Nature Valley Pro Ride Blog

Follow the Nature Valley Cycling Team as They Prepare for the Nature Valley Grand Prix

ChrisH — Thu, 24 May 2012 01:19:34 +0000

Make sure to follow all the action as the Nature Valley Pro Chase qualifiers prepare to compete at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

And to make it even easier we’ve compiled a list of the various different places you can find them.

Trina Jacobson

Connor McCutcheon

Lindsay Bayer

Pete Custer

Welcome to the Nature Valley Pro Chase

ChrisH — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:05:02 +0000

We’ve all daydreamed about it.

Whether its bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, the last second jump shot as time expires, or leaving everyone behind as you float up that mountain to win the Tour de France; the chance to be the star is a dream for many of us.

Some realize that dream in high school or college. Some of us keep competing as long as we can, whether in the local softball league or the local office park world championships. But even if you have the talent to succeed, how do you find the time to train or the money for the best gear as your responsibilities to work and family increase?

It leaves you wondering what if…

What if someone gave me the same support the pros get? Could I show them I have what it takes? Could I be the star?

This is what the Nature Valley Pro Chase is all about—regular people with regular lives getting the chance to chase their dreams.

Riders skilled and lucky enough to qualify at one of the six events get free entry into the Nature Valley Grand Prix, along with access to world class coaches, mechanics, and support staff. All they have to worry about is racing, oh and the pros too.

2011 Nature Valley Pro Ride qualifier Jade Wilcoxson wins the overall top amateur jersey at the Nature Valley Grand Prix

Get to Know Nature Valley Pro Rider Stefan Rothe

moriartym — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 21:53:44 +0000

Stefan Rothe had the best time of the Nature Valley Pro Ride team at the Stage 1 time trial this morning. He is 14 sceonds down in the Top Amateur competition and in 37th place in the general classification going into tonight’s Downtown St. Paul Criterium. Get down there and cheer on the team!

Tulsa Tough > Minnesota, NVGP

After some racing down in Texas over Memorial Day Weekend we wrapped up Tulsa Tough yesterday. My team had some highs and lows, with a “crashy” Friday night but some good sprints by Jason Waddell to place Top10 twice in a stacked field of 130 guys. Cry Baby Hill was crazy, as usual, or maybe even rowdier and more crowded then the years before.

Party on “Cry Baby Hill”. Can you spot the P/1 peloton?

(Photo by Lyne Lamoureux. Check her website for full coverage of the race.)

Now I’m “back” in Minnesota for another edition of the Nature Valley Grand Prix. … Read More

Blog: http://stefan-rothe.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @stefanrothe

Keep checking back for more Nature Valley Pro Rider introductions:

Twitter: @NVBikeFest

Facebook: NatureValleyGrandPrix

Meet Nature Valley Pro Rider Scott Simmons

moriartym — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:58:46 +0000

Who I am and Why I race!

The Nature Valley Pro Ride

Balancing being a full-time husband and weekend bike racer can be tough…. I am married to a wonderful woman that allows me to play bike racer on the weekends without to much grief. As long as the yard is mowed and the trash gets taken out on selected days all is well in my world!

My name is Scott Simmons and I won a spot on the Nature Valley Pro Ride by winning the Fayetteville Texas Stage Race held in March. I work a full time job with usually 45 hours a week to pay the bills. I work for a communications company in Fort Worth specializing in hospital fiber optics and phone system installation. I have recently also started to coach as an associate for www.coriovelo.com. When not to busy with work I try to squeeze in 20 hours a week on the bike. … Read More

Blog: http://vmoracing.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @rideascott

Keep checking back for more Nature Valley Pro Rider introductions:

