May 11/98 9:11 am - Tour de l'Aude

Posted by Editor on 05/11/98
 

Robbins Wins Stage At Tour de L‚Aude
(courtesy Frank Stanely at USA Cycling)

RIEUX, France -- American Emily Robbins posted her first international stage win when she won Sunday‚s afternoon stage at the Tour de L‚Aude in France.

Robbins (U.S. National), Wauwatosa, Wis., attacked out of the field late in the 62km stage. With Italian Fabiana Luperini (Mista Mimosa Sprint) safely in the overall leader‚s jersey after her morning stage win, the field was content to let the 23-year-old American pull away to a 34-second win. Robbins, originally from Littleton, Colo., crashed during the descent from the major climb of the stage, but was able to rejoin the field.

It is the first win by an American at the Tour de L‚Aude since Jeanne Golay‚s two victories in 1995.

Luperini, the defending champion of both major women‚s Tours, the Tour Feminin and the Giro d‚Italia Femminile, won the morning stage by 1:17 over Russian Valentina Polkhanova (Russian National) to take over the leader‚s jersey. Last year‚s winner, Linda Jackson (Canadian National) is the top North American on GC. Pam Schuster (U.S. National), Northridge, Calif., is the top American overall in 14th place, 3:50 behind Luperini. Schuster also has the mountain jersey.

The race, part of the UCI individual classification for women, continues until May 17.

Stage 2a - Rieux Minervois to Pic de Nore 79km

1. FABIANA LUPERINI (MISTA MIMOSA SPRINT), Italy, 2:41:49
2. Valentina Polkhanova (Russian National), Russia, at 1:17
3. Catherine Marsal (Mista Mimosa Sprint), France, 2:33
4. Elisabeth Chevanne Brunel (French National), France, 2:51
5. Marcia Eicher Vouets (Omt.), Switzerland, s.t.

Stage 2b - Pradelles Cabardes to Rieux, 62km

1. EMILY ROBBINS (U.S. NATIONAL), Wauwatosa, Wis., 1:40:52
2. Petra Rossner (Lad.), Germany, at 0:34
3. Svetlana Samokhvalova (Russian National), Russia
4. Monica Valen (Scandanavian Team), Norway
5. Hanka Kupfernagel (Greenery Hawk), Germany, all s.t.

GC

1. FABIANA LUPERINI (MISTA MIMOSA SPRINT), Italy, 8:00:15
2. Polkhanova, at 1:17
3. Marsal, 2:28
4. Chevanne Brunel, 3:06
5. Eicher Vouets, s.t.

North Americans

9. Linda Jackson (Canadian National), Nepean, Ont., Canada, 3:39
14. Pam Schuster (U.S. National), Northridge, Calif., 3:50
16. Julie Young (U.S. National), Auburn, Calif., 4:25
21. Leigh Hobson (Canadian National), Kitchener, Ont., Canada, 6:17
27. Mari Holden (Greenery Hawk), Colorado Springs, Colo., 8:33
30. Lynne Bessette (Canadian National), Quebec, 10:20
37. Joan Wilson (U.S. National), Los Altos, Calif., 11:03
42. Robbins, 13:00
51. Giana Roberge (U.S. National), Saratoga Springs, N.Y., 15:19
61. Kim Langton (Canadian National), Burlington, Ontario, 15:50
70. Cybil DiGuistini (Canadian National), Victoria, B.C., Canada, 22:46
74. Anne Samplonius (Canadian National), Burlington Ontario, 27:47
79. Cori Book (U.S. National), Colorado Springs, Colo., 29:12


L.A. Olympic Velodrome May Close (courtesy Peter McCaffery)

The Olympic Velodrome that was built for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics is in danger of being shut down on a permanent basis. The 333-meter concrete oval, considered one of the top tracks in the country, has been operating with a budget deficit for some time.

Cal State Dominguez Hills oversees the operation of the facility and has eliminated the velodrome's operating budget following the EDS Track Cup. Management of the velodrome has been administered by The Dominguez Hills Foundation, which has been criticized for poor management of the facility.