Sutherland, Johnson lead UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis into 2010 season kick off at MERCO

Oakland, CA – The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis will kick off its 2010 campaign in Merced, CA March 6-7 with the MERCO race weekend.

The races in Merced, which for many years have served as the kick-off to the season, will provide a good test for the nine-rider squad from UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis.

“These races will be a good way for the Team to get the season started,” said team Directeur Sportif Gord Fraser, who knows both the criterium and road race well, having won them both multiple times. “The fields have traditionally been very strong, with a mix of national pro teams and the top regional NorCal elite teams. The criterium offers a good, technical course, and the crowds in downtown Merced are always great.”

The criterium will give the Team an opportunity to start working out tactics and dialing its lead-outs for sprinters Eric Barlevav and Johnny Clarke.

The rolling, 26-mile loop the riders will tackle five times for the road race offers its own challenges, Fraser said.

“The course frequently offers up strong cross winds,” he said. “It’s a rare opportunity in the cross winds, if the conditions allow, because there aren’t many races in the U.S. that offer up these conditions.”

The Team brings a lot of horsepower, including the big engines of Team captain Tim Johnson, Roman Kilun and new addition Adrian Hegyvary. It’s also a course that suits Team leader Rory Sutherland.

One other obstacle Fraser noted has more to do with the course’s surroundings than the course itself. “The almond orchards should be in full bloom,” he says. “That means lots of bees, and I’ve been stung out there on more than one occasion.”

The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis for the MERCO Cycling Classic, March 6-7 in Merced, CA:

Eric Barlevav
Johnny Clarke
Matt Crane
Adrian Hegyvary
Max Jenkins
Tim Johnson
Roman Kilun
Morgan Schmitt
Rory Sutherland