June 30/01 8:26 am - Ontario Track Meet, Norba #3 XC Report, Fitchburg Report (French)

Posted by Editor on 06/30/01
 

Ontario Track League
Courtesy Nigel Roberts

Saturday July 7, 2001

Location: Windham Centre

Registration: 12:30 pm, Racing starts @1:00pm sharp

Fee: $10.00

For further information contact Nigel Roberts: kingofcrits@home.com or (519) 624-6149

Schedule of Events:
- 250m Time Trial
- Devil
- 3 up Match Sprints
- Individual Pursuit
- 500m Handicap Sprint
- Points Race
- Olympic Sprint

Directions to Wind-Del Community Park from Toronto (Courtesy of Ronde van Wind-Del) Take QEW and 403 through Hamilton to the top of Hamilton Mountain at Ancaster. Leave Hwy 403 and join Hwy #2 toward Brantford. At Brant Road #18, turn left Follow Brant Road #18 for 8kms to Brant County Road #4 and turn left. Keep on #4 for about 11 kms. and cross Brant County Road #24 at Oakland. Continue to Scotland to the junction of Hwy. #24 after 3kms. Turn left onto Hwy #24 and immediately right at the fork onto Brant County Road #4. Continue for 6.5kms through Vanessa and then another 5kms. to Haldimand Norfolk Road #25. Turn left and proceed for 5kms to Windham Centre. At the T junction, turn right onto RR #9. Take the first left back onto #25, cross the railway tracks and Wind-Del Community Park is on the left hand side.


XC Report From Norba #3
Courtesy Paul Skilbeck for USA Cycling

PARK CITY (Ut.), 28 June 2001 - Ryder Hesjedal of Canada and Caroline Alexander of Great Britain rode to victory in the men's and women's cross country races on a tough mountain course at Deer Valley Resort in round three of the Chevy Trucks National Off Road Bicycling Association National Championships Mountain Bike Series.

COURSE AND CONDITIONS
Lap length: 6.2 miles
Elevation: start/finish 7000 feet
Climbing: 1635 feet a lap
Conditions: Very dry, sunny, dusty, low wind, approx. 90F.

Both men's and women's races contained one of the strongest international fields seen on the Chevy Trucks NORBA circuit this season.

Caroline Alexander (Specialized), who only last weekend finished tenth overall in the HP Women's Challenge road stage race, powered away from her rivals on lap one of three-and-a-half, and never looked like being challenged. Alexander is regarded as one of the world's best mountain bike climbers. The course included three big climbs with a total elevation gain of 1635 feet.

Mary Grigson, Australia (Subaru/Gary Fisher), the Chevy Trucks NORBA series leader, stayed with Alexander on the first climb, but then faded and dropped back to sixth place. She rallied on the final lap and finished second.

Ruthie Matthes, Boulder, Colo. (Trek/Volkswagen) assumed second place when Alison Dunlap, Colorado Springs, Colo. (GT), had a flat tire on lap two. Matthes remained in second until the resurgent Grigson rode past her on the final lap.

Grigson retains second place overall in the series.

WOMEN'S QUOTES
Caroline Alexander, Barrow-in-Furness, Great Britain (Specialized)
"I thought it was too early to push myself after the HP Challenge. I said to myself 'please, please only ride at 80%, don't push too hard.' And today I just went out and rode at my own speed. I wasn't racing, I was just riding around. I couldn't believe it!"

Mary Grigson, Wheatridge, Australia, (Subaru/Gary Fisher)
"I floated up the climb on lap one, but starting lap two I felt weak and faint. I decided then that it would be a training race. Actually, I felt like pulling out, but I decided not to. I need to re-evaluate my level of tiredness. I'm having a lot of naps and sleeping a lot. Maybe I need a couple of days off and a chat with my coach and the guys at the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport)." "I'm pretty stoked to finish second."

Ruthie Matthes, Durango, Colorado, (Trek Volkswagen)
"I benefited from Alison Dunlap flatting - then Mary Grigson came on strong on that last lap. I tried to stay with her but she was just inching away. I suddenly realized that I was over my limit and I had to let her go and make sure I didn't lose any more places."

