21st Tour of Willamette

USA, April 11-16, 2000

Stage 6 - April 16: Brownsville Road Race, 106 miles men/76 miles women

Women: Holden assailed on final stage

By John Alsedek, cyclingews.com correspondent

The Tour of Willamette concluded today with the Brownsville Road Race, a gruelling trek that included the toughest climbing of the entire race - the back-to-back ascents of Shotgun and Brush Creek. Thus, it was fitting that both the women's and men's overall should come down to this one stage.

With three Saturn riders immediately behind her on G.C., and several of her Timex teammates sick and either out of the race or not at 100%, women's race leader Mari Holden knew she'd have her hands full. She wasn't disappointed: after a move by Heather Cole (Procter & Gamble) and Stephanie Hannos (Campione Cycling) was reeled in near the foot of the 8-mile Shotgun climb, the Saturn team began forcing the pace

"They really worked me!", remarked Holden afterwards. However, as the road steepened to as much as a 17% grade, it quickly became a 1-on-1 matchup, as Holden found herself with her closest challenger, Saturn's Lyne Bessette. Though the duo were rejoined by a group of 25 in between the two major climbs, they found themselves together midway up Brush Creek, this time joined by Dede Demet....and they never looked back. Once the climbing ended and the flat run-in to the finish began, Demet and Bessette resigned themselves to second and third overall, and the trio worked together to finish 2:21 ahead of an 23-rider group, led in by AutoTrader.com's Tina Mayolo. Holden won the overall by 2:13 from Demet, with Bessette third at 3:42.

Tracey Gaudry's report

Anna Wilson's report

Well things didn't get a lot better for us in the tour in the last couple of days! Yesterday morning we woke to the news that Lyne Bessette, our best placed overall rider, had received a 1 minute time penalty for crossing the yellow line when she attacked yesterday. The funny thing was that they gave her two 30 second penalties because they said she did it twice - but she only attacked once the whole day. So it was a bit demoralising for us. It meant Mari had a lead of 50 seconds over me, one minute and two seconds over Dede and one minute 7 seconds over Lyne. Oh well - we just had to get on with the race and try to put it behind us.

Today we raced 135km, over some incredibly steep climbs and wicked descents. I had a shocking day and after a short early attack I quickly vanished from the front bunch and rode in with a "laughing" bunch. Up ahead, Dede, Lyne and Mari proved themselves to be the strongest on the climbs and rode off the front together. Dede and Lyne tried to attack and counter attack Mari but she answered their every move. She definitely deserved to win the tour overall. Dede took out the stage and so Lyne and Dede would be second and third overall in the tour. It has been a fantastic week of training and should set us up beautifully for the bigger races to come. I'm looking forward to a couple of easy days to recover from this!!

Pam Schuster's report

Today's race was very European-like with 2 steep climbs. The recomended 39X25 gear was definitely the preferred way to go. Dede, Lyne and Mari were riding away on the climbs and after a small regrouping Dede attacked with only Mari and Lyne responding. Dede won, Mari came in 2nd and Lyne had a mishap in the last 5K.

My group chased with Andrea and I working extra hard to try and get a stage win for Tina. We could see the caravan (2 team vehicles) but never caught. Tina easily took 4th to help maintain her NRC lead.

