June 29/02 1:29 am - RAAM, Fitchburg

Posted by Editor on 06/29/02
 

Race Across America

At 5:33 this morning June 28th, Mike Lau of the Ottawa Bicycle Club arrived in Pensicola, Florida to become only the second Canadian to finish the Race Across America. He completed the 2,991 mile route in 11 days 20hrs 33 minutes. Mike was the 9th solo rider to finish before today's noon cut off time.

Avery Burdett
Ottawa Bicycle Club



Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic

Saturn Report

The second stage of the Fitchburg - Longsjo Classic was a circuit race held on a 3.5 mile loop with a steep climb at the start finish line.

The 13 lap women's race got off to a quick start with early attacks from the Saturn Team. With only one-second separating race leader Lyne Bessette and Saturn's Kimberly Bruckner, Bessette had no choice but to shadow the Saturn rider. An early break with Saturn's Jessica Phillips, Laura Van Gilder and Clara Hughes was brought back after gaining 25 seconds, setting Saturn's Catherine Marsal up nicely for an attack. Marsal's gap opened steadily, with a reaction coming finally from Bessette, who was followed by Bruckner. The two reached Marsal and quickly drove the gap up to over two minutes. On the final time up the hill, it was Bessette coming to the front for her second consecutive stage win, followed by Bruckner and then Marsal for third. Bessette now leads the Tour by 11 seconds over Bruckner. Marsal will move into third overall. Unfortunately, Canadian Genevieve Jeanson will not be at the start line for tomorrow's road race. Jeanson, having just finished second at the HP Women's Challenge, pulled out after a few laps, citing fatigue.

The men's race began aggressively as well. An early break of three with Saturn's Ivan Dominguez and John Hamblin gained sometime but never enough to threaten race leader Phil Zajicek Yellow Jersey. Once the threesome was caught, a series of attacks split the filed, and a group of eleven finally shook itself free of the peloton. Prime Alliance teammates Danny Pate and Chris Horner, both high up in the overall after yesterday's time trial were joined by Navigator's Tom Leaper and Chris Baldwin. Saturn was represented by Tim Johnson. Mercury had two riders in the group including eventual second place Mike Sayers. Zajicek was not in the group, however, the break was working well, and soon the gap reached a minute. With Eric Wohlberg's chance to move into yellow going up the road, Saturn took up the chase, bringing back twenty seconds by the finish. In the final meters it was Horner convincingly for the win over Sayers. Johnson finished in third. Baldwin will be in Yellow tomorrow followed by Horner and then Pate.


Rona Report

RONA's Jeanson retires from race

Fitchburg, Massachusetts, June 28, 2002 - Lyne Bessette, of the Québec Selection, won her second stage in a row and consolidated her lead in the overall standings at the Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic. Geneviève Jeanson, of Team RONA, retired at about mid-stage today.

"I came back just last Monday from Idaho, where I spent a lot of energy in a nine-day race which was aggressive from start to finish", said the 20-year old athlete about her decision. "I started in Fitchburg in spite of André's (Aubut, RONA team manager) advice. But obviously he was right, I had not had enough rest after such a demanding race. And I would rather rest than just ride in the middle of the pack And not race aggressively the way I like to race."

Bessette won the stage after she successfully broke away with Saturn's Kimberly Bruckner and Catherine Marsal. Nicole Freedman, of Team RONA, finished fifth, after ranking second in the peloton's mass sprint behond Laura Van Gilder (USA, Trek). Melissa Holt (NZL) and Manon Jutras (CAN), both of RONA, are respectively 6th and 9th in General Classification.

Results of stage 2