February 21/00 6:51 am - Canadians in the U.S.

Posted by Editor on 02/21/00
 

Report From Arizona

(Montreal -- 21/2/00) Team ELITA‚s first event of the season, the Valley of the Sun Stage Race in Phoeniz AZ, was a resounding success. The four members of Team ELITA present were certainly the class of the 40 strong women‚s field and raced to victory in all 3 stages and the overall.

The opening individual time trial on Friday was a competitive affair as teammates Erin Carter and Annie Gariepy, steam rolled the field by nearly a minute with Carter barely edging out Gariepy for the stage win.

With Carter in the yellow Race Leader‚s jersey, the racing turned to Saturday‚s 67 mile road circuit race. On the third of 5 laps, Gariepy and Carter again proved to be the strongest pair in the race as they took up solo flight and rolled off to a gap of 5 minutes by the stage's end. Back in the pack ELITA‚s Sophie St Jacques and Melanie Dorion were diligent in keeping all counter attacks in check. At the finish it was Carter again over Gariepy with St Jacques barely missing out on the bunch sprint win, placing 6th.

Sunday‚s Exxon Criterium, proved to be much the same as Gariepy rode solo for several laps before Carter bridged to join her and the two rode across the finish line arms raised hand in hand, with Gariepy being credited with the victory. In the end Erin Carter earned the overall victory over Annie Gariepy with Stacey Spencer (another Canadian) placing 3rd.


McLane Pacific Classic, California

Women's Criterium
6. Lyne Bessette (Saturn)

Men's Road Race
13. Mike Barry (Saturn)

Women's Road Race
8. Lyne Bessette (Saturn)