July 29/03 8:40 am - The International (Tour de `Toona) Women's Report and brief results

Posted by Editoress on 07/29/03
 

The International Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Courtesy RONA-Esker

Geneviève Jeanson Increases Her Lead At The Tour De Toona

Canadian cyclist Geneviève Jeanson of Lachine, Québec, riding for Team RONA/Esker, added a few seconds to her lead of the International Tour de Å’Toona today, finishing fourth in the second stage of the seven-day race, in the same time as the stage winner Ina Teutenberg of Saturn. Canadian Gina Grain (Victory Brewing/Amoroso) took second spot of the stage in front of Saturn's Laura Van Gilder.

Lyne Bessette of Knowlton, Qué., second overall in the race, today finished in the peloton six seconds behind the winner, thus causing the yellow jersey Jeanson to increase her lead in general classification to 31 seconds.

Today's 118.3-km stage unfolded under splendid clear skies over three laps of a rolling circuit around Johnstown. Averaging a very fast 40 km/h, the stage was marked by several attacks by Saturn and even more so by Team Basis, riding for last year's overall winner Heather Albert. But few attacks developed as real breaks. Only Kate Maher, a teammate of Albert, managed to create a 40-second gap between her and the field. But all by herself, she was a victim of the race for the Queen of the Mountain competition, as she was reeled in and absorbed by the peloton and as Geneviève Jeanson flew in front of her to get the precious red jersey points.

At the end of the stage, the young leader of the RONA/Esker squad does rank first in the Queen of the Mountain competition. Gina Grain will wear the best sprinter's green jersey tomorrow. In the team general classification, RONA/Esker trails Saturn by just a second.

"Today we raced to protect the yellow jersey before tomorrow's very tough stage", said Jeanson after the stage. "We not only managed that but I even added a few seconds to my lead, that's an offer I can't refuse!"


1. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Saturn, 2:55
2. Gina Grain (Can) Victory Brewing/Amoroso
3. Laura Van Gilder (USA) Saturn
4. Geneviève Jeanson (Can) RONA/Esker, all s.t.
5. Magali Le Floc'h (Fra) RONA/Esker, 0:06
6. Tina Mayolo-Pic (USA) Diet Rite
7. Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Velo Bella
8. Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn
9. Lara Kroepsch (USA) T-Mobile
10. Emma Rickards (USA) Worlddiff.com
11. Heather Albert (USA) Team Basis
19. Karen Bockel (Ger) RONA/Esker
20. Erinne Willock (Can) RONA/Esker
32. Catherine Marsal (Fra) RONA/Esker
36. Melissa Holt (NZl) RONA/Esker, all s.t.
74 starters, 73 finishers

GC
1. Geneviève Jeanson (Can) RONA/Esker, 3:04:31
2. Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn, at 0:31
3. Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Saturn, 0:35
4. Jessica Phillips (USA) Saturn, 0:42
5. Susan Palmer-Komar (Can) Genesis Scuba/FFCC, 0:55
6. Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Velo Bella, s.t.
7. Karen Bockel (Ger) RONA/Esker, 0:56
8. Cybil DiGuistini (Can) Diet Rite, 0:57
9. Christine Thorburn (USA) Team Basis, 0:58
10. Tina Mayolo-Pic (UA) Diet Rite, 1:00
12. Melissa Holt (NZL) RONA/Esker, 1:02
18. Erinne Willock (Can) RONA/Esker, 1:15
25. Magali Le Floc'h (Fra) RONA/Esker, 1:32
26. Catherine Marsal (Fra) RONA/Esker), 1:37

Team GC
1. Saturn, 9:15:30
2. RONA/Esker, at 1:00
3. Diet Rite, 1:05
4. Team Basis, 1:09
5. Genesis Scuba/FFCC, 1:17