August 30/08 4:48 am - Green Mountain Stage Race: Stage 1 (brief)

Posted by Editoress on 08/30/08
 

Mad River Valley Green Mountain Stage Race
Courtesy Alan Atwood, GMSR

A beautiful day on Saturday brought the 800 strong Green Mountain Stage Race to the west side of the Green Mountains, and racers did not disappoint. Bruno Langlois (Team Volkswagen) won in a bunch sprint for the pro men, while Julianne Fiocca (Velossimo) was able to maintain a lead by herself for most of the second lap to earn the win for the pro women.

The men's race was very tight throughout and many breakaway attempts were neutralized throughout the 64 miles (102.9km) covered. This was just fine for GC leader Andrew Randell (Symmetrics), who sat in the pack and watched as Kelly Benefits' Jake Keough took the intermediate sprint. Langlois tried his own luck with 5 kilometres to go in an attempt to bridge to an attacking rider, but when his efforts were brought back with 1 kilometre to go, he put himself in good position for the upcoming sprint. Sitting 3rd wheel with 150 metres to go, he used the riders ahead of him as a springboard to pass the lead riders at the top of the hill and take the win. Local favorite Will Dugan (CCB/Volkswagen) finished 2nd, and U.S Armed Forces rider Ian Holt rounded out the top 3. Randell finished comfortably in the pack and maintained his overall lead.

Earlier the women tackled the circuit with 2 laps of their own. After Kathryne Carr (S&W Racing Team) took the opening lap intermediate sprint a surprise attack by Fiocca netted her a gap of almost 2 minutes through the feed zone. After the downhill return to the flat sections of the course the slim lead of 15 seconds was protected by Webcor who happy with the situation shut down any bridge attempts until the final sprint, as Fiocca was not a threat to GC. Fiocca won alone by 19 seconds and Carr overtook a charging Anna McLoon (Colavita New England) for 2nd and earned the green jersey in the process. Curi-Mathis' 11th place finish was good enough to hold on to the leaders' yellow jersey for tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the Queen stage of the 4-day event, the Champion Systems Mad River Road Race. Riders will be tackling a newly lengthened 75 mile course that will take riders over Brandon Gap for the first time since the demise of the former Killington Stage Race and the infamous Appalachian Gap with a 18% grade finish in the last 500 metres. Racing starts at 8:30am with the Pro men's race.

Provisional Results (full results to come)

Pro/1/2 Men

Stage
1. Bruno Langlois (Team Volkswagen)
2. Will Dugan (CCB/Volkswagen)
3. Ian Holt (U.S. Armed Forces Cycling Team)
4. Jamie Riggs (Team Ontario)
5. Justin Lindine (Targettraining)

General Classification after Stage 1
1. Andrew Randell (Team Symmetrics)
2. Francois Parisien (Team RACE Pro) at 0:02
3. Eneas Freyre (Targettraining) at 0:04

Sprint Leader - Bruno Langlois (Team Volkswagen)
King of the Mountain - John Eisenger (Legacy Engery Cycling Team)

Pro/1/2/3 Women

Stage
1. Julianne Fiocca (Velossimo) - 3:05:17
2. Katheryn Carr (S&W Racing Team) at 0:19
3. Anna McLoon (Colavita New England)
4. Sara Bresnick-Zocchi (Pedalpowercoaching.com)
5. Joanie Caron (Equipe Cascades)

General Classification after Stage 1
1. Katheryn Curi-Mattis (Webcor Builders) - 3:21:01
2. Janel Holcomb (Webcor Builders) at 0:04
3. Jennifer Stevenson (Ultralink) at 0:41

Sprint Leader - Katheryn Carr (S&W Racing)
Queen of the Mountain - Julie Marceau (Specialized Breault & Martineau/GSD)