third rider - Health Net’s Kirk O’Bee - jumped across to the pair and boosted the margin back to 15 seconds with three laps to go.

But Toyota-United responded once more, with Sullivan, Manion and Stevic burying themselves on the front to get Vogels and Dominguez within striking distance. As the break was caught on the backside of the course on the final lap, Vogels charged into the lead with Dominguez right behind.

“Ivan hit the front with 250 meters to go with two guys on his wheel and they just couldn’t go around him,” Willett said. “Henk was going so fast he just rolled across the line and still finished fifth.”

14th Annual MERCO Cycling Classic Downtown Grand Prix
Merced, Calif. Saturday, March 3, 2007:
1. Ivan Dominguez, Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
2. Ricardo Escuela, Successful Living.com presented by Parkpre USA
3. Daniel Schmatz, BMC Professional Cycling Team
4. Dominique Rollin, Kodak Gallery presented by Sierra Nevada
5. Henk Vogels, Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
6. Ryan McKenzie, Volkswagen Trek
7. Shawn Milne, Health Net presented by Maxxis
8. Dusan Ganic, Successful Living.com presented by Parkpre USA
9. Jamiel Danesh, Kodak Gallery presented by Sierra Nevada
10. Karl Menzies, Health Net presented by Maxxis

Labels: Criterium, Dominguez, NRC, Vogels