Report courtesy of racereport@vcnet.com

Results

1 Dede Demet (USA) Saturn                               4.11.49
2 Mari Holden (USA) Timex  
3 Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn                               1.37
4 Tina Mayolo (USA) Auto Trader.com                        2.21
5 Katrina Berger (USA) Harbour Lights/Velom  
6 Anne Samplonius (Can) Intersports Inc. Racing  
7 Sandy Espeseth (Can) Intersports Inc. Racing  
8 Rhonda Quick (USA) Unattached  
9 Julie Hanson (USA) Saturn  
10 Sara Neil (USA) Trek/Volkswagen 
11 Annie Gariepy (Can) Elita 
12 Stacey Peters (USA) 800.com 
13 Cybil Di Guistini (Can) Elita 
14 Julie Young (USA) Auto Trader.com 
15 Susy Pryde (NZl) Saturn 
16 Pam Schuster (USA) Auto Trader.com 
17 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Auto Trader.com 
18 Kim Smith (USA) Timex 
19 Ruthie Mathes (USA) National MTB Team 
20 Gretchen Reeves (USA) Cane Creek 
21 Annelie Chapman (USA) Team Jane Cosmetics 
22 Ann Trombley (USA) National MTB Team 
23 Andrea Ratkovic (USA) Auto Trader.com 
24 Lysle Wilhelmi (USA) 800.com 
25 Karen Timewell (USA) EscapeVelocity 
26 Suzanne Sonye (USA) Saturn 
27 Jennifer Eyerman (USA) Team Jane Cosmetics              9.53
28 Clare Hall-Patch (USA) No.com 
29 Cynthia Ferguson (USA) Alto Velo/Webcor/Quicken        12.25
30 Gail Longenecker (USA) Unattached 
31 Gina Hall (USA) Sycip Racing 
32 Marie Holjer (Swe) Team Charles Schwab 
33 Elizabeth Emery (USA) Team Charles Schwab 
34 Nicole Gingles (USA) 800.com 
35 Anna Wilson (Aus) Saturn 
36 Erin Carter (Can) Elita                                17.36
37 Cynthia Mommsen (USA) The Olympic Club 
38 Laura Van Gilder (USA) Team Charles Schwab 
39 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Elita 
40 Sandra Kolb (USA) Team Charles Schwab                  19.59
41 Allie Warfel (USA) US National Team                    23.01
42 Andrea Hannos (USA) Intersports Inc. Racing            23.06
43 Emily Miazga (USA) EugeneCycling Club 
44 Catherine Cardwell (USA) Team Charles Schwab 
45 Heather Cole (USA) P&G/Women's Health                  23.11
46 Kerry Hellmuth (USA) P&G/Women's Health 
47 Cindy Carroll (USA) 800.com                            24.09
48 Erin Veenstra (USA) Timex 
49 Megan Elliott (USA) US National Team                   28.06
50 Marni Prazsky (USA) Giant                              29.26
51 Troy Watson (USA) Unattached 
52 Julia Farell (USA) Intersports Inc. Racing 
53 Andrea Foster (USA) 800.com 
54 Laura Suditu (USA) 800.com 
55 Stephanie Hannos (USA) Campione Cycling 
56 Lisa Hunt (USA) The Olympic Club 
57 Melissa Erion (USA) Paradise Homes                     38.48
58 Weatherly Stroh (USA) Schwinn Homegrown 
59 Brenda Black (USA) Team Voler                          56.17
60 Tiffany Pezzulo (USA) Team Proteus.com 
DNF Sophie St Jacques (Can) Elita 
DNF Aileen Loe (USA) Team Jane Cosmetics 
DNF Muffy Roy (USA) Rebound/Sunnyside 
DNF Sanna Lehtimaki (Fin) Timex 
DNF Kori Kelly (USA) P&G/Women's Health 
DNF Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn 
DNF Laura Shuford (USA) Auto Trader.com 
DNF Claire Townsend (USA) Rocky Mountain 
DNF Heidi Stamm (USA) Five Valley Velo 
DNF Melanie McQuaio (Can) Canadian 
DNF Ashly McCullough (USA) P&G/Women's Health 
DNF Martha Walsh (USA) Mongoose/Defeet 
DNF Jennifer Rhodes (USA) Torani/NW Velo 

Final general classification:

