Nature Valley Grand Prix

For some in the peloton, bike racing is a mere hobby; many left the Nature Valley Grand Prix and returned to the office Monday morning

With new leadership, motivation, and results, Jelly Belly-Kenda inches closer to its goals every time it races

As international races and domestic stage races take priority, crits take a backseat for U.S.-based squads

Casey B. Gibson shoots the finale to the 2013 Nature Valley Grand Prix

Results from the final stage of the 2013 Nature Valley Grand Prix

The German bridges to the break on the final lap and then takes the sprint to win the stage

The Jamis-Hagens Berman sprinter is taking an as-it-comes approach and helping advise younger teammates

Results from the 2013 Nature Valley Grand Prix's Menomonie Road Race

Casey B. Gibson is on hand as Travis McCabe and Lauren Stephens collect their first NRC wins

Friedman and Wilcoxson retain their leader's jersey with only the Stillwater Criterium left to race

The Nature Valley Grand Prix not only accepts amateurs, it seeks them out and sets them up

Results from the Nature Valley Grand Prix's Minneapolis Uptown Criterium

Casey B. Gibson shoots the Nature Valley Grand Prix's Minneapolis Uptown Criterium

Women's leader Wilcoxson and Haedo triumph in hard-fought battles as Friedman pads his margin in the men's NVGP standings

Despite a frustrating start to his season, veteran Mike Friedman is back on form, leading the Nature Valley Grand Prix

The men's and women's fields navigated through a 93-mile course in the third stage at the Nature Valley Grand Prix

1. Sean Mazich, Jelly Belly-Kenda, in 3:24:59 2. Michael Friedman, Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies, at :03 3. Cole House, Cashcall Mortgage, at :03

A former overall winner at Nature Valley Grand Prix, Tibco's Shelley Olds is back to her roots after a rough start to the season

Nature Valley GP's ‘Merckx-style' time trial has met with mixed reviews among riders and directors

1. Juan Jose Haedo, Jamis Hagens Berman-Sutter Home, in 1:11:42 2. Michael Friedman, Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies, at :00 3. Freddie Rodriguez, Jelly Belly-Kenda, at :00

Optum rider had to pedal in the small chainring for the last two miles of the race, and then finished third

Scenes from the criterium on the first day of action at the Nature Valley Grand Prix

Riders dealt with wet, rainy conditions at the opening stage time trial at the Nature Valley Grand Prix

1. Serghei Tvetcov, Jelly Belly-Kenda, in 16:02 2. Tom Zirbel, Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies, at :03 3. Chris Barton, Cashcall Mortgage, at :13

Reigning U.S. time trial champion Tom Zirbel finishes three seconds behind Tvetcov

A number of national champions will be on hand for the annual race in Minnesota

Jonathan Page signs a deal to ride for Competitive Cyclist in 2013-14

Duke, Berden involved in conflict with Boulder police officer over traffic ticket

Six-event series kicks off in Southern California and will qualify 12 riders to compete at the Nature Valley Grand Prix

NRC staple will work with Children's Lighthouse of Minnesota again in 2013

CBS Sports channel partners with Nature Valley Grand Prix

Images from the stage 6 Stillwater Criterium at the 2012 Nature Valley Grand Prix

1. Christian Helmig, in 1.11:25 2. Eric Marcotte, in 1.11:26 3. Tyler Wren, in 1.11:26 4. Chris Uberti, in 1.11:29 5. Tanner Putt, in 1.11:36

1. Alejandro Borrajo, in 3.40:02 2. Christiaan Kriek, in 3.40:02 3. Tommy Nankervis, in 3.40:02 4. Heath Blackgrove, in 3.40:02 5. Tom Zirbel, in 3.40:02

Zirbel makes break pay dividends as Specialized-Lululemon teammates surprise women's field

John Murphy and Carmen Small keep their leaders' jerseys going into stage 5

Officials attempt to shorten, ultimately call off Nature Valley GP third stage

1. Carlos Alzate, in 1.15:42 2. Brad Huff, at s. t. 3. Alejandro Borrajo, at s. t. 4. Freddie Rodriguez, at s. t. 5. Eric Young, at s. t.

