June 20/98 8:52 am - Stage 4a : GP de Beauce

Posted by Editor on 06/20/98
 

Stage 4a : GP de Beauce - Time Trial 15.7km in Beauceville, Quebec

Winner of todays time trial in an unofficial time of 19:32 is Frank McCormack (Saturn). This was an out and back course with only one slight climb and a tailwind on the return section. Weather hot and sunny.

Levi Leipheimer (Saturn) is expected to maintain his overall GC lead and may even extend it a little, although some top GC positions should shift.

Tonight at 6:30 stage 4b will take place in downtown St-Georges. A 1.6 km circuit will be covered 31 times, total 49.6 km. Fast, tactical racing is expected, although Gord Fraser (Mercury) and Brian Walton (Saturn) will be missed.

Stage 4a ITT

1. Frank McCormack (Saturn) 19:32 (unofficial)
2. Dainis Ozols (MROZ)
3. Trent Klassna (Navigators)

GP de Beauce, more information on the ITT we were told there would be no officail results for hours, and then....

GC
1. Levi Leipheimer (Saturn) 20:06:35
2. Andrzei Sypytkowski (MROZ) at 00:36
3. 3. Artour Babaitsev (ZVVZ) 00:50
4. Thurlow Rogers (Mercury) 1:40
5. Frank McCormack (Saturn) 2:56
9. Jacques Landry (Radio Energie) 4:06
13. Roland Green (Canadian National) 5:01
15. Peter Wedge (Radio Energie) 5:25

More Canadian Results from ITT
9. Eric Wohlberg (Espoirs de Laval) at 0:46
11. Roland Green (Canadian National) 0:52
17. Jacques Landry (Radio Energie) 1:10
23. Mark Walters (Mercury) 1:23

GP de Beauce, Stage 4b - Criterium in Downtown St-Georges

A 1.6 km circuit with a steep climb just after the start-finish, provided lots of chances for attacks. Peter Wedge (Radio Energie) took on the challenge and was the story of the race.

Wedge attacked repeatedly from the first lap and at one point was away for over 6 laps before he was reeled back in. Wedge went away again after the final prime and was joined by Mark Walters (Mercury). The two stayed together and at one point had over 40 seconds on the pack. Wedge did all the work and Walters marked his every move.

With two laps to go a ZVVZ rider attacked and closed the gap to 17 seconds, but it was too little too late and a fresh Walters went around Wedge to take the win.

1. Mark Walters (Mercury)
2. Peter Wedge (Radio Energie)
3. Frank McCormack (Saturn)

There should be little change to the GC after this stage.The 2nd place by Wedge may move him up a couple of positions. (Official results not yet available)

More riders are showing sign of the hard racing and some are dropping out due to illness. Czeslaw Lukaszewiscz (MROZ) has pulled out. Roland Green, although not sick, has decided that with the upcoming World Cups and Norba races he will not hedge his bets and will not race tomorrow.

Tour of Catalonia

Stage 2 : 1.C.Boardman (gbr/gan) 2.M.Velo (ita/mer) 3.A.Olano Manzano (spa/ban) 4.U.Peschel (ger/ebr) 5.J.Dominguez Dominguez (spa/vit) 6.V.Ekimov (rus/usp) Leader: C.Boardman (gbr/gan)

Stage 3 : 1.M.Cipollini (ita/sae) 2.J.Blijlevens (ned/tvm) 3.M.Traversoni (ita/mer) 4.G.Fagnini (ita/sae) 5.A.Edo Alsina (spa/kel) 6.F.Fontanelli (ita/mer) Leader: C.Boardman (gbr/gan)
Tour of Switzerland, Stage 4

Stefano Garzelli (ITA) won todays 226-km fourth stage of the Tour of Switzerland on on a solo breakaway on the final climb. 2. Davide Rebellin (ITA); 3. Vladimir Belli (ITA); 4. Bjarne Riis (DEN)