May 31/03 6:47 am - Dionne Wins Cap Tech

Posted by Editoress on 05/31/03
 

CapTech Classic Richmond, Virginia

The inaugural CapTech Classic, new to the 2003 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar for 2003, was held in Richmond, Virginia yesterday. The men's event was a 45-mile race was open to invited professional teams and had more than $10,000 cash on the line. The Downtown Richmond venue featured a challenging course with approximately 100 feet of climbing per lap. Despite aggressive racing, both the men's and women's races saw sprinters taking top honors, with Saturn's Charles Dionne and Velo-Bella's Lyne Gaggioli victorious out of breaks established later in the race.

The women's race saw three go clear of the field after a series of attacks. Saturn's Ina Teutenberg and Giggle were responsible for the pace making, and with both working the break they established an insurmountable gap. After the two shed the third rider, it was clear that the race win would be decided between them. Still a bit fatigued from the ten day Tour de L'Aude which wrapped up Sunday in France, Saturn's Teutenberg was hard pressed to match Gaggioli's pace on the hill. In the final sprint, it was Gaggioli nipping the German powerhouse at the line for the win.

The men's race saw the Saturn Team controlling the field until a break formed that had strong Saturn representation. When a group of 15 formed, with three Saturn representatives, two Jelly Belly riders, two Prime Alliance riders and a handful of Navigator riders al the teams were relaxed and were willing to see it stay away. Of the 15 riders, Saturn had Phil Zajicek, Mark McCormack and Charles Dionne. Jelly Belly had Ben Brooks and Mariano Frederick, and Prime Alliance had Alex Candalario and Danny Pate. With a whole lot of horsepower in the break, and teams content to see it go, it quickly gained 50 seconds. With McCormack and Zajicek manning the front, Dionne was well protected, and able to wait until the final meters to exact his lightening finishing speed. With a perfect lead-out from strongman McCormack, Dionne was first through the corner and remained clear from a surging Brooks for the win. Third was Candalario.

Next stop on the NRC is on Sunday with the Clarendon Cup in Arlington, VA.

Men
1. Charles Dionne (Can) Saturn
2. Ben Brooks (Aus) Jelly Belly
3. Alex Candalario (USA) Prime Alliance
4. Danny Pate (USA) Prime Alliance
5. Robert Gaggioli (Ita) 3 Sports
6. Troy White (USA) Sierra Nevada
7. Mariano Friedrick (USA) Jelly Belly
8. Jacob Erker (USA) Schroeder Iron
9. Jon Wirsing (USA) Snow Valley
10. Tim Larkin (USA) Ofoto-Lombardi

Women
1. Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Velo-Bella
2. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Saturn
3. Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Diet Rite
4. Joanne Kiesanowski (USA) Diet Rite
5. Laura Van Gilder (USA) Saturn
6. Sarah Uhl (USA) Saturn
7. Emma Rickards (Aus) worldiff.comm
8. Julie Oh (USA) Wheelworks
9. Joan Wilson (USA) TDS Telecom
10. Megan Elliott (USA) Saturn