Twitter: @NVBikeFest

Facebook: NatureValleyGrandPrix

Kowalski’s Markets Collegiate All-Star Team Rider: Missy Erickson

moriartym — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:55:36 +0000

I’m preparing for my first pro stage race. It’s exciting and scary at the same time. When you hear that Olympic and World champions are going to be there pushing the pace and racing with you, that’s exhilarating and terrifying, but it’s an honor. Since I started racing a bike, it’s been my goal to be a professional rider, to race all over the world, to wear a USA team kit. It isn’t an easy sport to be in. Being a college student, we wake up, got to school, take exams, go out and ride, maybe at 8am, or 8pm, and we eat, and sleep. Some of us have jobs, some of us don’t. Some of us are taking more than 20 credits, some of us take 12. We are a big pot of randoms, all racing bikes, at one national championship, for a chance to qualify for this event, the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

For me, racing here is like going home. Not only am I from Minnesota, but I grew into cycling racing the amateur crits as a junior in Mankato as part of the Minnesota Bicycle Festival. I rode around watching the pro teams get ready for their event, and was driven to one day race in it. Now, I am finding this to come true.

I feel the pressure of wanting to do well. The pressure of knowing this is our moment to shine. The emails flying back and forth are portraying what a great support staff all 6 of us girls have, and what good hands we are in. I look forward to meeting the staff and members of the Nature Valley Pro Ride teams, and also the other girls who will be racing alongside me.

Now I’m sitting in the Denver airport on my way to Minnesota for NVGP. Wearing the Fort Lewis College jersey and Kowalski’s Markets shorts, I will race my heart out. Thank you to everyone who makes this team, event, and collegiate cycling possible. I couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity. Thank you for making it possible.

With that, let’s let the adventure begin…

Blog: http://missyerickson.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @MissyErickson

Keep checking back for more Nature Valley Pro Rider introductions:

Twitter: @NVBikeFest

Facebook: NatureValleyGrandPrix

Marvulli Secures Final Endurance Omnium at Fixed Gear Classic Sunday

moriartym — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:52:58 +0000

Blaine, Minn – 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).

Marvulli’s resounding victory in the Tempo Race and close second place finish in the Madison with partner Ryan Sabga (Black Dog Pro Cycling) secured the victory for the Swiss Six-Day specialist in the kick-off event of the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival.

Michael Blatchford (Project London 2012) lead a 1-2-3 podium finish for his Project London 2012 team in the men’s sprint omnium. The trio’s two-second margin in the Team Sprint secured the win for Blatchford with teammates Kevin Mansker and Daniel Walker rounding out the podium.

Megan Hottman (Primal/MapMyRide) finished second in the first ever Women’s Madison at the MN Fixed Gear Classic and carried her strong results from Saturday’s marathon day (a result of a mid-session rain postponement on Friday) to the top of the podium of the Women’s Endurance Omnium.

National champion Cristin Walker (Momentum Coaching Group p/b Atomic) convincingly secured the women’s sprint omnium with victories in each of the four events, including a team sprint win with second place finisher Maddie Godby (Encompass Racing).

Sunday’s Men’s Competition

In the Men’s Handicap final, Walker overcame a 30-meter deficit and a hard-charging Blatchford to secure victory with a well-executed bike throw at the line. The race was marred by a crash in the second lap that sent defending sprint omnium champion Matthew Baranoski (Pure Energy Racing) to the deck as the tightly-packed peloton jostled for position. Baranoski walked away from the crash, but missed the Team Sprint and a chance for a return to the podium.

The Tempo Race was vintage Marvulli, as the Swiss rider collected several second place points, working in tandem with first Harm, then Barrett, before taking laps himself. His 11 points nearly doubled his next closest rivals in a race that saw all but one competitor collect sprint points.

Project London 2012 sent a clear statement of their intent to represent the US in the Olympic Team Sprint. In a decorated field of sprint teams, Blatchford, Mansker and Walker bested their nearest competitors by over 2 seconds, dominating the field with a 48.07 time under cool, breezy skies.

