Women's Liberty Classic

World Cup Event, Round 2, CDM

USA, June 7, 1998


Brief

The best women’s road race field to ever assemble in the United States put a show of speed, but a familiar face won the First Union Liberty Classic.

Petra Rossner (Vizir-Russian National) of Germany won the field sprint at the end of the 93.4 kms course, giving her two wins in three years in Philadelphia.

Twenty of the top 25 women’s riders in the world were present among the 114 riders as the race was also the second round of the UCI Women’s World Cup.

For the first three laps, the Dream Team -- a potent mix of European riders -- kept the pace high with Zinajda Stagourskaia of Belarus constantly appearing at the front. Several Americans, including World Cup leader Dede Demet (Saturn), Julie Young (Shaklee), Mari Holden (Vizir-Russian National) and Pam Schuster (Saeco-Timex) were also ever-present.

"It was a lot like a Worlds road race," Schuster said, echoing the opinion of others. "For strong countries like us, it was even better because instead of six riders, 20 of the strongest U.S. riders are here."

On the final, 23+ km lap, different took turns taking a shot at going off the front. Up the Manayunk Wall climb, it was Olympic champion Jeannie Longo (Longo-Ebly) of France, who was first up the climb. Longo’s efforts came to an end on the ensuing descent. The string of brief attacks continued as a string of riders -- Rasa Polikeviciute (Lithuania), Linda Jackson (Saeco-Timex) of Canada, Young, Liz Tadich (AIS-Australia), Susy Pryde (Saeco-Timex) of New Zealand, world champion Alessandra Cappellotto (Dream Team) of Italy -- all took brief shots off the front, but in the end it was a field sprint.

"Actually, the only thing I’m good at is sprinting," Rossner said.

Rossner’s United Nations-esque teammates -- Holden and Russian Svetlana Samokhvalova -- kept the field together to the final meters, where Rossner took over.

"I was never seen in front except at the finish line," Rossner said.

It was a mixed result for the top American sprinters. Karen Bliss Livingston (Saturn) finished fifth in the field sprint, just ahead of world champion Alessandra Cappellotto (Dream Team) of Italy, while Kendra Wenzel (Saeco- Timex), the First Union Wilmington Classic winner, was involved in a crash near the arch over the course prior to the finish.

Livingston was the top American finisher. Demet finished seventh and retained the World Cup leader’s jersey. The third round of the UCI Women’s World Cup is Saturday, June 13 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Philadelphia, 93.4 kms:

 1. Petra Rossner (Ger) Vizir-Russian 			     2.22.18 
 2. Diana Ziluite (Lit) Lithuania National Team
 3. Gabriella Pregnalato (Ita) VC Mimosa
 4. Evi Gensheimer (Ger) Longo-Ebly
 5. Karen Bliss-Livingston (USA) Saturn
 6. Allessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Mimosa Dream Team
 7. Dede Demet (USA) Saturn
 8. Pia Sunstedt (Fin) VC Mimosa
 9. Sve Samokhvalova (Rus (Rus) Vizir-Russian
10. Heidi Van de Vijver (Bel) Hydro Quebec
11. Anna Wilson (Aus) Australia National Team
12. Marie Holjer (USA) Ralphs/Klein
13. Valeri Capelotto (Ita) VC Mimosa
14. Leigh Hobson (Can) Hydro Quebec
15. Karen Kurreck (USA) Saturn
16. Rosa Reekie-May (NZ)
17. Nada Cristofali (Ita) Mimosa Dream Team
18. Barbara Heeb (Swi) Hydro Quebec
19. Laura Van Gilder (USA) P0tomac Racing
20. Debby Mansveld (Ned) Nederlands National Team
21. Pam Schuster (USA) Saeco-Timex
22. Catherine Marsal (Fra) VC Mimosa
23. Cheryl Binney (USA) Ralphs Klein
24. Jolanta Polikevicuite (Lit)
25. Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra) Longo-Elby
26. Liz Tadich (Aus) Australia National Team
27. Lenka Ilavska (Slo) Slovakian National Team
28. Juanita Feldhahn (Aus) Australia National Team
29. Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Nederlands National Team
30. Rasa Urbonaite (Lit)
31. Jennifer Dial (USA) Snow Valley
32. Jacinta Coleman (NZ)
33. Vera Hohlfeld  (Ger) Mimosa Dream Team
34. Joan Wilson (USA) Celestial Seasons
35. Tracey Gaudry (Aus) Australia National Team
36. Feral Loewenguth (?) Longo-Elby
37. Annie Gariepy (Can) Elita 
38. Rasa Polikevieciute (Lit)
39. Sarah Ulmer (NZ)
40. Kimberly Langston (Can) Elita
41. Tina Mayolo (USA) PowerBar
44. Mari Holden (USA) Vizir-Russian National
45. Giana Roberge (USA) Saeco-Timex
47. Julie Young (USA) Shaklee
51. Elizabeth Emery (USA) Saturn				s.t. 
..
64. Karen Barrow (Aus) Australia National Team     		2.20
65. Kathy Watt (Aus) Texas Composite Team 			2.20
86. Kim Palmer (Aus) Australia National Team 			2.20    

World Cup Points after Round 2

                                      Race 1  Race 2   Total 

 1. Dede Demet (USA)                     75      21      96
 2. Petra Rossner (Ger)                   0      75      75
 3. Diana Ziliute (Lit)                   6      50      56
 4. Karen Bliss Livingston (USA)         24      27      51
 5. Pam Shuster (USA)                    50       0      50
 6. Gabriella Pregnolato (Ita)            5      35      40
 7. Karen Kurreck (USA)                  30       6      36
 8. Elizabeth Tadich (Aus)               35       0      35
 9. Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita)          8      24      32
10. Evi Gensheimer (Ger)                  0      30      30
11. Edita Pucinskaite (Lit)              27       0      27
12. Kendra Wenzel (USA)                  21       0      21
13. Debby Mansveld (Ned)                 18       1      19
14. Pia Sunstedt (Fin)                    0      18      18
15. Anna Wilson (Aus)                     7      10      17
16. Suzy Pryde (NZ)                      15       0      15
17. Sve Samokhvalova (Rus)                0      15      15
18. Vera Hohlfeld (Ger)                  11       0      11
19. Heidi van de Vijver (Bel)             0      11      11
20. Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra)         10       0      10
21. Sarah Ulmer (NZ)                      9       0       9
22. Marie Holjer (USA)                    0       9       9
23. Valeri Capelotto (Ita)                0       8       8
24. Leigh Hobson (Can)                    0       7       7
25. Rosa Reekie-May (NZ)                  0       5       5
26. Emily Robbins (USA)                   4       0       4
27. Nada Cristofali (Ita)                 0       4       4
28. Jolanta Polikeviciute (Lit)           3       0       3
29. Barbara Heeb (Swi)                    0       3       3
30. Yvonne Brunen (Ned)                   2       0       2
31. Laura van Gilder (USA)                0       2       2
32. Catherine Marsal (Fra)                1       0       1