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Valley of the Sun slated in Phoenix this weekend
Riders from the T-Mobile women’s team, TIAA-CREF and Health Net-Maxxis are among those stretching their legs in Arizona this weekend during the 13th annual Valley of the Sun-John Earley Memorial Stage Race.
The race, hosted by the White Mountain Road Club, begins today with the Trek Individual Time Trial, held on a 12-mile course at Sun Valley Parkway west of Phoenix. Racing continues Saturday with the Landis Cyclery Road Race in Casa Grande and concludes Sunday with the Orpheum Lots Downtown Capital Criterium at Wesley Bolen Plaza in Phoenix. More than $15,000 in cash and prizes is up for grabs.
T-Mobile’s squad for the Valley of the Sun includes U.S. national champion Kristin Armstrong; 2004 junior world silver medalist Rebecca Much; and 2000 Olympic silver medalist Mari Holden, third overall at last year’s VoS. Lining up alongside T-Mobile are Gabriela Gonzales-Ferrat, runner-up in last year’s Tucson Bicycle Classic, and her Velo Bella teammates.
TIAA-CREF has sent seven-time junior national champ Zak Grabowski, local favorite Nathan Mitchell and Sheldon Deeny. Health Net’s squad includes Tyler Farrar, the under-23 national time trial champion, and Michael Jones. And VeloNews training expert Dirk Friel will be putting his theories into practice for the Vitamin Cottage squad.
Last year’s overall winners were Mariano Friedick (Jelly Belly) and Lynn Gaggioli (T-Mobile).
The Valley of the Sun also includes a variety of fund-raising events for non-profit organizations, including a race just for kids (complete with a helmet-fitting clinic beforehand) and a Special Olympics bike race.
Check back to VeloNews Interactive for race reports and results.
