March 4, 2006 РThe Symmetrics Pro Cycling Team has begun its season en espa̱ol, racing the Vuelta Sonora-Arizona (2.2) this week. After four stages of racing, the S-Team is poised well for an overall victory, with Eric Wohlberg sitting in third overall, just 16 seconds behind. Wohlberg won the third and most difficult stage, which put him in striking distance of the overall.

Last night was an 80km circuit race, where the team had two riders – Andrew Pinfold and Christian Meier – in a large breakaway. With 18km to go on the 2km circuit, Pinfold attacked to splinter the break. Meier and Target Training’s Wes Hartman bridged up to the smaller break and at the line, Pinfold was just nipped by a tire for the win. However, both Symmetrics riders finished on the podium – Pinfold second, Meier third. Meier’s result was even more impressive given the fact that he was involved in a minor incident on course – a car hit him! But he’s fine.

Marsh Cooper is also leading the U23 competition. Yesterday he flatted with 8 laps to go and since there was no free lap, he had to chase back to catch on to preserve the jersey. Luckily, Andrew Randell and Brad Farrell dropped back and helped him get back on – the pace was quite high but he made it. Symmetrics took top team after stage 4 and currently sits second in the teams classification.

With two stages to go the boys from BC hope they can take both the overall GC – both team and individual – keep the U23 and maybe take another stage. Stay tuned…

Stage 1:

1 Hugo Rangel (Mex) Tecos de la UAG 52:10
2 David Salomon (Mex) Mixed Team
3 Anthony Colby (USA) Targetraining all s.t.
4 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team at 0:01
5 Nathan Miller (USA) Team Monex
6 Gregorio Ladino (Col) Tecos de la UAG
7 Marco Antonio Rios (Mex) Kahala La Grange
8 Misael G. Ramirez (Mex) Speed Bikes
9 Manuel Serrano (Mex) Speed Bikes
10 Rodolfo Fernandez (Mex) Tecos de la UAG all s.t.
—-
11 Dustin Macburnie (Can) Targetraining 0:06
24 Marsh Cooper (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 0:13
28 Christian Meier (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 0:18
34 Bradley Fairall (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team s.t.
41 Bruno Langlois (Can) AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network 0:30
65 Jeff Sherstobitoff (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 0:43
108 Kevin Miller (Can) Eclipse Racing Team 1:18
129 Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 1:52
131 Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team
133 Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team both s.t.

Stage 2

1 Arquimides Lam (Mex) Mixed Team 3:16:53
2 Rodolfo Fernandez (Mex) Tecos de la UAG at 0:01
3 David Salomon (Mex) Mixed Team
4 Matt Cooke (USA) Speed Bikes
5 Gregorio Ladino (Col) Tecos de la UAG all s.t.
6 Fausto Esparza (Mex) Tecos de la UAG 0:35
7 Joshua Horowitz (USA) Kahala La Grange
8 Scott Blanchard (USA) Eclipse Racing Team
9 Hugh Moran (USA) AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network
10 Jonathan R. Garcia (USA) Eclipse Racing Team
—-
11 Marsh Cooper (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team all s.t.
20 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 0:48
27 Jeff Sherstobitoff (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 3:35
31 Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team s.t.
34 Christian Meier (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 5:13
35 Kevin Miller (Can) Eclipse Racing Team s.t.
40 Bruno Langlois (Can) AEG-Toshiba-Jet Network 6:15
44 Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 6:37
54 Bradley Fairall (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 6:44
76 Andrew Pinfold (Can) Symmetrics Cycling Team 16:04
DSQ Dustin Macburnie (Can) Targetraining

Stage 3

1 Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics Cycling Team) 3:29:08
2 Fredy Parra (Tecos VH Trek)
3 Hugo Rangel (Tecos VH Trek) both s.t.
4 Bernardo Colex (Chivas Cycling Team) at 0:03
5 Gregorio Ladino (Tecos VH Trek) 0:08
6 Juan De La Rosa (Chivas Cycling Team) 1:00
7 Daniel Vinson (Kahala La Grange)
8 Hugh Moran (AEG – Toshiba- Jetnetwork) both s.t.
9 Marco A. Ortega (Chivas Cycling Team) 1:04
10 Jonathan R. Garcia (Eclipse Racing Team) 1:09

19 Bruno Langlois (AEG – Toshiba- Jetnetwork) 1:21
23 Andrew Randell (Symmetrics Cycling Team)
26 Bradley Fairall (Symmetrics Cycling Team)
29 Andrew Pinfold (Symmetrics Cycling Team)
31 Jeff Sherstobitoff (Symmetrics Cycling Team)
43 Christian Meier (Symmetrics Cycling Team)
44 Marsh Cooper (Symmetrics Cycling Team)
51 Kevin Miller (Eclipse Racing Team)
73 Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Cycling Team)

Stage 4

1 Wesley Hartman (TargeTraining) 1:46:08
2 Andrew Pinfold (Symmetrics Cycling Team) s.t.
3 Christian Meier (Symmetrics Cycling Team) at 0:02
4 Frank Pip (TargeTraining) 0:33
5 Fausto Esparza (Tecos VH Trek)
6 Domingo Gonzalez (Tecos VH Trek)
7 Miguel Meza (Tecos VH Trek)
8 Luis Macias (Chivas Cycling Team)
9 David Salomon (Equipo Mixto)
10 Rodolfo Fernandez (Tecos VH Trek)
—-
88 Bruno Langlois (AEG – Toshiba- Jetnetwork)
95 Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics Cycling Team)
103 Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Cycling Team) all s.t.
122 Andrew Randell (Symmetrics Cycling Team) 1:43
123 Bradley Fairall (Symmetrics Cycling Team)
124 Marsh Cooper (Symmetrics Cycling Team)
125 Kevin Miller (Eclipse Racing Team) all s.t.
DNF Jeff Sherstobitoff (Symmetrics Cycling Team)

GC

1 Gregorio Ladino (Tecos VH Trek) 9:25:02
2 Hugo Rangel (Tecos VH Trek) at 0:11
3 Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics Cycling Team) 0:16
4 Fredy Parra (Tecos VH Trek) 0:25
5 Bernardo Colex (Chivas Cycling Team) 0:34
6 David Salomon (Equipo Mixto) 1:02
7 Rodolfo Fernandez (Tecos VH Trek) 1:05
8 Arquimides Lam (Equipo Mixto) 1:07
9 Matt Cooke (Speed Bikes) 1:25
10 Hugh Moran (AEG – Toshiba- Jetnetwork) 1:38
—–
19 Marsh Cooper (Symmetrics Cycling Team) 3:09
29 Christian Meier (Symmetrics Cycling Team) 6:07
33 Andrew Randell (Symmetrics Cycling Team) 7:48
34 Bruno Langlois (AEG – Toshiba- Jetnetwork) 7:56
47 Kevin Miller (Eclipse Racing Team) 8:52
48 Bradley Fairall (Symmetrics Cycling Team) 9:23
49 Svein Tuft (Symmetrics Cycling Team) 9:40
68 Andrew Pinfold (Symmetrics Cycling Team) 18:28