Sprinters duel at the Nature Valley Grand Prix

Full Results

(Minneapolis, July 2, 2007) Minnesota’s Nature Valley Grand Prix, which wrapped up last week, was the second round of the 2007 Women’s Prestige Cycling Series. The most dramatic moments played out on the sprinters’ competition, while the individual, best young rider and team classifications remained firmly in the control of Webcor Builders.

The speedsters came into their own at Nature Valley, where Rebecca Larson (Aaron’s) and last year’s Series sprint winner Brooke Miller (TIBCO) battled it out for the Nature Valley GP’s Wheaties Sprint competition. When the dust settled, Larson had claimed the Wheaties jersey, vaulting her from sixth in the Series standings to first, while Miller moved from fifth to second. Kori Seehafer (TEAm Lipton) fell from first to a close third, followed by Laura Van Gilder (Team Cheerwine) and Martina Patella (ValueAct Capital).

"Rebecca really stepped up to the challenge to go all out for the Wheaties Sprint Jersey and her teammates were by her side the entire week", said Aaron's Corporate Furnishings team director, Carmen D'Aluisio. "With the overall Sprint series competition being as close as it is the battle will be really exciting to watch."

“The 2006 Nature Valley GP’s Cannon Falls Road Race was Brooke’s first big win, and it was great to see her repeat at that stage this year”, said TIBCO team manager Linda Jackson. “She’s within striking distance of the Series sprint lead and I’m expecting her to claim it at the Tour de ‘Toona later this month.”

There were no surprises in the other Series competitions. Mara Abbott (Webcor Builders) kept the Series individual lead with an impressive second place finish at the Nature Valley GP, despite the win by TEAm Lipton’s Kristin Armstrong, who had missed the Series opener at Redlands with a knee injury. Abbot continues to dominate among young riders, claiming the Boost Best Young Rider competition at Nature Valley and likely locking in her win for the Series for that classification. And Webcor stretched their team lead, with a point total that is almost double that of second place TEAm Lipton.

The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series continues at the International Tour de ‘Toona (July 23 – 29) and then finishes at the CD&P Bermuda Grand Prix (September 20 – 23).


About the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series

The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series began in 2004 with the goal of highlighting women’s racing by giving them a spotlight that they don’t have to share with the men. The Series grew out of meetings that began in Minnesota in 2003 at the first Women’s Cycling Summit Conference hosted at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. The Summits take place twice a year: at the Nature Valley Grand Prix in June, where it’s sponsored by Rasmussen College, and at the Interbike trade show in September.