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Menzies returns to Elk Grove to defend 2009 title.

Oct 20, 2009
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<p>Oakland, CA – The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis rolls into Elk Grove, IL with a formidable lineup, led by last year’s Tour of Elk Grove overall winner Karl Menzies, as well as sprinters Hilton Clarke and Jake Keough. </p><p>
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Joining them will be recent Cascade Classic overall winner Rory Sutherland. With the three-day race opening with a 7.2 km time trial, Sutherland will be one of the favorites to take the race lead on day one. </p><p>
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But the 155 km road race on Saturday and Sunday’s 110 km criterium are known as sprinter’s courses. And UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis sprinters have been nearly unstoppable when the full squad is together since Clarke joined the Team for the Air Force Cycling Classic in June. </p><p>
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“We’ve been able to wa tch the progression of our sprinting crew since the spring,” said Team Director Mike Tamayo. “With every race, Karl, Jake and Andrew (Pinfold) were coming together as a unit. And after battling Hilton for several months, when we added him to the mix he fit in perfectly and the guys just kept winning.”</p><p>
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Those wins included a sweep at the Air Force Classic, and victories in both criteriums of the Nature Valley Grand Prix. </p><p>
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“Now we come to Elk Grove with those four guys going well, plus Rory coming off Cascade, and three huge diesels in Brad White, Jonny Clarke and Adrian Hegyvary, so we feel pretty good about this weekend’s races,” Tamayo said. </p><p>
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But UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis will face some stiff competition as well, renewing the Team’ ;s battle with V Australia, whose Ben Day was a close 2nd to Sutherland at Cascade. Jamis-Sutter Home brings a sprint-heavy squad led by Ivan Dominguez and the Borrajo brothers. Plus Bissell and Mountain Khakis are both fielding full squads for Elk Grove.</p><p>
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“We know everyone’s going to show up ready to race their bikes this weekend,” Tamayo said. “It’s going to be some good, hard racing, and it should be really exciting for all the fans who come out to watch.”</p>

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