March 3/02 5:41 am - Dionne Second at McLane RR, Willamette Cancelled, Kuurne-Brussels

Posted by Editor on 03/3/02
 

McLane Pacific Road Race - California
Courtesy Mercury

Mercury's hot win streak came to an end Sunday at the 96 mile McLane Pacific Road Race. Mercury's Gord Fraser was 3rd in a massive field sprint as the weather, or rather lack of, was the difference.

Saturn's Jay Sweet took the victory, with yesterday's 3rd place, Charles Dionne taking 2nd. The Navigators and Prime Alliance were denied the podium for a second day despite putting their entire teams up on the front on the last 24 mile lap.

Without any wind to make a difference, the peloton was content to race the first 3 laps without anyone being able to break away. On the last lap, first Prime Alliance and then Navigators put their team on the front to control the race setting up their sprinters. With 4 miles to go, it was Saturn and Mercury battling for the win.

Unlike Saturday, Saturn was able to have the last push giving Sweet the win.

1. Jay Sweet (Aus) Saturn
2. Charles Dionne (Can) 7-UP
3. Gord Fraser (Can) Mercury


Tour of Willamette Cancelled

As has pointed out on the Forums, the Tour of Willamette is cancelled for 2002, a victim of sponsorship woes. The complete text of the explanation by race director Larry Smith is reprinted below, from his posting on the Topica mail list:

It is with great regret that I post this unpleasant announcement: The 2002 Tour of Willamette, scheduled for April 9 - 14, is cancelled.

It wasn't for lack of effort or interest, however, as many volunteers contributed hours of time and energy since last year's breakthrough event - and many more were in place to assist during the race.

Our steadfast presenting sponsor, KMTR NewSource 16, had again pledged more than $100K in airtime for TV publicity and race coverage across the Ackerley Group of stations. An agreement had been forged with the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) to bring the Tour to fans across the nation. And rider interest was at an all-time high.

While we have the infrastructure and volunteers ready and willing, the Tour of Willamette remains far from adequately funded to present a top quality and safe event for competitors, the community, and committed followers.

Because, in the end, it comes down to the very real fiscal issue of corporate sponsorship support to make an event such as the Tour a reality. And the economic downturn of recent months wreaked havoc not only with the sponsorship budgets of businesses here in Lane County, but with those of companies from around the country.

The considerable expense of producing this USA Cycling National Racing Calendar event has grown faster than sponsorship commitments. I truly wish that my personal cash reserves were sufficient to underwrite a portion of the event for yet another year, but I simply do not have the means to do that in 2002.

I offer my sincere apologies to the racers, fans and faithful supporters of the Tour of Willamette. I have been involved with the Tour, either as a competitor or race organizer of each of the 22 previous years of this wonderful event and I too, am saddened.

But not beaten. We are moving forward even today with a commitment to bring the Tour of Willamette back in 2003 better than before.

So, any and all interested in helping the cause, please contact me at (541) 302-1570 , and we'll see you next year at the race!

Sincerely,

Larry Smith
Race Director
Tour of Willamette
llsmith@veloski.com


Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne - Belgium

1 Jan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2r-Prevoyance 188 km in 4:31:00
2 Serge Baguet (Bel) Lotto-Adecco at 0:06
3 Enrico Cassani (Ita) Domo-Farm Frites 0:08
4 Lars Michaelsen (Den) Team Coast
5 Chris Peers (Bel) Cofidis
6 Hendrik Van Dijck (Bel) Collstrop-Palmans
7 Tom Boonen (Bel) US Postal
8 Tristan Hoffman (Ned) CSC-Tiscali
9 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Fassa Bortolo
10 Roberto Lochowski (Ger) Team Fakta
11 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
12 Bert de Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
13 Andreas Klier (Ger) Telekom
14 Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis
15 Baden Cooke (Aus) La Francaise des Jeux all s.t.
16 Rob McEwan (Aus) Lotto-Adecco 0:22
17 Nico Eeckhout (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
18 Jimmy Casper (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
19 Stefan van Dijck (Ned) Lotto-Adecco
20 Olaf Pollack (Ger) Gerolsteiner

57 Johan Museeuw (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites
80 Pavel Padrnos (Tsj) US Postal all s.t.
100 Benoit Joachim (Lux) US Postal 2:21