Tour de Toona - NE

Altoona, USA, August 1-6, 2000

Stage 3 - August 3: Hollidaysburg Circuit Road Race, 60.3 mi/97k km

Fraser makes it three - Ulmer almost

By John Alsedek, cyclingnews.com correspondent

The rains that had been threatening over the previous two days came on full force during Thursday's stage. However, despite the conditions and a tough circuit that included a climb less than two miles from the finish, the Mercury and Elita squads continued to hold it all together for race leaders Fraser and Ulmer. Mercury played the stage to perfection, letting an early break dangle out front until the final climb, then bringing it all back together for the last few kilometers- virtually all of which were downhill. At the finish, it was Fraser for his third straight, ahead of Tony Cruz (Saturn) and the rest of the main bunch.

The women's stage was somewhat more active: after controlling things for the first two laps of the 20-mile circuit, Elita found itself on the defensive during the third lap, with the AutoTrader.com and Timex teams particularly active. So Ulmer, opting to follow the maxim 'the best defense is a good offense', attacked the final time up Chimney Rocks Road, with only Lyne Bessette (Saturn) able to follow. The duo stayed away till the finish, with Bessette taking the stage by four second over Ulmer, and Caren Spore (Jane Cosmetics) leading in the bunch at 0:11. Both Fraser and Ulmer retained their leads, though Bessette moved into second overall, just seven seconds in arrears.

Tina Mayolo-Pic's report

The race today was one of my old favorites. It starts in the town of Hollidaysburg and all the people of the town come out to cheer. Today we did three 20 mile loops. The road is rather windy and it feels like we are passing through some European towns. There is even a point where the road turns rather quickly to the left over a bridge/little creek and again left after crossing. Very fun indeed. The queen of the mountain is around 3k to go and it was celebrated on the first and second times around. Then there is a bomber of a downhill and a few turns through town. It ends on a wide uphill. Sprint points were given out on the start/finish line for the first two laps and of course the finish.

Our day started in a rather unusual fashion. We headed off to the pediatric ward at the Altoona Hospital to visit/cheer up some brave little people who were feeling a bit under the weather. Alas, one of us was missing. Anke was off bright and early to the dentist for a toothache. She was missing in action until a few moments before our departure for the race. She came bounding in with a gob of gauze in her mouth and a tooth missing. EEKKK!! Seems that she was the victim of some scary South African dentistry and her crown had to be removed right along with her tooth. We have now renamed her Gap. So Mike told her that if she was feeling like she would die that she was to pull right out immediately. Anke would have none of that business.

So off we went to the race.

In the beginning of the race Charmain Breon of the Altoona Cycling Club gave Elita a run for their money in her solo attack. She stayed off a good ten or fifteen minutes causing Elita - miss Sarah Ulmer's security guards - to chase her down. Other than that the pack was pretty content to roll along until they hit the queen of the mountain sprint and everyone was violently up out of their saddles trying to get away. The first time around brave Charmain was still off the front for the queen sprint and Andrea Ratkovic and Pam Schuster of AutoTrader.com snagged a few points taking second and fourth. (I can't remember who got third). Sarah Ulmer snagged the sprint points first time through the start finish.

Second time up, Pam again snagged the mountain points - this time enough to keep hold that jersey. Under a suggestion by Julie Young I attacked through the start finish to snag some sprint points and was soon joined by Andrea and Katrina Berger with Chas Schwab. That was short lived and even more so when the skies opened up and I suddenly realized that I was swimming instead of biking. At the same time I realized that my brakes had no intention of stopping me and I started to worry about that "fun" little left left that was so much my favorite in years past. Hummmm... hopefully the creek is warm. But all of us seemed to hold up very well. The last obstacle was that descent after the QOM. YIKES!! Out of my way.

Right at the QOM hill the last time, Sarah Ulmer with Elita and Lyne Bessette with Saturn took off. They held it to the end and Lyne came out victorious. Karen Spore with Janes Cosmetics took the field sprint bravely to capture third. I'm not sure how this changes GC. Maybe Rick Geist has some grander connections and with everything running just perfectly maybe he has some influence over the weather??? Back tomorrow with more fun!!

Report courtesy of racereport@vcnet.com

Results

Men

1. Gord Fraser (Can) Mercury 		      2.14.02
2. Antonio Cruz (USA) Saturn
3. Derek Bouchard-Hall (USA) Mercury
4. Chris Fisher (USA) Monsoon
5. Clark Sheehan (USA) 7-Up-Colorado Cyclist
6. Andrew Randell (Can) Jetfuel
7. Kevin Monahan (USA) 7-Up-Colorado Cyclist
8. John Lieswyn (USA) Shaklee
9. Dean Meyer (USA) Lombardi Sports
10. Chris Wherry (USA) Saturn. 

General classification after stage 3:

1. Gord Fraser (Can) Mercury
2. Antonio Cruz (USA) Saturn			0.25
3. Derek Bouchard-Hall (USA) Mercury		0.27
4. Chris Wherry (USA) Saturn			0.32
5. Vassily Davidenko (USA) Navigators		0.33
6. Andrew Randell (Can) Jetfuel			0.34
7. Sylvain Beauchamp (USA) Shaklee		0.35
8. Michael Sayers (USA) Mercury			0.37
9. David McCook (USA) Shaklee			0.41
10. Chris Fisher (USA) Monsoon

Women

1. Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn
2. Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Elita			0.04
3. Caren Spore (USA) Jane Cosmetics		0.11
4. Naomi Williams (USA) Proteus.com
5. Suzanne Sonye (USA) Saturn
6. Marjan Huizing (USA) Bike Doctor
7. Jen Dial (USA) Proteus.com
8. Katrina Berger (USA) Charles Schwab
9. Odessa Osorio (USA) Trek
10. Julie Young (USA) AutoTrader.com 

General classification after stage 3:

1. Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Elita
2. Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn			0.07
3. Tracey Gaudry (USA) Timex			0.24
4. Pam Schuster (USA) AutoTrader.com		0.34
5. Ann Samplonious (Can) Saturn			0.35
6. Erin Carter (Can) Elita			0.38
7. Mina Pizzini (USA) Procter & Gamble		0.38
8. Anke Erlank (RSA) AutoTrader.com
9. Katrina Berger (USA)				0.39
10. Kimberly Bruckner (USA) AutoTrader.com