June 19/98 11:53 am - GP de Beauce Stage 3, reports and results

Posted by Editor on 06/19/98
 

Report from Beauce: The Third ,and felt to be , most difficult stage (Mont Megantic) at GP de Beauce is just about to begin. Gord Fraser has announced that he will not start today. He mentioned yesterday after the stage that he was not feeling well,(a number of the top riders are beginning to show the tired signs of hard early season racing).

2nd Report from Beauce: Stage 3 - Mont MeganticThe pack started neutral and at 10 km Kyle Smith (1Plus) went off . Kyle stayed away and at one point had 2 minutes on the group (they obviously were not too worried) before he was reeled in at 33 km. At the end of the first KOM (50km), Saturn Rider Levi Leipheimer has gone away and has a 20 sec lead on the pack. The weather is perfect for this kind of race: sunny with occassional cloudy periods and not too hot.

3rd Report from Beauce: Stage 3 - Mont MeganticAt just over the half way mark into the race there was breakaway of 7 riders who had nearly 5 minutes on the pack. Included in the breakaway is Scott Moninger (Saturn), Levi Leipheimer (Saturn) and Jacques Landry (Radio Energie) as well as other riders from the major teams.

Brian Walton dropped out at the feed.

At 120 km into the stage the breakaway group has over 9 minutes on the field, which seems to have given up chasing.. Joe Juillano (Jet Fuel) has gone off the front and has 3 minutes on the pack, but is still 6 minutes down on the leaders.

The course is now completely flat until the last 30 km of straight climbing up Mt Megantic to the finish.

Levi Leipheimer of Saturn takes Stage 3 - Mont MeganticThe 7 leaders stayed away until when at 7 km before the base of the climb one rider flatted and was dropped. The remaining 6 stayed together until the base of the climb where they had over 10 minutes on the main pack.

1. Levi Leipheimer (Saturn)
2. Andrzei Sypytkowski (MROZ)
3. Artour Babaitsev (ZVVZ)
4. Thurlow Rogers (Mercury)
5. Scott Moninger (Navigators)

Top Canadian
8. Jacques Landry (Radio Energie)

Levi Leipheimer becomes the GC Leader after today‚s stage.

Finishing times for Stage 3 - Mont Megantic at GP de Beauc

1. Levi Leipheimer (Saturn) 4:27:23
2. Andrzei Sypytkowski (MROZ) at 00:07
3. Artour Babaitsev (ZVVZ) 00:36
4. Thurlow Rogers (Mercury) 1:43
5. Scott Moninger (Navigators) 2:30
6. Thomas Konecy (ZVVZ) 3:21
7. Chan McRay (Saturn) s.t.
8. Jacques Landry (Radio Energie) 3:25
9. Thomas Brozyna (MROZ) 3:27
10. Peter Wedge (Radio Energie) 4:06

GC
1. Levi Leipheimer (Saturn) 13:46:31
2. Andrzei Sypytkowski (MROZ) at :07
3. Artour Babaitsev (ZVVZ) 00:41
4. Thurlow Rogers (Mercury) 1:49
5. Thomas Konecy (ZVVZ) 3:21
6. Chan McRay (Saturn) 3:27
7. Thomas Brozyna (MROZ) 3:33
8. Jacques Landry (Radio Energie) 3:29
10.Scott Moninger (Navigators) 3:36
11. Peter Wedge Radio Energie) 4:12