Stage 1: St. Paul Lowertown Criterium

(by Jennifer Reither, aka Jenn X)

Weather played a significant role at the St. Paul criterium tonight for the men and women’s races. Officials decided to shorten the women’s race from 40 laps to 30 laps, given the news that a significant “storm cell” was on its way. As the women lined up for call ups, the clouds open up and rain poured on the women making for a soggy start when the gun fired. Kristen Armstrong (Cervelo-Lifeforce) wasted no time immediately launching an attack and gaining 15 seconds on chase rider, Joanne Kiesanowski (Tibco) with a small pack including Brooke Miller (Tibco), Lauren Franges (Tibco) and Racheal Lloyd (Proman) about 45 seconds behind Armstrong. From a spectator's view, the race was complete chaos, as Armstrong lapped fields, riders were pulled and Kiesanowki was in no mans land, between chase groups. It was not until the race was finished when the crowd actually knew who was 2nd through 4th place. But the winner in the women’s race was clearly Kristen Armstrong whose strength and savvy this evening put her in the sprinter’s jersey, climber’s jersey and the leader’s jersey.

The men’s race started off with ominous skies and wet streets. Kirk O’Bee (HealthNet) made a great attack on lap two with Aaron Olsen (Bissell) glued to his wheel. The two riders gained a significant gap until Andrew Bajadali (Kelly Benefits) and Rory Sutherland (HealthNet) made a great bridge to O’Bee and Olsen. Unfortunately 20 laps into the race a significant crash caused the peloton to sit up and reevaluate the safety of the race. Officials called the race and the peloton agreed that tomorrow’s stage in Cannon Falls would be stage 1. Danny Van Haute (Director Sportif of Jelly Belly) suggested giving tonight’s stage money to the Children’s Hospital. The peloton and crowd cheered for the donation as the Children were the real winners tonight.

Final Recap Women St Paul Criterium

1st Kristen Armstrong Cervelo Lifeforce

2nd Joanne Kiesanowski Tibco

3rd Brook Miller Tibco



Final Recap Men’s race

No result, the stage is a wash. Stage 1 will be tomorrow in Cannon Falls.

Cole's Race

By Teresa Moriarty

The Nature Valley Grand Prix is a prestigious bike race that assists families in need at Children’s Hospital and Clinics. For the past nine years, The Nature Valley Grand Prix has been summoning professional racers from across the globe, while making a positive impact on those who are with Children’s Hospital and Clinics. In the year 2000 there was no wavering from this race’s influence.

Back in the 2000-2001 school year, I had another amazing group of sixth-graders that I had worked with as an elementary teacher. Each student was unique with their own talents, all eager to break away from their lower school years so that they could set new life goals, and use their tangible talents to achieve them. However, one of my students was given a different path, a far greater challenge than five days of hard bike racing in Minnesota. His was the race against time, a goal to have a longer life. This beloved student was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

Within two days of his diagnosis, Children’s Hospital in Saint Paul became his second home and classroom where lessons on life, health, and perseverance were administered by those who came to his bedside. But who was the real teacher? Cole was the educator, this eleven-year old sixth-grader. He taught others what it really means to push onward, to stay alive and fight cancer. This was Cole’s toughest race.

And where did his support come from? It came from his wonderful parents and younger brother. It also came from an amazing team of physicians, nurses, and from those who make things possible at Saint Paul’s Children‘s Hospital. The medical team tried so many new treatments for Cole, which we all know takes money, time, and dedicated people to understand about this disease. They never gave up on helping Cole to fight for his possible win.

As 2001 lead the way in our new millennium, that year gave me a new reason as to why I race in the Nature Valley Grand Prix. I race for Cole! You see, Cole will never be able to take his own bike outside again in the backyard where he made a BMX track course to have races against his brother and friends. Cole lost his race against cancer. So now, I race for Cole.

Thank you to all of the individuals who make the Nature Valley Grand Prix what it is: a prestigious bike race that assists families in need at Children’s Hospital and Clinics.