March 3-4:  Merco Cycling Classic  Downtown and Foothills Races Merced, CA

• First Place at the Merco Cycling Classic?s Downtown Grand Prix

• Third Place Finish at the Merco Cycling Foothills Road Race

Caleb Manion and Chepe Garcia sign autographs at the Merced Mall	Burk Swindlehurst gives his bike a final assessment before the start of the Downtown Grand Prix; this was Burke?s first race of the season.
Photo © Kathleen Poulos	photo © Kathleen Poulos
Stefano Barberi poses with a fan before the start of the race.	Is Sean Sullivan going to be trying a new bike during the upcoming races?
photo © Kathleen Poulos	photo © Kathleen Poulos
Ivan Dominguez is acknowledged at the start of the Downtown Grand Prix; Henk Vogels and Ivan Stevic were also recognized during the starting ceremony.	Toyota-United races past through downtown Merced.
photo © Kathleen Poulos	photo © Kathleen Poulos

Stefano Barberi and Henk Vogels take a corner.	Chepe Garcia
Photo © Kathleen Poulos	photo © Kathleen Poulos
Caleb Manion	Ivan Stevic
photo © Kathleen Poulos	photo © Kathleen Poulos
Henk Vogels throws up his arm as Ivan Dominguez crosses the finish line first.	Ivan Dominguez races across the line to finish first in the Downtown Grand Prix.
photo © Kathleen Poulos	photo © Kathleen Poulos
Dominguez sails past after his victory.	During the Foothills Road Race the breakaway and peloton find themselves riding between fields of almond trees.
photo © Kathleen Poulos	photo © Kathleen Poulos
Ivan Stevic is part of the initial breakaway.	Henk Vogels roars after the breakaway.
photo © Kathleen Poulos	photo © Kathleen Poulos
Toyota-United comes to the front of the peloton and chases hard for the final lap of the Foothill Road Race and succeeds in brining back the breakaway.	Ivan Dominguez spent time on the podium both Saturday and Sunday. Ivan finished the race first on Saturday and placed third on Sunday.
photo © Kathleen Poulos	photo © Kathleen Poulos