June 18, 2011 (Minneapolis, MN) – Defending champion Shelley Olds (Diadora-Pasta Zara-Manhattan) was knocked out of the Nature Valley Grand Prix Friday night when a huge crash on the penultimate lap forced race officials to stop the Uptown Minneapolis Criterium and eventually nullify the stage.

Race leader Kristin Armstrong (Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12) was among the 39 riders who went down in the crash on the finishing straight. Four of them had injuries serious enough to require transport to a local hospital: Olds (rib injuries), Laura Ralston (facial lacerations, possible broken collarbone), Robin Bauer (separated shoulder) and Hillary Billington (extent of injuries unknown). None will start Stage 5.

Teammates gathered around Armstrong after she was helped to the side of the road by a race medic. The yellow jersey wearer cut her elbow and suffered a bruise on her back.

“Kristin’s pretty banged up,” Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12 Director Nicola Cranmer said. “She was at the bottom of the pile, so she had a lot of riders on top of her. Her spirits are good, but it was a shock to her system. It’s obvious she’s uncomfortable.”

After the crash, officials and medical personnel tried to clear the road in hopes of allowing for a final sprint. But as the lead motorcycle rounded the final corner, fallen riders were still being attended to and the race was stopped.

“Our initial thought was to restart the race with five to go and try to get the it back up to speed,“ Chief Judge Dot Abbott said. “But with the injuries we had, it was pretty upsetting for everybody so we decided to cancel the stage and nullify all of the points and the time bonuses, as though today’s race didn’t happen.”

Until the crash, Olds had animated the race, being part of a five-rider break, along with Lauren Tamayo (Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12), Leah Kirchmann (Colavita Forno D’Asolo presented by Cooking Light), Amanda Miller (HTC-Highroad), and Joelle Numainville (Team TIBCO/To The Top). Wearing the Freewheel Bikes Most Aggressive jersey, Olds captured six sprint points and three seconds in time bonuses.

Cranmer said despite her injuries, Armstrong and her team are up to the challenge of defending the race lead for two more days. First up, a hilly, 81-mile road race that begins and ends in Menomonie.

“I think the team has rallied around her,” Cranmer said. “They’re pretty fired up about protecting the jersey. Obviously it will be a challenge.”

Canada’s Joelle Numainville (Team TIBCO/To The Top) suffered injuries including stitches but is reported to be ok. Her teammate Erinne Willock was not involved in the crash and we believe Leah Kirchmann (Colavita Forno D’Asolo presented by Cooking Light) is also ok – read Amy Smolens report and interviews on Stage 4 coming soon.

Men’s Uptown Minneapolis Criterium



In front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Uptown Minneapolis Criterium, the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team delivered a second straight stage win for Robert Förster, as well as the team’s fourth victory at the Nature Valley Grand Prix and its second win in two years at the Uptown Minneapolis Criterium.

UnitedHealthcare took over the front of the field with two laps to go and capably delivered Förster to the line to increase his overall lead to 18 seconds on his teammate and defending champion Rory Sutherland. The podium result was identical to that of Stage 3: UnitedHealthcare’s Jake Keough was second and Ken Hanson (Jelly Belly presented by Kenda) was third.

Förster said despite his team’s string of success to this point, the race is far from decided.

“Today is today and tomorrow is tomorrow,” he said. “We have a hard 160 kilometers ahead of us. The key is this is a team and the one thing we will continue to do here is work hard for one another. Tonight, the guys worked hard and we just do what we need to do to help each other.”

Last year, it was Hilton Clarke who scored the win for UnitedHealthcare in the streets of Uptown. But a separated shoulder suffered in a crash on Stage 3 Thursday knocked him out of the race and reduced UnitedHealthcare to seven riders. It didn’t seem to make a difference.

When five riders jumped off the front early in the 40-lap race around a flat, six-corner course, it was the yellow jersey wearer himself who bridged across.

“We wanted to control the race from the beginning.” Förster explained. “For me, it’s easier to jump to the group and stay there so the boys in the back have it a bit easier first 10 laps.”

The first five to make the escape – Nick Frey (Jamis/Sutter Home), Andy Jacques-Maynes (BISSELL Pro Cycling), Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly), Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth) and Matt Cooke (Team Exergy) – were joined by Förster, who had Carlos Alzate (Team Exergy) tagging along.

Frey said he knew UnitedHealthcare would give an early break some room.

