After two seasons on the European ProTour with Belgium’s Davitamon-Lotto squad, former Australian national champion Henk Vogels returned to the U.S. peloton in 2007 with his new Toyota-United Team, bringing to the table a wealth of both domestic and international experience to share with his new teammates. Vogels made an immediate impact, serving as Ivan Dominguez’s top lead-out man and helping Dominguez to his most successful season ever. But Vogels’ season was interrupted in July when he broke the glenoid bone in his shoulder during a collision with a metal post at the Infineon Cougar Mountain Classic Criterium.

Vogels is one of Australia’s great classics riders and is one of the world’s best lead out men. He embraced this role during the past two seasons, leading Davitamon-Lotto teammate Robbie McEwen to multiple wins, including six at the Giro D’Italia.

I sat down with Henk Vogels just before the start of the Amgen Tour of California to pick his brains on the art of the sprint, and his role on his team.

Lyne Lamoureux: What’s the plan for the team for the Tour of California?
Henk Vogels:Last year, we had some aspirations with Justin England and Chris Baldwin for the overall, this year we’ve come in focusing mainly on sprint stages with Dominique Rollin, Hilton Clarke and Ivan Dominguez. I’ll kind of be directing those guys, directing the traffic on the road.. But we’ve also got Ben Day who’s a very good time trialist so we’ll be seeing how he’s going, he’s got good form but mainly, yeah mainly just to pull a stage win out here would be fantastic for us.

LL: The team showed good form at the race at the Tour of Monterrey in Mexico…
HV: We won four stages, and I was second overall. That wasn’t anywhere near the level that we are here, I mean these are the best bike riders in the world so we’ve done our work, I’ve been in Australia with all the Australians, that’s why most of the Australians are here because they’ve had the advantage of the summer and racing in our National Championship and some crits so yeah…

LL: Has your role on the team changed, with all these new, young sprinters coming in?
HV: Really, just trying to mesh the guys, I’m the lead out guy, I’m the guy that makes the decision on the road when it has to be made straight away because I’ve been doing it for so long, these guys all know what to do I don’t really need to tell them, but if they are decisions that need to be made, I’m kind of the directeur on the road. So just trying to get the boys organized and as well I can win some bike races as well, so yeah that’s mainly my role.

(more…)

Dominique Rollin Finishes 4th place in Stage 1 of the Tour of California.

Stage 1, Santa Rosa, California

The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team came into Stage 1 with a goal of repeating its win of the 2006 edition of this great stage into Santa Rosa. Although, the team did not win, Rollin provided fans and his teammates alike with an exciting finish and a performance to be proud of.

The team led by Dominique Rollin who coasted in with a 4th place finish as the highest placed non ProTour rider. Toyota-United continues to perform in America’s biggest races the past 3 years with seven stage wins in America’s three “grand” Tours.

“It was a tough day at the office for Toyota-United.” said Scott Moninger. The European teams rode aggressively up the climb early, Ivan Dominguez and a group of TUP riders stuck within 20 seconds of the leaders as they broke away up the climb. They stayed with the leaders up until an hour to go in the race when the pack separated and only 3 Toyota-United riders stayed with the leaders; they were led by Dominique Rollin, Heath Blackgrove, and Ben Day. The remainder of the team fought to catch up to the lead group unsuccessfully the remainder of the race.

Dominique Rollin came into this race in great shape and today’s finish required a strongman’s finish which played well into Dominique’s hand. With one lap to go, Heath Blackgrove brought Rollin into position, “I had the perfect wheel for the sprint with 300m to go, I was flying by everyone, and I knew with this speed, I would win it. But with 150 meters to go, I had a chicane to go thru and I had to pull up or I would have slammed into the barricade, otherwise I had the clear path and I believe I would have won” said Rollin. It was an impressive performance once again for Toyota-United and the boys are resting for another long stage tomorrow during Stage 2 from Santa Rosa into the capital city of California, Sacramento. It promises to be an exciting week of racing with the early fights we have seen already.

Photos By © Kathleen Poulos

Rollin and Day Lead the team with 25th and 33rd place.

