Nebraska Cycling News

Ivan Dominguez of Toyota-United Becomes Tour of Missouri's First Stage Winner

KANSAS CITY, MO. – Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United), who has won 13 races this season despite sitting out several weeks due to injury, fought off cramps to slide past Canadian Zach Bell of Symmetrics and win stage one of the inaugural Tour of Missouri.

Stage one's flat terrain led many to view Dominguez as the favorite in this stage. “I know a lot of people expected me to win. I was not expecting to win this race today. Coming down to the last three laps I was starting to get cramps. I was not expecting to see that climb in the end and I started losing position. I told my teammate, 'I don't know if I can make it.' But everything came through.”
 

The day was marked with unsuccessful attacks and counter-attacks from the peloton, five riders—Tyler Wren (Colavita/Sutter Home), James Meadley (Jelly Belly), Valeriy Kobzarenko (Navigators), Philipp Mamos (Sparkasse) and Tim Johnson (Health Net/Maxxis)--managed to break away and gain a lead of almost six minutes, only to be reeled in by the peloton in front of cheering Kansas City fans with two laps remaining.
 
With the peloton back together, teams scrambled to get their sprinters in place.  “Everybody was trying to get organized, but I think that the combination of the hill on the last lap and the fast downhill threw a wrench in everybody's organization,” said Bell.  “I know there was a lot of really strong lead outs. My team was trying to protect me as much as they could but coming into those last two corners everybody was on their own, fighting for their own positions.”
 
The group of 120 racers started the day under blue skies and cool temperatures. They were welcomed by crowds of more than 40,000, who lined the course from Kansas City to Platte City and back. The largest crowds, comprised of cycling fans, families, businesspeople, construction workers, schoolchildren were found at the sprint and King of the Mountain (KOM) lines.
 
"The start today was phenomenal,” said Sean Petty, chief operating officer of USA Cycling.  “It was the  one of the most enthusiastic and biggest crowds I've ever seen for the first day of a  first year race, and especially given it was on a Tuesday afternoon.
 
Added Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser, “I came down through to the crowd to get to the grandstand and all I heard was really enthusiastic comments. I heard people yell 'bring it back, bring it back.' It's obviously a huge hit.”

Also winning jerseys today were Gregorio Ladino (Tecos), Drury Hotels Most Aggressive Rider; James Meadley (Jelly Belly), Build-A-Bear Best Young Rider; Jeff Louder (Health Net/Maxxis), and Michelob ULTRA King of the Mountain Winner.
 
The Edward Jones Sprint competition was won by Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United), and since he will wear the Overall Leaders jersey for Stage Two, Zach Bell (Symmetrics) will wear the green jersey.
 
For more information about the Tour of Missouri, see http://www.tourofmissouri.com

Quotes from the 2007 Tour of Missouri Stage One Press Conference
 
Ivan Dominguez, Toyota United Pro Cycling team, winner of Stage One of Tour of Missouri, Edward Jones Sprint Leader
 
On coming back from an injury to win the Stage One of the Tour of Missouri
“Yeah, I can just go home now.”
 
(Changing his mind) “I might stay here a little longer.”
 
On the pressure of being among the favorites to win Stage One
“Yeah, well a lot of people came up to me and said 'hey we put money on you.' I said hey don't put too much. I know a lot of people expected me to win. I was not expecting to win this race today. Coming down to the last three laps I was starting to get cramps. I was not expecting to see that climb in the end and I started losing position. I told my teammate, 'I don't know if I can make it.' But everything came through.”
 
On winning the Sprint and the General Classification (Yellow) Jersey
“Two guys asked me if I was going for the sprint leader jersey in the race and normally I don't do that type of stuff. So I let it go and stayed and waited. When I go through a race like that and I'm not a hundred percent I only bring one bullet, so I have to save it for the end.”
 
On his chances of keeping the General Classification (Yellow) Jersey after tomorrow's stage
“I would like to keep the jersey one more day or as many days as I can. Tomorrow is not going to be an easy stage.  We have a couple of rollers. That will be a little hard, especially the one as the end.”
 
On domestic teams placing in the top three of Stage One
“Definitely, we have good riders. Some of the other teams have good riders. I was expecting to see guys from the U.S. and Canada place in this race. This won't be the last time.”
 
On strategy in the final circuits
“Normally, in this kind of race my teammates let me do what I want. It's easier for me to follow another rider's wheels than to follow my teammates. When it's a race with only U.S. guys I prefer to have my boys doing the lead out. Also, I need to have my boys around me in this type of race because if I need something quick, they can get it right away. Coming to last three laps, I was in bad condition, I was cramping every time I hit the climb. In the last climb, I was like in 40 places behind, I was losing position again. So when I went ahead, I was like I'm going to try but I don't know if i can make it. He (Bell) was already gone. So he got a pretty good gap between him and the group. He did the right move. If I was not there, for sure he was going to win because no one came closer.  
 
On being the first person to ever wear the Missouri Tourism Yellow Jersey
“It feels great, it's a great race; a lot of people came to the finish. So many people yelling and screaming; I love it.”
 
 

Zach Bell, Symmetrics, second place finisher of Stage One of Tour of Missouri
 
Describing the final 500 meters of the race
“Everybody was trying to get organized but I think that combination of the hill on the last lap and the fast down hill through a wrench in everybody's organization. I know there was a lot of really strong lead outs. My team was trying to protect me as much as they could but coming into those last two corners everybody was on their own, fighting for their own positions. I just tried to follow some good wheels. Coming into the last four or five hundred meters there was a little bit of an opening on the left-hand side before the barrier so I figured I would try to go for it. I thought some of these fast guys would be with me and I was right obviously.”
 
On Symmetrics' goals for this race
“Being one of the smaller teams, obviously, stage wins, stage podiums and to get in the mix as much we can. With the stages being flatter like this, we do have a bit of a G.C. card to play if the time trial works out. I think it's to take opportunities as they present themselves. Right now we are taking it one day at a time. As the week goes on we will probably formulate our strategy as I think a lot of the other teams will. With new courses, there's a lot of rides that the riders haven't seen. I think everybody wonders how it is going to shake out.”
 
 

Mark Funkhouser , Mayor of Kansas City, MO

On the crowds at the finish line of Stage One
“I came down through to the crowd to get to the grand stand and all I heard was really enthusiastic comments. I heard people yell 'bring it back, bring it back.' It's obviously a huge hit. I think it was a bigger hit than we even thought it would be. . .It's a really wonderful thing and I hope we get to do it annually.”

Sean Petty, Chief Operating Officer of USA Cycling

"The start today was phenomenal, It was the  one of the most enthusiastic and biggest crowds I've ever seen for the first day of a  first year race,  and especially given it was on a Tuesday aftenoon.
"All along the course the fan support was incredible.  It was an amazing start to a great event.."