MEN'S REPORT
Ryder Hesjedal, Canada (Subaru/Gary Fisher) dominated the men's race in which he out-climbed the two-times world cup champion, Australia's Cadel Evans (Volvo/Cannondale).

Hesjedal, 21, from Victoria, B.C., used his characteristic attacking style to great effect on the long, steep climbs. He attacked early and kept on attacking, while the tenacious field refused to let go.

Cadel Evans, Todd Wells, Tucson, Ariz., Ziranda Madrigal, Mexico, (Turbo) and Pavel Cherkasov, Russia (Subaru/Gary Fisher), led the chase group. By lap three of four-and-a-half Hesjedal had gradually opened a lead of 35 seconds over Evans, with the others strung out over the following minute.

Evans counter attacked in hope that Hesjedal would crumble, and early in lap four the gap came down to 20 seconds. But Hesjedal dug deep and had enough in reserve to rebuff the advance of the experienced Aussie.

This win gives Hesjedal the overall lead in the series, and at only 21 years of age he is one of the youngest riders to have led the Chevy Trucks NORBA series.


QUOTES
Ryder Hesjedal, Victoria, B.C (Subaru/Gary Fisher) - 1st place
"It's my biggest win. There were a lot of world cup guys here today. To win here at altitude is a huge deal." "My goal this year is the Under 23 world championship title at Vail. It's all about Vail now."
(On Evans's late attack) "Cadel Evans is a world class rider. Any time you were being chased by a rider like that you'd be worried about him chasing you!" "I talked with Roland (Green) on the phone before leaving BC. He said 'go out and win it' I said 'sure!'."

Cadel Evans - Plenty, Australia (Volvo/Cannondale) 2nd place
"My attack was more mid-race. I had some mechanical difficulties at the end and I couldn't quite close on Ryder." "He's riding very well. He was pushing hard at the start, he gapped me on lap two and I couldn't close it. He was pushing hard at the start and he was still strong at the finish. He deserved to win."

Kashi Leuchs - Dunedin, New Zealand (Volvo/Cannondale) 3rd place
"To be honest, I wanted to win. I won here two years ago and this race was one of my goals for the season. Ryder Hesjedal and Cadel Evans were just stronger today - Ryder especially. He took off and I wasn't up to speed."


Les Québécoises dominantes au Massachusetts
Courtesy l'équipe Volkswagen - Les Ailes

Fitchburg, Massachusetts - 29 juin 2001. Les Québécoises ont été les figures dominantes de la deuxième étape de la Classique Fitchburg Longsjo, présentée vendredi, dans l'état du Massachusetts. L'épreuve de 13 tours (cinq kilomètres au tour) s'est terminée au sprint, lequel a été remporté par Geneviève Jeanson (Rona). En deuxième place, on retrouve la détentrice du maillot orange de leader, Lyne Bessette (Saturn - Timex), tandis que Sophie St-Jacques (Volkswagen - Les Ailes) a mis la main sur le sixième rang.

" Un bon finish ! " a raconté Sophie St-Jacques en entrevue téléphonique. La ligne de départ-arrivée était située au sommet d'une côte et tout juste avant de la monter, il y avait un virage où il fallait être très bien positionnée lors du dernier tour. " La cycliste de 24 ans a été en mesure d' être aux avants postes du peloton et ainsi passer bien près de monter sur le podium.

" Je m'attendais à ce que la course de déroule de manière plus agressive, surtout de la part de Jeanson (Geneviève), a-t-elle ajouté. Les filles ont joué au chat et à la souris et toutes celles qui tentaient de s'échapper se faisaient rattraper. "

Au classement général provisoire, Lyne Bessette détient toujours le maillot orange de leader avec 47 secondes sur Geneviève Jeanson. Sophie St-Jacques se retrouve toujours au 32e rang, à quatre minutes 58 secondes de la meneuse.

La troisième étape de la Classique consistera en un parcours de 111,8 kilomètres, qui se terminera par une montée d'environ cinq kilomètres.