July 22/07 10:00 am - Tour de Delta: Stage 2 report, photos and full results

Posted by Editoress on 07/22/07
 

Tour de Delta
By Matt Hansen

Stage 2: Lehigh Cement Criterium

Photos by Greg Descantes



Women

At 6pm, women started the action, taking to the line in downtown Lander under grey, misty weather-which quickly became relentless rain.

The women raced race 40 laps for 36km. Eager for a win, the GIANT team was aggressive from the get-go-sending rider after rider up the road to try and sneak away for a win. However, the JAZZ Apple team made sure to tag every move-and over and over, nothing would stick.

The uber-strong Leah Goldstein (Symmetrics Cycling) was omnipresent as well-constantly in the top-5, but the day was one for the sprinters. As the race came to a close, it was Rushlee Buchanan (JAZZ Apple) that took the win in front of Alberta's Jenny Trew and team-mate Lisa Howard. Goldstein just missed the podium, coming in fourth. "It was a fast, wet course tonight!" Goldstein said afterwards. "I tried my best to get away but JAZZ was too strong-they just reeled in all the moves."

Men

The men lined up for 60 laps for a total of 54km. From the first lap, it was clear that some riders were eager to race-and others were not so keen on the rain. With slippery corners and high speeds, the pack quickly splintered so that by the first third, nearly half the field was out of contention, and quickly quit.

The Symmetrics team, eager to avenge its loss at Burnaby and Gastown, was extraordinarily eager-sending rider after rider to soften the field and try to stick a breakaway. Particularly active were Andrew Randell and Eric Wohlberg-both taking flyers solo several times, or initiating moves with others. However, each time a danger man would get into a move-a Health Net or Navigators rider, specifically-the S-Team would shut down the move and set up for another.

"The plan tonight was to be aggressive and shatter the field, and hopefully get up the road," Kevin Cunningham, Symmetrics Cycling co-owner said. "We know Kirk O'Bee is virtually unbeatable in the sprint-and the only way we could take him in the finale was to soften him up."

Soften him up was exactly what the Symmetrics squad did. With one lap to go, Randell took another flyer but was caught, leading to a bunch sprint.

Forcing O'Bee to be on the offensive caused the Health Net man to visibly suffer by the end of the race, so that when the final gallop to the line began, the Vancouver resident didn't have the same kick as normal. O'Bee led from the final corner, with Symmetrics Zach Bell coming up on him hard on the left side as Pinner flanked O'Bee on his left. At the line, it was Bell victorious followed by a disappointed O'Bee, with Pinfold in third. Bell solidified his lead in the overall for Tour of Delta, with one stage remaining.

"We had a great night tonight and it's great to see us win again," Bell said. "We rode great tonight and when we got to the finish I knew that Pinner or I just had to finish off well for the team. I'm really happy with the win, and the way we rode."

The Tour of Delta finishes tomorrow with the grueling road race...