June 28/01 8:04 am - Fitchburg-Longsjo Time Trial: Women's Results

Posted by Editoress on 06/28/01
 

Fitchburg-Longsjo Time Trial, Fitchburg, MA
Results Courtesy Team Rona

1. Lyne Bessette (Saturn Timex) 20.76 km in 27:53.67 (avg. 44.65 kph)
2. Geneviève Jeanson (RONA) at 0:52
3. Anke Erlank (Saturn Timex) 1:51
4. Suzanne Sonye (Saturn Timex) 2:27
5. Emily Thorne (TREK) 2:43
6. Susan Palmer-Komar (Jane Cosmetics) 2:46
7. Mina Pizzini (Procter & Gamble) 2:48
8. Andrea Hannos (Procter & Gamble) 3:00
9. Kristy Scrymgeour (Saturn Timex) 3:16
10. Kimberly Davidge (Saturn Timex) 3:16
11. Manon Jutras (RONA) 3:21
12. Gabriela Gonzalez de Ferrat (RONA) 3:25
13. Amy Jarvis (RONA) 3:30
55. Mélanie Nadeau (RONA) 6:44


Team Reports

Team Saturn
Bessette Bests Canadian Sensation Jeanson!
Saturn Women 1,3

Coming off their outstanding win at the HP Women's Challenge, the Saturn Women again illustrated why they are the best team in the world. The Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic was the much anticipated showdown between young Canadian Sensation, Genevieve Jeanson and Saturn Cycling's Lyne Bessette. Until today, Jeanson had gotten the best of Bessette and the Saturn Team.

Stage One of the Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic was a 12.9-mile rolling time trial. Although windy, many of the 67 women had very fast times. Jeanson was Bessette's one minute person, and about half was through the rolling terrain, the tail lights of Jeanson's follow vehicle were clearly in Bessette's sight. Then it was only a matter of time, with Bessette's focus on catching Jeanson, until the gap was closed. Although Bessette did not pass Jeanson, she crossed the finish line only slightly behind her with a time of 27:53:67.

Jeanson's time was 28:45:74, some 52 seconds slower. Bessette will be flanked by her team in the standings, as Saturn's Anke Erlank had a very strong showing, finishing third with a time of 29:44:49. Suzanne Sonye was fourth with a time of 30:20:73. And Kristy Scrymgeour and Kim Davidge rounded out the top ten finishing ninth and tenth, respectively.

Tomorrow's short but challenging circuit race compliments the Saturn Team's cohesion and strength. Bessette will have ample assistance to defend her second Leader's jersey in this short week since she finished up in Idaho on Sunday.


Team Rona

Bessette Takes the First Stage
Lyne Bessette (Can, Saturn Timex) was riding high at the first stage of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic, held today in Fitchburg. The defending champion took the lead and the leader's orange jersey, with a 52" advance over Geneviève Jeanson (Can, RONA). Third place went to Bessette's teammate, South African Anke Erlank, 1:51 behind Bessette.

Clearly in top form after her victory at the prestigious Hewlett Packard Classic, Bessette took the undulating 20.76-km loop at an average speed of 44.65 kph, despite high winds that slowed down most of her competitors. The stage turned into a regular Saturn Timex festival, with the American team taking five of the ten top places.

"The course was beautiful, but quite difficult," explained Jeanson after the race. "Today I just couldn't go any faster. Midway I had the impression that I wasn't gaining any more and it took a few more kilometers before I got back into it. After Montreal, this was a tough way to get back into competition."

Manon Jutras (RONA) was disappointed with her eleventh place showing. "I know I can ride faster than that," she insisted after completing the stage with an average speed of 39.87 kph. "I felt like I was in a marathon, hitting the wall, and it wasn't until the last third of the race that I got back into focus."

Mélanie Nadeau had a bout of plain bad luck. She blew a tire in the eleventh kilometer and had to wait until a Good Samaritan from the TREK team tossed her a spare, which rolled right down to the bottom of the road. Mélanie had to chase after the wheel, install it and ride on carrying her blown tire in one hand. She rode like that for five kilometers before André Aubut caught up with her to take the cumbersome package off her hands. She kept her good spirits, however, saying with a philosophical smile, "Well, for a cyclocross and a tricycle race, I guess my time isn't all that bad..."

Tomorrow: a day for sprinters

Tomorrow's stage will be ideal for the sprinters in the pack: a closed circuit race over a 5-km fairly even loop. The race will total 64 kilometers over 13 laps.