December 7/99 1:39 am - Ontario Fall Paris-Roubaix

Posted by Editor on 12/7/99
 

Fall Paris-Roubaix
(courtesy Michael Barry)

The inaugural Edition of "The Fall Paris-Roubaix Challenge" was run yesterday, Dec. 5th., under unseasonably warm but wet conditions. The 145 km over the worst roads and tracks that can be found between the Toronto Zoo and Lake Simcoe and back, were covered at a remarkable 30km/h by Ray Duggan (Saeco). The true merit of this performance can be appreciated if one considers the time gaps at the finish between Duggan and the other finishers. Current Southern Ontario cyclo-cross specialist, Peter Morse finished at eleven minutes and Jet Fuel Pro Joe Guiliano lost twenty three minutes to the flying Saeco rider.

The peloton of sixty seven starters stayed together only until the first "section", (6.5 km) an abdominal 1km stretch of mud and gravel. A lead group of ten riders, which included all the strong men, was established and anyone who was not there lost all hope of finishing with the winners. Very prominent amongst the first chase group was Leigh Hobson who in turn was being chased by the second woman Crissima Pearce. The next three "sections" took their toll on the lead group and on entering the notorious 10 km "Hell of the North" at Sutton the group was down to four, Duggan, Guiliano, Morse and Jeff Weber. Guiliano had the misfortune at this point to drop his rain jacket which got tangled up in his rear derailleur. He lost a minute or so before giving chase to the other three.

Duggan has won the Spring edition of the event for the last three years and although that event is much shorter at 66km it does cover this same "Hell of the North" section. Yesterday he demonstrated how he has been so dominant. At the end of the section (89km) he had two minutes on Morse, five on Guiliano and ten on Weber. The first three positions stayed the same until the finish although the time gaps were much wider. Weber lost ground and finished seventh. Forth place was taken by Kevin Lehman who lost a lot of time early on with mechanical problems but then stormed through the field to finish just 3m 50s behind Guiliano.

Of the eight women that started six finished with Hobson 26 mins. in front of Pearce and Julia Bradley in third spot a further 11 mins. back.

52 of the 67 starters finished. Last man, Tony DeCiantis was almost three hours behind Duggan.

A Prize presentation and end of season party was held in the evening at the downtown Toronto Innocenti Restaurant. It was unanimously agreed that the day had been a success and there was much talk of 'next year'.

Fall "Paris-Roubaix Challenge". Dec 5th 1999.

1 Ray Duggan Saeco 4.45.27 145km @30.5km/h
2 Peter Morse Trek 4.56.46
3 Joe Guiliano Jet Fuel 5.08.25
4 Kevin Lehman Kiro 5.12.15
5 Stacey Wall 5.19.29
6 Dave Dermont 5.19.29
7 Jeff Weber 5.19.29
8 Dave Anthony Cervelo 5.19.29
9 Neil Ross 5.21.15
10 Sean Van Rooyen 5.22.40
11 Greg Reain. 5.28.31
12 Dave Connell 5.36.20
13 Rodney Merchant 5.36.20
14 Leigh Hobson 1st woman 5.36.20
15 Stefan Vis 5.39.27
16 Ian Starke 5.42.33
17 Peter Phillips 5.42.37
18 Keith Thorenson 5.46.52
19 Enrici Traini 5.46.53
20 Steve Lessey 5.51.14
21 Peter Breward Schwinn 5.55.27
22 Crissima Pearce 2nd woman 6.02.20
23 Brian Priebe 6.02.20
24 Rob Sule 6.02.49
25 Randy Brown Hamilton C.C. 6.13.11
26 John Easton 6.13.11
27 Julia Bradley 3rd woman 6.13.11
28 Adam Lucas 6.17.47
29 Lisa Hoskins 4th woman 6.20.52
30 Alan Kriss 6.29.30
31 Sean Gander 6.36.20
32 Geoff Wright 6.39.50
33 David Voduc 6.42.51
34 Harold Osborne 6.47.50
35 Mark Hopper Newmarket Eagles 6.48.12
36 Larry Strung Toronto Randonneurs 6.48.12
37 Doug Taylor 6.49.00
38 Mike Kosche 7.06.58
39 Stefan Elzinka 7.07.22
40 Norman Landry 7.07.46
41 Michele Perrier 5th woman 7.13.13
42 Clive Hinds 7.17.09
43 Gordon Duck 7.18.53
44 Maogosha Pyjor 6th woman 7.20.45
45 Derek Chadbourne 7.20.45
46 Jungle Ling 7.26.16
47 Steve Barratt 7.28.17
48 Ian McLeod 7.28.45
49 Jono Pye 7.28.47
50 Tom Hegerty 7.35.25
51 Jackson Myers 7.39.40
52 Tony DiCiantis 7.40.00