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Health Net Warner Center Grand Prix
By Jaime Nichols Date: 05/26/03 Health Net Warner Center Grand Prix
Woodland Hills, CA - 05/25/2003 - Southern California's Warner Center Grand Prix kicked off today
with a star studded field and when LA City Councilman Dennis Zine got things underway to an
aggressive start with Schroeder Iron attacking hard from the gun on a wide open, dead flat .9 mile
circuit under gray skies. The 12th annual running of the race saw it's strongest field this year,
including a full Health Net Team with US racing's sure thing, Gord Fraser, at the helm, Prime
Alliance's Matt Decanio, Saturn's Ivan Dominguez and Rahsaan Bahati, Harm Jansen, the flying
Dutchman, riding for RPM, and good representation from the Schroeder Iron team.
It was Schroeder Iron's Jacob Erker and Evan Teske who put the hammer down first, and after lap one,
Erker carried forward, joined in an early break by Health Net's Mike Sayers and a Honeywell rider.
The trio worked together, staying away for a good part of the race, with the only real chase being
offered by local team KB Home, who did not have the horsepower to bring back a strong break, after
attempts by Saturn's Ivan Dominguez to get the ball rolling were denied by Health Net and Schroeder
riders with no interest in a pursuit.
Jacob Erker leads the first break
With Dominguez and Prime Alliance's Matt Decanio taking up residence firmly in last place, a few
half-hearted chase attempts at the head of the peloton proved fruitless, until Team Monex's Thurlow
Rogers put in a hard turn at the front on behalf of their sprinter, Gregg Mendenilla. Rogers' hard
turn at the front narrowed the gap, and before long, the break was caught and countered by Schroeder
Iron's Adam Livingston and Pete Knudsen, drilling it hard up the backstretch, followed by Rogers and
Mike Sayers.
The day's second break solidified out of that move, containing Schroeder's Knudsen, Livingston, and
Rigo Meza, along with Health Net's Mike Sayers and an Australian World Champion pursuiter, riding
with Wells Fargo Squadra Carrera. That break got a good gap, and with about 20 minutes to go,
Saturn's Ivan Dominguez made his presence felt with a very hot chase, aided by Prime Alliance's Matt
Decanio and Team Monex's Ken Toman. Sierra Nevada's speedster, Daniel Ramsey, made an attempt to
bridge, but the hard charging field succeeded in bringing it all back together for the bunch sprint.
With three to go, Health Net had organized on the front for their closer, Gord Fraser, whose
teammates gave him a nice gap coming into the last corner. Fraser took the victory by a generous
margin over Jelly Belly's fast Australian, Brent Dawson, and Schroeder Iron's Evan Teske, who took
his podium placing despite having broken his collarbone only a few weeks earlier.
"It was a pretty hard race," said Fraser, "a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. There was
some very aggressive racing, especially from Schroeder Iron, who were missing their top sprinter,
Miguel Meza, and had an interest in breaking it up today."
Fraser had praise for his Health Net teammates, especially Sayers, who made his presence felt in
every break. "Mike Sayers was in every break, today. I had to do a little work, but every time a
break went up the road, I was comforted that my teammate was there."
No stranger to the top block, Fraser was asked by local cable reporters covering the event how many
career victories he has had. The Warner Center Grand Prix marks his 10th victory this year, and he
estimates it's his 105th career win.
