Oakland, CA - The Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis is in a familiar position as it readies for the 2007 Nature Valley Grand Prix this Wednesday: on top of the NRC standings. And the three-time NRC champions are motivated to defend their 2006 overall victory at Nature Valley.

Last year, the team played pass-the-leader's-jersey among Karl Menzies, Greg Henderson and Nathan O'Neill. Menzies ended up with it last and earned his first NRC stage race overall title, while Henderson and O'Neill joined him for a Health Net Presented by Maxxis sweep of the final overall podium.

For 2007, O'Neill returns as team leader. The eight-time and current Australian national time trial champion is on a winning streak, having taken the overall title at both the Tour of the Gila and the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic in May and early June. He opened the 2006 Nature Valley G.P. in typical fashion, winning the opening time trial and holding the race leader's yellow jersey for three days until handing it over to Henderson, who in turn, gave it to Menzies after the final stage.

With the time trial moved back to the third stage this year, it could cause a shake-up in the overall classification. But Health Net Presented by Maxxis directeur sportif Jeff Corbett noted that at 4.5 miles, it might not be long enough to prove decisive.

"If a sprinter does well enough to be close to the top of the overall classification after the TT, with all the time bonuses available for intermediate sprints and stage finishes, it will be a very competitive race until the end," he said.

In fact, that's exactly how the leader's jersey shifted from one rider to another last year, with both Henderson and Menzies benefiting from time bonuses for their wins in Stage 2 and Stage 4 respectively.

Along with O'Neill, the roster is heavy with big engines that not only can contend with the usual cross winds that the road stages throw at the peloton, but can also time trial very well.

"Jeff Louder, John Murphy and Rory Sutherland can all TT very well," Corbett said. Sutherland was consistently strong during the Commerce Bank Triple Crown, as well as the during the CSC Invitational the day before the Lancaster Invitational, the opening race of the Triple Crown.

Corbett also lauded Murphy for his ride in Philadelphia. "For a guy that young to be right there on the 10th lap in Philly is a great accomplishment," he said. He also noted that team member Roman Kilun has been instrumental in preserving O'Neill's wins at Gila and Mt. Hood, and has been a strong domestique all season.

Frank Pipp, another rider who went extremely well during the Triple Crown, including earning a 3rd place at Lancaster, will be the team's main sprinting threat. However, he's shown this season that he can get over the hills with the front group at most races. And as Menzies and Henderson both showed last year, a sprinter who can put in a strong TT is a legitimate threat for the overall title at Nature Valley.

Getting back to the top of the NRC

Post Philly Week provided a bit of a breather for the team, with a week off until the start of the Nature Valley Grand Prix. With the season at roughly its mid-point, Health Net Presented by Maxxis finds itself back at the top of the NRC standings, albeit with a slim 12-point lead over Toyota-United.

The team has re-ascended to the top of the standings in large part by winning three of the past four NRC stage races: the Joe Martin Stage Race (Sutherland), Tour of the Gila and the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic (both by O'Neill).

In NRC competition this season, Health Net Presented by Maxxis riders have stood on the top step of the podium 14 times as either stage or overall race winners, with a total of 22 podium appearances.

In all, the team has earned 28 victories and 60 podium appearances in domestic and international competition.

With form and stage race momentum on their side, look for the team to add to those totals in Minnesota this week.

Notes

Defending Nature Valley champion Karl Menzies was originally slated to defend his title, but had to return to his native Tasmania to attend to family business. He will, however, be there in one big way: his image will be emblazoned on a 25-foot tall Wheaties box, along with last year's NVGP women's champion, Kristen Armstrong (TEAm Lipton), in the Wheaties Fan Zone at various race locations.