1 Mari Holden (USA) Timex                              14.50.13
2 Dede Demet (USA) Saturn                                  2.13
3 Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn                               3.42
4 Tina Mayolo (USA) Auto Trader.com                        5.14
5 Pam Schuster (USA) Auto Trader.com                       5.14
6 Katrina Berger (USA) Harbour Lights/Velom                5.22
7 Anne Samplonius (Can) Intersports Inc. Racing            5.38
8 Sandy Espeseth (Can) Intersports Inc. Racing             5.51
9 Annie Gariepy (Can) Elita                                6.04
10 Stacey Peters (USA) 800.com                             6.14
11 Julie Hanson (USA) Saturn                               6.17
12 Andrea Ratkovic (USA) Auto Trader.com                   6.17
13 Cybil Di Guistini (Can) Elita                           6.24
14 Susy Pryde (NZl) Saturn                                 6.29
15 Julie Young (USA) Auto Trader.com                       6.34
16 Lysle Wilhelmi (USA) 800.com                            6.39
17 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Auto Trader.com                 6.45
18 Kim Smith (USA) Timex                                   7.47
19 Annelie Chapman (USA) Team Jane Cosmetics               7.59
20 Sara Neil (USA) Trek/Volkswagen                         8.46
21 Ann Trombley (USA) National MTB Team                    9.29
22 Ruthie Mathes (USA) National MTB Team                  10.03
23 Gretchen Reeves (USA) Cane Creek                       10.46
24 Karen Timewell (USA) EscapeVelocity                    14.08
25 Jennifer Eyerman (USA) Team Jane Cosmetics             14.11
26 Rhonda Quick (USA) Unattached                          14.34
27 Anna Wilson (Aus) Saturn                               14.37
28 Elizabeth Emery (USA) Team Charles Schwab              15.44
29 Marie Holjer (Swe) Team Charles Schwab                 16.26
30 Nicole Gingles (USA) 800.com                           17.24
31 Cynthia Ferguson (USA) Alto Velo/Webcor/Quicken        19.00
32 Gina Hall (USA) Sycip Racing                           21.30
33 Laura Van Gilder (USA) Team Charles Schwab             23.56
34 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Elita                                24.27
35 Suzanne Sonye (USA) Saturn                             25.53
36 Erin Carter (Can) Elita                                27.24
37 Catherine Cardwell (USA) Team Charles Schwab           27.33
38 Cynthia Mommsen (USA) The Olympic Club                 31.19
39 Heather Cole (USA) P&G/Women's Health                  36.54
40 Sandra Kolb (USA) Team Charles Schwab                  38.01
41 Clare Hall-Patch (USA) No.com                          40.16
42 Andrea Hannos (USA) Intersports Inc. Racing            43.57
43 Kerry Hellmuth (USA) P&G/Women's Health                49.25
44 Erin Veenstra (USA) Timex                              52.21
45 Megan Elliott (USA) US National Team                   52.50
46 Gail Longenecker (USA) Unattached                      53.33
47 Lisa Hunt (USA) The Olympic Club                       54.28
48 Cindy Carroll (USA) 800.com                            55.29
49 Allie Warfel (USA) US National Team                  1.04.59
50 Troy Watson (USA) Unattached                         1.08.09
51 Laura Suditu (USA) 800.com                           1.11.29
52 Andrea Foster (USA) 800.com                          1.13.55
53 Stephanie Hannos (USA) Campione Cycling              1.15.43
54 Marni Prazsky (USA) Giant                            1.18.56
55 Weatherly Stroh (USA) Schwinn Homegrown              1.41.46
56 Brenda Black (USA) Team Voler                        1.43.18
57 Julia Farell (USA) Intersports Inc. Racing           1.43.18
58 Emily Miazga (USA) EugeneCycling Club                1.45.13
59 Tiffany Pezzulo (USA) Team Proteus.com               1.58.41
60 Melissa Erion (USA) Paradise Homes                   2.09.37

Men: A minor shakeup

Given how the Mercury team had handled the field in the previous road stages, it was pretty much accepted that either Scott Moninger or Kirk Willett would win the men's overall. However, that didn't mean the other teams were just going to roll over, least of all the Nutra Fig squad.

After an active, if ultimately unsuccessful, Stage 4, they again came to the fore. As the likes of Willett and Dave Zabriskie (7 UP/Colorado Cyclist) were dropping off the pace and out of contention, Nutra Fig's Jason McCartney was involved in almost every breakaway during the 104-mile stage. After seeing the field shattered on the back-to-back climbs of Shotgun and Brush Creek, the ultimate selection came down to a group of 15 which contained, amazingly enough, only three Mercury riders. What was more, only one of the three was amongst those in the top three of the GC.

As the finish approached, Mark McCormack (Saturn) and Nutra Fig captain Ron Schmeer attacked and went clear, with McCormack taking his second stage of the race, and very deservedly, according to 7 UP/Colorado Cyclist's Clark Sheehan: "McCormack made the sweet move at the right time, and boy, he had the legs to hold up. He rode a really smart race."

The stage turned the final results upside down, with Willett and JW Sports' Will Frischkorn being replaced by John Lieswyn (Shaklee) and Sheehan.

