May 1/00 9:26 am - More US Results, Wedge Report, Euro Results, Woodstock Results

Posted by Editor on 05/1/00
 

Team ELITA scores at Athens Twilight Crit

(Athens, GA-- 19/3/00) Team ELITA scored one of the most significant wins of its history, at the Xcelerate Twilight Criterium, in the booming college town of Athens GA. Over 20 000 screaming Gen Y’rs watched the scarlet clad ELITA girls seize control of the 40 kilometer evening criterium at the halfway point, as Sarah Ulmer took off with Saturn’s Dede Demet in tow. Soon after, another ELITA rider, Erin Carter made her way up to the break with Saturn’s Suzanne Sonye and Autotrader.Com's Shannon Hutchinson. This was the right mix as the race’s 3 strongest teams were represented at the front. Being outnumbered, Hutchinson elected to take a free ride while the ELITA and Saturn duo’s traded pulls evenly for the next 30 minutes. After scooping up several thousand dollars in primes, the lap cards began to tick down as the huge crowd roared in approval. With one lap to go the bell sounded and nerves were high on the homestretch as ELITA’s Erin Carter led through with Demet on her wheel. Who would be through first was anyone’s guess? 60 long seconds passed before an incredible Sarah Ulmer jumped clear of the break out of the last corner to win by several bike lengths over Hutchinson and Sonye. Demet rolled through for 4th just ahead of Carter. Saturn’s Anna Wilson won the bunch sprint while ELITA’s Annie Gariepy was 14th and Kim Davidge 16th.


Houffalize World Cup Report by Peter Wedge

Who says that Belgium is flat? Maybe they say phat, and I misunderstood. Round three of the World Cup MTB Circuit came to Houffalize, Belgium and it was a party for climbers with soda and pie.

The course had 3 major climbs, mostly on pavement, a couple of mildly technical downhills and some grassy traverses that made up a typical Euro course. As always, Belgian fans came by the thousands to yell at people they don’t know, park creatively and, of course, eat waffles.

On the start line, the Canadians looked good, with Roland Green in 12th, Eric Tourville in 24th, myself in 25th, Ryder Hesjedal in 26th, Andreas Hestler in 38th, Seamus McGrath in 55th, and Matt Toulouse in 82nd. Unfortunately, that was about as good as it got. Roland looked good initially, but he flatted and lost some time and ended up 26th, with Ryder right behind him in 27th. Tourville twisted his chain and pulled out after three laps. Andreas finished up in 39th, blowing on lap 4 and coming back strong on lap 5. Seamus rode steady into 47th and Toulouse hammered out a good ride with 60th. As for me, my bike detonated before me, I sheared my crank arm off my BB in the middle of lap 3, but I wasn’t feeling stellar by any means.

Up front it was the Filip Meirhaeghe show, co-starring Christophe Dupouey (teammate Chiotti curiously MIA) and Jose Antonio Hermida. The Muscles from Brussels was too much for them to handle, dishing out a flying reverse mandarin duck kick on the last lap, leaving the others to sprint it out 36 seconds back, with French and Spanish subtitles.

Now we have a week of wound licking , ego stroking and jet lag recovery before our next shing-ding. See you in St Wendel Germany. I believe a prayer to the Almighty Salamo Salar is in order, Fish have mercy…


GP Gippingen, Switzerland

1 Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 4:54:10
2 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Mercatone Uno-Albacom
3 Laurent Dufaux (Sui) Saeco-Valli & Valli
4 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service all s.t.
5 Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Vini Caldirola-Sidermecat 0:28
6 Yvon Ledanois (Fra) La Française des Jeux 0:33
7 Biagio Conte (Ita) Saeco-Valli & Valli 0:35
8 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Lampre-Daikin
9 Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
10 Marcus Zberg (Sui) Rabobank all s.t.

62 Dominique Perras (Can) Phonak Hearing Systems 7:53

Dominique just passed on a message that he will be taking part in the Tour of Romandie, which starts tomorrow (May 2nd).


Gerard Streef Memorial Criterium- Woodstock, Ontario
(Courtesy OCA)