US Six-Day racers Dan Harm and Zak Kovalcik (Diamond Law Cycling) marked Marvulli and Sabga from the beginning of the 100-lap Madison, taking several early points sprints as traffic in the field interrupted Marvulli and Sabga’s exchanges in the first two bell laps. As a field of five leading teams solidified, Harm/Kovalcik and Marvulli/Sabga traded sprint wins through the finish, but the early sprints proved insurmountable for the Swiss/American duo and Harm/Kovalcik maintained their winning ways in US Madison competition.

Sunday’s Women’s Competition

Sprint specialist Cristin Walker beat a large field in the Handicap final as she overcame a 30-meter gap from scratch, edging Kim Edwards (CVC/Subaru of New England) at the line.

The Women’s Tempo field saw Valerie Brostrom (Bouledogue Tout Noir) narrowly defeat Hottman. The women finished in a tie with eight points each after 12 laps with the victory decided by Brostrom’s hard sprint in the final lap. Jennifer Triplett (Broadmark Capital) took third, finishing just off the top two with seven points.

Walker and Godby dominated the Team Sprint competition, winning by a comfortable 4 seconds, establishing a time of 36.36 seconds that no team could match. The pair executed flawlessly, with Walker taking the second lap in a perfectly-timed exchange on the home straight.

The MN Fixed Gear Classic hosted a Women’s Madison for the first time in event history as four teams took to the line. Triplett and Brostrom, both experienced Madison riders plotted well-timed attacks gaining two laps on the field. Hottman and Godby captured second place points in key sprints to finish second.

The Nature Valley Bicycle Festival continues with the Nature Valley Grand Prix on Wednesday, June 15 in St. Paul, MN.

-NVGP-
About the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival

Now in its 13th year, the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival is a 10-day celebration of bicycling that includes amateur and professional racing and community events. The Festival opened on June 10-12 with the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic at the National Sports Center Velodrome. The marquee event, the Nature Valley Grand Prix, will be held June 15-19. The stage race has become the top event on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar, attracting top American and international racing teams and nearly 300 riders from around the world. The Festival is a volunteer-run event with all profits donated to the pediatric hospice at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. For more information, visit www.naturevalleybicyclefestival.com

About Nature Valley
Nature Valley, the brand that created the granola bar category in 1975, brings variety to healthy, active consumers looking for wholesome and great-tasting snacks. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Nature Valley is part of General Mills, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of consumer foods products. For more information, visit www.NatureValley.com

Meet Nature Valley Pro Rider Katy Giles

moriartym — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 22:59:23 +0000

My name is Katy Giles and I secured my spot on the Nature Valley Pro Ride Team by winning the Jefferson Cup Road Race in Charlottesville, VA in May. I officially started cycling racing in 2004 but have taken periodic breaks from racing due to work commitments with the US Navy. I currently live in Solomons, MD, doing developmental flight testing on the new P-8A aircraft at NAS Patuxent River, MD.

Prior to cycling, I was a collegiate swimmer and triathlete (US Naval Academy). My favorite aspects of cycling are: training with my husband (a Cat 2 racer), meeting other cyclists and visiting different places on my bike. Some of my favorite places are: the Bay Area hills in CA, the WVa hills, Vermont, the epic climbs in France (l’Alpe d’Huez, Mont Ventoux, Col de la Forclaz), Sicily and Croatia. I recently joined the Annapolis Bike Racing Team (ABRT) and really enjoy having some motivating, supportive teammates.

I’m really looking forward to meeting and riding with my other NVGP teammates. NVGP will be an amazing experience!

Keep checking back for more Nature Valley Pro Rider introductions:

Twitter: @NVBikeFest

Facebook: NatureValleyGrandPrix

New Velodrome Record Highlights Fixed Gear Classic Saturday

moriartym — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:30:45 +0000

Blaine, Minn. — 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.

Mansker’s 10.5-second effort was .07 seconds faster than former world champion Roberto Chiappa’s three-year-old track record (also at the Fixed Gear Classic) and served as a bonus on the way to his win over teammate Michael Blatchford (10.66). On his way to the final against Blatchford, Mansker defeated defending Fixed Gear Classic sprint champion Matt Baranoski (Pure Energy Cycling) in the semifinals before defeating Blatchford in a pair of tight gold medal rides.

