Hood River, OR - Nathan O'Neill of the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis takes a 14-second lead over Phil Zajicek (Navigators) into this morning's 10.5-mile Scenic Gorge Time Trial of the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic.

After just getting pipped at the line by Zajicek in Friday's third stage, O'Neill will look for revenge in a discipline in which he excels, having won a gold medal at Commonwealth Games, as well as his seventh Australian National Time Trial Championship, earlier this year.

"With Nathan in the leader's jersey, Zajicek had the benefit of sitting in for most of yesterday's stage," noted Health Net Presented by Maxxis Assistant Directeur Sportif Gustavo Carrillo.

As he did in Thursday's second stage, O'Neill again got superb help from teammates Roman Kilun, Greg Henderson and Scott Moninger in keeping things together and keeping the leader's jersey on his back.

Zajicek won't have the benefit of cover in the time trial, and O'Neill will look to solidify his hold on the lead ahead of Sunday's difficult Three Summit Road Race. In between, the peloton will race the Downtown Hood River Criterium this afternoon. New Zealander Henderson, returning to racing after two months off recuperating from a hip fracture, will look to avenge a relegation after initially winning Stage 2 with a win this afternoon.

Notes

Moninger finished third in Stage 3 and sits 7th overall. He also is a strong time trialist and will look to move up in the overall. He is 0:28 behind O'Neill, but only :09 behind Ryan Trebon (AEG-Toshiba) in third place.