August 20/01 10:42 am - Vuelta a Burgos, BC Cup Summary

Posted by Editor on 08/20/01
 

Vuelta a Burgos - Spain

Stage 1 - Burgos to Aranda de Duero 122 km

1 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 3:03:04
2 Jehudi Schoonacker (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim at 0:01
3 Steffen Radochla (Ger) Festina 0.05
4 Wesley Van Speybrock (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
5 David Fernandez (Esp) Colchon Relax-Fuenlabrada
6 Oscar Cavagnis (Ita) Saeco Macchine Per Caffe
7 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites
8 Candido Barbosa (Por) iBanesto.com
9 Jose Gutierrez (Esp) Kelme-Costa Blanca
10 Oscar Freire (Esp) Mapei-Quick Step

15 David Clinger (USA) Festina
43 George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service
81 Justin Spinelli (USA) Saeco Macchine Per Caffe
91 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service
94 Levi Leipheimer (USA) US Postal Service
128 David Zabriskie (USA) US Postal Service all s.t.

GC

1 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 3:02:58
2 Jehudi Schoonacker (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim at 0:03
3 Steffen Radochla (Ger) Festina 0:10
4 German Nieto (Esp) Colchon Relax-Fuenlabrada s.t.
5 Wesley Van Speybrock (Bel) Lotto-Adecco 0:11
6 David Fernandez (Esp) Colchon Relax-Fuenlabrada
7 Oscar Cavagnis (Ita) Saeco Macchine Per Caffe
8 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites
9 Candido Barbosa (Por) iBanesto.com
10 Jose Gutierrez (Esp) Kelme-Costa Blanca

16 David Clinger (USA) Festina
44 George Hincapie (USA) US Postal Service
82 Justin Spinelli (USA) Saeco Macchine Per Caffe
92 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service
95 Levi Leipheimer (USA) US Postal Service
129 David Zabriskie (USA) US Postal Service all s.t.


2001 SISU Road BC Cup
Courtesy Cycling BC

The SISU Road BC Cup is a spin-off to the successful BC Cup Off-Road Series. The six event Series kicked off in late May with the Mt. Tomie Road Race, part of the exciting Bastion Square Festival series of events. The Series culminates at the opposite end of the province, in the scenic town of New Denver, host of the very challenging Glacier View Grand Prix. An welcome new fixture on the SISU Road BC Cup schedule, New Denver will host the Provincial Road Racing Championships in addition to the Provincial Time Trial Championships.

The SISU Road BC Cup, open to category 1 and 2 men and all women, is a high-performance series intended to foster the growth and development of provincial road racers. The Series provides athletes with high-caliber competition, with the opportunity to develop both physical and psychological skills in a Series format, before going on to test their talent on an international and national level. The SISU Road BC Cup Series has been a proven stepping stone for British Columbia's racers looking to take the next step in their sporting career and race on the world stage, as witnessed by several provincial racers, now racing abroad.

The inaugural race of the 2001 Series, the Mt. Tolmie Road Race, attracted a field of star-studded racers, including Olympic Team members Roland Green, Leslie Tomlinson, Alison Sydor and Geoff Kabush lined up to compete with local racers.

As imagined, top ranked racer, and World Cup winner-to-be, Roland Green, made it look easy as he alone, bridged a gap of some 6 minutes to take the victory spoils, with Geoff Kabush, fellow Olympian, narrowly out-sprinting rising local superstar, Svein Tuft.

In the women's race, the competition was schooled by three time World Champion and two-time Olympic Team member, Alison Sydor. In the bid to be the best of the rest, Gina Grain managed to hang on to second, while Darnelle Moore and 2000 Series runner up Marni Prazsky, cruised to third and fourth respectively on the challenging and very hilly road course.

The Atomic Road Race, second in the six event SISU Road BC Cup Series, saw racers travel to the lower mainland. Being on the verge of flooding over the last few of years, the large field of racers greeted the dry, overcast conditions with open arms.

The Atomic race course, a technically challenging road course with an unusual mix of climbs, twisty descents, false flats and two torturous railway crossing (unavoidable obstacles that claimed many unsuspecting riders). Scott Goguen, former Pro and National team member, made the best of the challenging course, soloing to an impressive victory, ahead of former teammate, Min Van Velzen and Victoria's Cory Lange.

