June 16/98 10:11 am - Beauce Preview, U.S. Results, Win a Bike

Posted by Editor on 06/16/98
 

MANY RACERS HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THE GP DE BEAUCE

We received this well thought out analysis from J.L., someone who has many years of experience watching this race unfold:

The 1998 version of the Grand Prix cycliste Peugeot de Beauce could be the most competitive in many years.

Some say it will be a battle between the United-States and Europe. 3 American teams will be on the starting line tonight at 6:30 pm for the Prologue. The Mercury Cycling Team will support Ontario's Gordon Fraser, winner of many stages here, who has had a great season so far. The Navigators have Trent Klasna, third in last year's GC and team mate of Jonathan Vaughters - the 1997 winner. And, of course, Brian Walton and Bart Bowen will be leading the Saturn Cycling Team.

From Europe, the Tcheck Republic's ZVVZ Team may be worth looking at, while Poland's MROZ Team will count on Czeslaw Lukaszewicz to lead them to the podium. Also, tomorrow's first stage, between Quebec and Sainte-Marie, will tell us what the less known Mexican team and the Zapatos Carnac squad from Costa Rica have to offer.

Among the local teams from Quebec, the Radio-Energie Team riders will give it their best with Michael Barry, Sylvain Beauchamp, Jacques Landry and Peter Wedge. The Espoirs-Laval group have recruited Eris Wohlberg, 1995 winner, to help them. He will benefit from Yannick Cojan's experience. And Excellence Sports-Harvey have added the 1996 king of the Grand Prix, Moldavia's Igor Bontchoukov.

Tonight, a 40k criterium right in downtown Quebec City, in front of all those famous sidewalk cafes, will give the sprinters a chance to shine. However, the weather may not be too great, with rain predicted. Tomorrow, the start signal will be given at Place D'Youville and the cyclists will pedal 158 km to Ste-Marie. Thursday it will be a 166 km circuit. Friday is the "fetish" rendezvous between St-Georges and Mont Megantic. This is where the race may well be decided. Saturday, a ITT in the morning and a 50 km criterium in the evening in downtown St-George. And to conclude, Sunday will present a 179.6 km road race which the cyclists will finish going up the Cegep's hill 3 times. It will be great racing.

Race Notes: We will be publishing short reports each day (plus top 5 stage and GC) for the first 3 days of Beauce. Starting on Friday, with the infamous Mont Megantic stage, I (the editor) will be at the race for more in-depth coverage. We will attempt to obtain complete results in electronic format, so that we can post them all, however, this is dependent on the organizer. If you want to know how one particular rider is doing, e-mail us - depending upon the number of requests we will do our best to let you know.


U.S. National Road Rankings (as of June 15th)
(courtesy USA Cycling)

1. Nicole Freedman, Shaklee, Palo Alto, Calif. 297 points
2. Clara Hughes, Saturn, Hamilton, Ont., Canada 273
3. Susy Pryde, Saeco-Timex, Auckland, New Zealand 242
4. Marie Holjer, Ralph's-Klein, Sweden 238
5. Dede Demet, Saturn, Boulder, Colo. 235
6. Tina Mayolo, PowerBar, Athens, Ga. 230
7. Pam Schuster, Saeco-Timex, Northridge, Calif. 230
8. Karen Kurreck, Saturn, Cupertino, Calif. 214
9. Linda Jackson, Saeco-Timex, Napean, Ont., Canada 203

16. Leigh Hobson, Canadian National, Kitchener, Ont., Canada 148
25. Alison Sydor, Volvo-Cannondale, N.Vancouver, B.C., Canada 90
40. Cybil Diguistini, Elita, Victoria, B.C., Canada 43
49. Sue Palmer, Haro, Hamilton, Ont., Canada 32


TDK 38TH NEVADA CITY CLASSIC, June 12-14, Nevada City, Calif.
Nevada City Classic Criterium, June 14

Men, U.S. 2.6.2., 39 miles
1. LEVI LEIPHEIMER (SATURN), Santa Rosa, Calif.; 2. Michael Sayers (Mercury), Sacramento, Calif.; 3. Patrick Heaney (Lombardi Sports), San Jose, Calif.; 4. Michael Engleman (Navigators), Hesperus, Colo.; 5. David Clinger (Mercury), Woodland Hills, Calif.; 6. Tony Cruz (Nutra Fig), Sparks, Nev.; 7. Scott Moninger (Navigators), Boulder, Colo.; 8. Scott Price (SRC Domenic‚s), Albuquerque, N.M.; 9. Burke Swindlehurst (Nutra Fig), Hurricane, Utah; 10. Eric Saunders (Balance Bar), Richmond, Va.

