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Sea Otter Classic - D2
Monterey, California, USA, March 21 - 24, 2002
Stage 1 - March 21: Cannery Row crit
Dunlap & Tilford take opening crit
Mountain bike pros at the 2002 Sea Otter started their weekend by hitting the road in the new Cannery Row Criterium. World Champion Alison Dunlap (Luna Chix) won a drag race to finish line against arch-rival Alison Sydor (VW-Trek) to take the leader's jersey in the women's 50 minute timed race, while the ageless Steve Tilford (Verge) won a five-way breakaway sprint in the men's event.
Strong winds discouraged breakaways during the women's race, so it took a last lap attack by Shari Kain to finally shake up the race. Kain attacked on the uphill back stretch of the 0.6 mile circuit, forcing Dunlap and Sydor to chase before the crucial last two corners of the circuit. Kain came oh-so-close to pulling off an upset, with the last year's first and second place world championship finishers only passing her in the final straightaway.
Despite the fierce competition, Dunlap had quite a laissez-faire towards this, the first race of the season, "This stage was a good way to start, to open things up for tomorrow. I knew that to win the stage I had to be no further back then second in the last corner. I passed Shari just after the last turn; I didn't hesitate, because I knew Alison (Sydor) was on my wheel."
Sydor gave it her best, but could not match the strength of Dunlap,"My teammate Sue Haywood initiated lots of attacks, but it was so windy that nothing was getting away. I realized that it would come down to a sprint and I got on Alison's (Dunlap) wheel, but she's so good in the sprint that I'm lucky to beat her one time in ten."
Tilford, a 42 year old marvel, successfully held off a stellar field containing riders half his age. With his years of experience, Tilford was able to read the race to his advantage,"In the first five laps I saw that it was so windy that if something got away it was going to stick. I attacked just as an earlier break was getting caught and some riders started coming up to me."
Tilford attacked repeatedly until the combination up front clicked, at which point the five riders motored away to a 20 second gap,"Once I saw that Paul (Rowney) had caught on, I knew we were good," said Tilford.
World champion Roland Green (VW-Trek) attempted to make his way across, but the riders up front were working too well together for any individual to reel them in. Kashi Leuchs (Volvo-Cannondale) set the stage for the finish by attacking in the final half lap. He was passed by Tilford going into the second last corner, who held off a late charge by Paul Rowney (Yeti/Pearl Izumi) to take the stage and Sobe leader's jersey.
On Friday the riders face the Sobe Time trial at Laguna Seca Recreation Area,which will begin the process of winnowing down the field to Sunday's eventual overall winners.
Photography
- Alison Dunlap shows off her new Luna Chix colours and not-quite-so-new world champion stripes.
- Alison Dunlap gives her famous one handed salute as she takes out the Fatboy crit
- Steve Tilford takes the men's crit.
- Steve Tilford leads the four-rider breakaway
Results
Men 1 Steve Tilford (USA) Verge 2 Paul Rowney (Aus) Yeti/Pearl Izumi 3 Rune Hoydahl (Nor) Giant 4 Kaschi Leuchs (NZl) Volvo-Cannondale 5 Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Women 1 Alison Dunlap (USA) Luna Chix 2 Alison Sydor (Can) VW-Trek 3 Shari Kain (USA) RLX-Polo Sport 4 Chrissy Redden (Can) Gary Fisher-Subaru 5 Tiffany Kenny (USA) Eddy's/Mavic/Manitou
