GP De La Mutualite de la Haute Garonne, Cat 2.9.2

France, April 24-26, 1998

Brief

U.S. National Team riders Carmen Richardson, Colorado Springs, Colo., and Emily Robbins, Wauwatosa, Wis., both turned in top performances at the GP de la Mutualite de la Haute Garonne UCI 2.9.2 stage race in France, April 24-26.

Richardson, who is splitting her time between road racing and mountain biking this season, finished seventh overall in the four-stage race and won the sprint jersey. The jersey came down to the final sprint of the race and Richardson used a lead out by Robbins and Erin Veenstra, Colorado Springs, Colo., to top Russian Valentina Guerassimova (Vizir-Russian Roulette) to keep the jersey.

Robbins placed second in the stage four 10km individual time trial, trailing only overall winner Judith Arndt (German National). Robbins also placed third in the field sprint in stage three. She placed 21st overall. Veenstra finished second among riders 20 years old and younger.

The U.S. National Team continues its European trip with Sunday’s one-day Etoile Vosgienne race in France, followed by next week’s Tour de L’Aude stage race.

Stage 1, Saint Beat-Mazeres Sur Salat, 96 kms:

  1. Lenka Ilavka (Slo) Slovakia 		             2.25.35
  2. Judith Arndt (Ger) German National
  3. Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) Ebly
  4. Valentina Guerassimova (Rus) Vizir-Russian Roulette 
  5. Anne Samplonius (Can) Quebec
  ..
  7. Carmen Richardson (USA) US National 			0.18 
 12. Joan Wilson (USA) US National				3.16 
 13. Erin Veenstra (USA) US National 				6.04 
 38. Emily Robbins (USA) US National				
 57. Cori Book (USA) US National			       	8.12

Stage 2, Gourdan Polignan-Saint Bertrand, 84.5 kms:

   1. Sue Palmer (Can) Canadian National 		     2.23.57
   2. Alison Sydor (Can) Canadian National			0.07
   3. Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra)
   4. Lenka Ilavka (Slo) Slovakia 				0.11 
   5. Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) Ebly				s.t.
  ..
  14. Emily Robbins (USA) US National				0.21 
  15. Carmen Richardson (USA) US National
  17. Erin Veenstra (USA) US National  
  25. Joan Wilson (USA) US National				0.28 
  50. Marisa Vande Velde (USA) US National	               	4.20 
  54. Cori Book (USA) US National			       	6.35

Stage 3, Portet-Roquettes, 70.2 kms:

  1. Evi Gensheimer (Ger) Ebly 			             1.53.11
  2. Valentina Guerassimova (Rus) Vizir-Russian Roulette
  3. Emily Robbins (USA) US National
  4. Judith Arndt (Ger) German National
  5. Olga Zaberinskaja (Rus) Russian National

 15. Carmen Richardson (USA) US National
 32. Erin Veenstra (USA) US National 
 33. Joan Wilson (USA) US National
 36. Marisa Vande Velde (USA) US National
 48. Cori Book (USA) US National

Stage 4, Cazeres-Cazeres, ITT 10 kms:

  1. Judith Arndt (Ger) German National				13.56
  2. Emily Robbins (USA) US National				14.16 
  3. Geraldine Loewenguth (Win.) France 			14.17
  4. Anne Samplonius (Can) Quebec				14.27
  5. Valentina Polkhanova (Vizir-Russian Roulette) Russia 	14.29
 ..
 15. Carmen Richardson (USA) US National 			14.48 
 20. Erin Veenstra (USA) US National 				15.02 
 24. Joan Wilson (USA) US National				15.09 
 27. Vande Velde 						15.13 
 49. Cori Book (USA) US National			       	16.05

Final GC

  1. Judith Arndt (Ger) German National                      6.56.54
  2. Lenka Ilavka (Slo) Slovakia 				0.30
  3. Anne Samplonius (Can) Quebec				0.37
  4. Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) Ebly				0.41
  5. Valentina Guerassimova (Rus) Vizir-Russian Roulette	0.55
  ..
  7. Carmen Richardson (USA) US National			1.16
 16. Joan Wilson (USA) US National				5.00 
 21. Emily Robbins (USA) US National				6.30
 25. Erin Veenstra (USA) US National				7.16
 40. Marisa Vande Velde (USA) US National	               13.34
 48. Cori Book (USA) US National			       16.41

Under-20 Classification: 

 1. Olga Zaberinskaja (Rus) Russian National
 2. Erin Veenstra (USA) US National
 3. Natascha Klewitz (Ger) German National

Sprint Jersey: Carmen Richardson (USA) US National
Points Jersey: Judith Arndt (Ger) German National
Mountain Jersey: Rasa Polikeviciute (Lit) Ebly