Health Net Warner Center Grand Prix - WARNER CENTER GRAND PRIX --- May 25, 2003 OFFICIAL RACE
RESULTS - 2003
50+
1. Butch Stinton Labor Power
2. Arnie Baker S.D. Cyclovets
3. Carlos Soto Simply Fit
4. Clive Dawson Veloce
5. Tito Del Cid LA Wings
6. Rocco Orsini Helen's
45+
7. Butch Stinton Labor Power
8. Mike Gourien Tangelo Velo
9. Clive Dawson Veloce
10. John Kuhn Team One
11. Mark Chrysler DARE
12. Rick Gill Labor Power
Womens 3-4
13. Maegan Merrifield Amgen
14. Susan Thompson Team Adelante
15. Corinn Clark-Danielli So. Bay Wheelmen
16. Irene Johnson Santa Clarita Velo
17. Lauren Beastall S.C. Velo
18. Jane Shearing-Skalak S.C. Velo
40+
19. Rich Meeker U.S. Postal Service
20. Craig Miller Cozmics
21. Thurlow Rogers JAX
22. Steven Strickler Labor Power
23. John Wordin Monex/Hot Wheels
24. Claude Islamabert DARE/P.S. Velo
35+
25. Craig Miller Cozmics
26. Rich Meeker U.S. Postal Service
27. Scott Raymond Cozmics
28. Steven Strickler Labor Power
29. Thurlow Rogers JAX
30. Steve Nadon Helen's
31. John Wordin Monex/Hot Wheels
Cat. 4-5
32. Tim Coleman I.E. Bike Racing
33. Greg Lindlahr Minute Maid/Dasani
34. Cody O'Reilly Echelon
35. Jonathan Rocque Team Indigo
36. Stephen Feretti So. Cal. Velo
37. Jason Mauer Unattached
Cat. 3
38. Jordan Hudet Zombies
39. Billy Cubillas Zombies
40. Jeremy Keller Minute Maid/Desani
41. Emmanuel Gomez Budget Cycles
42. Nathan Loyal Helen's
43. Jeff Theis
30+ 3-4
44. Daniel Vinson S.C. Velo
45. Trent Malone Team One
46. Stephen Ferretti S. C. Velo
47. Richard Mitchell, Jr. Riverside Cycle
48. Jason Mauer Unattached
49. Craig Webb S.C. Velo
Women 1-3
50. Desira Utzig Minute Maid/Dasani
51. Rebecca Quinn Vaniga/Big 5
52. Cheryl Roth Helen's/Trek VW
53. Laura Downey Minute Maid/Dasani
54. Cynthia Marse Helen's Trek/VW
55. Wendy Kuhn Team One
Pro 1/2
56. Gord Fraser Health Net
57. Brent Dawson Jelly Belly
58. Evan Teske Schroeder Iron
59. Harm Jansen RPM
60. Marco Antonio
61. Rahsann Bahati Saturn
62. Victor Ayala Minute Maid/Dasani
63. John Wike Labor Power
64. Edgar Yepez Downey Eagles
65. Robert Kamppila KB Home
66. Peter Armitage KB Home
67. Anthony Galvan KB Home
By Jaime Nichols Date: 05/26/03 Health Net Warner Center Grand Prix
Woodland Hills, CA - 05/25/2003 - Southern California's Warner Center Grand Prix kicked off today
with a star studded field and when LA City Councilman Dennis Zine got things underway to an
aggressive start with Schroeder Iron attacking hard from the gun on a wide open, dead flat .9 mile
circuit under gray skies. The 12th annual running of the race saw it's strongest field this year,
including a full Health Net Team with US racing's sure thing, Gord Fraser, at the helm, Prime
Alliance's Matt Decanio, Saturn's Ivan Dominguez and Rahsaan Bahati, Harm Jansen, the flying
Dutchman, riding for RPM, and good representation from the Schroeder Iron team.
It was Schroeder Iron's Jacob Erker and Evan Teske who put the hammer down first, and after lap one,
Erker carried forward, joined in an early break by Health Net's Mike Sayers and a Honeywell rider.
The trio worked together, staying away for a good part of the race, with the only real chase being
offered by local team KB Home, who did not have the horsepower to bring back a strong break, after
attempts by Saturn's Ivan Dominguez to get the ball rolling were denied by Health Net and Schroeder
riders with no interest in a pursuit.
Jacob Erker leads the first break
With Dominguez and Prime Alliance's Matt Decanio taking up residence firmly in last place, a few
half-hearted chase attempts at the head of the peloton proved fruitless, until Team Monex's Thurlow
Rogers put in a hard turn at the front on behalf of their sprinter, Gregg Mendenilla. Rogers' hard
turn at the front narrowed the gap, and before long, the break was caught and countered by Schroeder
Iron's Adam Livingston and Pete Knudsen, drilling it hard up the backstretch, followed by Rogers and
Mike Sayers.
The day's second break solidified out of that move, containing Schroeder's Knudsen, Livingston, and
Rigo Meza, along with Health Net's Mike Sayers and an Australian World Champion pursuiter, riding
with Wells Fargo Squadra Carrera. That break got a good gap, and with about 20 minutes to go,
Saturn's Ivan Dominguez made his presence felt with a very hot chase, aided by Prime Alliance's Matt
Decanio and Team Monex's Ken Toman. Sierra Nevada's speedster, Daniel Ramsey, made an attempt to
bridge, but the hard charging field succeeded in bringing it all back together for the bunch sprint.