After rain cut Friday night’s session short, competitors in the Fixed Gear Classic worked overtime on Saturday. An eight-hour schedule tested the stamina of sprinters and endurance competitors alike. However, the 50 men and 25 women participating in this year’s event muscled through it with several nail-biting performances.

Men’s Competition
In a thrilling Keirin final, national champion Matthew Baranoski tore off at the sound of the bell before being chased down and nipped by Mansker, whose teammate Blatchford took third.

In the 60-lap Scratch final, Chad Hartley (Kenda 5-hour Energy presented by Geargrinder) put in early efforts to up the pace and Christopher Mosora had a short-lived attack to win the Nomad Marketing prime with 30 to go. Mosora managed to stay off the front until Dan Casper (Grandstay Hotels) and Colton Barrett (Kelly Benefits Strategies – OptumHealth) gave chase. That broke the field apart and positions shuffled with several unsuccessful breakaways. With a kilometer to go, Kevin Selker (juwi/First Solar) and former world champion Franco Marvulli (Skoda-Assos) went after the win, and Marvulli triumphed.

Franco Marvuilli (Assos) bolted off the front of the field on the last lap to take the win. Photo by Matthew Moses.

Seventeen teams relayed for the Madison Kilo TT. Blatchford and Mankser teamed to take the win ahead of the Ritte Racing team of Jack Lindquist and Joshua Ryan. Barrett and Curtis Tolson (Texas Roadhouse) were third with 1:01.01.

In the 80-Lap Points Race, the “Biking Viking,” Karl Erickson (ColoBikeLaw.com), blasted off and took the early lead by winning the first sprint before Marvulli took the second and fourth sprints. Once Marvulli had a comfortable point lead, he exerted himself only enough to keep his closest rival, Barrett, in check. Several brisk efforts transpired and dissolved, but a four-man break after the sixth sprint left the field half a lap back for the remaining duration. Marvulli went on to take the win with 18 points.

Women’s Competition
With a 12-woman field, the Miss & Out kept racers and fans on alert. After the first two eliminations, it appeared Terra James (Sweet & Salty) would be next. James’ deft maneuvers in a tightly-packed field caught her competition off guard and kept her in the race until five laps remained. As the pace intensified, contact between Colleen Gulick (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) and Shelley Olds (Diadora-Pasta Zara-Manhattan) sent Gulick flying off track. Olds and Shelby Reynolds (Sugar Cycles) outlasted Valerie Brostrom (Bouledogue Tout Noir) to vie for first and second. Olds outsprinted Reynolds.

The women's miss and out final was won Shelley Olds (Diadora-Pasta Zara-Manhattan). Photo by Matthew Moses.

In the Match Sprint bronze final, Kim Edwards (CVC/Subaru of New England) maintained control of the race and outsprinted Beth Engwis (Project 5 Racing) to secure the bronze. In a tactical and high-flying first of three rides for the gold, Cristin Walker (Momentum Coaching Group p/b Atomic) chased down and outsprinted Maddie Godby (encompass Racing) after she attempted to steal the race. In the second ride, Godby held control but Walker’s well-timed attack resulted in the win she needed for gold.

Early on, the 60-Lap Points Race hit high-speed as Emma Bast (Speedfix Racing – Zubas) forced the field to chase her down with 56 laps to go. After securing points in the first sprint and chasing down several breakaway attempts, Jennifer Triplett (Broadmark Capital Cycling Team) joined Megan Hottman (Primal) in an escape. The two quickly took half a lap on the field before Bast and Olds pursued them. The field continued to shatter and regroup until Olds brought it back together. In a well-timed attack, Hottman lapped the field, securing 20 points. Triplett and Hanan Alves-Hyde (Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12) made a move with two laps remaining to set up the final sprint. The finish had Hottman taking the win by virtue of her 20-point bonus, leaving Triplett in second and Brostrom in third.