The women's race was one of strategy, as a full contingency of SpeedQueen riders worked together against Series leader Marni Prazsky, lone representative of the formidable Trek-VW team. Countering many break-away attacks, Marni Prazsky was piped at the line by less than half a bike length by SpeedQueen rider, and Canada Summer Games selected athlete, Lisa Sweeney. In a wild pack sprint, third and fourth was relinquished to Vancouver Island's Barb Bialokoz and emerging cyclist Dawn Berg.

A two week layover saw riders lined up at the start of Hatzic Valley's Norm Lowe Memorial Road Race, in the picturesque Fraser Valley. A course known for both it's calamitous weather patterns and it's high rider attrition.

As in the past, the 2001 Norm Lowe proved to be as much a test of strength as endurance, as the Cat 1 and 2 men were treated to 170km of grueling competition. As numerous attacks were left unchallenged only to be brought back over the course of the lengthy race, peloton numbers dwindled, the toll of a quick pace and tough course.

At the end of the 170km ordeal, Olav Stana, multi-time National Masters Champion, was able to make a critical jump to the lead break, and ride away with top honors, in front of Luca Segato and Junior cycling sensation, Cam Evans.

In a course ideally suited for a hill climber, the women's race saw a battle between National Team member Leslie Tomlinson, and lithe hill specialist, Darnelle Moore. Initiating attacks on the first lap, the two riders were able to break from the chasing peloton. Unfortunately, a regulation infringement saw Tomlinson disqualified, allowing Soliton rider Moore to take her maiden victory of the SISU BC Cup Series, chased by Victoria's Dawn Berg, World Cup rider, Mandy Poitras, and Series leader, Marni Prazsky.

A brief reprieve in the SISU Road BC Cup calendar allowed riders to focus on the month of July, a month filled with high calibre competition, including SISU Road BC Cup number four, the much anticipated Tour de Delta, an inaugural event hosted by the Corporation of Delta.

In what was to be a very successful opening, the Tour de Delta had all the right ingredients of a major success, including a point-to-point race course, which brought riders from the Surrey-Delta border, through the farm lands of South Delta and into the steep hills of the Twawwassen Bluffs neighboring Point Roberts.

With it's large prize purse and a promising series of races, the Tour de Delta attracted top Canadian and US Pro teams, including National Champion Andrew Pinfold, riding for Ontario based Italpasta, Eric Wolberg, National Team member and Saturn pro rider, and New Zealand NetZero rider, Greame Miller, still a tour de force at the age of 40!

A motorcycle and helicopter entourage followed the field of over 110 riders, winding their way through the municipality, on their way to the finishing loops of the Bluff. The cagey Miller, fresh off of his win from the previous evening's criterium, was able to break away from the peloton early, and managed to narrowly beat out Tuft in a sprint to the finish, just ahead of Vancouver Island's talented Ross Hooker.

Drawing competitors from as far away as the eastern United States, the women's field drew a large number of starters, including World Time Trial bronze medallist, Claire Hall-Patch, and a full contingent of Snow Valley riders, a US-based pro team managed by Olympic medallist and BC native, Brian Walton.

In the end, Hall-Patch and Moore, two talented riders known for their climbing ability, attacked on the Bluffs and didn't look back. The break, exaggerated by the passing men's peloton, allowed Hall-Patch to capture her first win in the Series just head of Moore, with Berg narrowly outsprinting Prazsky for third.

Always attracting top names, the 2001 Tour de White Rock was no different this year, with a full roster of pro men and women. Taughted as one of the most challenging courses in the pacific northwest, the Tour de White Rock was made even tougher this year by the driving rain and on-shore wind.

An early attack by visiting New Zealander and Tour de Delta winner, Greame Miller, allowed for a solo breakaway early on in the 140km race. Throughout the event, numerous unsuccessful attempts were made to bridge up to the lone break, lead by the likes of Soliton's Sean Dawson and Trek-VW's Min Van Velzen. Not until reigning National Champion Andrew Pinfold threw down the gaunlet did a break catch the NetZero rider, well into the final stages of the race. Pinfold, fired up from his bridging, continued on to dominate the event, crossing the line ahead of Miller and BC's Hooker.

The weather conditions were equally atrocious for the women's event, where climbing sensation Moore continued her handy work, attacking on early in lap one, only matched by KPMG Australia's Helen Kelly, and the hard charging talents of elite mountain biker, Selena Lawrie.

