June 19/99 5:16 am - Beauce GC, HP Report, Euro Results

Posted by Editor on 06/19/99
 

Beauce General Classification (after Stage 4)

1. Levis Leipheimer USA (Saturn) 13:45:38
2. Jan Hruska CZE (Wustenrot-ZVVZ) at 0:37
3. Scott Moninger USA (Mercury) 1:20
4. Floyd Landis USA (Mercury) 1:32
5. Brian Walton CAN (Saturn) 1:33
6. Jaroslav Bilek CZE (Wustenrot-ZVVZ) 1:34
7. Rene Andrle CZE (Wustenrot-ZVVZ) 1:39
8. Mike Barry CAN (Saturn) 1:48
9. Eric Wohlberg CAN (Degree Radio Energie-Shaklee) 1:50
10. Vasilly Davidenko RUS (Navigators) 1:56

14. Matt Anand CAN (Saturn) 2:30
16. Peter Wedge CAN (Degree Radio Energie-Shaklee) 2:39
17. Sylvain Beauchamp CAN (Degree Radio Energie-Shaklee) 3:22
18. Gord Fraser CAN (Mercury) 4:12


Report From HP Classic

Clara Hughes of Team Saturn has sent us a report on her impressions of yesterday's time trial.

Hi everyone,

Back in Boise and still the sun scorches. We have been racing in the high desert of Idaho, which reminds me much of the Owen's Valley (where I spend my winters) though I'm missing the awesome rises both east and west. Hot, hot, hot.......yesterday we did a 40km TT (yes, that means individual!!) which cruelly began on a gradiant of 12% for at least 2km. The climb was out of a deep gorge and man made dam. Suppose one could call it another dam race.

All of the Saturn gals opted for a bike change at the top (from climbing Lemond road bikes to super aero TT bikes). As each rider crested the steep pitch she was greeted with a straight, rolling road which seemed to go on forever and ever. The race organisers were kind enough to place pylons informing us we had 30, 20, 10, 5km to go, in case we were wondering.

When one is riding into a head wind in the middle of nowhere with the only comfort that humanity does indeed exist being the fellow competitors racing on that long, endless road, and they look like ants on their way to a picnic with nothing to eat, one's brain can venture places few dare to travel.

I myself became confused at one point, as I was sure the ant ahead was a racer, though I wondered why she was at a standstill in the middle of the road - only to come closer and realise she was actually an attempt at patching the miserable road surface with a tar like substance I did not think existed in that neck of the.......desert. See, the road was pretty rough. This surface in combination with a TT bike in an aero position along with the heat and the mental torture of such an incredibly boring course.....not to mention extreme heat as well as a head wind......

Well, I suppose one could call the course fitting for the Hewlitt Packard Laser Jet International Women's Challenge (the length of the name of the race is indeed symbolic of the race itself). THus far we have raced over 1000 km over mountains, desert, car sized potholes, gravel et al, which makes the race an epic one. Race organiser Jim Rabdeau fancies his race one of extremes and this time trial along with the epic 109 mile road stage way back when (was it only last week?!?) qualifies this tour as one of the toughest. From the female side of the sport, anyway. Back to the time trial.

Jeanne Longo of the French Ebly team proved, yet again, that she remains one of the best in the sport of women's cycling by winning with a time of 1hr 3' and 4", over a minute faster than Elisabeth Emery of the Celestial Seasonings Team. Anna Wilson (my Aussie team mate) of Saturn was third. Longo should win this race as she has raced with the smarts of experience, working when needed and having patience while conserving otherwise. And I believe she has just reached the ripe age of 41 years. She seems more relaxed than I have ever seen and actually looks as if she is having fun at times. Which is pretty incredible in itself.

110 riders remain in the race of the original 132 starters. Unfortunately, the Saturn team has two of the missing as Dede Demet became ill early on and Emily Robbins had a tragic crash on the mountain top finish day and was left with a 3rd degree seperation of her right scapula. We miss them both. Still, there are always objectives to be fought for and Anna is getting closer and closer to the red points jersey. And there's always those elusive stage wins.........

Did I mention this is really FUN!

And so it goes in Idaho.

Clara

PS- Funny thing about the TT was there was about a whopping 4 turns in the road until the 500m to go pylon. From there to the finish there was a technical section with about 5 turns. GO figure!!


Catalan Tour, Spain

Stage 2 - Tortosa to Vilanova La Geltru 173 km

1. Mario Cipollini (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale 4:00:38
2. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites
3. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal
4. Erik Zabel (Ger) Telekom
5. Angel Edo (Esp) Kelme-Costa Blanca
6. Matteo Frutti (Ita) Lampre-Daikin
7. Christophe Detilloux (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
8. Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
9. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
10. Didier Rous (Fra) Festina-Lotus all s.t.

113. Dylan Casey (USA) US Postal at 1:40
117. Frankie Andreu (USA) US Postal 4:22

GC

1. Angel Luis Casero Moreno (Esp) Vitalicio Seguros 8:35:10
2. George Hincapie (USA) US Postal at 0:01
3. Abraham Olano (Esp) ONCE-Deutsche Bank 0:04
4. Serguei Ivanov (Rus) TVM-Farm Frites 0:11
5. Andrea Peron (Ita) ONCE-Deutsche Bank 0:15
6. Alvaro Gonzalez (Esp) Vitalicio Seguros 0:16
7. David Etxebarria (Esp) ONCE-Deutsche Bank s.t.
8. Mario Cipollini (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale 0:20
9. Santos Gonzalez (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank 0:23
10. Didier Rous (Fra) Festina-Lotus 0:26

100. Frankie Andreu (USA) US Postal 4:40
116. Dylan Casey (USA) US Postal 14:26


Route du Sud, France

Stage 1a - Montauban 107 km

1. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Rabobank 2:36:49
2. Jimmy Casper (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
3. Glenn Magnusson (Swe) US Postal Service
4. Christophe Capelle (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
5. Frederic Moncassin (Fra) Credit Agricole all s.t.