“The problem was that Förster went with us,” he said. “We could have tried counter-attacking him, but he’s got such a fast jump, he can just jump right on anything.”

With more riders trying to bridge up, cooperation in the break ceased and the field was back together a few laps later. But not for long. Four different riders (Kyle Wamsley of BISSELL Pro Cycling, Eric Schlidge of Jamis/Sutter Home, Andy Bajadali of Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth and Andres Diaz of Team Exergy) managed to escape the UnitedHealthcare juggernaut. They worked well together, rotating through to try and stay away.

“We were rolling pretty good I think,” Sports Beans King Hills jersey wearer Wamsley said. “Bajadali and Diaz were going for the time bonuses. I was saving it for tomorrow, trying to seal up the mountain’s jersey because it’s good for BISSELL and it’s important to the team.”

Behind them, the blue train controlled the front of the field, working to keep the gap below 23 seconds. The situation remained the same until UnitedHealthcare upped the already fast pace in the closing laps. Luis Amaran (Jamis/Sutter Home) launched a counter-attack when the four were reeled in at 10 laps to go, but the strung-out field was back together two laps later.

Jelly Belly then took over the front with three laps to go. But a lap later, it was all blue at the head of the field again as UnitedHealthcare set up its 16th win of the season.

“Jelly Belly tried it again with two laps to go, but we have strong riders and the boys know exactly what to do. They are not nervous.” Förster said.

With his back-to-back stage victories, Förster takes over the Wheaties FUEL Sprint Competition. Chad Haga (Team Rio Grande) keeps his green jersey as the Nature Valley Top Amateur and Joey Rosskopf (Team Type 1-Development) remains the TRIA Orthopaedic Center Best Young Rider.

Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptuHhealth) was awarded the red Freewheel Bike Most Aggressive Rider jersey for taking a solo flyer with five laps to go. Benjamin Chaddock (Team Exergy) was the top Canadian in 20th.

