Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 2007

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