June 10, 2008 (Minneapolis, MN) – The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series continues on Wednesday with the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota. Missing from the start will be Alex Wrubleski (Webcor Builders) , who dominated the Series opener at the Redlands Bicycle Classic, claiming all three Series jerseys: Individual, Sprinter and Best Young Rider. Wrubleski developed a knee injury at the Montreal Women’s Road World Cup on May 31 that has her missing the Liberty Classic as well as the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

With Wrubleski out of the picture, the Series is wide open. Katharine Carroll (Aarons) and Cheerwine team mates Leigh Hobson and Anne Samplonius are the likely contenders for the Individual classification. A slim margin of 11 points separate Carroll and Hobson, so these two are likely to duel it out at Nature Valley.

Carroll, Hobson and Samplonius will also be duking it out for the Series sprinters’ jersey, where they sit second through fourth behind the absent Wrubleski. However, top sprinters Tina Pic (Colavita), Brooke Miller (TIBCO) and Shelly Olds (Proman), all of whom were absent from Redlands, may be making bids for the coveted Wheaties Sprint jersey at the Nature Valley Grand Prix, forcing Carroll, Hobson and Samplonius to choose between pursuing the Series Individual and Sprint classifications.

With injuries and other roster changes, the Series Best Young Rider jersey is almost a do-over. The top placed riders in this competition who are attending the Nature Valley Grand Prix are Julie Beveridge (Aarons) and Webcor Builders team mates Rebecca Much and Amy Dombroski, currently in fourth, sixth and eighth. Every one of these riders is vulnerable in this classification and it’s anybody’s guess who’ll be wearing the Series Best Young Rider jersey by the end of the week.

Webcor Builders is likely to retain its strangle hold on the team competition. 2008 Geelong World Cup winner Katherine Curi Mattis will be back from the collarbone break that saw her miss much of the season while Much and Dombroski are likely to score team bonus points which are awarded to young riders who do well.

The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series began at the Redlands Bicycle Classic. Following the Nature Valley Grand Prix (June 11 — 15), it will conclude at the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational on August 2.

About the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series
The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series began in 2004 with the goal of highlighting women’s racing by giving them a spotlight that they don’t have to share with the men. The Series grew out of meetings that began in Minnesota in 2003 at the first Women’s Cycling Summit Conference hosted at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. The Summit, now sponsored by Rasmussen College, takes place at the Nature Valley Grand Prix every June.

Visit www.WomenCyclists.com for more information.