In the Keirin, two aggressive Keirin qualifying heats whittled 12 contenders to six finalists. The field for the final remained in check, even as the motor rolled off. Four racers fanned from top to bottom through the south turn, waiting for someone to make a move. As the bell sounded, Walker surged over Gulick to take the win ahead of Godby and Reynolds.

Frequent attacks turned the 40-Lap Scratch final into a high-tempo shakeup. Initial sprints by Jennifer Greenberg (Team Kenda Tire p/b Geargrinder) failed to exhaust the chasing field, so she forced them up the track in an attempt to hold them off. Her efforts were short-lived, however, as her rivals staged several attacks. After a heated sprint for the finish, Hottman took another win, with Olds and Appelwick following.

In the Madison Kilo Time Trial, Hottman and Godby teamed to win in 1:09.06 while Triplett and Brostrom took second despite a late exchange in the back straightaway. Reynolds and Walker were third in 1:10.47.

About the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival
Now in its 13th year, the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival is a 10-day celebration of bicycling that includes amateur and professional racing and community events. The Festival will open on June 10-12 with the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic at the National Sports Center Velodrome. The marquee event, the Nature Valley Grand Prix, will be held June 15-19. The stage race has become the top event on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar, attracting top American and international racing teams and nearly 300 riders from around the world. The Festival is a volunteer-run event with all profits donated to the pediatric hospice at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. For more information, visit www.naturevalleybicyclefestival.com.

The Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic is set to conclude Sunday with Madisons for both men and women and team sprint contests in both fields.

Chris Winn – Nature Valley Pro Rider Turned Pro

moriartym — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 20:41:50 +0000

There are definitive moments in life where you take a bigger step towards your goals than others. For very many years the goal for myself was, like many other aspiring cyclists out there, was to turn professional.

Since landing in the USA from Australia and switching from mountain bike to road, the Nature Valley Grand Prix has played that role in propelling me forward to the next level. In 2009, I was riding for a tiny amateur team based out of Colorado when I first heard of the Nature Valley Pro Ride. Here was a chance to gain entry and support into an otherwise invitational National level race, not to mention stand out from the crowd whilst there.

The concept appealed to me instantly, and at that moment all time was spent in making this opportunity my own. Dragging just one team mate and a super supportive girlfriend on a 13hr drive to Hillsboro, Illinois, the qualifying race went to plan, and soon enough I was on my way to Minnesota to line up at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Chris Winn of Fly V Australia pro cycling team

The Pro Ride experience was just awesome. To have full support each day of the race with mechanics, transport and staff available made life a ton easier, where focusing solely on the race each day became the most important thing.

With modest results that year but also learning a great deal, in 2010 I returned hungry to take home the Nature Valley Top Amateur award, a prize for the first rider overall who was not a professional. It wasn’t until the final day of the 5 day event that I was able to secure that coveted green jersey and achieve a season long goal. Winning such a prize no doubt helped put my name on the radar and at the end of the season I signed my first professional contract with the number one ranked team in the USA; V Australia.

So far 2011 has been a fantastic year, with the first time in my career cycling is my sole full time job. I truly believe the Nature Valley Pro Ride is one of the most excited and fun initiatives in the world of bicycle racing, and commend all those involved in making it happen!

www.chris-winn.com
www.twitter.com/chris_winn

Nature Valley Grand Prix Overview and Stage-by-Stage Preview

moriartym — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 13:13:28 +0000

Nature Valley Grand Prix Preview

Minneapolis – The Nature Valley Grand Prix is a unique stage race that was created specifically to appeal to an American audience. This event’s development was driven by crowd size and media coverage. Stages that performed well using those metrics were continued, while those that fell short were replaced.

