St. Paul, MN - It's a familiar refrain: Nathan O"Neill of the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis won another time trial. In this case, the eight-time and reigning Australian National Time Trial Champion took out the 4.5-mile Stage 3 TT at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

The win by three seconds over rising stage race talent Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health), moved O'Neill into second place overall. Ivan Stevic (Toyota-United) Stage 1 winner and third in the TT, regained the leader's jersey after coming in nine seconds behind O'Neill, but 19 seconds ahead of overnight leader Kirk O'Bee of Health Net Presented by Maxxis.

O'Bee still had a strong enough showing to hold onto 3rd overall in the GC.

Show of Force

Health Net Presented by Maxxis placed seven riders in the top 15 on the stage, with O'Bee occupying the 15th spot. Young John Murphy took 5th in the TT and moved up to 6th overall, while Rory Sutherland's 8th in the TT put him in 9th overall.

Other top finishers included Frank Pipp in 11th on the stage, and Roman Kilun and Jeff Louder 13th and 14th respectively. Pipp, Kilun and Louder now occupy the 12th through 14th places respectively in the GC race, with Louder still just 34 seconds off the top spot on GC. Team captain Tim Johnson was the lowest placed rider on the stage for Health Net Presented by Maxxis, coming in at 25th. He is now 57th overall.

"Tim did a lot of work chasing in the road stage yesterday and lost a little time on the circuits at the end," noted team directeur sportif Jeff Corbett.

The Nature Valley Grand Prix continues this evening with a 60-minute criterium in downtown Minneapolis, with a large after-work crowd expected to be lining the course.

GC after Stage 3
1. Ivan Stevic (SER) Toyota United
2. Nathan O'Neill (AUS) Health Net pb Maxxis   0:06
3. Kirk O'Bee (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis        0:09

also

6. John Murphy (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis     0:20
9. Rory Sutherland (AUS) Health Net pb Maxxis  0:26
12. Frank Pipp (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis      0:31
13. Roman Kilun (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis   0:33
14. Jeff Louder (USA) Health Net pb Maxxis     0:34

Official Results