All About The Benjamin, United They Stand

Cheerwine had plenty to, well, cheer about as the current number one ranked USA Cycling NRC team swept both of the scheduled events this past weekend in Arlington, VA and Tulsa, OK.

As our own Tour 0f '03 reported, Catherine Cheatley won the CSC Invitational taking the three up sprint over Laura Kroepsch (VAC) and Andrea Dvorak (Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light).

Meanwhile in Tulsa, Kelly Benjamin took two of the three Tulsa Tough criterium races to take the overall omnium title with a third place in Sunday's Riverview Criterium, which was won by teammate Stacy Marple.

Shelley Olds (PROMAN Racing) finished in second place just 8 points behind Benjamin with a remarkably consistent effort taking second in Friday's Blue Dome Criterium and Sunday's Riverview, while finishing third in Saturday's Brady Criterium.

Jennifer MCrae (Advil-Chapstick) took third overall.

United In Every Way
The men from Toyota-United simply dominated the weekend in Tulsa and claimed the top 5 spots in the overall.

During Friday's Blue Dome Criterium, it was the Clarke brothers, Hilton and Jonnie, finishing in first and third, respectively with teammate Caleb Manion taking second.

On Saturday, it was another United sweep with Ivan Stevic, Jonnie Clarke, Caleb Manion, Hilton Clarke, and Henk Vogels taking the top five places in the Brady Criterium.

Stevic repeated in Sunday's Riverview Criterium with teammate Caleb Manion finishing second. Stefano Barberi (THF Racing) finally broke the United podium stranglehold taking third.

Photos: Leonard Basobas (top - Kelly Benjamin at the 2007 Vegas Crits call up; bottom - Ivan Stevic at Vegas Crits)