Men's Omnium
1. MICHAEL ENGLEMAN (NAVIGATORS), Hesperus, Colo., 516 pts; 2. Leipheimer, 424; 3. Clinger, 359; 4. Moninger, 318; 5. Heaney, 187; 6. Sayers, 184; 7. Price, 172; 8. Ron Schmeer (Nutra Fig), Seattle, Wash., 149; 9. Dylan Casey (Shaklee), Mountain View, Calif., 133; 10. Saunders, 125.

Women, U.S. 1.6, June 14
1. JOAN WILSON (CELESTIAL SEASONINGS), Palo Alto, Calif.; 2. Tana Stone (Bingham‚s), Sandy, Utah; 3. Cynthia Mommsen (Olympic Club), Mill Valley, Calif.; 4. Megan Troxell (Stanford), Palo Alto; 5. Winifred Burns (Monte Vista Velo), Mountain View, Calif.; 6. Christy Nicholson (Ralph‚s-Klein), Claremont, Calif.; 7. Suzanne Forsyth (Start to Finish), Prosser, Wash.; 8. Annette Kamm (Fuji), Asheville, N.C.; 9. Alura Emery (Celestial Seasonings), Davis, Calif.; 10. Ann Brennan (Jolt/NVV), San Anselmo, Calif.


TURNER TURNS IT ON

Monday evenings' Midweek Club novice criterium - the sixth in the series - was the best-attended to date, with 13 starters ranging in age from 13 to 62. Like the popular Wednesday series, these grass roots events are beginning to attract more and more riders who want to learn racing skills before tackling the task of large bunch survival.

Before the race, Vet C, Gary Hirsch, put his past coaching experience to good use by giving a short practical clinic on criterium cornering skills. A number of the riders commented that they found his advice very valuable and felt safer than before.

As usual, the first four laps of the event were ridden together. Then , to get the speed up, a bunch prime was given the next lap. Marcus Peron (Ind.) exploded from the lead group of six and easily took the sprint with Paul Oswald Smith and Brian Turner in second and third spots.

Turner then got serious and picked up the speed a couple of notches, with only Peron able to stay with him. The pair increased their lead over the next two laps but Peron eased and drifted back to the main group. Brian then clicked into time trial mode and proceeded to gain steadily. He cruised over the finish line having lapped all bar the chase group, which was now down to five.

Marcus Peron was expected to ace the sprint for second, having won the two primes, but it was Oakville C.C's Steve Morris who snuck off the front and claimed runner-up honours. Peron came in third, followed by Gary Hirsch (Pavan) and newcomer Slawomir Gora, both Vet. C's!

Thanks to Joannie Verschuuren (Mississauga B.C.) for aiding with the lap scoring and to Mr. De Boer for helping clean up the circuit.

SPECIAL OFFER: All riders who bring a friend to ride in next week's novice race will get free entry to the event.

RESULTS

NAME	CLUB	CAT	TIME	PTS
Brian Turner	Independent	3	53'22	12
Steve Morris	Oakville C.C.	VA	55'03	11
Marcus Peron	Independent	3	s.t.	10
Gary Hirsch	Pavan	VC	s.t.	9
Slawomir Gora	Independent	VC	s.t.	8
Alex Pond	Independent	VB	55'07	7
Paul Oswald Smith	Independent	VA	At 1 lap	6
David McDonald	Brampton C.C.	3		5
Brett Mondok	Independent	VA		4
Peter Rodrigues	Mississauga B.C.	VB		3
Ryan De Boer	Mississauga B.C.	MIN		2
Leo Aguero	Pavan	3		2
Patrick Kean	Independent	VA	DNF	1

Average speed of winner: 37.1 kph


Win a Bike (info courtesy Greg Flaaten)

The ABA is raffling a titanium Seven Cycles mountain bike to help raise funds to send a Team Alberta to the Tour de l'Abitibi (July 27-August 2). 
 
Tickets are $10 and ticket sales will not exceed 1,000 units.
 
The bike retails for approximately $7,000 and is loaded with tasty XTR components, Mavic Crossmax wheelset, Sid fork, etc.
 
Draw date is August 6.
 
To get arrange tickets, phone 403-217-8118 or email: holmwood@telusplanet.net

 

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