April 16/98 9:54 am - Willamette, Euro News

Posted by Editor on 04/16/98
 

Nova Scotia Commissaires Course

Bicycle Nova Scotia Mountain Bike Committee is holding a Provincial Level Commissaires Course this weekend (april 18th and 19th) at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History(in the Boardroom downstairs).

Time: 9-4pm Saturday, noon-4pm Sunday

Cost: $20

Call Randy or Tracy Gray at (902) 477-1888 to register or get more information.


Canadian in Europe

Lynn Barry has sent us another report on Canadian racer Heather Cole‚s early season racing experiences.

March 5 - 70 K Circuit Race - Brittany, France

Sixty five women started this 3K curcuit, (2K uphill into the wind, and about 1K Back Down). Two women got 30 seconds on the pack after about 35K. Heather attacked a few times off the front of the pack, and finally got away. She chased down the two leaders, and then when she got there, one of the women attacked. Heather went with her, but the other rider fell back. On the last lap of the race, Heather stayed behind, and about 200 meters from the line, Heather made her move and won by about three bike lengths. She was very happy to get her first win of the year.

March 12 - Fleche Gascon Midi Pyrenees

The race was held in the foothills of the Prrenees in southern France. The field included Monica Valvik, a current world record holder, E. Cheanne-Brunel, and Cathy Moncassin from the French National team, to name a few. The race was 97K, in hilly terrain, with four designated climbs.

(Lynn Barry notes: This was also my first experience with French drivers in a race caravan, on very narrow roads. I was glad to live through it.)

The race was passive for the first 25K, and then one of Heather's team mates attacked, and went alone. She gained as much as 3 minutes. On the second big climb, the pack shattered, and the lead group went down to 16. They caught the lead rider with about 20K to go, and the pace really picked up. With 4K to go, one of the French National Team riders attacked, and no one chased, so she finished alone 18 seconds up. The pack set up for their sprint, with Heather placing 3rd, finishing in 4th place overall.

March 13

Another 100k race with the field being similar to the day before. Very hilly with very little flat terrain. Going over the last climb, 4 women got away . Once they got over the climb, Heather attacked, and got to within 15 seconds of the four leaders by the finish, placing 5th, with the balance of the chase group coming in about 2 minutes down.

As a further update to Fleche Wallone, Heather Cole finished in 58th place, from the information I have. The race was very windy, and both Ann Samplonius and Heather Cole were with the main pack, with about 15 women off the front of it, until less than 20K to go. I was also told that the race organizers pulled about 40 -50 women out of the race before the finish, as they were too far back. The women were on the course the same time as the men. There was about 120 women who started, and the field included most of the elite of European women‚s cycling.


PROLOGUE KICKS OFF MERCURY TOUR OF WILLAMETTE
(Frank Stanley, USCF Communications Manager)

Report by David Morgan for USA Cycling

EUGENE, Ore. -- The first day of the Mercury Tour of Willamette started off under perfect conditions Wednesday with the Boly/Welch Prologue at Skinner‚sButte.The short but steep 1km climb to the top was over in less than three minutes,not much in a five-day stage race, but no one was taking the opening day to be just a warm-up."It‚s a stage race and a lot of things can happen in a race this long and difficult but, it could very well come down to just seconds, and if you slack off at the prologue it can really come back to haunt you," said Doug Kaufman, team manager for the Saturn men‚s and women‚s teams.

In a closely contested men‚s field, Eddy Gragus (Oilme) and Scott Fortner (Saturn) tied for first in 2:15. Mark McCormack (Saturn) took third at 2:17. The rest of the pack was close behind, and five riders tied for fourth place-- Adham Sbeih (NutraFig), John Leonard (Lemond-Bike Gallery), Mike McCarthy (Saturn) and Mercury‚s Gord Fraser and Mark Walters finished four seconds off the leader, with times of 2:19.

In the women‚s competition, the Saturn team came on strong with a first place finish from Karen Kurreck, who finished in 2:38, while teammates Julie Hanson and Clara Hughes finished just five seconds back, tied for fifth at 2:43.The Saeco-Timex squad also did well, with Susy Pryde taking second place at 2:39, and Pam Schuster in third spot at 2:41. "I went out too fast. I thought it was a minute shorter -- my lungs were on fire. I hurt!," said a tired but happy Nicole Freedman (Shaklee), after finishing in 2:42, placing fourth among the women and four seconds off the lead.

Tomorrow‚s event, the JogMate Brownsville Road Race, begins at Camp Harlow,off County Farm Road, at 10 a.m.

Eugene, Ore.Boly/Welch Prologue, 1km

Men

1 T. EDDY GRAGUS (OILME), Fort Collins, Colo., and SCOTT FORTNER (SATURN),Littleton, Colo., two mins, 15 secs
3. Mark McCormack (Saturn), N. Easton,Mass., 2:17

Women

1. KAREN KURRECK (SATURN), Cupertino, Calif., two mins, 38 secs
2. Susy Pryde(Saeco-Timex), Auckland, New Zealand, 2:39
3. Pam Schuster (Saeco-Timex),Northridge, Calif., 2:41


MISSISSAUGA MIDWEEK OPENER (courtesy Peter McCaffrey)

The first event of the Midweek Club's season-long schedule, an 8.5 kilometer time trial, was won convincingly by Heath Cockburn (Jet Fuel). Heath, last year's midweek series overall points leader, covered the almost flat course in 11' 49" , pasting runner-up Bruce Krip (Woodbrige Italia) by 22 seconds. Krip's team-mate, Brent Arthurs was third, a further seven seconds back. Only 16 came to the line in this 'race of truth', underlining the dislike many riders have for time trialling. Although most of the starters were local, there were also contestants from Burlington and Waterloo. Next week's event will be more to the liking of most roadies - a 40 kilometer criterium on the excellent, fast circuit used for the majority of last year's "League" events.

For further information, phone (905) 271-8300 or email peter.mac@sympatico .ca

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