June 29/01 8:19 am - Hesjedal Wins, Jeanson Wins, Cross-Canada Ride, Birthday

Posted by Editor on 06/29/01
 

Norba National #3 - Park City, Utah

Preliminary results for the cross-country, held today.

Men
1. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Subaru-Gary Fisher 2:05:36
2. Cadel Evans (Aus) Volvo-Cannondale at 1:10
3. Kashi Leuchs (NZL) Volvo-Cannondale 2:19
4. Pavel Cherkasov (Rus) Subaru-Gary Fisher 2:52
5. Steve Larsen (USA) L.L. Bean-Mongoose 3:18
6. Tinker Juarez (USA) Volvo-Cannondale 3:38
7. Todd Wells (USA) 3:49
8. Seamus McGrath (Can) Haro-Lee Dungaree 4:20
9. Carl Swenson (USA) RLX Polo Sport 4:38
10. Paul Rowney (Aus) Yeti-Pearl Izumi 5:33

Women
1. Caroline Alexander (GBR) Specialized 1:54:03
2. Mary Grigson (Aus) Subaru-Gary Fisher at 1:15
3. Ruthie Matthes (USA) Trek-Volkswagen 2:32
4. Jimena Florit (Arg) 3:35
5. Chrissy Redden (Can) Subaru-Gary Fisher 5:06
6. Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) SoBe-Headshok 5:51
7. Audrey Augustin (USA) Aeal-GT 6:49
8. Trish Sinclair (Can) Ford Devinci 7:28
9. Ann Grande (USA) Kona-Ford Focus 8:12
10. Nancy Busching (USA) SoBe-Headshok 8:50


Fitchburg Longsjo Classic - Boston, MA
Courtesy Mercury-Viatel

Stage 2, Circuit Race at the Fitchburg Classic saw Mercury continue their control of the field in another excellent display of teamwork.

With Mercury-Viatel sitting 3-4-5-6 overall and the deciding road race tomorrow, the Green Wave was looking to keep in prime position to attack tomorrow. It was important to keep on your guard in this race, however, as it has been the scene of groups going away and totally turning upside down the classification.

There were indeed attempts today from the Navigators and several other smaller teams in the hopes of making something stick. It was not to be, as the Green Wave assembled at the front and took last year's winner Henk Vogels to the last corner and the mad dash up the hill to the line.

When it was all over, Baden Cooke took home the team's 51st victory with Vogels second and Canadian Charles Dionne 3rd.

Results
1. Baden Cooke, Mercury-Viatel
2. Henk Vogels, Mercury-Viatel
3. Charles Dionne 7 Up-Colorado Cyclist

Overall
1 Eric Wohlberg, Saturn
2 Adam Sbeih, Navigators
3 Scott Moninger, Mercury-Viatel
4 Gord Fraser, Mercury-Viatel
5 Chris Wherry, Mercury-Viatel
6 Derek Bouchard-Hall, Mercury-Viatel


Jeanson Wins Women's Stage 2
Courtesy Rona Cycling Team

Fitchburg, Massachusetts, June 29, 2001 - Geneviève Jeanson (Can, RONA) shaved five seconds off Lyne Bessette‚s lead in the general standings of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic today when she stole the race‚s second stage in the sprint, besting Lyne Bessette (Can, Saturn-Timex) and the American criterium champion Laura VanGilder (USA, Verizon Wireless). Geneviève Jeanson also earned the climber‚s jersey for her showing in the intermediary sprints to the top of the hill that the pack faced 13 times today.

Most of the competitors were credited with the same time as the winner following a massive sprint to the finish line. The general standings were only affected by the bonus points. Geneviève Jeanson earned 10 seconds, five more than Bessette. She is now 47 seconds behind her fellow Quebecer in the general standings.

Due to an upset by Kristy Scrymgeour (Saturn Timex), who finished 41 seconds behind the pack, Jeanson‚s three RONA teammates, Manon Jutras, Gabriela Gonzalez de Ferrat and Amy Jarvis, all rose one place in the general standings to 10th, 11th and 12th place after today‚s race. Mélanie Nadeau moved up two slots to 53rd.

Play-by-play

Today‚s stage consisted of 13 laps of a 5-km route through the streets of Fitchburg, followed by a short climb that the best racers took on the big plate. The race gave rise to a battle of tactics between Jeanson and the RONAs and Bessette and the Saturn Timexes. Jeanson and Bessette were side by side through the whole race, keeping to the fore to avoid accidents and prevent any possible breakaways. Indeed, there was none worthy of mention.

