21st Tour of Willamette

USA, April 11-16, 2000

Prologue- April 11: Skinner's Butte Prologue, 0.6 mile

Women: Gaudry edges out Bessette

The Tour of Willamette kicked off today with the Skinner Butte Time Trial in Eugene, Oregon. While only a kilometer in length, it traveled from along the Willamette River up 200 feet to the Skinner Butte scenic overlook. Long enough to favor the climbers, short enough to allow some surprises, there were some of each in the day's results.

In the women's event, Trek/Volkswagen's Sara Neil set the early time to beat with a 2:35, a mark that stood up to two dozen challengers, until Muffy Roy (Rebound/Sunnyside) nipped her by just one-tenth of a second. However, both of them were soon eclipsed by Erin Veenstra of Timex, who roared through to set a new mark of 2:31. From that point on, the time to beat kept dropping, till another Timex rider, Australian Tracey Gaudry, moved her name to the top of the leader board with a 2:33; despite strong late challenges from Saturn's Lyne Bessette and Gaudry's Timex teammate, U.S. National Road Champion Mari Holden, Gaudry's time held up, and she took the first leader's jersey in the Tour of Willamette.

Her performance came as no surprise, least of all to her manager, Giana Roberge: "Tracy was riding well in Australia, and she's just now coming around from her trip from there to the States- she's finally sleeping through the night!"

The climbing has only just begun however, and the women will have to tackle 700 metres of up and down, and 80 kilometres in tomorrow's stage 1 Greenhill road race.

Tracey Gaudry's diary

Anna Wilson's report

Well the Tour of Willamette began yesterday. It is a 6 day race in Oregon and all the major teams are here so the racing is of great quality. Yesterday we just had a prologue - a 1 km uphill time trial. Not a very long race but a painful one! Tracey Gaudry (Timex) had an impressive ride to win, one second ahead of Lyne Bessette (Saturn). Mari Holden (Timex) was third, putting Timex in the strong position of first and third overall. I was 4 seconds off the pace in 6th place.

Results

1 Tracey Gaudry (Aus) Timex                             2.23 (25.17 km/h)
2 Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn                            0.01
3 Mari Holden (USA) Timex                               0.02
4 Sandy Espeseth (Can) Intersports Inc. Racing          0.04
5 Tina Mayolo (USA) Auto Trader.com 
6 Anna Wilson (Aus) Saturn 
7 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Elita                               0.06
8 Katrina Berger (USA) Harbour Lights/Velom 
9 Stacey Peters (USA) 800.com                           0.07
10 Erin Carter (Can) Elita                              0.08
11 Erin Veenstra (USA) Timex
12 Cybil Di Guistini (Can) Elita                        0.09
13 Susy Pryde (NZl) Saturn
14 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Auto Trader.com              0.10
15 Jennifer Eyerman (USA) Team Jane Cosmetics
16 Julie Young (USA) Auto Trader.com
17 Lysle Wilhelmi (USA) 800.com                         0.11
18 Muffy Roy (USA) Rebound/Sunnyside
19 Laura Van Gilder (USA) Team Charles Schwab           0.12
20 Sara Neil (USA) Trek/Volkswagen
21 Andrea Hannos (USA) Intersports Inc. Racing          0.13
22 Kim Smith (USA) Timex
23 Annelie Chapman (USA) Team Jane Cosmetics            0.14
24 Cynthia Mommsen (USA) The Olympic Club
25 Elizabeth Emery (USA) Team Charles Schwab
26 Pam Schuster (USA) Auto Trader.com                   0.15
27 Heather Cole (USA) P&G/Women's Health
28 Clara Hughes (Can) Saturn
29 Nicole Gingles (USA) 800.com
30 Stacey Spencer (USA) Team Jane Cosmetics             0.16
31 Rhonda Quick (USA) Unattached
32 Mina Pizzini (USA) P&G/Women's Health
33 Dede Demet (USA) Saturn
34 Julie Hanson (USA) Saturn
35 Kori Kelly (USA) P&G/Women's Health                  0.17
36 Anne Samplonius (Can) Intersports Inc. Racing
37 Sophie St Jacques (Can) Elita
38 Aileen Loe (USA) Team Jane Cosmetics
39 Catherine Cardwell (USA) Team Charles Schwab
40 Sandra Kolb (USA) Team Charles Schwab
41 Clare Hall-Patch (USA) No.com
42 Suzanne Sonye (USA) Saturn                           0.18
43 Andrea Ratkovic (USA) Auto Trader.com
44 Cynthia Ferguson (USA) Alto Velo/Webcor/Quicken
45 Gina Hall (USA) Sycip Racing                         0.19
46 Allie Warfel (USA) Us National Team                  0.20
47 Emily Miazga (USA) EugeneCycling Club
48 Marie Holjer (Swe) Team Charles Schwab               0.22
49 Sanna Lehtimaki (Fin) Timex
50 Allison Bergeson (USA) Team Goldy's
51 Odessa Gunn (Can) Timex                              0.23
52 Annie Gariepy (Can) Elita                            0.24
53 Laura Shuford (USA) Auto Trader.com
54 Andrea Foster (USA) 800.com
55 Gretchen Reeves (USA) Cane Creek                     0.25
56 Karen Timewell (USA) EscapeVelocity
57 Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn                           0.26
58 Gail Longenecker (USA) Unattached
59 Stephanie Hannos (USA) Campione Cycling              0.27
60 Lisa Hunt (USA) The Olympic Club
61 Claire Townsend (USA) Rocky Mountain
62 Ruthie Mathes (USA) National MTB Team                0.28
63 Megan Elliott (USA) Us National Team
64 Allison Beall (USA) Torrefazione Italia
65 Weatherly Stroh (USA) Schwinn Homegrown
66 Melanie McQuaio (Can) Canadian
67 Heidi Stamm (USA) Five Valley Velo                   0.29
68 Kerry Hellmuth (USA) P&G/Women's Health
69 Ashly McCullough (USA) P&G/Women's Health            0.31
70 Melissa Erion (USA) Paradise Homes                   0.32
71 Marni Prazsky (USA) Giant
72 Cindy Carroll (USA) 800.com                          0.33
73 Laura Suditu (USA) 800.com                           0.35
74 Tiffany Pezzulo (USA) Team Proteus.com
75 Julia Farell (USA) Intersports Inc. Racing           0.37
76 Martha Walsh (USA) Mongoose/Defeet                   0.38
77 Ann Trombley (USA) National MTB Team
78 Leslie Lane (USA) Team Goldy's                       0.55
79 Norrene Valente (USA) Safeway/Saturn                 0.58
80 Jennifer Rhodes (USA) Torani/Nw Velo                 1.03
81 Brenda Black (USA) Team Voler                        1.11

