Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 2007

Hood River, Ore. – Chris Baldwin of the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team finished fourth in the Panorama Point Prologue time trial Tuesday night at the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic.

Baldwin was 23 seconds behind the winning time of Devon Vigus (California Giant/Specialized), who clocked a time of five minutes and 50 seconds over the 3.0-mile (4.8 km) course. The race’s defending champion, Nathan O’Neill (Health Net presented by Maxxis), was second (12 seconds behind), while current National Race Calendar standings leader Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health Cycling Team presented by Bissell) was third at 20 seconds.

All six Toyota-United riders placed in the top 35 of the 146 starters on the opening day of the six-stage, six-day National Race Calendar event: Justin England (pictured at left) was 15th (37 seconds behind), Heath Blackgrove was 20th (39 seconds behind), Stefano Barberi was 25th (40 seconds behind), Bobby Lea was 30th and Burke Swindlehurst was 32nd (both 45 seconds behind).

Toyota-United lies fifth in the team standings, 14 seconds behind Health Net, after the opening day. California Giant/Specialized is second, Navigators Insurance Cycling Team is third and Priority Health is fourth.

Toyota-United Team Director Kirk Willett said the quality of the field makes Wednesday’s 112-mile (180.2 km) Columbia Hills Road Race an interesting one, particularly with the race leader hailing from an amateur team.

“There are four teams here with solid leaders – us, Health Net, Priority Health and Navigators,” Willett said. “Navigators have seven guys, we have six, Health Net has six and Priority Health has five. So the race is definitely on a different level than it was last year.”

Labels: Bobby Lea, Burke Swindlehurst, Chris Baldwin, Justin England, Stefano Barberi