July 7/97 11:44 am - Cipollini Again, Womens Giro, Canada Cup #4 Story, Quebec Team

Posted by Editor on 07/7/97
 

Cipollini Makes It Two Straight  Mario Cipollini (Saeco-Cannondale) has just won his second consecutive stage in the Tour de France, taking a bunch sprint ahead of Erik Zabel and Jeroen Blijlevens. Today‚s stage from Sainte-Valery-en-Caux to Vire is the longest of this year‚s Tour, at 262 kilometres. However, with only two two Cat. 4 climbs it was expected to come down to a sprint finish. There were the obligatory early breakaways, some reaching as much as 3 minutes, but the peleton pulled them back before the final 50 kilometres. Laurent Jalabert took a flyer in the closing kilometres, but was caught shortly after winning the final sprint bonus of the day. Yellow Jersey holder Cipollini had a slight scare when he flatted shortly after the feedzone, with the pack going hard to bring back a breakaway, but his team waited for him and shortly paced him back to the front.  Stage 2, St-Valery-en-Caux to Vire - 262 km  1. Mario Cipollini (Ita) 6:27:46  2. Erik Zabel (Ger)  3. JEROEN BLIJLEVENS (Ned)  4. Frederic Moncassin (Fra)  5. Sergei Oetsjakov (Oek)  6. Adriano Baffi (Ita) all s.t.   G.C.  1. Mario Cipollini (Ita)  2. Chris Boardman (GB) at 0:30 3. Jan Ullrich (Ger) 0:32 4. Tony Rominger (Sui) 0:35 5. Abraham Olano (Spa) 0:40 6. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) 0:42 7. Tom Steels (Bel) 0:44 8. SERVAIS KNAVEN (Ned) 0:45 9. ERIK DEKKER (Ned) 0:47 10. Oskar Camenzind (Sui) s.t.    Women‚s Giro d‚Italia  Stage 5, Castrocaro Terme-Forli, 112 km:  1. Fabiana Luperini (Sanson Mimosa) 3:14:40  2. A. Cappellotto (Sanson Mimosa) at 2:23 3. Pegoraro (Sanson Vittorio Veneto) 4.Chiappa 5. Heeb 6. Brunel 7. Bandini 8. V. Cappellotto 9. Pucinskaite (Lit) 10. Stiahkina (Ukr)  GC  1. Fabiana Luperini (Sanson Mimosa) 14:34:03 2. Pucinskaite (Lit) Accadue O Lorena Camicie Dream Girls at 2:23 3. Heeb (Swi) s.t. 4. V. Cappellotto 2:52 5. Jackson (Canada) 3:04 6. Chiappa 3:09   Canada Cup #4, Canmore, Race Report by Greg Flaaten  Overcast but dry conditions set the tone at the Canmore Nordic Centre for Canada Cup Downhill #5. The fast course drops 670 feet over 1.9K from an altitude of 5250 feet. Out of the gate, the course plunges in to fast single track with bar-grabbing trees before vaulting riders down the snaking fast half kilometer single track section known as "Nectar's Noodle." At mid-point, the character of the course changes to a rolling double track speedway with ample technical challenges that favor strong pedaling skills.  In the Men's Pro Elite division, Chris Buckrell (PQ KHS/RST/ACS Dist) posted an early 2:33:90 to set the pace for the day's racing. Tony Nordee (BC Red Shred), a privateer, came in shortly after Buckrell posting a 2:33:50. With a first place finish in last week's BC Cup, Nordee is sure to grab the attention of the major sponsors. Ranked 54th nationally after three events, Nordee is quietly proving that he has the skills to post results. Watch for him at the National Championships.  Local favorite, Jason Christianson (Banff) impressed riders and fans with a blazing 2:32:40 thanks to an extreme effort on the final pedaling section through the Specialized Bicycles Speed Trap.  The day, however, belonged to Mike Jones (BC Outland/Oakley/Schwalbe). As the second last rider out of the gate, Jones posted a 2:31:30 shaving over a full second off of Christianson's time. Jones arrived in Canmore last Tuesday to prepare for this weekend's event on a new Outland bicycle. Jones rode the upper single track sections well enough to allow him to make big gains on the rolling lower sections. He credits a good bike set-up that accomodated his efficient pedaling stroke.   Finishing order for the day:  Mike Jones (Oakley/Schwalbe/Outland) Jason Christianson (Banff) Tony Nordee (Red Shred) Chris Buckwall Chris Colbeck (DeKerf)  In the women's Pro Elite division, Daamiann Skelton (BC Norco) is proving that she has the skills to go far in the sport of down hilling. The closest to challenge was second place finisher Michelle Krener (AB Coggs/Altitude Sports) who was supported vocally by local fans.   