Australia's Helen Kelly managed a decisive attack at a critical moment in the three rider break, allowing her to capture victory spoils on the rain soaked road race, followed closely by Moore and Lawrie, clearly spent by her massive bridging efforts, finishing third.

The month of July culminated in the beautiful town of New Denver, in BC's most eastern reaches; site of the Glacier View Grand Prix and the provincial Time Trail and Road Race Championships.

Rewarded by Provincial Junior Men Time Trial Champion Honors and a beautiful trophy sponsored by Flash 5 Energy Bars. The talented Marsh Cooper also took the coveted Junior Road Race Champion Title, adding another trophy to the mantel, this time sponsored by long time Cycling BC supporter, Powerbar. The Senior Women's Time Trial was dominated by former National Team member, Leah Goldstein, a talented rider represented by the USˆbased pro team, 800.COM. In fact, Goldstein's time over the gently rolling course would land her in the top ten results overall! In the Senior Men's Time Trial, a battle to determine Provincial Champion was waged between pro-riders Jesse Keefer and Svein Tuft. In the end, Tuft proved to be the stronger of the duo, capturing the title in addition to the trophy.

The battle to crown the SISU Road BC Cup Champion was a close fought affair that would finally culminate during the course of the last event of the Series. In a marked contrast over previous years, a tight four way fight to determine the Series Champion was maintained by the likes of Sean Dawson (Soliton), Scott Goguen (La Bicicletta), Svein Tuft and Luca Segato. Goguen, unable to make the long drive to New Denver, relinquished his grasp of the SISU Road BC Cup Series lead, creating a close points battle between the remaining three title contenders.

The initial stages of the hilly 160km road race saw Broadmark's Jesse Keefer in a valiant solo-breakaway effort well before the midpoint of the race. Keefer, able to keep the peloton at bay for more than half the distance, was briefly joined by E-Caps/Hammergel rider Shane Savage before the chasing pack were able to reel the two riders in. Rolling up the challenging 6km climb out of Silverton, Vancouver's Dawson attacked with the ensuing peloton giving chase, increasing the speed considerably. Once the two man break was caught, Keefer's team mate, Tuft, unleashed a series of attacks, and in doing so, went on to capture the Provincial Senior Men's Road Championship title, earning a beautiful trophy sponsored by Powerbar in the process. Following Tuft's wheel, and earning silver and bronze medals in the Provincial Road Champs were Darren Vogler (Trek-VW) and Adam Larsson (OGC-Fisher). Victoria's Luca Segato rolled in fourth, earning him sufficient points to claim the 2001 SISU ROAD BC Cup Champion crown, along with a trophy provided by Series title sponsor, SISU.

In the women's Series points chase, a close fought battle was brewing between Moore, Prazsky and SpeedQueen's Dawn Berg. Unfortunately, the promise of a thrilling finale to the Series did not materialize, as racing engagements on the east coast kept Moore from the contesting the New Denver event, allowing for a thrilling points race between Prazsky and Berg.

The road course used the same north loop as the senior men's course, in addition to a nasty 8km climb out of New Denver. Selena Lawrie (Soliton) made the most of the cat and mouse game between Series Contenders Berg and Prazsky, attacking on the final climb, taking only Berg with her. On the final descent, the gap between the two rider break grew to 30 seconds over the ensuing duo of Prazsky and Nina Krack of Peninsula Cycles. Crossing the finish line first and capturing her first road provincial title, Lawrie also brought home a provincial trophy provided by Outdoor Gear Canada. Victoria's Berg crossed the line second with Prazsky and Krack in tow. The results of the road race were enough to allow Marni Prazsky to secure the 2001 SISU ROAD BC Cup Championship, and with it, a trophy sponsored by SISU.

Top Three Men Riders in the 2001 SISU Road BC Cup
1.) Luca Segato (Unattached)
2.) Svein Tuft (Broadmark)
3.) Sean Dawson (Soliton)

Top Three Women Riders in the 2001 SISU Road BC Cup
1.) Marni Prazsky (Trek-VW)
2.) Darnelle Moore (Solition)
3.) Dawn Berg (Speedqueens)

A special note should be made about the Junior Women's Provincial Championships; Unfortunately, due to the lack of entrants, no Provincial Champion was declared in either of the events. A valiant effort from Golden resident Alison Webb was put forth in the Women's Open Road Race, allowing Webb to take home a Roach jacket for her efforts, proudly donated by Roach Clothing of Vancouver.