April 25/98 18:20 pm - Palmer Wins!, World Cup Standings

Posted by Editor on 04/25/98
 

Palmer Wins Stage

Chris Redden just contacted us after talking with his wife/training partner Chrissy about the Grand Prix de la Haute Garonne stage race that two Canadian teams are participating in. Sue Palmer won the stage after receiving a leadout from Alison Sydor. Chris says that the 100 kilometre stage featured 2 back-to-back Category 1 climbs of 3-4 kilometres each. By the end of the stage there were approximately 30 riders left in the front group, including Palmer, Sydor, Anne Samplonius (top-15), Linda Jackson and Chrissy (there may have been more, but he wasn‚t sure) - Lesley Tomlinson suffered a mechanical and did not finish with the front group. The weather conditions were sunny and very hot (28 Celcius), which bothered the Europeans more than the North Americans, Chris reports. Tomorrow, the race finishes with an 80 kilometre road race and a 20 kilometre individual time trial.

He also has more detail on the Canadian teams participating: Team Canada consists of Sydor, Tomlinson, Redden, Linda Jackson, Melanie McQuaid and Lynn Bissette. Team Air Transat (based out of Quebec) consists of Palmer, Samplonius, Julie Hutsebaut, Heather Cole, Julia Farrell, and one other rider whom Chris did not know the name of. All but Palmer are riding full time for the Air Transat team.


Road World Cup Standings (after 5 events)

1. Michele Bartoli (ITA) Asics 206 points
2. Franco Ballerini (ITA) Mapei-Bricobi 132
3. Emmanuel Magnien (FRA) Francaise des Jeux 130
4. Andrei Tchmil (UKR) Lotto-Mobistar 129
5. Stefano Zannini (ITA) Mapei-Bricobi 118
6. Rolf Jaermann (SUI) Casino 110
7. Erik Zabel (GER) Telekom 100
8. Johan Museeuw (BEL) Mapei-Bricobi 100
9. Maarten Den Bakker (NED) Rabobank 98
10. Frederic Moncassin (FRA) GAN 86