Results

1. Robert Förster (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team) 1:11:08
2. Jake Keough (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team)
3. Kenneth Hanson (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
4. Carlos Alzate Escobar (Team Exergy)
5. Alexander Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
6. K Frank Pipp (Bissell Pro Cycling)
7. Ben Kersten (V Australia)
8. Karl Menzies (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team)
9. Charles Huff (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
10. Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
11. Sergio Hernandez (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
12. Freddie Rodriguez (Team Exergy)
13. Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team)
14. Luis Romero Amaran (Jamis-Sutter Home)
15. Michael Creed (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
16. Tyler Wren (Jamis-Sutter Home)
17. Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling)
18. Nicolas Frey (Jamis-Sutter Home)
19. Andres Diaz Corrales (Team Exergy)
20. Benjamin Chaddock (Team Exergy)
21. Joey Rosskopf (Team Type 1-Development)
22. Timothy Rugg (NVGP Pro Ride)
23. Alejandro Borrajo (Jamis-Sutter Home)
24. Tom Zirbel (Jamis-Sutter Home)
25. Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
26. Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
27. Jeremy Vennell (Bissell Pro Cycling)
28. Marsh Cooper (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
29. Daniel Holt (Team Type 1-Development)
30. Fernando Antogna (Jamis-Sutter Home)
31. Chad Haga (Team Rio Grande)
32. Joseph Schmalz (Elbowz Racing) 0:00:11
33. Adrian Hegyvary (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team)
34. Thomas Brown (Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop) 0:00:12
35. Jason Donald (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
36. Adam Koble (GrandStay Hotels)
37. Brandon Feehery (NVGP Pro Ride)
38. Adam Carr (Penn Cycle)
39. Erik Slack (Team Exergy)
40. Ryan Aitcheson (Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist) 0:00:16
41. Michael Woell (GrandStay Hotels)
42. Boy Van Poppel (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team)
43. Mat Stephens (Elbowz Racing)
44. Shadd Smith (Mercy Elite Cycling Team)
45. Colton Jarisch (Mercy Elite Cycling Team)
46. Adam Myerson (Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop)
47. Ryan Knapp (Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist)
48. Jonathan Toftoy (GrandStay Hotels) 0:00:19
49. Eric Young (Bissell Pro Cycling)
50. Daniel Bowman (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
51. Eric Schildge (Jamis-Sutter Home)
52. Ty Magner (Team Type 1-Development)
53. Jamey Driscoll (Jamis-Sutter Home)
54. Zachary Davies (V Australia)
55. Heath Blackgrove (Elbowz Racing)
56. Logan Hutchings (Elbowz Racing)
57. Chris Winn (V Australia)
58. Travis Livermon (Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop)
59. Scott Gray (NVGP Pro Ride)
60. Brad Cole (Mercy Elite Cycling Team)
61. Matthew Cooke (Team Exergy)
62. Andrew Dahlheim (Bissell Pro Cycling)
63. Emerson Oronte (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
64. Tanner Putt (Team Type 1-Development)
65. Zack Allsion (Mercy Elite Cycling Team)
66. Drew Christopher (Team Rio Grande)
67. Ian Holt (Team Rio Grande)
68. Erik Hamilton (Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist)
69. Quinn Keogh (Team Exergy) 0:00:32
70. Jens Brabbit (GrandStay Hotels) 0:00:41
71. Trevor Connor (Team Rio Grande) 0:00:45
72. Stefan Rothe (NVGP Pro Ride)
73. Joshua Roeser (Penn Cycle)
74. Jay Thomson (Bissell Pro Cycling)
75. Andrew Gonzales (Elbowz Racing)
76. Will Dickeson (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda)
77. Tucker Olander (Penn Cycle)
78. Alec Donahue (NVGP Pro Ride)
79. Kyle Wamsley (Bissell Pro Cycling)
80. Kai Applequist (Team Exergy)
81. Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) 0:00:57
82. Scott Tietzel (Team Rio Grande) 0:01:34
83. John Phillips (Team Rio Grande)
84. Adam Mills (Mercy Elite Cycling Team) 0:01:40
85. Jerome Townsend (Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop) 0:01:46
86. Benjamin Zawacki (Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop)
87. Jonathan Clarke (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team) 0:01:55
88. Nicholas Coil (Mercy Elite Cycling Team)
89. Stephen Mull (NVGP Pro Ride)
90. Andrew Bajadali (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
91. Chris Baldwin (Bissell Pro Cycling)
92. Ben Anderson (GrandStay Hotels) 0:03:45
93. Micah Moran (GrandStay Hotels) 0:03:50
94. Mac Brennan (Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist) 0:05:01
95. Austin Stewart (Elbowz Racing)
96. Brandon Krawczyk (GrandStay Hotels)
97. Tyler Jewell (Elbowz Racing) 0:05:22
98. Michael Dalterio (Team Type 1-Development) 0:15:51
99. Dan Ajer (Penn Cycle) 0:25:47

