10th Sea Otter Classic - Cat. 2.4

USA, March 16-18, 2000

Main Page    Results

Stage 4 - March 18: Laguna Seca Circuit Race, 55 km (m)/40 km (w)

By John Alsedek, cyclingnews.com correspondent

Women - Rossner in a tight finish

The final stage of the SRAM Sea Otter Classic, the Laguna Seca Circuit Race, was largely a formality in one race, although it was anything but in the other. Conducted on the Laguna Seca Motor Speedway track, with a 300-foot climb at the beginning of the circuit and a long, flat straightaway going into the finish, it was a course conducive to breakaway attempts, if not successes. However, with just a few ticks of the clock in hand over U.S. National Road Champion Mari Holden (Timex), race leader Petra Rossner could take nothing for granted: a fact emphasized when Holden snatched up a mid-race time bonus sprint to move within five seconds of the lead.

However, with her Saturn teammates squelching any breakaway attempts, Rossner's fate lay in her own hands as the race ended in a group sprint...and Rossner didn't disappoint, as she beat out Holden and AutoTrader.com's Tina Mayolo (second on the stage) for the win. Overall, Rossner finished just 11 seconds ahead of Holden, with Charles Schwab's Elizabeth Emery third at 0:25.

Pam Schuster's report

The race was still wide open with the top 10 separated by less than 30 seconds and a challenging 12 laps over 26 miles left. A great spectators course and excitement filled the air as Outdoor Life Network buzzed around the course on the motorbike and above in a Mountain Dew logoed helicopter for future TV viewing. The racing was constant as Team Elita setup Sophi St. Jacgues for the sprints after AutoTrader.com's Marjon Marik blasted to a victory on the first one. It was Petra Rossner edging out Tina Mayola-AutoTrader.com in the end to take the stage and overall lead.

Courtesy of racereport@vcnet.com

Men - Drew a formality

If the women's race came quite literally down to the wire, then the men's race was pretty much decided before the starting gun went off. With a 45-second cushion and the strongest team in the race, Mercury's Jamie Drew just had to stay out of trouble and get to the finish in one piece. As a result, the 34-mile circuit race became an opportunity for the race's lesser lights to shine, and none shone brighter than 7 UP/Colorado Cyclist's David Zabriskie.

After having missed the decisive break the day before, Zabriskie was determined to leave his mark on the race in some fashion, so he went with virtually every break during the day, including a dangerous looking move with U.S. Postal Service's Dylan Casey and Kiwi Glen Mitchell (Shaklee). While his efforts were unsuccessful, Zabriskie managed to amass enough points to win the points jersey, which was up for grabs after previous points leader Pelle Kil (L'Equipe Cheval) abandoned the race. However, with the stage ending in a mass finish, it was once again Mercury sprint hammer Gord Fraser coming out on top, ahead of Saturn's Trent Klasna and Fraser's leadout man, Jan Bratkowski.

Overall, Australian champion Drew won by 10 seconds over another Mercury man, Scott Moninger, with Dutchman Harm Jansen (Saturn) third at 0:40.

Results

Women - 40 km

1. Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn
2. Tina Mayolo (USA) Autotrader.Com
3. Mari Holden (USA) Timex
4. Karen Dunne (USA) Team Elita
5. Julie Young (USA) Autotrader.Com
6. Nicole Reinhart (USA) Saturn
7. Heather Cole (Can) Procter & Gamble
8. Suzanne Sonye (USA) Jane Cosmetics
9. Calle Williams (Col) 800.Com
10. Marie Holjer (Swe) Charles Schwab

Final general classification:

1. Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn		     5.06.13
2. Mari Holden (USA) Timex			0.11
3. Elizabeth Emery (USA) Charles Schwab		0.25
4. Tina Mayolo (USA) Autotrader.Com		0.30
5. Lynne Bessette (Can) Saturn			0.31
6. Susy Pryde (Nzl) Saturn			0.35
7. Kim Smith (USA) Timex			0.37
8. Katrina Berger (USA) Jane Cosmetics
9. Julie Young (USA) Autotrader.Com		0.38
10. Karen Dunne (USA) Team Elita		0.39
11. Dede Demet-Barry (USA) Saturn		0.41
12. Marie Holjer (Swe) Charles Schwab		0.43
13. Annie Gariepy (Can) Team Elita		0.44
14. Leigh Hobson (Can) Charles Schwab
15. Cybil Diguistini (Can) Team Elita		0.49
16. Anke Erlank (Rsa) Autotrader.Com		0.52
17. Annelie Chapman (USA) Jane Cosmetics
18. Lara Ruthven (USA) Team Voler		0.55
19. Sanna Lehtimaki (Fin) Timex			0.57
20. Cynthia Ferguson (USA) Alto Velo		1.01

Men - 55 km

1. Gord Fraser (Can) Mercury
2. Trent Klasna (USA) Saturn
3. Jan Bratkowski (Ger) Mercury
4. Jeremy Hunt (Gbr) Big Mat
5. Jamie Drew (Aus) Mercury
6. Charles Dionne (Can) Sierra Nevada
7. Vassili Davidenko (Rus)
8. Marty Jemison (USA) U.S. Postal Service
9. Antonio Cruz (USA) Saturn
10. Derek Wilkerson (USA) Jelly Belly/Lexus

Final general classification:

1. Jamie Drew (Aus) Mercury		     6.55.51
2. Scott Moninger (USA) Mercury			0.10
3. Harm Jansen (Ned) Saturn			0.40
4. Jeremy Hunt (Gbr) Big Mat			0.47
5. Henk Vogels (Aus) Mercury			0.48
6. Clark Sheehan (USA) 7 Up/Colorado Cyclist
7. John Lieswyn (USA) Shaklee			0.49
8. Tomas Konecny (Cze) Wustenrot		0.50
9. Ron Schmeer (USA) Nutra Fig			1.09
10. Czeslaw Lukasewicz (Can) Wustenrot		2.05
11. Gord Fraser (Can) Mercury			4.35
12. Dylan Casey (USA) U.S. Postal Service	4.55
13. Eric Wohlberg (Can) Shaklee			4.56
14. Trent Klasna (USA) Saturn			4.51
15. Jan Bratkowski (Ger) Mercury		5.01
16. Antonio Cruz (USA) Saturn
17. Jason Van Marle (USA) Nutra Fig
18. Marty Jemison (USA) U.S. Postal Service	5.05
19. Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators		5.06
20. Sylvain Beauchamp (Can) Shaklee		5.09