Palo Alto, CA - Prologue Amgen Tour of California, Stanford University
The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team started off the 2008 calendar with a strong opening at the Amgen Tour of California in Palo Alto, Ca. The crowds were wide and loud from start to finish as the 3rd year of the race kicked off this year at Stanford University. “The Crowds were so thick on University Avenue; it was at least 6-10 people deep said Team Director, Len Pettyjohn It was a beautiful Mid Winter day as the fans lined the streets and the racers finally had their day in the sun after training camp and preparing for the big races of 2008. There is nothing like starting the season with the biggest race America has to offer. The guys were amped and ready to ride. First out of the gate for Toyota-United was new member Dominique Rollin. “He fired out of the gates and was going 42 MPH as he hit the first turn”, said Toyota-United Team Owner Sean Tucker. Rollin was the races 6th participant after the 1pm start and there were a few head winds to battle for the bulk of the prologue until they made the 360 turn at the end for the final sprint to the finish line. Rollin finished strong with a time of 4:05:57 for 25th place followed by fellow rider Ben Day who finished in 33rd with a time of 4:07:13 as the last of the eight riders to race. The team finished a respectable 9th overall out of 17 teams in the team classification. After the race, the riders met fans for an autograph signing at the Toyota-United expo where hundreds lined up to get the autograph of their favorite riders. Toyota-United hopes to repeat their Stage 1 victory from the 2006 ATOC tomorrow with their ace sprinter Ivan Dominguez.

Rollin about to exit the start house

Ben Day giving it a solid effort.

Photos courtesy of: Kathleen Poulos and Marissa Quintanilla

We met up with Toyota United’s Eric Greene to check out some of the new gear for 2008. He had Dominique Rollin’s brand new race bike, the Fuji SL1 to show us.

Most of Toyota’s riders will be on this SL1, Fuji’s top of the range carbon frame, made from C-10 SuperLite high modulous carbon with a 3k weave underneath the team paint job. With the exception of Ivan Dominquez who opts to ride the stiffer Aloha frameset.

Toyota rides with Shimano Dura Ace exclusively, drivetrain and pedals.

Bontrager is the team’s official component supplier, stems, seatposts, and wheelsets. Most of the time the riders will be riding on Bontrager Aeolus 5.0, except for mountainous stages, where the team will break out the Race XXX wheelset for lighter weight.

Pettyjohn and Moninger name the starters for the 2008 ATOC Race.

Los Angeles, CA - The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team Directors Len Pettyjohn and Scott Moninger have named the racing team for the 2008 Amgen Tour of California. Scott and Len have narrowed down the riders for the Amgen Tour of California. The main criteria they used this year was to utilize riders from the Southern Hemisphere primarily who have been riding and training specifically for the early season race in California. The riders they have targeted for the race are Heath Blackgrove (NZL), Ben Day (AUS), Ivan Dominguez (CUB), Hilton Clarke (AUS), Jonny Clarke (AUS), Caleb Manion (AUS), Dominique Rollin (CAN), Henk Vogels (AUS), and Jose Manuel (Chepe) Garcia (MEX), out of these nine they will choose the final 8. All of these have raced over the past 4-6 weeks mainly in Australia and New Zealand with Blackgrove, Day and Jonny Clarke recently sweeping the podium at the Boulevard road race in San Diego. A group of 5 Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team members are currently racing in the Tour of Monterrey in Mexico February 4th -10th.

This team includes last years ATOC stage 7 winner, Ivan Dominguez (CUB). Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team brought home the final stage win last years ATOC as Ivan Dominguez, the “Cuban Missle” shocked the world with his strong finish. Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team has the more Stage Wins in the large 3 domestic tours with (7) over the last two years than any other team. The success should be noted based on the facts that Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team is entering its 3rd season together and the riders have gelled strongly with fantastic leadership from existing riders carrying over to the new riders on the 08 squad.

Henk Vogels said at the final training camp dinner, “These guys are the best I have ever worked with. It is a true brotherhood and I want to fight for this team in 2008, like I never have in the past. “ The team is primed after two solid weeks of training in Solvang, CA. The weather finished beautifully for the team as they put on the mileage in the beautiful Central Coast Valley. Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team is ready to take on the best that 2008 has to offer.

Photo © Kathleen Poulos