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October 8/03 8:13 am - Junior Men & Elite Women ITT Story, Men ITT Start List


Posted by Editor on 10/8/03
 

Hamilton Road Worlds

Junior Men and Elite Women Time Trials

A big disappointment for Canada in the women's time trial today, when the best Genevieve Jeanson could do was fifth, while Lyne Bessette finished well back in 15th place. Joane Somarriba Arrola of Spain, one of the favourites, took her first world title, ahead of Judith Arndt (Germany) and Zoulfia Zabirova (Russia).

The women did the long course (as did the Junior men earlier in the day), a 20.5 kilometre circuit which includes two climbs of the Niagara Escarpment. The conditions were almost summer-like, at 25 degrees Celcius and blue skies. The only negative, from the riders' perspective, was the wind - a steady, fatiguing force which sapped strength all along the upper portion of the course.

Edwige Pitel of France set the first fast time, but stronger riders were coming. Dede Demet-Barry (USA), celebrating her birthday today ("for sure I'll be having cake tonight"), set a new standard, which was quickly eclipsed by Jeanson, who took 13 seconds off Demet-Barry's time by the first time check at 8 kilometres.

Jeanson, who struggled in the wind along the top of the course ("it was so hard and windy for me there"), posted what would be the third fastest time for the first section, before turning into the wind and falling back. She also suffered a disdvantage on the two descents, with her 49 kilo weight forcing her to pedal down sections where other riders were tucking. Jeanson's second time check was only 7th fastest.

Karin Thurig (Switzerland), who finished fourth, also lost time after the first time check, where she posted what would be the second fastest time of the day. However, she did not fade as badly as Jeanson.

The three medal winners posted the fastest three times on the second part of the course, proving its importance. Somarriba was fastest in the first portion, and second fastest in the latter portion. Arndt, who was only fifth fastest in the first 8 kilometres, dropping 23 seconds to Somarriba, took back nearly 12 of those seconds in the final portion, with the fastest split of the day, while Zabirova was able to knock Thurig off the podium by improving from fourth fastest to third fastest as her ride progressed.

Somarriba has been training half the season for this race. "I knew it was a tough course, so I trained for both hills and flat. I was going 100%, using all of my ability, and I paid for it at the end when it hurt quite a bit, but I knew my time was good and it motivated me to finish strong. It was worth it - this is the best day of my life."

Jeanson, who was visibly shocked after the finish, when she was told that she had finished fifth, had no excuses. "The girls who beat me have all made their mark on the world, they all have championship medals. I wanted to win, or at least podium, so I can't say that I am happy at all with my race. Fifth is good, but..... Every athlete wants to be on the podium in their own country.

"There was nothing that I could have done better, so I can not make any excuses. I was fit, my bike was perfect, the team looked after me, it was all good.

"I will win. I will win someday."

Lyne Bessette was upbeat, despite her relatively low placing. "A month ago I didn't think that I would be doing the Worlds because of my collarbone. I had good legs, but there was a little bit missing today. My ride was technically perfect, with no problems. This results, that was what Lyne Bessette was worth today, but tomorrow will be another thing. I'm pleased Genevieve finished so well, I'm really happy for her."

A final note concerning the incomparable Jeannie Longo, who is still able to finish 6th, at the age of 45. "I was a little bit afraid of the last climb - maybe it was my fault for not pushing enough."


In the Junior men's race, there was a repeat winner, something that is relatively unusual in this category as riders move up to Espoir. Russian Mikhail Ignatiev managed to pull it off, despite fading slightly in the latter part of the race. He finished 21 seconds in front of Dmytro Grabovsky, and 22.5 seconds in front of Viktor Renang of Sweden, who put in the fastest second half split of the day, almost beating Grabovsky for the silver.

Canadian men didn't fare so well, with Kevin Lacombe finishing 50th, and Christian Meier 55th. Kevin Lacombe mentioned that it took him about a week and a half to recover after scraping his knees up badly at a crash in Italy.

Tomorrow is the marquee time trial event - the elite men's 41.3 kilometre race. Riders will be sent off in three waves, a total of 44 competitors. Canadians Jean-Francois Laroche and Eric Wohlberg go off in the first and second waves respectively. The waves are because the men do two laps of the long course. David Millar (Great Britain) and Michael Rich (Germany) are the two prohibitive favourites. The first rider is off at 12:30 pm EDT.

Photos are coming!


Start List for Elite Men Time Trial

1st Wave
TimeNumberNameCountry
12:30:0045KRUSHEVSKIY Sergei (late DNS)UZB
12:31:3044KRUPA DawidPOL
12:33:0043PUGACI IgorMDA
12:34:3042ARVAI AttilaHUN
12:36:0041FOFONOV DmitriyKAZ
12:37:3040MCCANN DavidIRL
12:39:0039JOACHIM BenoitLUX
12:40:3038MITCHELL GlenNZL
12:42:0037LAROCHE Jean-FrançoisCAN
12:43:3036NAGY RobertSVK
12:45:0035DAY BenAUS
12:46:3034MATVEYEV SergiyUKR
12:48:0033MAHORIC MitjaSLO
12:49:3032VESTOL BjornarNOR
12:51:0031SEIGNEUR EddyFRA
2nd Wave
TimeNumberNameCountry
13:30:0030LEIPHEIMER LeviUSA
13:31:3029LARSSON GustavSWE
13:33:0028PETROV EvgueniRUS
13:34:3027PEREZ ARANGO Marlon AlirioCOL
13:36:0026HRAZDIRA MichalCZE
13:37:3025FRIGO DarioITA
13:39:0024ZUGAJ PawelPOL
13:40:3023IVANOV RuslanMDA
13:42:0022WAUTERS MarcBEL
13:43:3021MIZOUROV AndreyKAZ
13:45:0020VAITKUS TomasLTU
13:46:3019WACKER EugenKGZ
13:48:0018JULICH BobbyUSA
13:49:3017WOHLBERG EricCAN
13:51:0016BACKSTEDT MagnusSWE
3rd wave
TimeNumberNameCountry
14:30:0015NUTTLI JeanSUI
14:31:3014PENA GRISALES Victor HugoCOL
14:33:0013CHAVANEL SylvainFRA
14:34:3012EKIMOV ViatcheslavRUS
14:36:0011BELOHVOSCIKS RaivisLAT
14:37:3010GONZALEZ DE GALDEANO ARANZABAL IgorESP
14:39:009CANCELLARA FabianSUI
14:40:308ROGERS MichaelAUS
14:42:007PESCHEL UweGER
14:43:306BODROGI LaszloHUN
14:45:005ROESEMS BertBEL
14:46:304HONCHAR SerhiyUKR
14:48:003NOZAL VEGA IsidroESP
14:49:302MILLAR DavidGBR
14:51:001RICH MichaelGER

 

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