May 6/01 11:34 am - Intersports Team Report, Palmer Wins in US, Speed Queens Team Announcement

Posted by Editoress on 05/6/01
 

Intersports Race Report - Tour of the Gila Stage 4
Courtesy Dave Cathcart

The field of the 2001 Tour of the Gila had the chance during Saturday's criterium to save some face, against the battering they had been taking, at the hand of Rona's Genevieve Jeanson. The field wasted no time during the 25 mile crit to do just this.

Quick off the mark was Saturn's Ina Teutenberg who roared out of the starting blocks to a 20 second gap over a chase group of 6 including Jessica Phillips of Intersports and Sarah Ulmer of AutoTrader.com. Though this break would be reabsorbed 4 laps later, the same group charged off the front near the midway point of the race, again in pursuit of Teutenberg. This time, Teutenberg's teammate Anna Millward, was in the chase. Once the gap to Teutenberg was solid, Millward blasted across the gap and the Saturn duo set off for the line.

At the same time a group of 6 riders shot of the front of the field including race leader Jeanson as well as Saturn's Bessette and Intersports' Emery. The two groups would merge with 4 laps to go, at the same time Wilson and Teutenberg's gap had grown to 1:19. From there on the first 2 places were clear as Teutenberg and Wilson raced to the line with the German taking the win. In the chase group, Procter & Gamble's Joanne Kiesanowski would hold off Bessette and Jeanson to take the 3rd spot on the podium.

Intersports' Emery would place 7th and Phillips 13th, holding onto their top 10 GC positions respectively. Tomorrow's Gila Monster Road Race should have a predictable winner as the 66 mile race takes in 3 major climbs.

Stage 4
Ina Teutenberg (Saturn)
Anna Millward (Saturn)
Joanne Kiesanowski (Procter & Gamble)
7th Elizabeth Emery (Intersports)
13th Jessica Phillips (Intersports)

GC
Jeanson (Rona)
Bessette (Saturn)
Bruckner (Saturn)
Berger (800.com)
Millward (Saturn)
Emery (Intersports)
Phillips (Intersports)


Palmer Wins in US
Sue Palmer sent us a short note

I just did a race today in MA called Jiminy Peak RR. It was a good day for me and I came away with a win. It was a great rolling course in a beautiful area and well organized.
I know there were some other Canucks there (Nat Faulkner from Ontario and Elise Gagnon from Quebec).

We will post results when available


The Speed Queens Official Announcement
Courtesy Steve Lund

Canada's first multi-discipline young women's professional cycling team The Speed Queens made their official debut on Friday in a press conference in Victoria. Team Director, Steve Lund, presented 4 of the teams 6 riders, Erica Drew, 18, Lisa Sweeney, 20, and Sandra Walter, 21, all based in Victoria, and Stephanie Hannos, 22, who lives in Vancouver. Melissa Lunstead, 19, who trains in Victoria, is presently in her home province of Ontario to secure a spot on the Ontario Canada Summer Games team. Erinne Willock, 20, of Victoria is presently in Europe preparing for the prestigious Tour de l'Aude in which she will compete on the Canadian National Team.

The Queens have already shown the cycling world that they are a force to be reckoned with, they used masterful team tactics to secure the entire podium at last weekend's B.C. Classic Criterium in Langley, and placed three riders in the top six at the Schwalbe Peninsula Trophy Road Race in Victoria on April 23. They proved their strength as individuals in the Warp Speed Time Trial at the Seymour Demonstration forest in Vancouver on April 29 with three athletes in the top six including second and third on the podium.

Born out of a need for camaraderie and support for developing young women athletes, the Speed Queens were recruited with the goal of developing into one of the world's top women's teams. Sponsor support of the team has been promising, with a $40,000 budget in its first year, and a number of multi- year contracts, the team has a bright future. Where support for individual young female cyclists has in the past been hard to find, the formation of the team had a much greater appeal to a number of sponsors. The team will also play an active role in promoting and fostering the development of new female athletes through a series of “Speed Queen Devo” cycling clinics to be held across Canada in the months to
come.

The Speed Queens are:

Erica Drew
Lisa Sweeney
Melissa Lunstead
Sandra Walter
Stephanie Hannos
Erinne Willock

Steve Lund, Team Director


Official Sponsors:
Alpha Technologies
Quadra Wood Products
InternationalCyclingCoaches.com

Official Suppliers:
Kappa Clothing
Flash-5 Energy Foods
RockShox
Panaracer Tires
Cycle Ops Trainers
Rudy Project-Technically Cool Eyewear

Team Supporters:
Ritchey
Speedplay
KHS Bicycles
Straight Up Cycles
Hardwear (re)Cycling Jewellery
EcoPrinting
OGC
Louis Garneau Helmets