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2008 Mt. Hood Cycling Classic boasts top lineup
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Lingering snows in the high country have forced organizers to re-route a key stage of Mt. Hood Cycling Classic, but they promise the improvised route for stage 5 is just as challenging — maybe even more so.
The six-day stage race gets underway Tuesday with a 1.7-mile prologue. The race is now in its sixth year and appears to be picking up steam: the 2008 edition boasts the strongest fields it has ever attracted.
Men's line-up
On the men's side, Rock Racing, Toyota-United, Health Net-Maxxis, Bissell, BMC and Symmetrics lead the charge.
Phil Zajicik (Health Net), the runner-up in 2006 and 2007, is back and feeling healthy after a strong finish at least week's Tour of the Gila in New Mexico. Health Net's Rory Sutherland, fresh off a win at the Joe Martin Stage Race, is sure to be a threat in the prologue and on the GC.
Bissell's Ben Jacques-Maynes — who was third at Mt. Hood last year — and Burke Swindlehurst also are coming off strong rides at the Gila and are hungry for a win.
Toyota-United also is sending a top cadre of climbers and GC riders, including Chris Baldwin, Justin England and Chris Wherry.
And Rock Racing, probably the most watched team in America, is at Mt. Hood with a squad including Portland's Doug Ollerenshaw, all-rounder Michael Creed, Colombian climber Cesar Grajales and sprinter Freddy Rodriguez, who is sure to be a crowd pleaser at Mt. Hood's two criterium stages.
Women's lineup
Three-time Mt. Hood champ Leah Goldstein of ValueAct Capital is a clear favorite. The Canadian is coming off a wire-to-wire win at the Gila, where few riders could stay on her wheel when she decided to take off on the climbs.
Goldstein's team, however, might be outpowered by the Aaron's team, which at the Gila had more depth than ValueAct in the mountains. Last year Aaron's riders finished in second, third and fourth place on GC behind Goldstein. Aaron's Felicia Gomez, second at Mt. Hood last year, showed she is still improving with her time trial win ahead of Goldstein at the Gila.
Cheerwine Cycling also brings a top team headlined by Anne Samplonius and Leigh Hobson.
Wild cards at this year's Mt. Hood are High Road's super-talented Mara Abbott and Kim Anderson, riding with the Disco Velo Divas composite team at Mt. Hood.
The stages
Tuesday, May 13: Prologue The flat 1.7-mile prologue runs through the downtown streets of Portland. Riders will roll along the Tom McCall Riverfront Park on an out-and-back course.
Wednesday, May 14: Mt. Tabor Criterium This hilly criterium circles the extinct Mt. Tabor volcano in the middle of Portland. Each 1.3-mile lap includes about 135 feet of climbing.
Thursday, May 15: Cooper Spur Circuit Race Each 18.7-mile lap of this circuit race, which starts at the foot of Mt. Hood, includes 1750 feet of climbing, at elevations between 7150 and 9000 feet. Men do 4 1/2 circuits and women do 3 1/2.
Friday, May 16: Scenic Gorge Time Trial The 18.5-mile time trial is sure to shake up the GC standings. It starts with a flat five miles, then slams into several climbs that equal almost 2000 feet of elevation gain.
Saturday, May 17: Wy'East Road Race The climbs east of Mt. Hood are still 4-feet deep in snow, so organizers have rerouted Mt. Hood's centerpiece road race. The new stage will start in the The Dalles, Oregon, 20 miles west of Hood River, climb to the town of Dufur and head west on a new route to Mt. Hood. Men will cover about 105 miles with a total elevation gain of more than 9000 feet. Women start from Dufur and cover about 70 miles and about 7000 feet of vertical.
Sunday, May 18: Downtown Hood River Criterium A fast and twisty crit will wrap up the stage race. The course features a fast long straight followed by a series of tight turns, all on smooth new pavement.