1. Tom Zirbel, in 15:56 2. John Murphy, at :4 3. Scott Zwizanski, at :6 4. Frank Pipp, at :10 5. Bobby Sweeting, at :14

Images from the Saint Paul Criterium at the 2012 Nature Valley Grand Prix

Carmen Small, Theresa Cliff-Ryan, Tom Zirbel and John Murphy were all stage winners on Wednesday in Saint Paul, Minnesota

Images from stage 1 of the 2012 Nature Valley Grand Prix

U.S. women’s calendar back for ninth edition in 2012

The Nature Valley Grand Prix is hoping to shake up the men’s stage race in 2012 by reducing team sizes to just six riders. Organizers announced the change Tuesday.

Ever wonder why a U.S. company outside of the bicycle industry would invest in bicycle racing? Here’s a hint: it has nothing to do with athletic excellence or a love of the sport. Any marketing executives who buy a sponsorship based on a personal passion for the sport should polish up their resumes, because they’ll be looking for a new line of work.

Check out Brian Holcombe's author page.

Casey B. Gibson captures the final stage of the 2011 Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Stillwater Criterium Men

• 1. Rory Sutherland, UnitedHealthcare, 1:09:50
• 2. Jesse Anthony, Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth, at 0:01
• 3. K Frank Pipp, Bissell, at 0:03
• 4. Bernard Van Ulden, Jelly Belly-Kenda, at 0:06
• 5. Luis Romero Amaran, Jamis Sutter Home, at 0:06

Final GC

• 1. Jesse Anthony, Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth, 9:56:32
• 2. Bernard Van Ulden, Jelly Belly-Kenda, at 0:17
• 3. Luis Romero Amaran, Jamis Sutter Home, at 0:45
• 4. Andres Diaz Corrales, Team Exergy, at 1:16
• 5. K Frank Pipp, Bissell, at 2:47

Women

• 1. Giorgia Bronzini, Colavita-Forno D'asolo-Cooking Light, 51:14
• 2. Evelyn Stevens, HTC-Highroad, at 0:01
• 3. Kristin Armstrong, Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty12, at 0:03
• 4. Erinne Willock, Team Tibco-To The Top, at 0:04
• 5. Jade Wilcoxson, NVGP Pro Ride, at 0:04

Final GC

• 1. Amber Neben, HTC-Highroad, 8.04:25
• 2. Erinne Willock, Team Tibco-To The Top, at 0:19
• 3. Kristin Armstrong, Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty12, at 0:49
• 4. Ally Stacher, HTC-Highroad, at 1:06
• 5. Evelyn Stevens, HTC-Highroad, at 1:10

Rory Sutherland stamped his name on Chilkoot Hill for the second year in a row, winning the final stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix Sunday. Yellow jersey Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth) closed on a solo Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare) on the 20-percent finish climb to roll in for second and secure the final overall classification.

World road champion Giorgia Bronzini won her third stage at the Nature Valley Grand Prix Sunday, coming around Evelyn Stevens at the top of Chilkoot Hill for top prize in the Stillwater Criterium.

Check out Brian Holcombe's author page.

Casey B. Gibson hits the road for stage 5 of the 2011 Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Stage 5 Men

• 1. Bernard Van Ulden, Jelly Belly-Kenda, 3:49:43
• 2. Jesse Anthony, Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth, at 0:02
• 3. Jay Thomson, Bissell Pro Cycling, at 0:02
• 4. Andres Diaz Corrales, Team Exergy, at 0:04
• 5. Luis Romero Amaran, Jamis Sutter Home, at 0:04

GC

• 1. Jesse Anthony, Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth, 8.46:41
• 2. Bernard Van Ulden, Jelly Belly-Kenda, at 0:12
• 3. Andres Diaz Corrales, Team Exergy, at 0:37
• 4. Luis Romero Amaran, Jamis Sutter Home, at 0:40
• 5. Heath Blackgrove, Elbowz Racing, at 1:22

Leah Kirchmann and Amber Neben led the women’s peloton on moving day at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Bernard Van Ulden broke the UnitedHealthcare lock on the Nature Valley Grand Prix Saturday when he won the Menomonie Road Race from a long breakaway.

