July 27/03 11:33 am - Tour de White Rock: Day 3 Story and SISU Cup Road Series Winners

Posted by Editoress on 07/27/03
 

Tour de White Rock wraps up BC Super Cycling Week & SISU BC Road Cup
by Mitch Peters

Today's race ended what has been a very successful week of road racing for British Columbia riders. The weekend's Tour de White Rock was the final race of the SISU BC Cup Championship Series for racers, as well as the seventh race of BC Super Cycling Week. Most riders were going for the overall omnium for the week of racing, and today's results were vital for points. In order to qualify for those points, they had to at least start each of the seven events, including the Tour de Delta's three stages, as well as the Tour de Gastown Criterium.

The women's 72km road race saw very few attacks this sunny Sunday morning and it wasn't until the last lap of the event that Sarah Noble (Bike Barn) launched an attack on the backside of the course. Charging over the top of the Columbia St. climb, nobody could touch the mountain biker turned road racer Noble.

Rona-Esker rider Kristen Lasasso launched another attack off the pack in an attempt to chase down the solo break. She escaped the field and began to bridge up to Noble, at this point; however, Noble had opened a 25 second gap on her pursuer. Noble crossed the line, maintaining her lead. Lasasso charged in for second. The pack sprinted up to the finish line and Trek VW's Marni Prazsky punched it for third, a close nose's length ahead of Rona Esker's Andrea Hannos.

Kristen's second place points put her into third place overall for the BC Super Cycling Week's omnium with 30pts. Lisa Sweeney (Kappa) who finished fifth in the road race today, finished second overall with 43 points. After a fourth place in the road race today, Hannos claimed the title with a total of 61pts.

The men's race was quite eventful with an early break going off with six riders after the first lap. Prime Alliance's Svein Tuft was feeling pretty good and attacked this group, opening up a fifteen second gap as a result. Tuft stayed out in front for several laps while the five men in the chase group split up, leaving Jelly Belly rider Ben Brooks and Atlas Cold/Ital Pasta rider Alex Lavallee competing for second and third.

The two worked well together and bridged up to Tuft. At one point Tuft was dropped and the two remaining riders pushed it some more. This is when yesterday's crit winner, Danny Pate (Prime Alliance) attacked off the front of the pack and bridged up to the leaders. The pack swallowed Svein up, however at the same time, Pate made it up to the two leaders. Lavalee's legs gave in with less than two laps to go and Brooks and Pate dropped him and continued for the win with well over a two-minute lead on the pack.

Pate's legs were a little worn after yesterday's effort and Brooks (who remained in the break almost the entire race) took the win in the final sprint. Lavallee was third. In the omnium, Team Health Net's Gord Fraser took the overall title, while Tyler Farrar (Jelly belly/Surisban Clothing) and Andrew Pinfold (Atlas Cold/Ital Pasta) were second and third respectively.

Today's race ended the SISU BC Cup Road Championship series. Sweeney and Matt Usborne (Symmetrics) took the 2003 titles in the women's and men's categories, respectively.

SISU BC Cup Road Championship Series
Unofficial Results

Women
1. Lisa Sweeney (Kappa)
2. Sarah Noble (Bike Barn)
3. Marni Prazsky (Trek VW)

Men
1. Matt Usborne (Symmetrics)
2. Sean Dawson (Trek-VW)
3. Larry Zimich (Campione Cycling Team)