With a six-stage parcours that won’t feature any truly difficult climbs, a la Sierra Road at the Amgen Tour of California or Brasstown Bald at the Tour de Georgia, the race for the overall crown will likely take shape during the Stage 3 individual time trial in Branson. This puts Health Net Presented by Maxxis’ two national time trial champions in strong contention.

Eight-time and current Australian national time trial champion Nathan O’Neill has had another exceptional year, despite being kept out of racing by injury for the first couple months of the season. He returned to North American action at the Tour de Georgia in April and showed his strong form with a third place – behind Levi Leipheimer (Discovery) and David Zabriskie (CSC) – in the individual time trial, and a fourth place in the grueling stage up to Brasstown Bald. He’s been consistently strong all year, posting overall wins at the Tour of the Gila and Mt. hood for the second consecutive year.

Canadian national time trial champion Ryder Hesjedal gives the team yet another GC card to play. He has quietly put up some solid results, often riding in support for teammates, including 10th overall at the Amgen Tour of California, 8th overall at the Cascade Classic, and 17th overall at the Tour de Georgia after nearly pulling off the stage win up to Brasstown Bald.

Jeff Louder is another rider with form and motivation to make the podium of the Tour of Missouri. The strong all-around performer has been honing both his climbing and time trialing in and around his home in Salt Lake City. He put in a solid 11th place performance at the USPro Road Race championship on September 2nd. He also made the decisive Stage 2 break and finished 7th overall at the Tour de Georgia.

Yet another rider who will give Health Net Presented by Maxxis a threat for stage wins is Frank Pipp. The classics-style strong man earned a stage win at the Nature Valley Grand Prix, and burst out of a two-man break to win the Presbyterian Healthcare Charlotte Criterium in August. He’s also shown his versatility by finishing 4th overall at the Tri Peaks Challenge, considered a race geared more toward the climbers. He will also be a vital part of the team’s lead-out train for Menzies in the bunch sprints.

Rounding out the squad are two riders whose results don’t reflect their value to the team. Matt Crane, the youngest member of Health Net Presented by Maxxis, has labored in anonymity throughout the season, working himself to the point of exhaustion for his teammates day after day. Commenting after winning the overall title at ‘Toona, Menzies said of Crane, “He rode like a superstar all week.” Look for the young man >from Athens, GA to spend a lot of time riding tempo on the front of the peloton, and possibly find his way into breaks throughout the six-stage race.

As always, the team will be led on the road by veteran rider and tactician Tim Johnson. Until cyclocross season starts, Johnson’s results only give a hint of his contribution to the team. His best result of the season came at the Tour de Georgia, where he finished 8th overall. But his value as a strategist and leader, as well as a super domestique, is hard to quantify in results alone. He’s another rider who will spend hours with his nose in the wind riding tempo, covering breaks and keeping things together for his teammates.

Health Net presented by Maxxis for Tour of Missouri:

Matt Crane, Ryder Hesjedal, Tim Johnson, Jeff Louder, Karl Menzies, Nathan O'Neill, Frank Pipp, Rory Sutherland