With three to go, Health Net had organized on the front for their closer, Gord Fraser, whose
teammates gave him a nice gap coming into the last corner. Fraser took the victory by a generous
margin over Jelly Belly's fast Australian, Brent Dawson, and Schroeder Iron's Evan Teske, who took
his podium placing despite having broken his collarbone only a few weeks earlier.
"It was a pretty hard race," said Fraser, "a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. There was
some very aggressive racing, especially from Schroeder Iron, who were missing their top sprinter,
Miguel Meza, and had an interest in breaking it up today."
Fraser had praise for his Health Net teammates, especially Sayers, who made his presence felt in
every break. "Mike Sayers was in every break, today. I had to do a little work, but every time a
break went up the road, I was comforted that my teammate was there."
No stranger to the top block, Fraser was asked by local cable reporters covering the event how many
career victories he has had. The Warner Center Grand Prix marks his 10th victory this year, and he
estimates it's his 105th career win.
Health Net Warner Center Grand Prix - WARNER CENTER GRAND PRIX --- May 25, 2003 OFFICIAL RACE
RESULTS - 2003
50+
1. Butch Stinton Labor Power
2. Arnie Baker S.D. Cyclovets
3. Carlos Soto Simply Fit
4. Clive Dawson Veloce
5. Tito Del Cid LA Wings
6. Rocco Orsini Helen's
45+
7. Butch Stinton Labor Power
8. Mike Gourien Tangelo Velo
9. Clive Dawson Veloce
10. John Kuhn Team One
11. Mark Chrysler DARE
12. Rick Gill Labor Power
Womens 3-4
13. Maegan Merrifield Amgen
14. Susan Thompson Team Adelante
15. Corinn Clark-Danielli So. Bay Wheelmen
16. Irene Johnson Santa Clarita Velo
17. Lauren Beastall S.C. Velo
18. Jane Shearing-Skalak S.C. Velo
40+
19. Rich Meeker U.S. Postal Service
20. Craig Miller Cozmics
21. Thurlow Rogers JAX
22. Steven Strickler Labor Power
23. John Wordin Monex/Hot Wheels
24. Claude Islamabert DARE/P.S. Velo
35+
25. Craig Miller Cozmics
26. Rich Meeker U.S. Postal Service
27. Scott Raymond Cozmics
28. Steven Strickler Labor Power
29. Thurlow Rogers JAX
30. Steve Nadon Helen's
31. John Wordin Monex/Hot Wheels
Cat. 4-5
32. Tim Coleman I.E. Bike Racing
33. Greg Lindlahr Minute Maid/Dasani
34. Cody O'Reilly Echelon
35. Jonathan Rocque Team Indigo
36. Stephen Feretti So. Cal. Velo
37. Jason Mauer Unattached
Cat. 3
38. Jordan Hudet Zombies
39. Billy Cubillas Zombies
40. Jeremy Keller Minute Maid/Desani
41. Emmanuel Gomez Budget Cycles
42. Nathan Loyal Helen's
43. Jeff Theis
30+ 3-4
44. Daniel Vinson S.C. Velo
45. Trent Malone Team One
46. Stephen Ferretti S. C. Velo
47. Richard Mitchell, Jr. Riverside Cycle
48. Jason Mauer Unattached
49. Craig Webb S.C. Velo
Women 1-3
50. Desira Utzig Minute Maid/Dasani
51. Rebecca Quinn Vaniga/Big 5
52. Cheryl Roth Helen's/Trek VW
53. Laura Downey Minute Maid/Dasani
54. Cynthia Marse Helen's Trek/VW
55. Wendy Kuhn Team One
Pro 1/2
56. Gord Fraser Health Net
57. Brent Dawson Jelly Belly
58. Evan Teske Schroeder Iron
59. Harm Jansen RPM
60. Marco Antonio
61. Rahsann Bahati Saturn
62. Victor Ayala Minute Maid/Dasani
63. John Wike Labor Power
64. Edgar Yepez Downey Eagles
65. Robert Kamppila KB Home
66. Peter Armitage KB Home
67. Anthony Galvan KB Home
