February 14, 2004 – The 2004 edition of the Giro della Liguria was scheduled to be a three-day event in the northern Italian region of Liguria, but last-minute organizational issues caused a cancellation of stage one and a major change to stage two. What was supposed to be three hard road stages has now become a 100km Criterium and a Road Race. The start of yesterday's stage one road race was delayed by over 75-minutes before organizers pulled the plug, turning the event into several large training rides as the 18 teams scattered after the announcement. Although this region of Italy has fantastic roads and is “molto bella”, a bicycle race would have been much better.

As for stage-2, a 100Km Criterium in Andorra was substituted for the scheduled Road Race. Under cool and windy conditions, the large field of riders began racing at 1:00 PM for 40-laps of a 2.5Km, 4-corner circuit. The racing was fast for the first 20-laps, then the pace turned up a notch for the start of the second half of the race. Within two laps, a group of nine had separated themselves from the rest of the field, and never looked back. Representing the Navigators Insurance team was Kirk O'Bee, former World Champion Yaroslav Popovich for (Landbokredit – Colnago, Bo Hamburger (Acqua & Sapone), Perez-Rodriguez (Cofidis), Forster (Gerolsteiner), Mazzoleno (L.P.R.), Boggia (I.C.E.T.), Merten (Vlaanderen T-Interim), and Piccoli (Lampre).

The nine escapees gained up to 30-seconds over the next eight laps as several dis-organized chase attempts were made. It wasn't until 10 laps to go that the teams of Lotto-Domo, Alessio and Tenax went to the front of the bunch and took control of the situation. The gap to the leaders quickly dropped to about 16-22 seconds, where it hovered for most of the remaining distance. With just 2 laps left to go, the chase seemed to stall again and it appeared that the leaders were going to fight for the win between them. Coming out of the final turn at 250-meters was a lone rider; Hamburger, with a lead of 5-bike lengths. He fought the strong head wind all the way to the line with Kirk O'Bee coming out of the group to take the 2nd step of the podium. Mazzoleno held on for 3rd as the main field came in just behind. O'Bee now has the distinction of scoring the first podium for the Navigators Insurance squad for the 2004 season, on European soil.

Results (Unofficial): 1. Bo Hamburger (Acqua & Sapone) 2. Kirk O'Bee (Navigators Insurance) 3. Mazzoleno (L.P.R.)