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. With six stages over five days, the Nature Valley Grand Prix is the featured event of the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival, a 10-day celebration of cycling that also includes velodrome racing at the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic, Fan Zones with Athletes’ Villages, the Rich Weiber Stunt Rider Show, Shimano kids’ fun races, expos, live music and beverages of your choice.

Both the men’s and women’s Nature Valley Grand Prix are invitationals and the fields are stacked for 2011. The women’s race may be the more dramatic. Olympic champion Kristin Armstrong had a four-year Nature Valley Grand Prix winning streak end with her retirement to start a family after winning the world championship time trial in 2009.

Her “retirement” was short-lived and Armstrong will be back to try and reclaim her crown this year. But 2010 champion Shelley Olds, who raced for Armstrong last year, returns with a different team, Diadora-Pasta Zara-Manhattan, and has plans to establish a streak of her own. Both will face stiff competition from the deepest field in the history of the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

The women's field makes its way up Chilkoot Hill in 2010, the signature climb of the final stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Photo by Stephanie Williams.

HTC-Highroad, ranked No. 1 in the world, is sending a strong squad that includes 2010 Nature Valley Grand Prix stage winners Chloe Hosking and Evelyn Stevens. Stevens may be their team leader since the Saint Paul Time Trial and Stillwater Criterium have proven to be crucial in past editions of Nature Valley, and Stevens proved herself last year by winning Stillwater and the USA Cycling national time trial on successive weekends. But the favorite may be world road champion Giorgia Bronzini, who just won the Liberty Classic in Philadelphia with the support of her Colavita Forno D’Asolo teammates, including veteran sprinter Theresa Cliff-Ryan. Bronzini’s Director Rachel Heal seemed confident earlier in the season when she said, “With Giorgia on our squad, I’m confident that we will add Nature Valley to our roster of victories.” So far, her predictions have proven to be accurate.

On the men’s side, the unexpected happened Friday, when the UCI approved the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team to race in its title sponsor’s backyard. Under various names, that team has won the Nature Valley Grand Prix five of the past six years, dating back to 2005, when John Lieswyn won under the team’s incarnation as HealthNet. With the U.S.-registered professional continental squad is on the start line, the favorite would have to be Rory Sutherland, going for his fourth straight title with support from sprinter Hilton Clark to grab time bonuses away from the competition.

However, UnitedHealthcare has used exactly the same strategy to win the past two years and it’s likely the other pro teams will have cracked the code. Sutherland’s chief rival may be former teammate Frank Pipp of BISSELL Pro Cycling, the top ranked team on the National Racing Calendar (NRC). Pipp won the crucial Stillwater Criterium at the Nature Valley Grand Prix in 2006 while riding for HealthNet and showed good form when he won the Joe Martin Stage Race last month. But whomever the favorite is, he will have to fend off teams like Jamis/Sutter Home and Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth Pro Cycling. The wild card in the bunch is Team Exergy, a new formation that scored a coup with the recent signing of three-time U.S. national road champion “Fast Freddie” Rodriguez as sprinter/coach.

Stage-by-Stage Capsule Glances
Saint Paul Riverfront Time Trial (Wednesday (morning) – This six-mile time trial is on a mostly flat, out-and-back course, but includes a stiff, 0.7 mile climb at the end. Time trial bikes aren’t permitted, so access to cutting-edge technology and wind tunnel testing will not provide an edge, making this a true test of rider versus rider. Time gained or lost in this time trial has often proven to be the decisive margin of victory in the final standings. In 2010, Scott Zwizanski had the “misfortune” to win this time trial and his team was forced to expend crucial energy defending the jersey all week, only to lose the jersey to a crafty Rory Sutherland in Stillwater on the last lap of the final race in Stillwater.

