March 21/98 9:11 am - Women's Clinics, Sea Otter, UCI Rankings

Posted by Editor on 03/21/98
 

Clinics for Women

There are racing clinics being planned for women competitors in Victoria, B.C., starting April 1st. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, a group in Victoria will hold clinics for women racers, and prospective racers. Contact cycling@ampsc.com, or (250) 744-1385 for details.


Nationals in Silverstar Confirmed

There were some rumours that the mountain bike nationals would be moved from Silverstar, B.C. Those rumours can now be laid to rest - the event is confirmed for the original Silverstar venue (August 14-16).


Milan-San Remo

If you have been watching the Forums, you will have seen the Erik Zabel vs Mario (Super Mario) Cipollini fans squaring off. Well, today, the fans will have their first real chance for bragging rights with the running of the Milan-San Remo World Cup race. We will, of course, be bringing you results as soon as possible.

Flash
- There was an early break by two riders that gained a maximum of 24 minutes on the field before there was a reaction. With a little over 60 km to go the lead is still about 7 minutes.

Also going on this weekend is the Sea Otter Classic in California. Below is a report from the first stage of the road event. (the prologue was reported earlier)


Fraser Takes Lead at Sea Otter (courtesy USA Cycling)

MONTEREY, Calif. -- Gord Fraser (Mercury) and Nicole Freedman (Shaklee) each took the stage victory and moved into the respective leader‚s jerseys capping the first full day of racing at the Mavic Elite Road Stage Race, part of the SRAM Sea Otter Classic. The classic includes all disciplines of cycling -- road racing, mountain biking, BMX and track racing.

Fraser, from Ottawa, Ont., Canada, took advantage of an impressive team lead-out to win the 40.5-mile circuit race. No less than five Mercury teammates paved the way for Fraser on the final lap.

"The guys are really clicking," Fraser said. "They don‚t mind investing a lot of work in the finishes, because we come out on top more often than not."

It is Fraser‚s third win in U.S. National Racing Calendar events this season. His teammate, Julian Dean, Hamilton, New Zealand, was second after giving Fraser a final lead-out.

"He easily could have won," Fraser said. "It was better for me to get the time bonus."

Fraser earned a 20-second bonus for winning the stage, which moved him into a 13-second lead in the overall standings over Trent Klasna (Navigators), Pine Valley, Calif. Klasna, who was third in the stage, won the prologue earlier in the day.

"I was 20 guys back with 300 meters to go," Klasna said. "I was just a little late."

Freedman, Palo Alto, Calif., also won a sprint finish, topping three riders -- Marie Holjer (Jane‚s Cosmetics), Sweden; Joan Wilson (Ralph‚s-Klein), Palo Alto, Calif.; and Karen Kurreck (Saturn), Cupertino, Calif.

"I practiced sprints all winter," said Freedman, who also won the women‚s points race on the track during the opening event of the Sea Otter Classic Wednesday.

Kurreck had a lead at the top of the final climb of the 14-lap, 31.5-mile race, but Wilson, Holjer and Freedman caught her with 100 meters to go. Freedman easily won the sprint and assumed the overall leader‚s jersey.

Not known as a climber, Freedman was able to stay with climbers like Kurreck and Linda Jackson (Saeco-Timex), Nepean, Ont., Canada, up the two-tier, 300-foot climb each lap in order to claim her biggest U.S. win to date.

"I never beaten the ŒSaturns‚ before," Freedman said.

Heading into the final stage, the 54-mile Vredestein Road Race, Freedman leads Kurreck by 10 seconds, and prologue winner Clara Hughes (in 4th place) by 19 seconds. The race should be wide open, with 20 riders within one minute of the lead.

SRAM SEA OTTER CLASSIC, March 20-21, 1998

Mavic Elite Road Stage Race

Circuit Race

Men 40.5 miles

1. GORD FRASER (MERCURY), Ottawa, Ont., Canada, 1:32:12
2. Julian Dean (Mercury), Hamilton, New Zealand, s.t.
3. Trent Klasna (Navigators), Pine Valley, Calif., at 0:01
4. Chris Fisher (OilMe-Klein), Fort Collins, Colo., s.t.
5. Harm Jensen (n.a.), Netherlands, 0:02

GC

1. Fraser, 1:36:35
2. Klasna, at 0:14
3. Dean, 0:21

Women, 31.5 miles

1. NICOLE FREEDMAN (SHAKLEE), Palo Alto, Calif., 1:28:28
2. Marie Holjer (Jane‚s Cosmetics), Sweden
3. Joan Wilson (Ralph‚s-Klein), Palo Alto, Calif.
4. Karen Kurreck (Saturn), Cupertino, Calif., all s.t.
5. Laura Mullen (Safeway), Campbell, Calif., at 0:11

GC

1. Freedman, 1:33:47
2. Kurreck, at 0:10
3. Holjer, 0:12
4. Clara Hughes (Saturn), CAN 0:19
5. Wilson, 0:26





UCI Road Rankings (as of March 8th)