Sea Otter Classic - D2

Monterey, California, USA, March 21 - 24, 2002

Stage 4 - March 24: Cross-country

Results    Previous stage

Green and Alexander take the day; Green and Dunlop win GC

By Steve Edwards in Monterey

"It's more of a road race," said Team Specialized rider Barbara Blatter about today's course, an 18-mile circuit around Laguna Seca raceway and Fort Ord. Both the men and women completed two laps of the course, which started and finished on the tarmac before heading out towards mainly smooth fast single track and one very long climb up a fire road. Conditions were cool and windy, "especially up the climb," said Trek's Roland Green. According to last year's winner Bart Brentjens, "It's an important race. One of the biggest we have at the moment."

The Men

With last year's winner, Bart Brentjens sitting seven seconds in front of last year's second place finisher, Roland Green, it promised to be a dog fight today. Sure enough, both riders were in the early break, which was five strong and included the top of the GC. On the second lap, Brentjens and Green got away, with Green doing most of the work.

"He was leading, so I had to," said Green. "But we were working together to get a gap on the others. At the start of the climb, I played a little bit. Then sat back and launched my attack. I looked back, saw I had a gap, then put my head down and never looked back."

"He had a good attack on the last climb," shrugged Brentjens. "We were looking at each other and he attacked. He was too strong."

Green easily exceeded the seven seconds he needed to win the overall. Brentjens chalked up the defeat to being just one of those days. "The difference between Roland and me is nothing," he said. "I think being first puts a bit more pressure on you. And he was second last year, which helps too."

About coming into the race in second again, Green said, "It's always taken me a couple of days here (Sea Otter) to get going."

They were followed by an exciting sprint for third place between Suburu-Gary Fisher's Ryder Hesjedal and Specialized's Filip Meirhaeghe that was won by Meirhaeghe.

"He had a little gap," he explained. "Once I closed it I could get a draft and pick up a little speed. But first I had to close it."

Hesjedal seemed happy enough, having hung on to his third in GC. "I would have had to catch those guys and beat 'em, which would have been hard today. I'm happy with third. It's my best result here."

The Women

Alison Dunlap of Luna Chix only needed to hang on to the leaders to win the overall and she wasn't taking any chances.

"I didn't do anything today," she said. "But it wasn't an easy day for me, just hanging on to them. I was really motivated, I haven't won this race since '99."

On the first lap a group of five riders hung tight.

"There was five or six but two or three would drop off and then come back," said a tired Barbara Blatter. "And Alison was the leader, so she didn't work at all. Caroline and me, we did all the work. And I had to lead all the climbs, because they were close in the rankings. They attacked at the top and I could do nothing. But I'm still excited, because it's a training race. I'm looking toward the World Cups."

At the finish, Dunlop sat up to allow Alexander the win. "She did all the work, she deserved it," she said.

"It's a very big race," said Alexander. "But it's different because I don't have a professional team. It's being used for training." With a touch of frustration she added, "I wasn't approached by anyone about a contract last year. I'm very lucky that my federation (British) has the program it does, or I'd have to stop racing."

Perhaps the situation has Alexander racing with a vengeance.

"She really punched it at the start," said Dunlop. "The start of the race, was the hardest for me."

"I was strong and confident," added Alexander. "And knew I could control the race."

Photography

• Caroline Alexander (GB team) was the strongest of the lead trio in the finale.
• Caroline Alexander leads Barbara Blatter (Specialized) through the singletrack.
• Barbara Blatter (Specialized) felt she did most of the work in the women's race.
• Caroline Alexander follows Blatter, with Dunlap close behind
• Alison Dunlap kept close tabs on her rivals, but just needed to finish with them to take the overall win
• Alison Dunlap rides in the Monterey Spring sunshine
• Bart Brentjens (Giant) leads Roland Green (Trek-VW), but Green proved the stronger
• Roland Green in the singletrack
• Filip Meirhaeghe (Specialized) and Ryder Hesjedal (Subaru-Gary Fisher) battled right to the line for third place
• Ryder Hesjedal shows the effort as he hangs on to Filip Meirhaeghe's wheel
• Roland Green celebrates stage and overall victory as he crosses the line

Results

Men
  
1 Roland Green (Can) Trek-Volkswagen                       
2 Bart Brentjens (Ned) Giant 
3 Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) Specialized                                 
4 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Subaru-Gary Fisher                   
 
Final general classification
                                
1 Roland Green (Can) Trek-Volkswagen                       
2 Bart Brentjens (Ned) Giant 
3 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Subaru-Gary Fisher                                 
4 Filip Meirhaeghe (Bel) Specialized      
 
Women
               
1 Caroline Alexander (GBr) British National
2 Barbara Blatter (Swi) Specialized
3 Alison Dunlap (USA) Luna Chix 
 
Final general classification
                                
1 Alison Dunlap (USA) Luna Chix

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