23rd Redlands Bicycle Classic Stage 1 Men's
Climbers return to Oak Glen - Two time winner Scott Moninger lessons the peloton and takes the leaders Jersey. Report, results and photos.

The break approaches the summit of Oak Glen 450 meters to go

Scott Moninger out sprinted his breakaway companion Justin England and Anthony Colby in the final steeps of the Oak Glen road race, the three were part of a five man breakaway that included Andy Bajadali of Jelly Belly and Ricardo Escuela of Successful Living.com who attacked on the final climb splitting the peloton into chasers scattered across the final 3 kilometers to the summit. Moninger, the two time winner of the race not only took the stage but also found himself in the leaders jersey after the dust settled.

BMC's Moninger Attacks!!

Justin England, Anthony Colby, Andrew Bajadali and Ricardo Escuela chase; Navigator's Phil Zajicek and Ryder Hesjedal of HealthNet/Maxxis can be seen trying to bridge back to the quartet. 

Ricardo Escuela of Successful Living.Com/Parkpre proves to be more than a sprinter with a fine showing in today's stage and moving up to 7th overall... Ricardo will be one to watch for the next two days.

Little should change in the G.C. in todays Criterium with the final challenge and opportunity coming in Sunday's Sunset Road Stage race that will feature another day of climbing for Moninger to protect his thirty second lead.

Moninger and England approach the finish as Scott celebrates.
Photo c. Mark Adkison Phd.

Teammate Ivan Dominguez took the lead in the sprints classification, but was later listed as over the time limit when the results were revised, Ivan initiated the early move of the day that locking up the points as he drove the early break, finishing :39 after the overnight revision of the results. (more below.)

Toyota United Report
Justin England was out-sprinted to the finish line by Scott Moninger (BMC Racing Team), who won the 97.3-mile (156.6 km) race in four hours, five minutes and four seconds. England finished in the same time to move into second place overall, seven seconds off the lead, halfway through the four-day National Race Calendar stage race. Anthony Colby (Colavita/ Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light) is third, 12 seconds back.

“I think Justin started his sprint a little too early,” Toyota-United Team Director Harm Jansen said. “I’m happy for Scott, though, too. If I step out of my role as team director, it’s great for the sport to see him win at Oak Glen.”

Toyota-United leads the team standings by 2:01 over Health Net/Maxxis and has four riders in the top 20 overall: England, Ivan Stevic (ninth, 1:26 behind), Chris Wherry (11th, 1:31 behind) and Burke Swindlehurst (18th, 2:14 behind).

Heading into the stage, England was ninth, five places behind the 40-year-old Moninger, who was three seconds faster in Thursday’s 3.1-mile (5 km) prologue. England said the two appeared to be evenly matched when it came down to the final sprint. “We played a little cat and mouse until 150 meters to go, then I hit it,” England said. “With 50 meters to go, he came around me. In the end, neither one of us was faster than the other. It just came down to timing the sprint right.”

Ivan Dominguez helped drive a breakaway that was in the lead until the second-to-last climb of the day. Photo c. Toyota/United Veronika Lenzi

Toyota-United instituted a number of moves over the course of Friday’s race to soften up the field heading into the final third of the race, which featured three categorized climbs. Ivan Dominguez figured into a three-man move that got away after 25 miles (40 km) had been covered. By earning intermediate sprint points before being swallowed up by the peloton before the second-to-last climb, Dominguez took the lead in the sprint competition. “Ivan did a great job out there,” England said. “He helped save all the rest of us from having to do all the work behind.

Sean Sullivan (Toyota/United) launches the counterattack after Dominguez and his breakaway companions are caught. Photo c. Toyota/United Veronika Lenzi

When Dominguez’s group was caught, Toyota-United’s Sean Sullivan counter-attacked and only one rider followed. The pair worked together to build up to a minute’s lead before being passed on the ascent to Oak Glen.

“Our guys rode a great race,” Jansen said. “Everything pretty much went according to plan. We wanted to make sure we could take the sting out of people to have the numbers on the final climb.”

Halfway to the summit of the 3.5-mile climb, a group of five riders – including England – got a gap. They stayed together until 800 meters to go when England attacked hard. Only Moninger could stay with him. The overall standings are not expected to change in Saturday afternoon’s 90-minute Centennial Bank/KWB Wealth Managers Criterium, which Jansen said Toyota-United will target for a stage win. Then it is back to making up England’s seven-second deficit on Sunday’s final stage, the 91.0-mile (146.5 km) Beaver Medical Group Sunset Road Race.

“I think we’ll do everything we can to try and get up the road and get that time back,” England said. “And it’s not just for me, either. We have three other guys – Chris Wherry, Chris Baldwin and Ivan Stevic – who are up there on GC who can hit it and send it up the road.”

Ivan Dominguez Eliminated While Leading Sprint Competition
Cuban Sprinter Misses The Stage 1 Time Cut By 39 Seconds
Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team sprinter Ivan Dominguez said he is very disappointed that race officials decided not to allow him to start Saturday afternoon’s Centennial Bank/KWB Wealth Managers Criterium at the 23rd Annual Redlands Bicycling Classic.