John Lieswyn's Diary

Results

1 Mark McCormack (USA) Saturn                           4.31.02
2 Ron Schmeer (USA) Nutrafig                               0.03
3 Eddy Gragus (USA) Jelly Belly                            0.17
4 Antonio Cruz (USA) Saturn  
5 Clark Sheehan (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist  
6 Jason McCartney (USA) NutraFig  
7 Sean Doyle (USA) Unattached  
8 John Lieswyn (USA) Shaklee  
9 Justin Spinelli (USA) JW Sports  
10 Scott Moninger (USA) Mercury 
11 Damon Kluck (USA) Spokesman/SSCruz 
12 Svein Tuft (Can) Trek/Volkswagen 
13 Carl Swenson (USA) National MTB Team 
14 Gord Fraser (Can) Mercury 
15 Josh Collingwood (Aus) Jelly Belly                      0.46
16 Graeme Miller (NZl) Shaklee                             3.55
17 John Kelly (USA) Kissena 
18 Jamul Hahn (USA) NutraFig 
19 Steve Larsen (USA) National MTB Team 
20 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Shaklee 
21 Mark Southard (USA) SCRC/New Belgian-Trek 
22 Erik Tonkin (USA) Team S%m 
23 Tinker Juarez (USA) National MTB Team 
24 Jon Retscek (USA) JW Sports 
25 Andre Kim (USA) Broadmark Capital 
26 Patrick Heaney (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com 
27 John Hunt (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com 
28 Norm Carter (USA) Jelly Belly 
29 Trevor Wurtele (USA) 3point Motors/Merced 
30 John Peters (USA) Mercury 
31 Phil Zajecjk (USA) JW Sports 
32 Will Frischkom (USA) JW Sports 
33 Kirk Willett (USA) Mercury 
34 Brad Buccambuso (USA) Nutrafig                          4.24
35 Chris McGovern (USA) Wizards Of The Coast              15.55
36 Jesus Zarate (USA) Mercury                             19.09
37 Adam Livingston (USA) Jelly Belly 
38 Oscar Pineda (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist                20.23
39 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Rocky Mounts 
40 Jon C Tarkington (USA) Plant Outdoors.com 
41 Paul Martin (USA) Navigators 
42 Peter Devoerr (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com              24.59
43 Mark Hunt (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com 
44 David Wyandt (USA) Spokesman 
45 Alex Candelario (USA) Rocky Mounts 
46 Shane Thellman (USA) Mercy Fitness Cycling 
47 Robin Baille (USA) Pacific Sport/Sask                  37.04
48 Luke Mauriteen (USA) Shaklee 
49 Patrick Caro (USA) Dynamite-Incycle 
50 Robbie Ventura (USA) Saturn 
51 Steve Mlujeak (USA) Jamis Bicycles/Columbus 
52 Jesse Keefer (USA) NutraFig 
53 Alex Gardner (USA) NutraFig 
54 Sterling Magnell (USA) JW Sports 
55 Rad Cunningham (USA) Boardmark Capital 
56 Rusty Beall (USA) Wizards Of The Coast 
57 Pete Swenson (USA) PlanetOutdoors.com 
58 Ken Hashikawa (USA) Bridgestone 
59 Dean Meyer (USA) Gs Lombardi/Ofoto.com 
60 Joseph Dundee (USA) Echelon 
61 Dale Suttle (USA) Mercy Fitness Cycling                44.27
62 Trevor Mays (USA) Pettit Oil Racing                    45.17
63 Tim Coffey (USA) SaturnOf Bellevue                     52.30
64 Charles Weisel (USA) River City                        57.58
65 Robert Campbell (USA) Broadmark Capital              1.00.54
66 Tom Nelson (USA) Broadmark Capital 
67 Robert Marez (USA) BargainBasement 
68 Rick Van Den Akker (USA) Reno Wheelmen 
DNF Dave Zabriski (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist 
DNF Doug Ziewacz (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist 
DNF Walker Ferguson (USA) National MTB Team 
DNF Steve Hegg (USA) Jelly Belly 
DNF Michael Sayers (USA) Mercury 
DNF Jason Crookham (USA) Jet Fuel Coffee 
DNF Kirk Albers (USA) Jelly Belly 
DNF Billy Innes (USA) Kissena 
DNF Peter Maruz (USA) Kissena 
DNF Tim Brown (USA) Sobe/Headshock 
DNF Ryan Miller (USA) Nutrafig 
DNF Roy Knickman (USA) Mercury 
DNF Mike Lamb (Can) 3point Motors/Merced 
DNF Mick Walsh (USA) Mongoose/Defeet 
DNF Matthew Decore (USA) Marin 
DNF Juan Pineda (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist 
DNF Derek Bouchard (USA) Mercury 
DNF Matt Minard (USA) Jelly Belly 
DNF Henry Weibe (USA) NutraFig 
DNF Jeff Corbett (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist 
DNF Brendon Vesty (NZl) Navigators 
DNF Craig Ruby (USA) Lost River Cycling 
DNF Kevin Monahan (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist 
DNF Kenny Williams (USA) NutraFig 
DNF Zach Vestal (USA) Nutrafig 
DNF Menno Hubregtse (USA) Unattached 
DNF David McCook (USA) Shaklee 
DNF Glen Mitchell (NZl) Shaklee 
DNF Keith Skiles (USA) NutraFig 
DNF Scott Cochran (USA) Jelly Belly 
DNF Craig Wilcox (USA) Pettit Oil Racing 
DNF John Cipolla (USA) Jamis Bicycles/Columbus 
DNF Todd Posselli (USA) Rocky Mountain Cycling 
DNF Paul Johnson (USA) Mongoose/Defeet 
DNF Andrew Malcom (USA) River City 
DNF Robbie Yost (USA) Team Bike Pedlar 

