Press Releases

Nature Valley Bicycle Festival Seeks Host Families for Pro Racers
Organizers of the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival are seeking host families who will share their homes with professional cyclists competing in the prestigious Nature Valley Grand Prix, which runs from June 12-16.

Nature Valley Bicycle Festival Features Top Pro Bike Race in 2013
Five Midwest Cities Host Nature Valley Grand Prix June 12-16

Zirbel Finds Redemption at Nature Valley as Helmig Wins Stillwater Criterium
No breakaway, time bonus or weather condition was going to get in the way of Tom Zirbel and the Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies Team on the way to their overall victory at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Guarnier Wins Stillwater Criterium, Small Takes Overall
While Megan Guarnier crossed the finish line at the top of strength-sapping Chilkoot Hill on Sunday, she desperately locked eyes with her Team TIBCO director, Angela van Smoorenburg, and asked the question that bothered her through the final torturous lap of the Stillwater Criterium.

Borrajo Wins Stage 5, Zirbel Regains Yellow At Nature Valley Grand Prix
On his third day chasing the top step of the podium, Alejandro Borrajo (Jamis Sutter Home) finally gets his stage win at the Menomonie Road Race, Stage 6 of the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Fahlin Wins Bunch Sprint at Stage 5 of Nature Valley Grand Prix
After winding more than seventy miles across hilly rural roads in Dunn County, Wis., past dairy farms and corn and soybean fields, the peloton entered downtown Menomonie as tight as could be.

Cliff-Ryan Sprints To Second Stage Win At Nature Valley Grand Prix
Minutes after winning her second stage in the Nature Valley Grand Prix, Theresa Cliff Ryan of Exergy TWENTY12 pulled a rumpled envelope out of the back of her bike shorts. Only then did Ryan give the contents the long, thoughtful look it deserved.

Huff Edges Barrajo For Stage 4 Win At Nature Valley Grand Prix
After a four-man break that threatened to take away the general classification lead of John Murphy (Kenda/5hr Energy p/b Geargrinder), Brad Huff (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda Cycling Team) won the chaotic field sprint at the Uptown Minneapolis Criterium.

Severe Weather Cancels Nature Valley Grand Prix Stage 3
For the second time in three years, poor weather conditions forced Nature Valley Grand Prix officials to cancel the Cannon Falls Road Race, the third stage of the six-stage event for men and women.

Rumble in the GC – Murphy takes over yellow jersey, while Alzate wins stage
What threatened to be a straightforward race ended with a shakeup in the GC as John Murphy (Kenda/5hr Energy p/b Geargrinder) won one intermediate sprint to take over the general classification lead from Tom Zirbel (Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) by just one second

Cliff-Ryan Takes Stage 2 Sprint Victory At Nature Valley Grand Prix
Riders from Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies did the hardest work in Wednesday night’s St. Paul Criterium, the second stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix. They chased down Loren Rowney of Specialized-lululemon on a late-race breakout and protected the overall yellow jersey for teammate Carmen Small, winner of Wednesday morning’s time trial.

Small Overcomes Theft For Nature Valley Grand Prix Time Trial Victory
For Carmen Small, winning the St. Paul Riverfront Time Trial on Wednesday morning – the first stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix -- almost made up for a particularly aggravating Tuesday afternoon.

Optum Takes Two Podium Spots at Nature Valley Grand Prix Time Trial
Tom Zirbel wins the St. Paul Time Trial with the only sub-16 minute time of the day at the opening stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Higgins, Marvulli Take Endurance Prizes at MN Fixed Gear Classic
Marvulli took his second consecutive Endurance Omnium win and Higgins earned her third in convincing fashion. Tela Crane (USA) and Jonathan Fraley (USA) took top honors in the Men’s and Women’s Sprint Omnium competitions.

Marvulli, Valente Set The Bar At MN Fixed Gear Classic
Defending champion, Franco Marvulli (SUI) and Jennifer Valente (USA) established their authority after the first night of track racing at the MN Fixed Gear Classic in Blaine, MN.

Nature Valley Grand Prix Set for June 13-17, 2012
Amber Neben and Jesse Anthony to Defend Champion Titles

Nature Valley Bicycle Festival Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic June 7-9
A FREE festival and fixed gear track race featuring the country’s top cyclists. Professional and elite amateur track cyclists will compete in a series of fast-paced sprint and brutal endurance events for men and women.