Dominguez finished 39 seconds outside the time cut designated for Friday’s Stage 1 93-mile (156.6 km) Redlands Ford Oak Glen Road Race. The time cut was equal to the winner’s time, plus 10 percent, or four hours, 29 minutes and 34 seconds. Dominguez, cramping from a big effort that saw him in a breakaway for 75 km, crossed the finish line in 4:30:13. He was one of 17 riders who finished outside the time limit.

“In all the big races, the officials make exceptions,” Dominguez said. “At the Tour of Georgia, they make exceptions. At the Tour of California, they make big exceptions to keep the more prominent riders in the race.”

Dominguez figured prominently in the early going of Friday’s stage to Oak Glen, attacking at the 52 km mark and taking three riders with him. Eventually, the four gained a maximum three minutes’ lead before being caught on the second-to-last climb of the day. During his escape, Dominguez won one of three intermediate sprints and finished second in the two others. His 17 points earned him the sprint lead and race officials presented him with the green jersey after the race.

Ivan Dominguez in the Green Jersey of Sprint leader, the next day however brought a bitter awakening with a controversial call by the race jury. Photo c. Toyota/United Veronika Lenzi

“I was the one who made the break go and made it a show for everybody,” Dominguez said. “That’s kind of what racing is, it’s a show. People want to see riders racing aggressively and that’s what I was doing. I wasn’t just sitting in the group. I was driving that breakaway.” Dominguez said confusion reigned at the finish line, as race officials first told him he didn’t have any points so he could not have been the sprint leader.

“Then they came back and said they made a mistake and gave me the jersey on the podium,” he said. Saturday morning, though, Domingeuz was informed he would not be allowed to start the Stage 2, 90-minute criterium and would have to return the jersey.

A controversial outcome that saw the race results revised during the night hours dismissing Ivan Dominguez from the race; unfortunately Dominguez would have gone in as the favorite for the sprinters contest today in the criterium.

Podium Stage 1: Justin England, Scott Moninger and Anthony Colby
Photo c. Mark Adkison Phd.

Stage 1 - Oak Glen Road Race
97.3-mile (156.6 km)
1 103 Moninger, Scott BMC Racing Team 4:05:04 10 4:05:04
2 14 England, Justin Toyota-United Pro Cy " 6 "
3 46 Colby, Anthony Colavita/Sutter Home 4:05:09 4 @ 5
4 58 Bajadali, Andrew Jelly Belly Cycling 4:05:14 @ 10
5 113 Escuela, Ricardo Successfulliving.com 4:05:25 @ 21
6 25 Zajicek, Phil Navigators Insurance " "
7 2 Hesjedal, Ryder Team Healthnet / Max 4:05:38 @ 34
8 201 Grabinger, Michael Hagens-Berman Cycling 4:06:02 @ 58
9 22 Cooke, Matt Navigators Insurance " "
10 18 Wherry, Chris Toyota-United Pro Cy " "
11 61 Jacques-Maynes, Benj Priority Health / Bi " "
12 242 Collier, Corey Team Einsteins Cycli " "
13 37 Peterson, Tom Team Slipstream/Chip 4:06:12 @ 1:08
14 15 Stevic, Ivan Toyota-United Pro Cy 4:06:16 @ 1:12
15 122 Bowman, Dan Kelly Benefit / Medi 4:06:19 @ 1:15
16 6 Sutherland, Rory Team Healthnet / Max 4:06:25 @ 1:21
17 47 Hatton, Peter Colavita/Sutter Home 4:06:33 @ 1:29
18 133 Jones, Chris Nerac Pro Cycling " "
19 16 Swindlehurst, Burke Toyota-United Pro Cy 4:06:37 @ 1:33
20 151 Tuft, Svein Symmetrics Cycling T 4:06:42 @ 1:38
21 193 Alvarado, Jorge Kahala-LaGrange " "
22 5 Louder, Jeff Team Healthnet / Max 4:07:08 @ 2:04
23 31 McCarty, Pat Team Slipstream/Chip " "
24 23 Rodriguez, David Navigators Insurance " "
25 147 Wiscovitch, Jeremiah Rock Racing 4:07:14 @ 2:10
26 81 Wilson, Trent Jittery Joe's Pro Cy " "
27 124 Mumford, Reid Kelly Benefit / Medi " "
28 101 Garcia, Jonathan BMC Racing Team " "
29 166 Hardman, Mark Team Equipe Volkswag " "
30 244 Hamity, Ryan Team Einsteins Cycli 4:07:40 @ 2:36
Full Results

