Ivan Stevic and Hilton Clarke Score Four Wins at Tulsa Tough Omnium Series

Dominique Rollin Wins Ricola Twilight Criterium, Places 2nd at CSC Invitational and 3rd at Kelly Cup

Chris Wherry Wins Iron Horse Criterium for His First Win of the Season

NYC, NY– The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team showed they are on form and ready for Philly week the last seven days by winning six out of the nine races they entered.

The win streak began with former USPRO National Road Champion Chris Wherry winning the Iron Horse Criterium on May 26th in his home town of Durango, CO. “It’s really nice to make my way up to the top step again” said Wherry after his win.

The next win came by way of “The Horse” Dominique Rollin who won the difficult Ricola Twilight Criterium in Baskin Ridge, NJ on May 28th. The 40 mile mid-week criterium is known as one of the most difficult criteriums in the country due to its technical nature and tough uphill finish on the one-mile circuit. “After crashing in the final two laps at the Tour of Somerville Criterium a couple of days before, I was really motivated for a win” said Rollin. “I followed the Team Type 1 lead-out train the final lap and just overpowered them up the hill for the win” continued Rollin.

Just days before the Ricola win, Rollin also took 3rd place at the Kelly Cup in Baltimore, MD. The result came on the heels of finishing a strenuous training block as he was in his final preparation for Philly week. Rollin was in a break of eight riders that went up the road and during the final laps, not sure he was fresh enough to out sprint his breakaway companions, he decided to just ride hard and try and take the sting out of their legs for the finale and was able to reduce the break to four riders of which he took 3rd place.

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Bend, OR – The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team flexed its muscles this past week winning six out of eleven races it entered as its riders prepare for Philly week, a series of three races in the greater Philadelphia area held the first week of June.

The incredible string of wins began with Dominique Rollin’s win at the GP Granby Time Trial near Bromont, Canada on May 10, 2008. Rollin won the 19 kilometer time trial in a time of 24:04.14, a mere 6.8 seconds over second place finisher François Parisien (Symmetrics).

The sixth annual Mt. Hood Cycling Classic began on Tuesday May 13th with a short 1.8 kilometer prologue time trial. Ivan Stevic showed he’s returning to form after a long nine-month bout with a sore right knee by placing third with a time of 2:48.7, 3.7 seconds behind the winner Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell).

The following day, the riders competed in stage one, the Mt. Tabor Criterium. Team Bissell controlled most of the race, which was held on a hilly circuit in the heart of Portland. Despite 90 minutes of attacking by Toyota-United, and other teams, the field remained intact with two laps to go. The final three kilometers saw the Toyota-United boys in red, white and blue turn it over to their two fast men, Hilton Clarke and Ivan Stevic, who finished the job taking 1st and 2nd respectively. As a result of Clarke winning the stage, he also picked up the leaders yellow jersey, king of the mountain and sprinter’s jerseys for his efforts.

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The party was ever louder when it was time for the men who started after the women’s race. The crowd got bigger, beverages of choice were consumed, and the party continued.

Toyota-United came to the front in the final lap and pulled out a one-two punch with Hilton Clarke and Ivan Stevic taking the first two spots outsprinting Rory Sutherland (Heath Net-Maxxis).

“We definitely had a plan last night that we were going to hit the front with five laps to go, but after seeing the course, we said we better hit out with about one and half to go and control the hill. We’ve got a couple of big strong guys on the team and they just controlled the big downhill perfectly and then we ran short a little bit at the end but then a Successful Living rider jumped us which actually worked a little bit in our advantage, Stevic followed him and passed him at the finish and I just come pass Stevic at the finish.” said Clarke about the final lap.

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With the roads still wet for the 1.7 mile course through the downtown streets of Portland, Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) blitzed the 2008 Mt Hood prologue producing an average speed of 37 mi/h (59 km/h). Third from last rider to leave the start gate for the in an out and back course, Jacques-Maynes crossed the line with a time of 2:45, 3 seconds faster than second place finisher Jonathan Garcia (BMC), and third place World B Champion Ivan Stevic (Toyota-United).

“I found the biggest gear I could and muscled it all the way into the line. I think these shorter things just suit me, three minutes of racing does not a week long stage race make, it’s a good way to start it and I’ve got good form, hopefully the week is going to go well. Looking forwards to the Friday time trial.” said Jacques-Maynes.

Ben Jacques-Maynes speeds down the course, photo c. Lyne Lamoureux

The Bissell team is ready to defend the jersey. Last year, Jacques-Maynes grabbed the leaders’ jersey on the second stage, and held on to it until the time trial. He ultimately finished third on the overall classification.

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