Men: Jelly Belly score top two positions

If Gaudry's performance came as little surprise, then that of men's winner Adam Livingston most definitely did. After eclipsing Shaklee's Glen Mitchell's early mark of 2:06, the Jelly Belly rider still had to wait for over one hundred other riders to finish. One by one, such highly-regarded domestic pros as John Lieswyn (Shaklee), Scott Moninger (Mercury), and Clark Sheehan (7 UP/Colorado Cyclist) came close, but none of them managed to beat out the heretofore little-known Livingston. In fact, his closest challenger was his own teammate, Eddy Gragus, who came up less than two ticks of the clock short. Rounding out the top five were three Mercury riders, including pursuiter Derek Bouchard-Hall in third at three seconds. Jelly Belly's 1-2 performance pleased team director Danny Van Haute immensely: "We're happy with the results. We'll do the best we can....if we have to protect the whole week, then we'll see if we can do it with the crew that we have here. It will be a good test."

This 132 kilometre stage will involve 1,000 metres of climbing around the roads of Eugene, Oregon, starting from Greenhill.

John Lieswyn's Diary

Results

1 Adam Livingston (USA) Jelly Belly                     2.00 (30.0 km/h)
2 Eddy Gragus (USA) Jelly Belly                         0.02
3 Derek Bouchard (USA) Mercury                          0.03
4 Kirk Willett (USA) Mercury                            0.05
5 Michael Sayers (USA) Mercury                          0.06
6 Glen Mitchell (NZl) Shaklee 
7 Clark Sheehan (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist              0.07
8 John Lieswyn (USA) Shaklee 
9 Damon Kluck (USA) Spokesman/SsCruz                    0.08
10 Gord Fraser (Can) Mercury
11 Will Frischkom (USA) JW Sports                       0.09
12 Kirk Albers (USA) Jelly Belly
13 Kenny Williams (USA) NutraFig
14 Dave Zabriski (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist
15 Tim Brown (USA) Sobe/Headshock
16 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Shaklee                          0.10
17 Trevor Wurtele (USA) 3point Motors/Merced
18 Erin Hartwell (USA) Saturn
19 Sean Doyle (USA) Unattached
20 Jon Retscek (USA) JW Sports
21 Mark McCormack (USA) Saturn
22 John Peters (USA) Mercury
23 Scott Moninger (USA) Mercury                         0.12
24 Doug Ziewacz (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist
25 Brendon Vesty (NZl) Navigators
26 Todd Littlehales (USA) Navigators
27 Phil Zajecjk (USA) JW Sports
28 Jamul Hahn (USA) NutraFig                            0.13
29 Graeme Miller (NZl) Shaklee
30 Antonio Cruz (USA) Saturn
31 Jason Crookham (USA) Jet Fuel Coffee
32 Steve Larsen (USA) National MTB Team
33 Dean Meyer (USA) Gs Lombardi/Ofoto.com
34 Oscar Pineda (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist              0.14
35 Mike Lamb (Can) 3point Motors/Merced
36 Chris McGovern (USA) Wizards Of The Coast
37 Jason McCartney (USA) NutraFig
38 Andrew Randell (USA) Jet Fuel Coffee
39 Matt Minard (USA) Jelly Belly
40 Jacob Hess (USA) Spokesman
41 Rusty Beall (USA) Wizards Of The Coast               0.15
42 Steve Hegg (USA) Jelly Belly
43 Joseph Dundee (USA) Echelon
44 Peter Maruz (USA) Kissena
45 Peter Devoerr (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com
46 Robin Baille (USA) Pacific Sport/Sask
47 Dale Suttle (USA) Mercy Fitness Cycling              0.16
48 Andrew Bajadali (USA) Rocky Mounts
49 Ron Schmeer (USA) Nutrafig
50 Ryan Miller (USA) Nutrafig
51 Norm Carter (USA) Jelly Belly
52 David McCook (USA) Shaklee
53 Craig Wilcox (USA) Pettit Oil Racing
54 Zach Vestal (USA) Nutrafig                           0.17
