March 17/02 9:58 am - More Redlands Reports

Posted by Editor on 03/17/02
 

Redlands Classic - California

Judith Arndt (GER, Saturn Timex) confirmed her taste for yellow and registered a solid stage win today at Redlands. She finished solo, well ahead of Lyne Bessette (CAN, Saturn Timex), second, and Geneviève Jeanson (CAN, RONA), third.

Manon Jutras (CAN, RONA) crashed at 60 km/h in the last descent and was penalized 45 seconds. She slipped from the 7th to 10th place in general classification. She suffered several scratches and bruises.

Judith Arndt thus wins the Redlands Classic with a convincing margin. Geneviève Jeanson finished second in GC, while her Canadian teammate Andrea Hannos, from Vancouver, third, joins her on the podium.

RONA won the team general classification and Jeanson won the best climber's red jersey.

Today's stage was 99.5 km long, on a tough circuit a little similar to the Montreal World Cup crcuit.

Geneviève Jeanson unleashed all her horses right out of the gate. She decided to attempt the impossible and make up for her huge, 7'37" time down from first place.

At the end of the first climb, after only 7 km of racing, she had a 40'' lead over her chasers. Behing her, only Judith Arndt, Lyne Bessette and Caroline Alexander (GBR, Total Trainer) tried to follow. But the gap widened. After 40 km, Jeanson's lead had grown to 2 minutes over the chasing trio, and 3'30'' over the main field.

Alexander gave a hand to Arndt and Bessette until she was dropped. Then Bessette pulled Arndt and they started to gain time on Jeanson. In front, Jeanson was starting to slow down, paying the price for her mileage deficit incurred while she was treating her tendonitis at the end of last season. Less than 20 km from the finish line, Arndt and Bessette caught up with her. Arndt attacked almost immediately. Jeanson didn't retaliate.

" In a two-on-one situation, there was no point in trying to beat them", explained Jeanson. "I let Judith go, she had GC in her pocket anyway. I sure didn't want to start chasing and bring Lyne with me, that would only have increased Lyne's lead over the main field and Andrea (Hannos), and I didn't want to threaten Andrea's third place in GC."

"I'm very happy with my race, considering", said Jeanson. "I didn't ride at all for a full three months at the end of last year, when I was treating my tendonitis, and after a few days of racing it shows. What I have to do now is to log in more miles to get back in top shape."

"All in all, we did better this year than last", said RONA's directeur sportif, André Aubut. " We rank first in the team classification, two RONAs got on the podium, three among the first ten, Geneviève won Queen of the Mountain, we got two stage wins - by two different riders. We got a podium every day. Everyone on the team contributed. Geneviève (Jeanson), of course, but also Andrea (Hannos), third in GC, Nicole (Freedman) who won yesterday's criterium, and Manon (Jutras), who performed solidly all week. Amy's (Jarvis) and Gail's (Longenecker) contribution was less apparent, but no less essential. This bodes well for the season."

1. Judith Arndt (GER) Saturn Timex
2. Lyne Bessette (CAN) Saturn Timex
3. Geneviève Jeanson (CAN) RONA
4. Alison Sydor (CAN) Canada
5. Tina Mayolo-Pic (USA) Diet Rite
6. Stacey Peters (USA) Bianchi USA
7. Andrea Hannos (CAN) RONA
8. Sue Thomas (USA) Total Trainer
9. Rhonda Quick (USA) Helens/Trek/VW
10. Trish Choo (USA) Helens/Trek/VW


Final GC

1. Judith Arndt (GER) Saturn Timex
2. Geneviève Jeanson (CAN) RONA
3. Andrea Hannos (CAN) RONA
4. Lyne Bessette (CAN) Saturn Timex
5. Susy Pryde (NZL) TalogoAmerica
6. Lara Ruthven (USA) Cannondale-USA
7. Caroline Alexander (GBR) Total Trainer
8. Susan Palmer-Komar (CAN) TalogoAmerica
9. Mari Holden (USA) Cannondale-USA
10. Manon Jutras (CAN) RONA


Saturn Report

The final stage of the Men's Redlands Bicycle Classic was duked out in the hills of Redlands. Although race leader, Chris Horner's, Yellow Jersey was threatened at times, his cool determination under pressure brought him home the victor in the final outcome at the end of the five days of racing.

A few laps into the 13 lap circuit race, a break formed containing two threats to Horner's lead. Saturn's Trent Klasna and Canadian Roland Green, both less than a minute in the standings were part of an eight man break away attempt. Once again, the young and bold Prime Alliance Team did an excellent job at damage control, methodically bringing Horner back to the break.

What was left of the decimated field remained as one until the final five laps on the downtown circuit. As the group crossed the line for the first of five times it was Horner grabbing the race by the horns and taking control. Powering out of the corner, Horner broke away from the group with no one able to stay on his wheel save for Saturn's Harm Jansen. Jansen stayed with Horner for the remaining laps, waiting until the final meters when he jumped hard for the finish line and claimed the win for the Saturn Team. Horner freewheeled across, joyfully punching the air at his and the Prime Alliance Team's glorious victory. Horner has finished on the podium every day at the Redlands Bicycle Classic, further establishing the fact that he is currently at a World Class level. 7-UP's Charles Dionne again had an excellent race winning the field sprint for third.

Men's Stage 5
1. Harm Jansen (Ned) Saturn Cycling Team
2. Chris Horner (USA) Prime Alliance
3. Charles Dionne (Can) 7- Up

Final GC
1. Chris Horner (USA) Prime Alliance
2. Roland Green (Can) Canada
3. Soren Petersen (Den) Saturn Cycling Team
4. Trent Klasna (USA) Saturn Cycling Team