Eric Ransom Released from Team.
iomega-Orbea today announced that Eric Ransom was released from the team.  Details were not disclosed but Team Manager and Director Gary Casella stated:

"Eric has had a tough year with injury, setbacks and trying to do too much to meet his obligations to iomega-Orbea and also trying to do his own NORBA MTB schedule.  I wish Eric the best of luck in the future as he is a gifted rider with a lot of potential if he can stay focused and mature along the way."

Jukich takes 7th in Missoula Criterium and Weyen takes 5th overall.
The criterium in downtown Missoula today saw iomega-Orbea's pocket rocket Esteban Jukich finish in 7th place after a long 5 days racing in Montana.  Esteban sprinted his way towards a top 10 finish in the miss and out format criterium.
 
The overall classification saw iomega-Orbea's Matt Weyen hold onto his 5th place, a great achievement for Matt, who openly thanked his entire team who helped him through out the weekend to stay out of trouble, out of the wind and helped him retain his 5th place.

Vuelta tune ups go well
Both iomega-Orbea squads rode well on Sunday.  With the Idaho Based team taking 5th (Mayfield), 7th (Abbruzzese) as well as two more top 20 finishes.  Tad Hamilton rode strongly as he was a main force in the day being in the races most successful move.

In Uruguay all the teams showed up in full force for their final tuneup before their National tour.  Early in the 190Km race a break of 3 riders got clear and put 4 minutes into the pack.  The stiff crosswinds proved too much for the main pack as it got shredded to many small groups.  As they turned into the wind Esteban Jukich was in the first chase group of 15 riders with the remaining field and Gary Casella some 45 seconds back.  The pack became unmotivated and many riders prefered to rest up and abandoned the race leaving a dwindling chase group.  Casella and three others set off in chase.

At the end only 30 riders finished with Esteban in the first chase pack and feeling good after the days tough efforts, and Casella came in as one of the last finishers as more riders abandoned with only around 30 finishers out of some 80+ starters.
With everyone finishing upright and healthy, the team now focuses on the Vuelta thats starts next Friday.

The few remaining Boise based riders not contesting the Vuelta will tackle a new Idaho event, Hillsdale/Star Ridge Circuit race April 4th.

Team on track in early season.
The opening Boise area race "the slammer" took place this past weekend with clear skies but windy conditions.  iomega-Orbea fielded the team of Mayfield, Abbruzzese, Hamilton and Parker for the 40 mile event.  The race was fast from the gun and tough with the stiff wind.  Abbruzzese with Mayfield took 6th and 7th a few seconds back from the lead group, confirming their decent early season form as the team builds for the Vuelta and the long season ahead.

In Uruguay, Esteban Jukich and Gary Casella contested the first race in a two race series called the Vuelta de Carasco.  The races was held in hot 85 degree temperatures and a good wind.  The race was 110 miles long and fast from the start with a a small group breaking away.  As they got caught some 30 miles later another group formed containing 12 riders including Jukich.  This group grew a maximum lead of 2 minutes and Jukich contesting and taking the lead in the Cima (KOM) competition. The gap started to shrink as the lead group started attacking each other with riders falling off the pace some 20 miles to go.  In the end the group stayed away and Jukich finished 7th overall.  Roughly 1:30 later the field containing Casella crossed the line.  Total race time was 4:03.

The team is on track so far in 2004 with lofty goals ahead, stay tuned for more news.

Tad 22nd at US Cross Nationals on wet & muddy track
Tad Hamilton took 22nd place after battling back after being held up behind a crash soon after the start. Tad, who was iomega's most consistent finisher during all of 2003 said "After the crash, getting shuffled back to like 50th place and all the rain and over 5 inches of mud, I thought of just hopping off, but I didn't" Soon after the second lap where he lost most of his time Tipo began to find a rhythm and pick off riders in front of him "On the hard packed stuff I was flying and passing people every lap, the sludging through the mud wasn't best suited for me, but I was making up ground." Finishing strong Tad nearly broke the top 20, disappointed as his goal was a solid top 10. "had the track been what I had wished for, hard, cold and fast, I think it would have swung in my favor as I was one of the fastest on the faster part of the course. I felt good, strong, but in the thick mud ... I couldn't find my rhythm to slug it out. Mentally the bad start bummed me out." Team iomega Manager Gary Casella is very happy of Tad's good finish. "Tad is a fighter, and the conditions didn't suit him, but he was ready and fit and fast. For him to finish strong after the poor start and passing almost half the field, I'm very proud of what he did and not quit. I know Tad wanted to do well at the Cyclocross Nationals."

Team Ready for 2004...
The young guns focused
Team iomega-Orbea riders are all starting to prepare for the upcoming 2004 season. Team rider Eric Ransom has begun his preseason base training along with finishing his college semester in Durango, Colorado. Esteban Jukich who has been racing back in his native Uruguay and is taking a short break to recover and rest up before the long 2004 ahead. Esteban and Eric are both looking forward towards bettering their successful 2003 seasons, and have been extremely focused in their training, something which is music to Gary's ears. " In talking to Eric, Esteban, and Justin Mayfield, they all have stepped it up a notch as far as their focus and dedication to improve next season. The time is now to do their homework and make the sacrifices to do their off season training, work on their weaknesses and log in the base miles, that will be the foundation to their upcoming season. Its great to see them all very focused." More on the upcoming 2004 season coming soon.

Racers took off like they were being shot from a canon, turning the small pack into a spread out single file line in just a few minutes. Tad would leave the group quickly and never come back. Team George's rider Mike Kennedy put in a good effort and great race, coming in around only 30 seconds behind Tad. <photos>

Esteban clinched the Sprinter competition by getting into the last stage breakaway and winning two out of the last three point sprints.