Nature Valley Grand Prix set for June 12-16, 2013

Carmen Small and Tom Zirbel to Defend Champion Titles

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN - The top men and women cyclists from across the country will contest the 15^th annual Nature Valley Grand Prix to be held June 12-16 in Central Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. The Nature Valley Grand Prix is the most prestigious race on the men’s and women’s USA Cycling National Racing Calendar. It promises to be a battle as defending champion Carmen Small, now riding for Team Specialized lululemon, takes on a strong field of women, including a couple of her former Optum teammates, Jade Wilcoxson and Brianna Walle. Former Nature Valley Grand Prix Champion Shelley Olds will also be back, as will Lauren Tamayo, who just won a silver medal at the London Olympics.

On the men’s side, Team Optum will return with defending champion Tom Zirbel as well as 2011 Champion Jesse Anthony and 2010 runner up Scott Zwizanski. They’ll have stiff competition from “Fast Freddie” Rodriguez, a four-time U.S. champion who has also won several races in the grand tours in Europe. Another newcomer, Argentinian J.J. Haedo, has also stood atop the podium in the European grand tours and recently won the Joe Martin Road Race in Arkansas. Cole House, the first Native American pro cyclist, hails from Oneida, WI and previously raced for a St. Paul amateur team. He has proven himself on the European racing circuit and is back at the Nature Valley Grand Prix on Team Cash Call Mortgage.

“This is an extremely talented field and we are excited to have several racers with international experience participate in the Nature Valley Grand Prix,” said David LaPorte, executive director of the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival. “It will give our fans a chance to see some of the world’s best athletes compete right here in the Midwest.”

The race starts Wednesday, June 12 with the morning time trial route along Saint Paul’s Mississippi River Boulevard and an evening criterium (short circuit race) surrounding downtown’s Rice Park. It continues with a road race in and around Cannon Falls on June 13, followed by an evening criterium in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis on Friday, June 14. Cycling teams travel east to Menomonie, Wisc., on Saturday, June 15 for the Menomonie Road Race. The race culminates on Sunday, June 16, with the Stillwater Criterium, which includes a brutal 24-percent-grade climb up Chilkoot Hill, the most difficult climb in North American cycling.

Who to Watch:

Women:

Team Specialized lululemon: Carmen Small, 2012 Women’s Champion, will be back to defend her title, but riding for a different team. Specialized Lululemon is currently ranked #2 in the world. Her teammate, 22-year old Tayler Wiles, finished 2^nd at Redlands and is expected to do well. Olympian Evelyn Stevens may also compete.

Team TIBCO: Shelley Olds, 2010 Nature Valley Grand Prix Champion and 2012 Olympian will also return. Her teammates include Nature Valley Grand Prix veterans Meredith Miller and Amanda Miller.

Team Colavita’s roster includes six-time U.S. National Criterium champion Tina Pic (who also won Nature Valley Grand Prix Road Races in 2003, 2005 and 2008) and Lindsay Bayer, a 2012 Nature Valley Pro Chase team member.

Team OPTUM, will be sending two former Nature Valley Pro Chase participants, Jade Wilcoxson and Brianna Walle. Wilcoxson won the Nature Valley Top Amateur jersey in 2011, then finished third on the 2012 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar riding for Optum, including a second place finish in our Stillwater criterium. Walle also won the Nature Valley Top Amateur jersey in 2012 and is now a pro on the same team.

Men:

Team OPTUM, based in Minneapolis, will be bringing three top performers of the men’s Nature Valley Grand Prix: Tom Zirbel: 2012 winner; Jesse Anthony: 2011 winner; and Scott Zwizanski: 2010 runner up. The team also includes Chad Haga who won the 2013 Joe Martin Stage Race, and is currently the top ranked racer in the U.S. He won the Nature Valley Top Amateur jersey in 2011, which often results in a pro contract.

Fred Rodriguez (Team Jelly Belly), is a 4-time national U.S. Champion. Known as “Fast Freddie” for his sprinting, this Colombian-born champion has won multiple race titles over his long career and has participated in all three Grand Tours in France, Italy and Spain. His teammate Brad Huff won the Uptown Minneapolis Criterium in 2012.

Juan Jose (J.J.) Haedo (Team Jamis-Hagens Berman) is an Argentinian sprinter who has been on the podium at the three grand tours of Europe, including a 3^rd place finish in stage 5 of the Tour de France. He comes from a cycling family and recently won the Joe Martin Road Race.

Léon van Bon, of the Netherlands is a 2x Tour de France stage winner (1998 and 2000) and 1992 Olympic Silver Medalist.  Previous trips to the United States netted him two stage wins in the Tour Dupont.  

Cole House (Team Cash Call Mortgage) is a native of Oneida, WI and the first
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