D.C. Area Amateur Cyclists Qualify for Nature Valley Pro Chase
Minneapolis-Saint Paul – Lindsay Bayer of Reston, VA and Pete Custer of Hampton, VA placed high at the Jefferson Cup Road Race at Charlottesville, VA in early April, each earning a spot in the Nature Valley Pro Chase Program and a chance to compete among top professionals at the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota and Wisconsin June 13-17, 2012.

Nature Valley Bicycle Festival Hosts Gran Fondo and Spectator Rides at Menomonie Stage
Spectators who come to watch the Nature Valley Grand Prix stage in Menomonie, Wisconsin on Saturday, June 16 can get a taste of the pro bike routes by participating in the festival’s Gran Fondo or Spectator Rides.

Nature Valley Bicycle Festival Seeks Host Families for Pro Racers
Organizers of the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival are seeking host families who will share their homes with professional cyclists competing in the prestigious Nature Valley Grand Prix, which runs from June 13-17.

Nature Valley Pro Chase Selects First Two Amateur Riders
Two southern California elite amateur bicycle racers have qualified for spots on the Nature Valley Cycling Team and earn the opportunity to compete against professionals at the Nature Valley Grand Prix June 13-17 in Minnesota.

Nature Valley Bicycle Festival Features Top Pro Bike Race in 2012
The 14th Annual Nature Valley Bicycle Festival will take place June 7-17, 2012. The festival will include the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic June 7-9 at the National Sports Center Velodrome in Blaine and the Nature Valley Grand Prix pro stage bike race June 13-17.

Nature Valley Bicycle Festival Names Children’s Lighthouse as New Beneficiary
Organizers of the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival, which includes the Nature Valley Grand Prix pro stage bike race, have named Children’s Lighthouse of Minnesota as the new beneficiary for 2012.

Nature Valley Grand Prix Reduces Men's Team Size
The Nature Valley Grand Prix will continue its tradition as a leader in bringing innovations to U.S. stage racing by limiting men's teams to six riders in 2012.

Colavita Forno D'Asolo Wins Women's Prestige Cycling Series Team Title
Colavita Forno D'Asolo presented by Cooking Light walked away with the team title in the final standings of the Women's Prestige Cycling Series followng the last Series race, the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic.

Opportunities Await At Final Event Of Women's Prestige Cycling Series
With HTC-Highroad committed to racing in Europe, the final race of the Women's Prestige Cycling Series offers opportunities to move up in the standings to several riders when the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic begins Tuesday.

HTC-Highroad Heads Up Women's Prestige Cycling Series
On the strength of a dominant performance at the Nature Valley Grand Prix, the HTC-Highroad women are atop the Women's Prestige Cycling Series standings in three of four categories.

Nature Valley Grand Prix On Versus Sunday
he daily excitement and thrilling conclusion to this year's Nature Valley Grand Prix will be chronicled on Sunday, July 3, at 2 p.m. EDT/11 a.m. PDT on Versus, immediately following the network's rebroadcast of Tour de France Stage 2.

Stillwater Criterium Brief Results
In the women's race, Giorgia Bronzini took her third stage win while Amber Neben held onto the yellow jersey for overall victory. In the men's race, defending champ Rory Sutherland had to settle for a stage win while Jesse Anthony won the overall for his Kelly Benefit Strategies/OptumHealth team

Menomonie Road Race Brief Results
The 101-mile men's course and 81-mile-long women's course broke the field apart as pro racers traversed some of Western Wisconsin's most difficult hill climbs and gave us two new race leaders - Amber NEben (HTC-High Road) & Jesse Anthony (Kely Benefits Strategies-Optum Health)

Minneapolis Uptown Criterium Brief Results
The women's race was neutralized by race officials following a crash on the final lap that affected several riders and in teh men's race Robert Forster (UHC) took another sprint victory to extend his lead to 18"

Cannon Falls Road Race Brief Results
Kristin Armstrong stays in yellow while world Champion Giorgia Bronzini wins again in the women's race. In the Men's race, Robert Forster take sthe win and the yellow jersey from teammate Rory Sutherland

St. Paul Downtown Criterium Brief Results
The women's race saw an all-star sprint won by world Champion Giorgie Bronzini while the men's race saw United Healthcare go 1-2-3 in a powerful display

St. Paul Time Trial Results
Defending champion Rory Sutherland and 4 time winner Kristin Armstrong top the podium after the St. Paul Time Trial

Marvulli Secures Final Endurance Omnium at Fixed Gear Classic Sunday
Four-time world champion Franco Marvulli (Assos-Skoda), secured the overall endurance victory in the 2011 MN Fixed Gear Classic on Sunday at the National Sports Center Velodrome, outpacing Dan Harm (Broadmark Capital) and defending champion Colton Barrett (Kelly Benefits Strategies-OptumHealth).

