Men's Teams to Watch
Team United Healthcare
If there’s one team who could be called the New York Yankees of American Cycling, it’s Team United Healthcare. Ever since the team’s inception, they’ve fielded one of the top teams at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.
2007 was a year of frustration at the Nature Valley Grand Prix for the country’s top ranked team, formerly known as HealthNet. Although they won five of the six stages, the yellow jersey eluded them. They came storming back in 2008, winning three of five stages and taking the top two podium spots overall. They were not as dominant last year when they were known as OUCH, claiming the yellow jersey by a mere 3 seconds, without winning a single stage. Aussie Rory Sutherland is our two-time defending champion and he’ll be supported by Tasmanian Karl “Ten” Menzies, our 2006 champion.
www.teamunitedhealthcare.com
Fly V Australia
Bicycle racing is enormously popular “Down Under,” where pro cyclists are treated with the same reverence that US fans reserve for the NFL and NBA. Fly V Australia is a pro team from that part of the world with an audacious goal: to be the first Australian team in the Tour de France.
Our summer is their winter, so they’re in the United States, honing their skills to the diamond edge that they’ll need as they pursue that goal. They’ve had great success so far, sitting atop the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar.
www.pegasusracing.com.au
JAMIS SUTTER HOME/COLAVITA
Jamis Sutter Home/Colavita is this year’s incarnation of Team Colavita, a team that nearly claimed the 2009 Nature Valley Grand Prix. When Teams OUCH (now United Healthcare) and Bissell were too busy watching each other, Team Colavita claimed successive stage victories in Saint Paul, Cannon Falls and Minneapolis, along with precious time bonuses. When the dust settled in Stillwater, their riders were third, fourth and fifth by only 21, 29 and 35 seconds. With such consistency, they also claimed our Top Team competition.
Two changes in 2010 may play to this team’s advantage: Time trial bikes won’t be allowed in the opening time trial and time bonuses will be offered for the Wheaties FUEL sprints in Minneapolis. Jamis is likely to be led by Cuban racer Luis Amaran, currently ranked #1 on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar.
www.jamissutterhome.com
BISSELL PRO CYCLING
For Team Bissell, the 2009 Nature Valley Grand Prix was a heart breaker. They held the yellow jersey from the opening time trial and successfully defended it through the five of the six stages, holding a slim 7-second lead going into Stillwater. The group was all together with a lap to go when Rory Sutherland (United Healthcare) attacked. The Bissell team couldn’t match Rory’s acceleration, and those 7 seconds evaporated. Bissell lost the yellow jersey by a mere 3 seconds.
Bissell will return to the Nature Valley Grand Prix in 2010 with a score to settle. Their likely leader is Ben Jacques-Maines, who won the 2004 Nature Valley Grand Prix. However, their ringer may be New Zealand National Criterium Champion Peter Latham, a rider whose specialty is well suited to the Nature Valley Grand Prix, the only stage race in the world with three criteriums.
www.bissellprocycling.com
JELLY BELLY
One of the most popular teams on the U.S. pro circuit, Jelly Belly is known for their aggressive riding and fan-friendly demeanor. Their easy-to-spot jelly bean jerseys and free sweets make them a fan favorite as well. Jelly Belly sees themselves as the upstart team, which can surprise the bigger teams with frequent attacks and bold sprints.
Jelly Belly targeted the Sports Beans King of the Hills competition, sponsored by the Jelly Belly Candy Company in 2007 and 2008. They claimed this jersey each of those years, most recently by Nick Reistad who, at 170 lbs, is an unlikely climber but is well suited to the short, steep power climbs that you’ll find in the Nature Valley Grand Prix. They haven’t revealed their plans for 2010, so stay tuned.
www.jellybellycycling.com
KELLY BENEFITS PRO CYCLING
The only Minneapolis-based pro team, Kelly Benefits Strategies is bringing the heat.
Their leader may well be Andrew “Baj” Bajadali, a rider best known for his tenacious performance at the 2006 US Pro Road Championships, where he was the only domestic rider to hang with Tour de France veterans George Hincapie (Discovery) and Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner). The fact that Hincapie and Leipheimer were on different teams should have given Baj a chance at the win, but Leipheimer had signed with Discovery for 2007 and the two future teammates ganged up on Baj, who ended up finishing 6th.
www.kbsprocycling.com
TREK-LIVESTRONG
Closely associated with the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Trek-Livestrong is a relatively new pro team in the United States. The mission of Trek-Livestrong is development, nurturing young riders who may some day race for Radio Shack, Armstrong’s team. Local boy Bjorne Selander from Hudson, WI, has taken this path, riding for Trek-Livestrong in 2009 and for Radio Shack today.
By its very nature, Trek-Livestrong is a team to watch for the Fruit by the Foot Best Young Rider jersey. In the men’s race, this jersey is awarded to the best placed rider under age 23, and that’s a requirement for being on this team. Their entire roster is made up of promising young riders who are eligible for this classification jersey.
www.treklivestrongu23.com
TEAM TYPE 1
This team is on a mission: founded by Joe Eldridge, a bike racer with Type 1 diabetes, Team Type 1 has four type 1 diabetics on their team roster. While many people talk about how diabetics can overcome their condition to live normal lifestyles, Team Type 1 lets their wheels do the talking.
Team Type 1 isn’t just a story of overcoming adversity, but of achieving athletic excellence in the process. Team Type 1 was ranked 4th in the country at the end of the 2009 season. Their accomplishments thus far in 2010 include winning the coveted King of the Mountains classification at the Tour of California, which attracted professional cyclists from across the globe.
www.teamtype1.org
KENDA PRO CYCLING P/B SPINERGY
Kenda Pro Cycling is entering their second season as a pro team, but they’re the pro incarnation of the Inferno Racing amateur team. As an amateur team, their highlights included winning the prestigious Athens Twilight criterium in 2007, beating many pro teams. The smart money has it that this “new” pro team will continue its winning ways.
www.kendaprocycling.com
NATURE VALLEY CYCLING TEAM
Nature Valley is offering amateur racers the chance at the full pro experience. Six regional races across the country selected top amateur racers to live out their dreams of racing in the big leagues at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.
These riders face the challenges of one of the hardest stage races in the country, but are also challenged by never having met their teammates and coaches. They’ll be watched to by the pro team managers and, if they race well, could achieve their lifetime goals of getting a pro team contracts. You can follow their exploits on the Nature Valley Pro Ride web site.
www.NatureValleyProRide.com