Final general classification:

1 Scott Moninger (USA) Mercury                         17.44.38
2 John Lieswyn (USA) Shaklee                               0.46
3 Clark Sheehan (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist                 1.20
4 Eddy Gragus (USA) Jelly Belly                            1.28
5 Mark McCormack (USA) Saturn                              1.50
6 Justin Spinelli (USA) JW Sports                          1.52
7 Ron Schmeer (USA) Nutrafig                               2.08
8 Antonio Cruz (USA) Saturn                                2.26
9 Damon Kluck (USA) Spokesman/SSCruz                       2.55
10 Gord Fraser (Can) Mercury                               3.16
11 Svein Tuft (Can) Trek/Volkswagen                        3.16
12 Kirk Willett (USA) Mercury                              3.45
13 Will Frischkom (USA) JW Sports                          4.19
14 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Shaklee                             4.48
15 Doug Ziewacz (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist                 5.38
16 Steve Larsen (USA) National MTB Team                    6.13
17 Jon Retscek (USA) JW Sports                             6.26
18 John Hunt (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com                   6.38
19 Norm Carter (USA) Jelly Belly                           6.45
20 Mark Southard (USA) SCRC/New Belgian-Trek               7.25
21 Patrick Heaney (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com              7.30
22 Trevor Wurtele (USA) 3point Motors/Merced               8.04
23 Graeme Miller (NZl) Shaklee                             8.34
24 John Peters (USA) Mercury                               8.52
25 Erik Tonkin (USA) Team S%m                             14.31
26 Jamul Hahn (USA) NutraFig                              14.39
27 Jason McCartney (USA) NutraFig                         16.31
28 Chris McGovern (USA) Wizards Of The Coast              20.15
29 Carl Swenson (USA) National MTB Team                   21.03
30 Sean Doyle (USA) Unattached                            21.16
31 Adam Livingston (USA) Jelly Belly                      21.29
32 Paul Martin (USA) Navigators                           23.36
33 Jesus Zarate (USA) Mercury                             24.24
34 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Rocky Mounts                     24.50
35 Oscar Pineda (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist                25.19
36 Mark Hunt (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com                  28.58
37 Shane Thellman (USA) Mercy Fitness Cycling             31.17
38 Josh Collingwood (Aus) Jelly Belly                     31.52
39 John Kelly (USA) Kissena                               33.02
40 Tinker Juarez (USA) National MTB Team                  33.39
41 Brad Buccambuso (USA) Nutrafig                         39.22
42 Andre Kim (USA) Broadmark Capital                      40.36
43 Luke Mauriteen (USA) Shaklee                           46.26
44 Phil Zajecjk (USA) JW Sports                           48.52
45 David Wyandt (USA) Spokesman                           49.36
46 Jon C Tarkington (USA) Plant Outdoors.com              52.49
47 Dean Meyer (USA) Gs Lombardi/Ofoto.com                 56.59
48 Alex Candelario (USA) Rocky Mounts                   1.03.39
49 Rusty Beall (USA) Wizards Of The Coast               1.04.25
50 Joseph Dundee (USA) Echelon                          1.06.59
51 Robbie Ventura (USA) Saturn                          1.07.21
52 Ken Hashikawa (USA) Bridgestone                      1.07.24
53 Robin Baille (USA) Pacific Sport/Sask                1.09.17
54 Jesse Keefer (USA) NutraFig                          1.09.28
55 Sterling Magnell (USA) JW Sports                     1.09.40
56 Steve Mlujeak (USA) Jamis Bicycles/Columbus          1.10.33
57 Peter Devoerr (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com            1.15.32
58 Rad Cunningham (USA) Boardmark Capital               1.28.39
59 Charles Weisel (USA) River City                      1.31.53
60 Pete Swenson (USA) PlanetOutdoors.com                1.31.58
61 Dale Suttle (USA) Mercy Fitness Cycling              1.33.14
62 Alex Gardner (USA) NutraFig                          1.33.54
63 Patrick Caro (USA) Dynamite-Incycle                  1.34.39
64 Trevor Mays (USA) Pettit Oil Racing                  1.58.40
65 Tim Coffey (USA) SaturnOf Bellevue                   2.28.52
66 Rick Van Den Akker (USA) Reno Wheelmen               2.33.05
67 Robert Campbell (USA) Broadmark Capital              2.36.52
68 Robert Marez (USA) BargainBasement                   2.43.09
69 Tom Nelson (USA) Broadmark Capital                   2.58.41