Alpharetta, GA - The final stage of the Ford Tour de Georgia came down to a drag race in the final 200 meters between the top two sprinters in North America, with Gord Fraser of the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis coming second to J.J. Haedo (Toyota-United).

"Everybody rode well today," said Jeff Corbett, directeur sportif of Health Net Presented by Maxxis. "They killed it. It just wasn't in the cards. J.J. is just the unmovable force right now. Hats off to him."

Jeff Louder of Health Net Presented by Maxxis nearly stole the stage. With about 21.5 miles remaining, he and break-away partner Will Frischkorn (TIAA-CREF) attacked out of the remnants of a break that had gone just 12 miles into the 118-mile stage. The two attacked as they were entering the first of six 3.5-mile finishing circuits in Alpharetta, establishing a gap of over two minutes.

But Davitamon-Lotto riding for sprint leader Fred Rodriguez and Toyota-United riding for Haedo worked over the first five of those circuits to reel in the duo.

O'Neill safely in seventh

Nathan O'Neill of Health Net Presented by Maxxis finished safely with the main field to preserve his seventh overall position, 3:45 behind Tour winner Floyd Landis (Phonak). As at the Amgen Tour of California, O'Neill was the top non-Pro Tour rider in the general classification.

"The guys rode well all week," Corbett added. "Some of the guys, like Louder, Kirk O'Bee and Doug Ollerenshaw didn't have a lot of racing days in their legs yet before this week. But I think the way they rode bodes well for the guys going to Europe at the end of the week."

Of the riders in Georgia, Louder, O'Bee, Ollerenshaw, Menzies and Sayers will be part of the roster for Europe, along with Garrett Peltonen, Mike Jones and Alberto Tiberio.

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