Robert Förster won his second stage in a row at the Nature Valley Grand Prix Friday night, padding to his overall lead in the six-stage race. Förster (UnitedHealthcare) came out of the final corner on the front of the race and kicked along the left barriers for the win in the Uptown Minneapolis Criterium.

Race officials neutralized and canceled the fourth stage of the women’s Nature Valley Grand Prix on the final lap after a large crash at the start/finish line took down a number of riders. Overall leader Kristin Armstrong (Peanut Butter & Co.-Twenty12) and defending champion Shelley Olds (Diadora-Pasta Zara) were among the crashed riders heading into the bell lap in the Uptown Minneapolis Criterium.

Father’s Day weekend is busy across the country with the National Racing Calendar and USA CRITS series in action, urban track racing on display in New York City, and the historic Nevada City Classic in California.

Giorgia Bronzini showed her world road champion pedigree Thursday, winning her second stage in a row at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Bronzini (Colavita-Forno D’Asolo) outkicked Chloe Hosking (HTC-Highroad) on the uphill finish to nab the stage 3 win in the Cannon Falls Road Race. Teresa Cliff-Ryan (Colavita) came through for third.

A day after UnitedHealthcare ran away with the first two stages, Robert Förster left no doubt when he won the Cannon Falls Road Race at the Nature Valley Grand Prix Thursday night.

Stage 3 men

• 1. Robert FORSTER, Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team, in 2.17:19
• 2. Jake KEOUGH, Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team, at s.t.
• 3. Kenneth HANSON, Jelly Belly P/b Kenda, at s.t.
• 4. Ben KERSTEN, V Australia, at s.t.
• 5. K Frank PIPP, Bissell Pro Cycling, at s.t.

GC after stage 3, men

• 1. Robert FORSTER, Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team, in 3.45:40
• 2. Rory SUTHERLAND, Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team, at 3.45:41
• 3. Adrian HEGYVARY, Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team, at 3.45:50
• 4. Tom ZIRBEL, Jamis Sutter Home, at 3.45:50
• 5. Jesse ANTHONY, Kelly Benefit Strategies-Optumhealth, at 3.45:56

Stage 3 women

• 1. Giorgia BRONZINI, Colavita/forno D'asolo P/b Cooking Light, in 2.38:02
• 2. Chloe HOSKING, Htc-High Road, at s.t.
• 3. Theresa CLIFF-RYAN, Colavita/forno D'asolo P/b Cooking Light, at s.t.
• 4. Shelley OLDS, Diadora Pasta Zara, at s.t.
• 5. Emily COLLINS, Vanderkitten-Focus, at s.t.

GC after stage 3, women

• 1. Kristin ARMSTRONG, Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty12, in 3.51:36
• 2. Evelyn STEVENS, Htc-High Road, at 3.51:59
• 3. Amber NEBEN, Htc-High Road, at 3.52:05
• 4. Kristin MCGRATH, Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty12, at 3.52:09
• 5. Anne SAMPLONIUS, Now And Novartis For Ms, at 3.52:21

UnitedHealthcare showed its muscle Wednesday night, controlling the entire Saint Paul Downtown Criterium and sweeping the stage 2 podium at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. After defending overall leader Rory Sutherland’s leader’s jersey, Jake Keough, Hilton Clarke and Robert Förster went one-two-three at the end of the 75-minute race.

World road champion Giorgia Bronzini rode her Colavita-Forno D'Asolo train to the stage 2 win at the Nature Valley Grand Prix Wednesday night. After her team wrestled control from the Tibco-To the Top squad in the final lap, Bronzini came out of the final corner in second wheel behind teammate Teresa Cliff-Ryan. She couldn't be matched when she kicked in downtown Saint Paul and Bronzini rode away with the second stage of the five-day, six-stage race.