55 Svein Tuft (Can) Trek/Volkswagen
56 Luke Mauriteen (USA) Shaklee
57 Kevin Monahan (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist
58 John Kelly (USA) Kissena
59 Antoine Varghese (USA) Kissena                       0.18
60 Billy Innes (USA) Kissena
61 Shane Thellman (USA) Mercy Fitness Cycling
62 Patrick Caro (USA) Dynamite-Incycle
63 Carl Swenson (USA) National MTB Team
64 Brad Buccambuso (USA) Nutrafig
65 Brent Davis (USA) Broadmark Capital
66 Paul Martin (USA) Navigators
67 Ken Hashikawa (USA) Bridgestone                      0.19
68 Jon C Tarkington (USA) Plant Outdoors.com
69 Justin Spinelli (USA) JW Sports
70 Andre Kim (USA) Broadmark Capital
71 Mark Southard (USA) Scrc/New Belgian-Trek            0.20
72 Juan Pineda (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist
73 Ben Kaplan (USA) SaturnOf Bellevue
74 Robbie Ventura (USA) Saturn
75 Josh Collingwood (Aus) Jelly Belly
76 Alex Candelario (USA) Rocky Mounts
77 Walker Ferguson (USA) National MTB Team
78 John Hunt (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com
79 Tinker Juarez (USA) National MTB Team
80 Morris Worsfold (USA) 3point Motors/Merced           0.21
81 Graham Hill (USA) Team Oregon
82 Jesse Keefer (USA) NutraFig
83 Craig Ruby (USA) Lost River Cycling
84 Roy Knickman (USA) Mercury
85 David Wyandt (USA) Spokesman                         0.22
86 Craig Demars (USA) Hutch's
87 Kiefer Hahn (USA) Wizards Of The Coast
88 John Grochau (USA) Wizards Of The Coast
89 Matthew Decore (USA) Marin
90 Alex Gardner (USA) NutraFig
91 Chris Worsfold (USA) 3point Motors/Merced
92 Jesus Zarate (USA) Mercury
93 Patrick Heaney (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com           0.23
94 Mark Hunt (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com
95 Erik Tonkin (USA) Team S%m                           0.24
96 Donald Reeb (USA) Nutrafig
97 Robert Campbell (USA) Broadmark Capital
98 Jeff Corbett (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist
99 Rahsaan Bahati (USA) JW Sports
100 Steve Mlujeak (USA) Jamis Bicycles/Columbus         0.25
101 Andrew Malcom (USA) River City                      0.26
102 John Cipolla (USA) Jamis Bicycles/Columbus          0.27
103 Keith Skiles (USA) NutraFig
104 Paul Johnson (USA) Mongoose/Defeet                  0.28
105 Sterling Magnell (USA) JW Sports
106 Colby Farrell (USA) GS Lombardi/Ofoto.com
107 Scott Cochran (USA) Jelly Belly
108 Rad Cunningham (USA) Boardmark Capital
109 Charles Weisel (USA) River City                     0.29
110 Tim Coffey (USA) SaturnOf Bellevue
111 Mick Walsh (USA) Mongoose/Defeet
112 William Cuello (USA) Jamis Bicycles/Columbus        0.30
113 Robbie Yost (USA) Team Bike Pedlar
114 Todd Posselli (USA) Rocky Mountain Cycling
115 August Schilling (USA) Northwest Velo               0.31
116 Menno Hubregtse (USA) Unattached
117 Pete Swenson (USA) PlanetOutdoors.com               0.32
118 Tom Nelson (USA) Broadmark Capital                  0.34
119 Steven Kalin (USA) AutomicRacing Team
120 Robert Marez (USA) BargainBasement                  0.36
121 Ryan Perlman (USA) Saturn Of Bellevue               0.39
122 Trevor Mays (USA) Pettit Oil Racing
123 Jose Drapeau (USA) Beneuitto Quickstep              0.40
124 Rick Van Den Akker (USA) Reno Wheelmen              0.42
125 Allen Hossley (USA) Bikes N'more                    0.45
126 Philip Horwitz (USA) PlanetOutdoors.com             0.47
127 Matt Brown (USA) Trek/Volkswagen                    1.18
128 Christopher Frederick (USA) Jamis Bicycles/Columbus 1.32
129 Damon Pettinger (USA) Spokesman                     2.34
130 Henry Weibe (USA) NutraFig                          2.36