GC after Stage 4
1. Robert Förster (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team) 4:56:31
2. Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team) 0:00:18
3. Tom Zirbel (Jamis-Sutter Home) 0:00:27
4. Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth) 0:00:33
5. Jake Keough (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team)
6. K Frank Pipp (Bissell Pro Cycling) 0:00:34
7. Fernando Antogna (Jamis-Sutter Home) 0:00:35
8. Adrian Hegyvary (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team) 0:00:38
9. Andres Diaz Corrales (Team Exergy) 0:00:40
10. Jeremy Vennell (Bissell Pro Cycling) 0:00:42
11. Chris Baldwin (Bissell Pro Cycling) 0:00:48
12. Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) 0:00:51
13. Joey Rosskopf (Team Type 1-Development) 0:00:52
14. Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
15. Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling) 0:00:57
16. Michael Creed (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
17. Andrew Bajadali (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth)
18. Marsh Cooper (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth) 0:00:58
19. Alejandro Borrajo (Jamis-Sutter Home) 0:01:02
20. Luis Romero Amaran (Jamis-Sutter Home) 0:01:03
21. Chad Haga (Team Rio Grande) 0:01:04
22. Tyler Wren (Jamis-Sutter Home) 0:01:05
23. Carlos Alzate Escobar (Team Exergy) 0:01:06
24. Kenneth Hanson (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) 0:01:08
25. Nicolas Frey (Jamis-Sutter Home) 0:01:09
26. Benjamin Chaddock (Team Exergy)
27. Alexander Candelario (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth) 0:01:12
28. Karl Menzies (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team) 0:01:17
29. Eric Young (Bissell Pro Cycling) 0:01:23
30. Joseph Schmalz (Elbowz Racing) 0:01:24
31. Sergio Hernandez (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) 0:01:28
32. Matthew Cooke (Team Exergy) 0:01:30
33. Emerson Oronte (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) 0:01:31
34. Ben Kersten (V Australia) 0:01:36
35. Timothy Rugg (NVGP Pro Ride) 0:01:39
36. Freddie Rodriguez (Team Exergy) 0:01:41
37. Heath Blackgrove (Elbowz Racing) 0:01:42
38. Jamey Driscoll (Jamis-Sutter Home) 0:01:43
39. Drew Christopher (Team Rio Grande) 0:01:45
40. Eric Schildge (Jamis-Sutter Home) 0:01:50
41. Erik Hamilton (Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist)
42. Zachary Davies (V Australia) 0:01:53
43. Chris Winn (V Australia) 0:01:55
44. Daniel Holt (Team Type 1-Development) 0:02:00
45. Andrew Dahlheim (Bissell Pro Cycling) 0:02:10
46. Ty Magner (Team Type 1-Development)
47. Jonathan Toftoy (GrandStay Hotels) 0:02:18
48. Ryan Knapp (Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist) 0:02:21
49. Charles Huff (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) 0:02:22
50. Brad Cole (Mercy Elite Cycling Team) 0:02:39
51. Alec Donahue (NVGP Pro Ride) 0:02:55
52. Boy Van Poppel (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team) 0:03:04
53. Adam Koble (GrandStay Hotels) 0:05:00
54. Jonathan Clarke (UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team) 0:05:14
55. Travis Livermon (Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop) 0:05:41
56. Shadd Smith (Mercy Elite Cycling Team) 0:05:46
57. Zack Allsion (Mercy Elite Cycling Team) 0:06:01
58. Jay Thomson (Bissell Pro Cycling) 0:06:16
59. Daniel Bowman (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth) 0:06:20
60. Quinn Keogh (Team Exergy) 0:06:23
61. Adam Carr (Penn Cycle) 0:06:29
62. Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) 0:06:37
63. Stefan Rothe (NVGP Pro Ride) 0:06:44
64. Ryan Aitcheson (Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist) 0:06:56
65. Kyle Wamsley (Bissell Pro Cycling) 0:07:09
66. Adam Myerson (Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop) 0:07:11
67. Mat Stephens (Elbowz Racing) 0:07:14
68. Colton Jarisch (Mercy Elite Cycling Team) 0:08:01
69. Jerome Townsend (Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop) 0:08:59
70. Will Dickeson (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) 0:09:52
71. Benjamin Zawacki (Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop) 0:11:29
72. Brandon Feehery (NVGP Pro Ride) 0:12:03
73. Mac Brennan (Panther p/b Competitive Cyclist) 0:13:04
74. Thomas Brown (Team Mountain Khakis presented by SmartStop) 0:13:29
75. Ben Anderson (GrandStay Hotels) 0:14:09
76. Trevor Connor (Team Rio Grande) 0:14:42
77. Austin Stewart (Elbowz Racing) 0:17:25
78. Michael Woell (GrandStay Hotels) 0:20:53
79. Jason Donald (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth) 0:21:36
80. Joshua Roeser (Penn Cycle) 0:24:45
81. Tucker Olander (Penn Cycle) 0:25:59
82. Stephen Mull (NVGP Pro Ride) 0:26:05
83. Tanner Putt (Team Type 1-Development) 0:26:11
84. Logan Hutchings (Elbowz Racing) 0:26:18
85. Ian Holt (Team Rio Grande) 0:26:33
86. Erik Slack (Team Exergy) 0:26:46
87. Jens Brabbit (GrandStay Hotels) 0:27:53
88. Scott Tietzel (Team Rio Grande) 0:29:34
89. Andrew Gonzales (Elbowz Racing) 0:30:36
90. John Phillips (Team Rio Grande) 0:32:58
91. Adam Mills (Mercy Elite Cycling Team) 0:33:25
92. Kai Applequist (Team Exergy) 0:34:09
93. Scott Gray (NVGP Pro Ride) 0:34:20
94. Nicholas Coil (Mercy Elite Cycling Team) 0:34:40
95. Brandon Krawczyk (GrandStay Hotels) 0:36:19
96. Tyler Jewell (Elbowz Racing) 0:38:46
97. Micah Moran (GrandStay Hotels) 0:43:44
98. Michael Dalterio (Team Type 1-Development) 0:47:10
99. Dan Ajer (Penn Cycle) 0:53:03