Cedars-Sinai Grand Prix
By David Keire

The 2006 edition of the Cedars-Sinai Grand Prix on the West Los Angeles College campus in Culver City was much anticipated by the racers and lived up to its reputation as a leg-breaking race. The Pro-1/2 race was marked by much early aggression with riders taking shots to make the selection that always happens on the tough Stocker St climb. The racers see this 7% 70 meter climb every 3 minutes for 75 minutes and must dig deep to hold their speed over the false flat top. The initial barrage of attacks settled down with a select group of six rolling away including Ivan Dominguez, "Chepe" Garcia (Toyota-United), Gordon McCauley (Successful Living presented by ParkPre), Thurlow Rogers (Sonance/Speacialized), Rigo Meza (Coates Cyclery/Arce Bros), and Jorge Alvarado (Kahala LaGrange). Even as they were gaining time on the hard chasing field cooperation was poor in the break and inevitably the group splintered under the strain of attacks on the climb. From the field a chase group of 4 riders (Dan Ramsey, Ryan Yee ( Successful Living presented by ParkPre), Kayle LeoGrande, and Dan Vinson (Kahala LaGrange)) formed too late to close the gap on the front six but managed to hold off the shredded field in the end. At the head of the race Ivan Dominguez showed his form by riding away from his feuding breakaway companions and lapping the field solo. In the end he crossed the finish line alone as did all those that placed in the top ten:

1. Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United)
2. Gordon McCauley (Successful Living presented by Parkpre)
3. Rigoberto Meza (Coates Cyclery/Arce Bros)
4. Jose "Chepe" Garcia (Toyota-United)
5. Jorge Alvarado (Kahala LaGrange)
6. Thurlow Rogers (Sonance/Specialized)
7. Dan Ramsey (Successful Living presented by Parkpre)
8. Kayle LeoGrande (Kahala LaGrange)
9. Ryan Yee (Successful Living presented by Parkpre)
10. Dan Vinson (Kahala LaGrange)