March 25/04 7:27 am - Redlands Stage 2 Story

Posted by Editor on 03/25/04
 

Redlands Classic - California

Our correspondent Leigh Hargrove (Pushbikes.ca) has reported in on stage 2 of the Redlands Classic in California.

Chris Horner (Webcor) and Genevieve Jeanson (Rona) continue to lead the men's and women's races respectively, but while Horner appears to be invincible, recording his third consecutive stage victory, the first crack appeared in the facade of the previously untouchable Jeanson, when she could not respond to a final attack by Lyne Bessette (Quark). finishing the stage in third place.

The Glen Oaks road race is the Queen stage of the Redlands Classic, ending with a climb to nearly 1500 metres. In the men's race, a break of 7 riders got away at the 35 kilometre mark, and stayed clear until the base of the final climb. The group contained two Canadians - Eric Wohlberg (Sierra Nevada) and Jacob Erker (Team Seasilver) - plus Scott Moninger and Danny Pate (both Health Net), Aaron Olsen (Colavita Pro Cycling), Blake Caldwell (TIAA-CREF Development Team) and Caleb Manion (Jelly Belly). They managed to gain a maximum advantage of over two minutes, making Wohlberg the leader on the road, but Webcor was keeping them close, with Horner full of praise for his team mates, saying that he didn't have to do any work until the base of the climb. Horner attacked early on the climb, and only his shadow from the day before, Cesar Grajales (Jittery Joe's Coffee), was able to stay with him. Horner dropped Grajales late in the climb and soloed in for the win.

In the women's race, despite some aggressive work by Melanie McQuaid (Ford) and the TDS team of Erin Carter, the peloton arrived at the base of the climb largely intact. Jeanson made the expected attack with 10 kilometres to go, and only Bessette and Christine Thornburn (Webcor) were able to stay with her. The three rode together until the final two kilometres, when Bessette attacked, dropping Jeanson, but not Thornburn. Bessette surged again in the final 300 metres, to take the stage ahead of Thornburn, with Jeanson some 50 seconds in arrears (official results and times are not yet available).