Men’s stage 2

• 1. Jake KEOUGH, Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team, in 1.15:09
• 2. Hilton CLARKE, Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team, at s.t.
• 3. Robert FORSTER, Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team, at s.t.
• 4. Carlos ALZATE ESCOBAR, Team Exergy, at s.t.
• 5. Kenneth HANSON, Jelly Belly P/b Kenda, at s.t.

GC after stage 2, men

• 1. Rory SUTHERLAND, Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team, in 1.28:22
• 2. Adrian HEGYVARY, Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team, at 1.28:31
• 3. Tom ZIRBEL, Jamis Sutter Home, at 1.28:31
• 4. Robert FORSTER, Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team, at 1.28:33
• 5. Jesse ANTHONY, Kelly Benefit Strategies-Optumhealth, at 1.28:37

Stage 2 women

• 1. Giorgia BRONZINI, Colavita/forno D'asolo P/b Cooking Light, in .59:04
• 2. Shelley OLDS, Diadora Pasta Zara, at s.t.
• 3. Chloe HOSKING, Htc-High Road, at s.t.
• 4. Joelle NUMAINVILLE, Team Tibco/to The Top, at s.t.
• 5. Christina GOKEY-SMITH, Now And Novartis, at s.t.

GC after stage 2, women

• 1. Kristin ARMSTRONG, Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty12, in 1.13:34
• 2. Evelyn STEVENS, Htc-High Road, at 1.13:57
• 3. Alison STARNES, Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty12, at 1.14:01
• 4. Amber NEBEN, Htc-High Road, at 1.14:03
• 5. Kristin MCGRATH, Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty12, at 1.14:07

Rory Sutherland won the stage 1 Saint Paul Riverfront Time Trial Wednesday morning at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. The three-time defending champion at Nature Valley, Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation) had never won the TT stage before and will for the first time take the leader’s jersey into stage 2 Wednesday evening at the Saint Paul Criterium.

Kristin Armstrong waited until the rain let up to lay down the fastest time in the opening stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix Wednesday morning. Armstrong (Peanut Butter & Co.-Twenty12) took control of the five-day race with a time of 14:30 in the 6.1-mile stage 1 Saint Paul Riverfront Time Trial.

Men's stage 1

• 1. Rory SUTHERLAND , Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
• 2. Adrian HEGYVARY , Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team, at 5
• 3. Tom ZIRBEL , Jamis Sutter Home, at 5
• 4. Jesse ANTHONY , Kelly Benefit Strategies-Optumhealth, at 15
• 5. Fernando ANTOGNA , Jamis Sutter Home, at 17

Women stage 1

• 1. Kristin ARMSTRONG , Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty12
• 2. Evelyn STEVENS , Htc-High Road, at 23
• 3. Alison STARNES , Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty12, at 27
• 4. Amber NEBEN , Htc-High Road, at 29
• 5. Kristin MCGRATH , Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty12, at 33

Rory Sutherland will open the defense of his three straight Nature Valley Grand Prix wins Wednesday morning in the Saint Paul Time Trial. If Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation) is to continue his lock on the National Racing Calendar stage race, he’ll have to contend with a number of strong rivals – and some of the most dynamic criteriums and road stages of the year – near Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Check out Brian Holcombe's author page.

After a Memorial weekend of racing in Iowa’s quad cities, two Midwesterners will round out the Nature Valley Pro Ride composite squads for next week’s Nature Valley Grand Prix. Jane Weakley and Brandon Feehery completed the six-woman and seven-man amateur rosters following a series of qualifiers across the United States.

The Nature Valley Bicycle Festival, which features the Nature Valley Grand Prix NRC stage race, is adding a gran fondo run over the same route as the race's fifth stage on June 18.

The Jefferson Cup, the second event of the Nature Valley Pro Ride, is being postponed because of the high probability for snow on Sunday in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Organizers of the Nature Valley Grand Prix have announced the establishment of the "Carla Swart Sportsmanship Award" as a memorial to the racer, who was killed after being hit by a truck in South Africa last week.