Nature Valley Grand Prix Starts Wednesday, June 15
The Nature Valley Grand Prix, the featured cycling event of the 13th annual Nature Valley Bicycle Festival, starts Wednesday morning, June 15.

New Velodrome Record Highlights Fixed Gear Classic Saturday
Kevin Mansker (Project London 2012) delivered a powerful message Saturday at the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic, bettering the Flying 200 record at the National Sports Center Velodrome in Blaine, Minn. The three days of competition on the track served as the opening event of the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival.

Nature Valley Grand Prix Preview
The Nature Valley Grand Prix is a unique stage race that was created specifically to appeal to an American audience. The result is unlike any other stage race: a mix of urban criteriums, road races with finishing circuits and a quirky time trial that draws the largest crowds on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar.

Nature Valley Pro Ride Team Announced
The rosters are set for the 13 elite amateur bicycle racers who won spots – "American Idol" style – on the Nature Valley Pro Ride teams, earning the opportunity to compete against professionals next week at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Kowalski's Markets Collegiate All-Star Team For Nature Valley Grand Prix Loaded With Talent
Six riders with a combined seven podium finishes at the recent USA Cycling Collegiate Road Nationals make up the Kowalski's Markets Collegiate All-Stars team for this month's Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Shelley Olds to Defend Her Title Against Three World Champions
Defending champion Shelley Olds takes on reigning Olympic champion and former world champion Kristin Armstrong; reigning world road race champion Giorgia Bronzini; and former world time trial champion and national road race champion Amber Neben.

Colavita Forno D'Asolo Dominating Women's Prestige Cycling Series
Midway through the Women's Prestige Cycling Series, Colavita Forno D'Asolo Pro Cycling Team holds the lead in three of the four categories.

Past World Champion Will Direct Nature Valley Pro Ride Men's Team
Multi-time world road and track champion Marion Clignet will coach the Nature Valley Pro Ride men's team at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Neben, HTC-Highroad Lead Women's Prestige Cycling Series
Amber Neben and her HTC-Highroad team sit atop the Women's Prestige Cycling Series standings after the first event, the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

Nature Valley Bicycle Festival Introduces Gran Fondo and Spectator Rides at Menomonie Stage on June 18
Spectators who come to watch the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Menomonie, Wis., on Saturday, June 18, can register to ride the same routes the pros ride, while supporting a great charitable cause. For the first time, the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival will host Gran Fondo and Spectator Rides presented by OptumHealth and UnitedHealthcare.

Women’s Prestige Cycling Series Begins at Redlands
New teams and new favorites make this year's Women's Prestige Cycling Series wide open when it begins Thursday in California with the Redlands Bicycle Classic

Nature Valley Bicycle Festival Seeks Host Families for Pro Racers
The Nature Valley Bicycle Festival organizers are looking for host families who will share their homes with professional cyclists competing in the prestigious Nature Valley Grand Prix from June 15-19.

Nature Valley Bicycle Festival Features Top Pro Bike Race in 2011
The Nature Valley Bicycle Festival will take place June 10-19, 2011. The 2011 Festival will include the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic June 10-12 at the National Sports Center Velodrome in Blaine and the Nature Valley Grand Prix pro stage bike race June 15-19 in Saint Paul, Cannon Falls, Minneapolis and Stillwater, Minn. and Menomonie, Wisc.

Tradition-Rich Women's Prestige Cycling Series Returns For Eighth Year
The Women's Prestige Cycling Series opens team registration for its eighth season as strong as ever, with all four stage races returning from 2010.

Nature Valley Pro Ride Is Amateur Cyclists’ Chance to Feel Like A Pro
Six new events are part of the 2011 Nature Valley Pro Ride, the qualifying races for amateur cyclists to earn a trip to compete against the country’s top men and women professional bicycle racers at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Nature Valley Bicycle Festival Announces Donation To Children's Hospitals And Clinics of Minnesota
Organizers of the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival have announced a record-setting donation of $38,000 to the Pediatric Hospice and Pain & Palliative Care Program at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.