Jeanson was solidly supported by her teammates, who took turns at the head of the pack. Jutras and Gonzales were particularly active. Bessette was also sharing the work with her team, and Suzanne Sonye did an especially good job of supporting her leader and riding the pack.

All the action took place in the last - and fastest - lap, at 42.1 kph. „It was all settled in the last climb,‰ reported Jeanson afterward, visibly satisfied. „I saw Suzanne Sonye head into the sprint for Lyne Bessette. As soon as I saw Lyne take off, I went into my own sprint and I edged her out at the line.‰

"We achieved our goal,‰ said André Aubut, the team‚s directeur sportif, after the race. „Geneviève had to win the stage in order to get the maximum bonus, and we wanted her to get the Queen of the Mountain jersey. For today, anyway, we can say mission accomplished."

When asked about Geneviève‚s chances of closing the gap between her and Lyne Bessette tomorrow, Aubut answered, „Well, 47 seconds is better than 52. I guess we‚ll see tomorrow.‰


Tomorrow: heat and hills

Tomorrow‚s stage is for the climbers, but the course is not as difficult as Mount Royal. The competitors will complete six laps of an 18-km loop that includes a 5-6 km hill. While the hill is not extremely difficult, the climb will be daunting by sheer repetition. The stage ends with a tough 2-km climb up Mount Wachussetts, the eastern peak of Massachusetts. The total distance is about 111 km, and the forecast is for very hot temperatures.

1 Geneviève Jeanson (RONA) 1:37:18
1 Lyne Bessette (Saturn Timex)
3 Laura VanGilder (Verizon Wireless)
4 Naomi Williams (TREK)
5 Suzanne Sonye (Saturn Timex)
6 Sophie St-Jacques (VW)
7 Andrea Hannos (Verizon Wireless)
8 Kori Kelly (Procter & Gamble)
9 Rebecca Conzelman (TalgoAmerica.com)
10 Joanne Kiesanowski (Procter & Gamble)
24 Amy Jarvis (RONA)
27 Mélanie Nadeau (RONA)
39 Manon Jutras (RONA)
41 Gabriela Gonzalez de Ferrat (RONA) all s.t.

GC
1 Lyne Bessette (Saturn Timex) 2:05:06
2 Geneviève Jeanson (RONA) at 0:47
3 Anke Erlank (Saturn Timex) 1:56
4 Suzanne Sonye (Saturn Timex) 2:32
5 Emily Thorne (TREK) 2:48
6 Susan Palmer-Komar (Jane Cosmetics) 2:52
7 Mina Pizzini (Procter & Gamble) 2:53
8 Andrea Hannos (Procter & Gamble) 3:05
9 Kimberly Davidge (Saturn Timex) 3:21
10 Manon Jutras (RONA) 3:26
11 Gabriela Gonzalez de Ferrat (RONA) 3:30
12 Amy Jarvis (RONA) 3:35
53 Mélanie Nadeau (RONA) 6:49


Cross-Canada Ride for War-Effected Children

OTTAWA , June 28 - On Canada Day, Alen Okanovic will begin the longest bike ride of his life in a bid to draw attention to the plight of children in war-torn countries.

Okanovic will be making a three and a half month-long journey from St John's, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia, covering nearly 9000 kilometres. Along the way, he will attend a series of fund-raising events for the war-affected children of Chechnya, Iraq and Palestine.

In 1994, Okanovic and his sister were among hundreds of refugees who fled the ethnic cleansing in former Yugoslavia.

"I was too young to do anything to help during the war. I am lucky I escaped, but some victims weren't that lucky and saw bullets before food. Now that I'm living in Canada I have the opportunity to help others," says the 27 year-old Calgary resident.

The tour is sponsored by Human Concern International (HCI), a federally registered charitable organisation.

"Recent wars have exploited, maimed and killed more children, more callously and more systematically than ever before," says HCI executive director, Kaleem Akhter. "HCI applauds Alen's determination and willingness to put his life and family on hold for more than three months and to push past pain and exhaustion to achieve his goal."

Accompanying Okanovic on this gruelling journey is 20 year-old Zenel Gashi, a former refugee from Kosovo. Gashi will be following Okanovic's tracks in a van as he makes his across the country.

About HCI: Since 1980 Human Concern International has contributed over 20 million dollars towards long-term development projects and in the form of direct relief assistance to poor and war-torn countries. HCI has also been providing assistance to Chechen refugees and the people of Iraq and Palestine.

For more information contact:

Hala Adam, Program Co-ordinator, Human Concern International: (613) 742 5948,

HCI - Toll Free: 1-800-587-6424


Happy Birthday To...

Downhiller Trevor Porter, today.