October 9/01 7:10 am - Road World Cycling Championships: Report

Posted by Editoress on 10/9/01
 

2001 World Cycling Championships Lisbon, Portugal
This report made possible through the sponsorship of CompuTrainer and Peak Centre

Racing started in Lisbon today with the junior women and espoir men's ITT. Rob spoke briefly with Genevieve Leblanc and Laura Yoisten after their race. Genevieve Leblanc (Cap Rouge, Quebec), silver medalist at the 2001 Canadian National Championships, said that the course was "really hard, it was difficult to get a good tempo. The only flat section was the first 500 metres and then if was climbing." Laura Yoisten (Calgary Alberta), said it was the most difficult ride she has ever done. "So many corners, ups and downs.... it was to settle into a rhythm."

Many of the riders, after seeing the course, sent home for some standard equipment. Rob meet Dave Cathcart at Heathrow airport this morning. Dave was carrying lightweight wheels, shift levers and other equipment for Anne Samplonius, who will not be using her disc wheels and super aero bike tomorrow. In fact it is reported that Eric Wohlberg will be the only rider using his traditional ITT bike. Most others will be using a standard bike with some aero modifications.

Tomorrow the senior women and junior men will race. Start time for the women start at 2:40 local time (9:40am EDT). There are 38 starters, including 2 Canadians - Anne Samplonius and Leigh Goldstein.

The junior men will start at 11 am local time (6am EDT), with 72 starters, 1 Canadian - Jean-Sebastien Maheu.

Both the junior men and senior women will race the same distance - 19.2km