February 24/03 5:58 am - BC Women's Project, Quebec News, Siemens Snow King DH

Posted by Editoress on 02/24/03
 

Women's Under 25 BC Team Project
Courtesy Cycling BC

For the second year in succession, Cycling BC aims to send a team of 4 women under the age of 25 to the Columbia Plateau Stage Races, one of the few point-to-point races in North America. The Stage Race (www.obra.org/columbiaplateau/race.htm), located in North-Eastern Oregon, boasts a combination of four very challenging stages (3 RR, 1 TT) over the course of a weekend. Riders are treated to demanding climbs, beautiful scenery, accommodations and plentiful food at the end of each stage.

Judy Latoski, coach to the winning BC Team entry in 2002 (Suzanne Macht), has once again agreed to lead this High Performance project, with assistance from Jeff Tvergyak.

Hopeful BC Team athletes MUST participate in a series of selection events prior to the Stage Race. Selection events include a combination of the following:

1.) Race Resume submitted to both Judy Latoski and Cycling BC, care of the Provincial Coach. Race resumes must be submitted no later than March 28th

2.) Participation in two Spring Series events taking place March 8th (course 4) 16th (course 3) or 29th (course 4). Results must be forwarded to Judy or Cycling BC prior to April 4th. For more event info, please see www.escapevelocity.bc.ca.

3.) Participation in the SISU BC Cup #1, Harris-Roubaix Road Race, April 13. For event details, please see www.trekvwracing.com

4.) Participation if the Race the Ridge Time Trial, April 20. For event details, please see www.mountainbikerides.com/race

Note ˆ All results must be compiled and submitted to either Judy Latoski, Jeff Tvergayk or Cycling BC by April 29th.

2003 Columbia Plateau Stage Race Selection Criteria:
1. Female athletes must be under the age of 25 as of December 31st, 2003 to be eligible.

2. Must hold a valid CCA/UCI Cycling license.

3. Three of the four athletes to be chosen for the project will be based on points earned from selection events. The remaining athlete will be determined based on "coaches choice". The final team will be selected by the High Performance Sub-Committee.

4. Athletes do not have to participate in all selection events. They will, potentially, earn more points by doing more events. Athletes will receive at least one point for finishing a selection event.

5. Points from selection events will be distributed by the following scale. The placings pertain to BC Team candidates only, not to the overall finishing order of all female entrants.

1st - 10 points
2nd - 8 points
3rd - 7 points
4th - 6 points
5th - 5 points
6th - 4 points
7th - 3 points
8th - 2 points

If you are interested in trying out for the BC Team attending the Columbia Plateau Stage Race, please contact:

Judy Latoski, Project Coach, jalatoski@telus.net, (604) 541-7617
Jeff Tvergyak, Assistant Coach, jtvergyak@hotmail.com, (604) 945-7169
Allan Prazsky, Cycling BC, road@cycling.bc.ca (604) 737-3137


Challenge Bois de Belle-Rivière
Courtesy Martin Prud'homme

Après avoir vécu la semaine dernière un week-end d'enfer avec un thermomètre avoisinant les -22C, le soleil était cette fois-ci au rendez-vous pour la conclusion du Challenge Bois de Belle-Rivière de vtt sur neige.

Un peloton plus nombreux, des conditions de course ultra-rapide, du soleil et du bons temps étaient au menu de ce samedi.

Le peloton était regroupé en 4 catégories : pee-wee, féminine, sénior et maitre. Les cadets et juniors furent autorisés à courir avec les séniors, leur donnant plus que du fil à retordre. Un junior (Francois Stzuke) et un cadet (Gabriel Jarry-Bolduc) sont d'ailleurs montés sur la 2è et 3è marche du podium.

Les gagnants:

Pee-wee: Yohan Patry
Féminine: Marie-Pierre Bédard
Sénior: Jeremy Lebel
Maitre: Robert Patry

Une page avec photos de cette course a été créée par le club Les Dynamiks de Contrecoeur (www.dynamiks.ca/03a.htm)

Nous vous donnons rendez-vous en Juin pour notre série de courses d'été. Les détails seront disponibles sous peu sur le site de la FQSC.

Merci à nos partenaires, André-Lalonde Sports, Bois de Belle-Rivière, FQSC ainsi qu'à notre équipe de commissaires.


Siemens Mobile Snow King Mountain Bike Downhill
Courtesy Martin Whiteley

Today (February 23/03) on the icy slopes in Garmisch, Germany, immediately after Marco Buechel of Liechtenstein won the FIS Super G World Cup, 15 of some of the world's best mountain bikers took to the slopes and raced in the inaugural Siemens Mobile Snow King event. Broadcast live on the German national network ARD and shown to many more countries around the world, the Snow King is essentially a massed start downhill for the 15 riders, on the 2.8km FIS course, descending 700m to the finish. Riders used tyres with spikes and chased 10,000 Euros in prize money.

Winning the race today was David Vasquez of Spain, closely followed by Oscar Saiz, also of Spain, who ripped the rear out of his trousers, and large chunks of flesh, as he accidentally sat on his studded rear tyre mid race, landing a jump. Matti Lehikoinen of Finland (Global Racing) was in second place until the last corner where he ran wide under pressure, and the bleeding Saiz passed him, as well as top 4X rider Guido Tschugg from Germany. Matti managed to hold off the fast finishing Cedric Gracia (FRA) to finish 4th. The star studded field also included Bas De Bever (NED), Mickael Deldycke (FRA), Mickael Pascal (FRA), and Claudio Caluori (SUI).

1st David Vasquez
2nd Oscar Saiz
3rd Guido Tschugg
4th Matti Lehikoinen
5th Cedric Gracia

Riders had no chance to pre-ride the course, but were permitted a walking or skiing inspection earlier in the day. Some super fast jumps and the massed start meant that riders were keen to get to the front early, as was Matti's plan, and all used metal spiked tyres. Matti's tyres each had 335 three millimeter spikes.

"There was a big crash early on involving a few riders so I am happy I was out front early. There was some really sick jumps and the course was so fast you couldn't pedal anymore towards the end. I really like this style of racing, but I'm pretty bummed I ran wide on the last corner, but top 5 was the goal so I gotta be happy", said a happy Matti from Munich tonight. "Oscar's butt looked like a tiger had taken a pretty good hit at him!"