Skelton was a full 3.20 seconds in front of Krener with a 2:50:20. Aleisha Cline (OGC-Silverstar) maintained her consistent form to a post 2:57:20. Team-mate Lorraine Blancher (OGC- Silverstar), Canada Cup points leader after three events, finished fourth behind Cline at 3:00:70. Look for these two to set the standards at Silver Star Canada Cup #6.  Christine Rutley (Marin/Answer) was fifth at 3:03:50. In seventh place after three events, Rutley continues to creep up in the national standings.  In the Junior Expert Men's division, Craig Short (Kona) posted a 2:42:60 to finish third on the podium and Brant Lyon (PQ Symbiosis) made the trip from Quebec worthwhile with his second place finish.   Dustin Adams (BC Norco), third in yesterday's cross country event, proved again that he is the rider to beat on the Canada Cup Down Hill series. A perfect four for four at the Canada Cups this year, Adams is quick to share credit with Norco and Panaracer for "putting together a great team and providing great support‰.   Event organizer Greg Bury of Altitude Sports in Canmore put on another smooth event thanks to the contributions of his staff, volunteers and most of the teams. Approximately 575 riders competed in Saturday's Cross Country event with another 150 taking part in today's down hill.   Greg and Aaron, along with Altitude Promotions, want to thank everyone who made a contribution to making this year's Canmore event another success. Greg made special mention of riders such as Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain) who always goes out of his way to thank the promoters personally for their efforts in spite of the fact that he has yet to win a Canmore event. Respect.   A course inspection will be completed by the U.C.I. in July in preparation for next year's World Cup. To conform to U.C.I. regulations, the Cross Country course will need to be shortened to a maximum 6K to facilitate media and an international audience.  A final word on the DQ of Bill Hurley (NS Scwhinn). Bill acknowledges the DQ that related to a rules infraction involving a replacement wheel obtained on the course. Bill blew a tube early in the race and replaced it on the trail. While performing the repair, the replacement was punctured after being filled with one of two Co2 cartridges Bill carried with him on the course. He replaced that tube with his last spare but ran in to technical difficulties with his final Co2 cartridge and was left stranded on the course without air for his tube.  As the series leader coming in to the Canmore event, Bill was obviously disappointed with the predicament but wants to put it all behind and get back to racing. He says being so far off the back of the pack made this the most mentally challenging race that he can recall. Not wanting to interrupt his training and racing regimen, Bill opted to finish the race on a wheel that wasn't with him when he left the start gate which resulted in the DQ.  Melanie McQuaid (BC Rocky Mountain) is off to Boulder for a week to acclimate to altitude before next week's Vail Grundig World Cup. Disappointed with her performance since her return from Europe, McQaid will focus on concentrated training to pull her back up to a competitive level that she is comfortable with. She will return to France for the World Cup Finals later this year.  Melanie will be dropping the lab coat next year and devoting her full time energies to racing and training. The chemistry and biochemistry consultant is hopeful that some disciplined winter training will launch her to early successes on the international circuit next year.    Here are the Quebec teams for the Canadian Championships:  SENIOR ELITE: Jacques Landry, Jean-Sebastien Beland, Czeslaw Lukascewicz, Steve Rover;  ESPOIR: Alexandre Lavallée, Samuel Thibodeau, Pascal Choquette, Guillaume Belzile, Alexandre Bernard;  JUNIOR MEN: Charles Dionne, Jean-Charles Pinsonneault, Martin Daviault, Jocelyn Duquette, Martin St-Laurent;  SENIOR WOMEN: Natacha Tremblay, Annie Gariepy, Sophie St-Jacques, Lyne  Bessette;  JUNIOR WOMEN: Genevieve Jeanson, Annie Hamel, Marie-Claude Lafond  (thanks to J.L.)