Downtown Saint Paul Crterium (Wednesday evening) – Riders won’t be done for the day after the Wednesday morning time trial. They will race again that evening on the other side of the Mississippi River, in the entertainment district of Downtown Saint Paul. This is a flat, fast, five-corner course that features brick sections around Rice Park and some of the most beautiful architecture in the Midwest. One change for this year is that time bonus sprints have been separated from points sprints, so riders chasing the yellow jersey won’t be competing with sprint jersey contenders. Time bonus sprints in Saint Paul and Minneapolis proved crucial last year in Shelley Olds’s final victory. Winners in Saint Paul in 2010 were Hosking (her first as a professional) and veteran speedster Clark.

Cannon Falls Road Race (Thursday) – This 67-mile road race through gently rolling, but wide open farmlands, finishes with six laps on a circuit that includes a short, steep climb to the line. Even a gentle wind can tear the pack apart. In 2006, a 17-man breakaway gained more than five minutes on a shattered pack, taking all other riders out of contention for the overall win. A gravel road section on the way into town adds another wild card to this stage. The countryside proved to be a little too open in 2010, when the race was cancelled due to more than 40 tornado sightings across Minnesota. If the winds are calm in 2011, look for a pack sprint. If it’s windy, all bets are off.

Minneapolis Uptown Criterium (Friday) – The Uptown Criterium is the marquee event of the Nature Valley Grand Prix, attracting what many observers consider to be the largest criterium crowd in the country. Uptown is a major entertainment district that abuts dense, upscale residential neighborhoods. The flat, six-corner course and a pumped-up crowd traditionally makes for high speeds. A long drag up Lake Street leads to a short dash from the final corner to the finish line on Hennepin Avenue. Positioning coming out of the final corner will be crucial. Like Saint Paul, the time bonus and points sprints will be separate this year, forcing teams to keep close track of the laps. Last year’s race was a replay of Saint Paul, with Hosking and Clark taking the wins. A credible time trial and time bonuses gave Olds the yellow jersey in Uptown.

Menomonie Road Race (Saturday) – The Nature Valley Grand Prix returns to the hill country of Wisconsin in and around Menomonie. This is a brutal course, with twists and turns that can allow a breakaway to get out of sight and out of mind. The first major climb comes just 12 miles into races that are 81 miles for the women and 101 miles for the men. The four Sports Beans King and Queen of the Hills lines will again be categorized, and there will be plenty of hills that are not part of that competition. A great deal of damage is likely to be done out in the country, but there will be a chance to make some of the time up on the four laps of the relatively flat three-mile finishing circuits. Breakaways occurred in both races last year. In the men’s race, the break was caught and Ken Hanson took the bunch sprint. In the women’s race, Erinne Willock and Linda Villumsen stayed away, with Willock taking the stage and Villumsen claiming the yellow jersey from Olds.

Stillwater Criterium (Sunday) – The final stage of by far the most selective, as riders who have survived the first five stages face the most brutal criterium course in North American. This signature stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix is infamous for Chilkoot Hill, the 20 percent grade wall that climbs to the finish line. But this epic climb is followed by a false flat and then First Street Hill on the backside, where many attacks take place because riders have had no chance to recover from Chilkoot. A four-corner, white-knuckled descent brings the riders back to the foot of Chilkoot for the next lap. With its unique corners and abrupt changes in grade, experience on this idiosyncratic course is a major advantage. This is a war of attrition, with only about 30 percent of the riders completing the full distance, and most of the rest receiving calculated times that eliminate any hope of a top placing in the final overall standings. The Stillwater Criterium has often proven to be the critical factor in winning the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

In a thrilling finale to the 2010 women’s race, Villumsen cracked on the brutal Stillwater course because she hadn’t recovered from her heroic effort in Menomonie the day before. Her teammate, Stevens, won the stage, but Olds finished second to reclaim the yellow jersey. The men’s race was a carbon copy of the 2009 edition, with Sutherland, who was a few seconds behind Zwizanski, attacking at the foot of Chilkoot Hill with a little more than a lap to go. After five stages of defending the jersey, Zwizanski and his teammates couldn’t respond, allowing Sutherland to claim the stage and his third consecutive Nature Valley Grand Prix title.