April 3/05 9:05 am - Progel Redlands Bicycle Classic: Final Stage brief

Posted by Editoress on 04/3/05
 

Progel Redlands Bicycle Classic Redlands CA

Men
1. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home Pro Cycling Team
2. Charles Dionne (Can) Webcor Builders

Women's report courtesy Quark Cycling Team

Ina Teutenberg made it two in a row winning the Sunset road race today concluding the Redlands Progel bicycle classic. The race had drama and excitement from the start as the top three places on GC were separated by only 7 seconds. To make things even tougher on the tired field was the fact that the first KOM came just 7 miles into the race with time in addition to points given. Webcor's Erinne Willock drove the pace hard right as the flag dropped. She was assisted by T-Mobile's Teutenberg and Quark's Grace Fleury.

As the KOM approached Genevieve Jeanson was first to jump shadowed by Annette Beutler of Quark but the efforts of Webcor's tandem of Christine Thorburn and Willock powered by to take 1 and 2 and the bonus seconds attached with Quark's Beutler third picking up 1 seond. This gave Thorburn a 7 second advantage over T-Mobile Kim Baldwin and 8 over Quark's Beutler. The efforts chasing the KOM split the field and a group containing Thorburn, Willock, Bladwin and Armstrong of T-mobile as well as Quarks Beutler and Monex rider Lynn Gaggioli. T-Mobile and Gaggioli drove the pace and the break maintaining a lead of about a minute and a half.

After 3 laps away the efforts of Victory Brewing was able to bring the gap down to 15 seconds as riders then attempted to bridge the gap to the leaders. Teutenberg of T-Mobile was the only rider to make the jump and she then attacked the breakaway going solo. As Teutenberg was no threat on GC, Webcor and Quark and the GC riders of T-Mobile concentrated on watching each other and the chess game began. Eventually the main filed of riders came back together at the front as Teutenberg powered away. Coming down the final climb into the finish Teutenberg came across the line 57 seconds ahead of the field, A huge cheer went up for the daring escape but all heads stayed glued to the finishing stretch to see how the final GC would be determined.

First around the finishing corner was Quark's Beutler followed by teammate Tina Pic. Amy Moore of Victory Brewing came across the line for forth with a small gap to the yellow jersey clad Thorburn. Beutler picked up 6 seconds for her finish and Thorburn none so the final GC would all depend on how the officials scored the race finish. In the end Thorburn's last huge effort in the closing meters was enough to earn her the right to pull the final yellow jersey over her head, with Beutler 2 seconds behind, followed by Baldwin 13 seconds behind. In the team competition T-Mobile won as well as the green sprinters jersey for Teutenberg. Quark's Beutler went home in red for winning the climbers competition

Sunset Road Race
1. Ina Teutenberg ( T-Mobile) 2:35:07
2. Annette Beutler (Quark Cycling Team ) at 0:57
3. Tina Pic (Quark Cycling Team)
4. Amy Moore (Victory Brewing)
5. Christine Thorburn (Webcor)

Final GC
1. Christine Thorburn (Webcor) 8:02:19
2. Annette Beutler (Quark Cycling Team) at 0:02
3. Kim Baldwin (T-Mobile) 0:13
4. Erinne Willock (Webcor) 0:44
5. Kristen Armstrong (T-Mobile) 1:03
6. Tina Pic (Quark Cycling Team) 1:34