Sea Otter Laguna Circuit Race Men's
A Tazmanian Trio topped the podium after the Laguna Seca Circuit Race. Danny Van Haute's Jelly Belly lads Matty Rice won the day with Caleb "Choco" Manion third, fellow countryman Health Net/Maxxis' Karl Menzies finished a fast second. Photos and Results.

Jelly Belly's Rice Wins Sea Otter RR
Tazmanians Matty Rice, Karl Menzies and Caleb "choco" Manion Sweep Podium
Karl Menzies of the Health Net/Maxxis Pro Cycling Team chased down one late break by Jelly Belly’s Caleb Manion on the final lap of the Sea Otter Classic, but it was the second attack with one kilometer to go by Manion’s teammate Matty Rice that he left just a bit too late to catch for the win.

Into the Laguna Seca corkscrew... photo c. J.Andrew Rogers

After Menzies – with Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) and Gustavo Dominguez of Orbea/Spain in tow – chased down Manion coming through the corkscrew following the final trip up Laguna Seca’s famed wall, they were joined by a small group that included Rice. After the sharp left turn following the corkscrew, Rice counter attacked up the last little rise on the backside of the course.

“When Matty went, I looked at the others and none of them reacted,” Menzies said. “It was a good move. I just left it a little too long to catch him.” Instead, Menzies had to settle for second, with Manion coming across for third place.

Up the wall at Laguna Seca... photo c. J.Andrew Rogers

Shuffling Deck
The nature of the course, with its 31 trips around the 2.3-mile track, caused a constant re-shuffling of the race through much of the first two-thirds of the 71-mile grind. It seemed that nearly every lap, a group would get away before the trip up the wall. But with the punishing climb and the tricky winds on the backside of the course, the group would be caught, and yet another group would be off on the following lap. It wasn’t until about 10 laps to go that a group finally established. By then, the peloton suffered the natural attrition of the the multiple trips up the punishing wall.

With just a handful of laps remaining, a group of 18, which included six riders from Health Net/Maxxis, remained at the front. Attacks further split that group. As the last lap approached seven riders, including Menzies and Doug Ollerenshaw, Leipheimer, Rice and Manion, as well as Gustavo Dominguez of Orbea/Spain, setting the stage for Rice and Manion for the Jelly Belly duo to lay down their final cards.

Meanwhile in the infield at the Sea Otter Expo: Ace photo journalista J.Andrew Rodgers caught the SRAMGirls working the expo area and discovered they are Umbrella Girls! L-R Amanda, Becca, Vilan and Daria all promoting SRAMNATION! Go Andrew... more photos of Andrews photo adventures to come ; for now back to the race and results...

Tazmanian/North American Footnote: It was perhaps the first time in history that three riders from Tasmania swept the podium of a North American race. All three riders lived within a few kilometers of one another back in Launceston, and raced together frequently in the past.
courtesy Jeff Sobul HNet/Maxxis
It may also be the first time that a Spanish/Basque Team raced in the United States; so Welcome to America to the  Orbea/Spain Team! Great to see names like Xabat Otxotorena, Iker Mezo, Julen Zubero, Gustavo Dominguez on the results in a North American Race!

Sea Otter Circuit Race Results
  1 MATTY RICE  Jelly Belly 02:50:17
  2 Karl Menzies Health Net/Maxxis02:50:20  :03
  3 Caleb Manion  Jelly Belly 02:50:22 :05
  4 Jackson Stewart Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada 
  5 Gustavo Dominguez  ORBEA 
  6 Andrew Bajadali   Jelly Belly 
============ :06 =============
  7 Xabat Otxotorena (Spain) ORBEA  :06
  8 Levi Leipheimer  Giant-Racing-Team  :12
  9 Iker Mezo Spain ORBEA  :39
10 Doug Ollerenshaw Health Net/Maxxis :46
11 Julen Zubero Spain ORBEA 02:51:03
12 Alan Perez  Spain ORBEA  1:12
13 Roman Kilun Health Net/Maxxis  1:32
14 Kirk O'Bee Health Net presented by Maxxis  1:33
15 Brian Jensen   DENMARK Jelly Belly 02:51:50
16 Dominique Perras  Kodakgallery/Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling Team  1:34
17 Andy Guptill CRCA/Sakonnet Technology U25 02:51:51
18 Mike Sayers  Health Net/Maxxis 02:51:51
19 Kyle Gritters Health Net/Maxxis 02:51:51
20 Aaron Tuckerman Team Rubicon/Gleukos 02:51:56 00:00:05 00:01:39
21 Lucas EUSER TIAA-CREF 02:52:50 00:00:54 00:02:33
22 Alex Candelario  Jelly Belly 02:54:53 00:02:03 00:04:36
23 Gordon Fraser Health Health Net/Maxxis 02:54:53
24 Ben Jacques-Maynes  Kodakgallery/Sierra Nevada Pro Cycling Team 02:54:53