Winners beat disappointments

Tom Zirbel and Carmen Small could not be more different.

One is a convicted doper. The other is a licensed math teacher. One is on a personal path of redemption, seeking a way out of the dark cloud that engulfs him. The other is on a path to cycling stardom, emerging from the shadows of other celebrated female cyclists.

Their team -- Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies --binds them together. But on Sunday, they became forever linked in Stillwater. Both proudly stood up on the podium side by side as the 2012 Nature Valley Grand Prix Champions.

"It's such a great feeling," Small said. "I've never won a GC of this caliber. I've won stage races before, but nothing this big and against such elite competition. It's overwhelming."

Zirbel added: "I felt a sense of relief and gratefulness once I had crossed the finish line. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves and we weren't going to be satisfied with second place."

Public opinion still varies on Zirbel. Some embrace him, others shun him. Some believe his urine sample, which tested positive for the steroid DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) in 2009, contained a tainted supplement Zirbel unknowingly ingested. Others do not. It's a matter of perception.

"Vindication," Zirbel said of winning the Grand Prix. "It hurt a lot losing here on the last day in 2009 in front of my family. It was a crummy feeling. So it's a little vindicating, coming back here and winning this time."

She lacked the international experience of the other female cyclists chosen. The committee, ultimately, did not give her the opportunity to prove herself.

"I'm not going to say that I wasn't disappointed with not making the team," Small said. "It was hard, but I'm very happy for the women who did [get picked]. They're all great racers. Today, though, was a stellar result for me."

While Small wasn't selected, she showcased her capabilities against Olympic competition on the road through six stages.

"It's sick," said Jonas Carney, Optum pro cycling men's performance director said. "Very exciting for both of our teams to win today. I'm very proud of Carmen, Tom and the rest of our team as well as everyone else involved in our program."

In the final stage, Small and Zirbel faced the task of trekking up a treacherous slope -- known as Chilkoot Hill -- while maintaining their respective leads. Both credited teammates with providing them with the strength needed to finish after five days of racing.