Cannon Falls, MN - Kirk O'Bee of the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis has won the second stage of the 2007 Nature Valley Grand Prix going one better than his second place finish in the opening stage yesterday.

The win came at the end of the 100km stage, which included four circuits in Cannon Falls, and is notorious for its strong crosswinds. O'Bee said the plan at the start of the day was similar to the one the team employed in 2006. Just 18 miles into last year's stage, when the peloton hit the crosswinds for the first time, Health Net Presented by Maxxis massed at the front and put it in the gutter, shattering the peloton almost immediately. They used the tactic to take control of the race until its conclusion.

Unfortunately, O'Bee said, "It just wasn't that windy. We put it in the gutter a few times but it wasn't working."

After a series of attacks, overall threat Phil Zajicek (Navigators) and two members of the Colombian national team escaped off the front and opened up a one-minute gap. Toyota-United went to the front to keep things under control for their race leader, Ivan Stevic, but the trio up ahead was still able to extend their lead another minute.

"There was a pretty good tailwind the last 25 km," O'Bee noted.

With Toyota unable to bring down the gap, Health Net Presented by Maxxis took over chasing duties, along with several other teams. "There were a lot of attacks, which actually helped bring down the gap," O'Bee said.

But when the lead trio reached the circuits, they still held a one-minute gap. "Toyota chased again for the first lap, then they just kinda fell apart," O'Bee said. "The we went to the front along with BMC and started to bring it back."

In the final lap, everything came back together, setting up a sprint finish on a circuit that ended with a slight dip before a moderate uphill finishing straight. "Us, BMC and Toyota were all jockeying for position in the final lap," O'Bee noted. "Coming out of the final turn, I actually lost about 10 places. But it was a long finish, and I got some momentum back in the little downhill. I was able to use that to get a little gap to the line."

O'Bee finished ahead of Martin Gilbert (Kelly Benefit) and Dan Schmatz (BMC). With Stevic finishing off the podium and time bonuses on the line, O'Bee took over the race lead after finishing second to Stevic on Wednesday.

Friday is a double stage day, starting with a new course for the 4.5-mile time trial in the morning, and a 60-minute criterium in downtown Minneapolis in the evening.

"I have about 25 seconds on most of the main TT guys," O'Bee said. "The course looks pretty straightforward, and it's supposed to be even flatter than the old course. But I'll just give it a go and see what happens."