General Classification after Stage 1
1 103 Moninger, Scott BMC Racing Team 4:14:36 4:14:36
2 14 England, Justin Toyota-United Pro Cy 4:14:43 @ 00:07
3 46 Colby, Anthony Colavita/Sutter Home 4:14:48 @ 00:12
4 58 Bajadali, Andrew Jelly Belly Cycling 4:15:05 @ 00:29
5 25 Zajicek, Phil Navigators Insurance 4:15:15 @ 00:39
6 2 Hesjedal, Ryder Team Healthnet / Max 4:15:22 @ 00:46
7 113 Escuela, Ricardo Successfulliving.com 4:15:23 @ 00:47
8 61 Jacques-Maynes, Benjami Priority Health / Bi 4:15:35 @ 00:59
9 15 Stevic, Ivan Toyota-United Pro Cy 4:16:02 @ 01:26
10 37 Peterson, Tom Team Slipstream/Chip 4:16:05 @ 01:29
11 18 Wherry, Chris Toyota-United Pro Cy 4:16:07 @ 01:31
12 201 Grabinger, Michael Hagens-Berman Cyclin " "
13 151 Tuft, Svein Symmetrics Cycling T 4:16:11 @ 01:35
14 22 Cooke, Matt Navigators Insurance 4:16:25 @ 01:49
15 242 Collier, Corey Team Einsteins Cycli 4:16:26 @ 01:50
16 122 Bowman, Dan Kelly Benefit / Medi 4:16:36 @ 02:00
17 47 Hatton, Peter Colavita/Sutter Home 4:16:41 @ 02:05
18 16 Swindlehurst, Burke Toyota-United Pro Cy 4:16:50 @ 02:14
19 5 Louder, Jeff Team Healthnet / Max 4:16:53 @ 02:17
20 31 McCarty, Pat Team Slipstream/Chip 4:16:56 @ 02:20
21 133 Jones, Chris Nerac Pro Cycling 4:17:01 @ 02:25
22 23 Rodriguez, David Navigators Insurance 4:17:11 @ 02:35
23 6 Sutherland, Rory Team Healthnet / Max 4:17:22 @ 02:46
24 11 Baldwin, Chris Toyota-United Pro Cy 4:17:28 @ 02:52
25 124 Mumford, Reid Kelly Benefit / Medi 4:17:30 @ 02:54
26 81 Wilson, Trent Jittery Joe's Pro Cy " "
27 193 Alvarado, Jorge Kahala-LaGrange 4:17:35 @ 02:59
28 101 Garcia, Jonathan BMC Racing Team 4:17:48 @ 03:12
29 147 Wiscovitch, Jeremiah Rock Racing 4:17:54 @ 03:18
30 8 Ollerenshaw, Doug Team Healthnet / Max 4:18:08 @ 03:32
Full Results

Team General Classification
1 Toyota-United Pro Cycling 12:46:41 12:46:41
2 Team Healthnet / Maxxis 12:48:42 @ 02:01
3 Navigators Insurance 12:48:51 @ 02:10
4 Colavita/Sutter Home 12:49:22 @ 02:41
5 BMC Racing Team 12:50:25 @ 03:44
6 Team Slipstream/Chipotle 12:50:46 @ 04:05
7 Kelly Benefit / Medifast 12:52:33 @ 05:52
8 Symmetrics Cycling Team 12:53:51 @ 07:10
9 Kodak Gallery / Sierra Ne 12:55:34 @ 08:53
10 California Giant Berry Fa 12:56:53 @ 10:12
11 Jelly Belly Cycling Team 12:59:57 @ 13:16
12 VMG Racing 13:00:03 @ 13:22
13 Rock Racing 13:01:38 @ 14:57
14 Successfulliving.com/PARK 13:03:15 @ 16:34
15 Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling 13:03:23 @ 16:42
16 Team Einsteins Cycling 13:03:38 @ 16:57
17 Team Equipe Volkswagen-Tr 13:05:50 @ 19:09
18 Priority Health / Bissell 13:06:01 @ 19:20
19 AEG-Toshiba-JetNetwork 13:07:04 @ 20:23
20 Nerac Pro Cycling 13:08:02 @ 21:21
21 Kahala-LaGrange 13:11:39 @ 24:58
22 Hagens-Berman Cycling Tea 13:11:43 @ 25:02
23 Team 5 Star Fish 13:11:48 @ 25:07
24 CRCA/Sakonnet Technology 13:16:03 @ 29:22
25 Fullerton Bikes - NOVO 13:46:47 @ 1:00:06
For more information on the race, including official times, visit www.redlandsclassic.com.

About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.: Toyota established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants, including one under construction. There are more than 1,400 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in the U.S. which sell more than two million vehicles a year. Toyota directly employs more than 32,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $13 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.

About United Pro Cycling Team, L.L.C.:
Based in Newport Beach, California, a wholly-owned subsidiary of United Cycling, L.L.C, United Pro Cycling Team is owned and operated by Sean Tucker. Comprised of some of the top cycling talent in the country, it is positioned to be the premier cycling team in America. In addition to its racing team, United Cycling, L.L.C, wholly owns and operates United Bicycles, L.L.C. The team has also designated the United Cycling Foundation, Inc., as its designated charity, committed to raise awareness and funds for American causes including homelessness and the environment.

Additional Toyota-United Sponsors:
In 2007, The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team is exclusively sponsored by, Bicycling Magazine, Bontrager, Champion System, Fuji Bicycles, Shimano, SockGuy, Tifosi Optics and United Bicycles, in addition to title sponsor Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.