July 18/04 10:54 am - Tour de Delta: Stage 3

Posted by Editoress on 07/18/04
 

Tour de Delta: Stage 3, White Spot Road Race
By Eric Dwyer

"Kids" Sweep Tour De Delta's White Spot Road Races

It was kid's day in the Tour de Delta. 20-year-olds left even the classiest and fastest veterans behind as they raced away with the mens' and womens' White Spot Road Races.

The men's 140 kilometer race from North Delta to Tsawwassen came down to a duel between two former teammates considered the best 20-year-olds in North America, Tyler Farrar of Wenatchee, Washington and Tsawwassen's Cam Evans. They sprinted side by side for the last 500 meters of the race with fans cheering furiously for a victory by Evans, the hometown hero. Farrar ruined the storybook finish by slipping ahead of Evans to win by a bike length in 3 hours, 17 minutes and 31 seconds.

"It was loud but the noise of the crowd didn't bother me, it just made it a lot more fun," said an almost apologetic Farrar. "Cam and I have raced a lot together. I was pretty confident heading toward the finish line. If we'd been going up a hill I wouldn't have a chance but on a flat road, in a sprint, I knew I could beat him."

Evans was satisfied, if not elated with the 2nd place finish in his own backyard. "It would have been great to win at home but I couldn't quite do it," he said. "It was something to hear all the people cheering for me. Maybe next year."

Farrar, who grew up in Bellingham and raced with Evans on a team in Seattle, can't wait for next year either. "This is one of my favourite races. The fans and organizers and everyone is really into it and the competition is unbelievable."

Eric Wohlberg, from the US Sierra Nevada Cycling team took 3rd place. Farrar won the Omnium for best overall in the Tour by winning the White Spot Road Race and finishing 4th in the Lehigh Cement criterium, won by his Health Net teammate Gord Fraser.

The women's omnium and road race was also swept by a precocious 20-year-old superstar in waiting.

Sarah Uhl of Allentown, Pennsylvania sprinted out of the pack in the home stretch to win the Lehigh Cement criterium in Ladner on Saturday night. Sunday morning it was déjà vu all over again on the roads of Tsawwassen. The 20-year-old super sprinter needed everything she had in her young legs to edge out 43-year-old Sara Neil of Vancouver at the finish line of the White Spot road race. Australian Helen Kelly finished third. After 85 kilometers, 2 hours, 22 minutes and 41 seconds of racing only half a second separated 1st and 3rd.

Neil who won the Brenco Hill Climb Friday night and is retiring after BC Superweek paid tribute to the speedy youngster after her 2nd straight win stating, "she's ridden a great tour and her team (Quark) has done an amazing job."

The praise and admiration was mutual. Uhl, the 2002 World Junior Sprint Champion, was amazed by the speed and stamina of the veteran old enough to be her mother. "It shows you human potential is unlimited," said Uhl. "Sara (Neil) shows what you can do if you have the desire and commitment. She's an inspiration to all of us. I'd love to have a career like that and come back to Delta 5 or 10 more times. This is my first trip to this area and I love it. The racing is really fun and yet it's relaxing. There are lots of strong riders but it's not a war out there. It's been fun."

The fun continues Wednesday night with the Tour de Gastown and ends with the Tour de White Rock July 23, 24, 25th