Words by Tom Price

There was Lance and Leipheimer; Cavendish and Cancellara; and of course “Bike City USA.”

In 2009, Cycling enthusiasts in Merced County were washed away in a magical two-month span that included two of the biggest races in the nation.

In 2009, downtown Merced’s crown jewel of special events, the MERCO Credit Union Cycling Classic, rode on the heels of the Tour of California’s historic stage through Merced.

“There’s no doubt, it brought out a lot of supporters,” says Doug Fleutsch, the race’s founder. “Cycling became familiar to people in Merced quickly.”

But this year there is no “Live Strong” bracelets and monstrous banners draped over city hall. This year, there’s only one race in town.

“A lot of people in Merced are disappointed that the Tour is not coming back, but they still have a national level race to support. I think there will still be carryover.”

While MERCO may not come with all the hoopla, Fleutsch says it has story lines and a format that should draw both serious and passing cycling fans.

“What they saw with the Tour of California was riders riding out of town,” says Fleutsch. “With MERCO you get to see an entire race unfold.”

The women

There’s no doubt what team is expected to produce the winner in 2010. It’s the same jersey that has been at the top of the podium in each of the last two years. It’s who will be wearing that jersey that may be the question.

Last year it was Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, the year before that it was Emilia Fahlin. Both are members of Team Columbia HTC, but that’s where the similar ties stop.

Teutenberg, 35, is a 9-year veteran of professional racing and is coming off an amazing 24-win season. That was more wins than any other man or woman in professional racing.

She is a keen stage racer and well-rounded enough to handle various stage.

Fahlin, 21, is a speedster who won the Tour of California criterium last year, and is on the watch list as an up-and-coming star in the sport.

“To start as a professional with riders like Ina and Judith (Arndt) for example, around you, I think been the greatest learning process I could get,” says the Swedish native. “Being on the same team and being around them is always motivating, and really makes you wanna one day reach the same level, and for that you really need motivation.”

Teutenberg provides plenty of motivation and says she leans on her teammates to get her to the finish line.

“You never win a bike race without your teammates,” says the German native. “The stronger the team the easier it is. Emilia is young and she will get stronger every year, she is fast and good for us to have on breakaways.”

It will be the first real race of the season for both women, which adds a bit of unpredictably to the rather predictable courses Merced provides.

“You are always insecure going into the first race, it’s easier when you know where you are at,” says Teutenberg. “(Merced) is a good course for early in the year, when you are just trying to get through the races.”

Fahlin, who won both the criterium and the road race in 2008, agrees.

“The fact it will be the first race makes it a little bit harder. A critertium is always hard and fast from the beginning and you need to stay focused the whole time to stay up in the field,” she says. “With a short and quick course as in Merced its really made for an exciting, fast and aggressive race, and the public would be able to follow it all so close up, and with such short lap you can follow all the speed and action.”

The Men

Nobody knows the impact a win at MERCO can have for a cyclist more than Ignacio Silva.

Racing last year as an amateur with Rock Racing, Silva pulled off a major win in the road race, one of two wins all year.

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