Sunshine Cycling Classic - NE

USA, October 21-22, 2000

Event schedule

• Day 1 - October 21: Paradise Road Race, 48/32 km (M/W)
• Day 2 - October 22: Coconut Grove Criterium

Day 1 - October 21: Paradise Road Race, 48/32 km (M/W)

Dominguez and Mayolo shine on day 1

The last major road event on the US calendar for 2000 is the Sunshine Cycling Classic, a two day race held in Key Biscayne, Florida. Day one (October 21) is the Paradise Road Race, followed by the Coconut Grove Criterium on Day 2.

Given that the European road season has finished, there were a good number of top US riders that returned home for this race, including George Hincapie, Fred Rodriguez, Antonio Cruz and Frankie Andreu. Whether seriously competing or not, having them along was certainly good publicity for the race organisers.

The men's race was held over 6 laps (shortened from 10) of an 8 km circuit with a U-turn at each end and a small hill. The women raced together with the men, but for 4 laps. Leading the charge in the men's race was Cuban Ivan Dominguez (Saturn) who has been successful at several national calibre events this season. Dominguez won in a sprint from a small group of riders that had escaped halfway.

The women's race was an all-Autotrader.com affair, as National Series leader, Tina Mayolo took the honours, followed by Pam Schuster and Marjon Marik. The combining of the men's and women's fields made the race interesting, and there were unfortunately several crashes. The race wasn't decided separately, as on lap four the leading women were still in with the men and that was the order they crossed the line in a strung out bunch.

Tomorrow's Coconut Grove Criterium is the final race on the National Series calendar, which will see Mercury's Gord Faser and Autotrader's Tina Mayolo take the top spots.

Results

Men - 48 km (6 laps)

1. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Saturn Cycling Team
2. Jose Gonzales (USA) Fantastic Paint
3. Derek Wilkerson (USA) Mercy Fitness Cycling
4. Chris Baldwin (USA) Navigators
5. Chris Fisher (USA) 7Up-Colorado Cyclist
6. Kent Bostick (USA) Shaklee
7. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Mapei-Quick Step
8. Russell Langley (USA) NCVC Spokes
9. John Cipolla (USA) Jamis-Access Health
10. Brice Jones (USA) Mercy Fitness Cycling

1. Tina Mayolo (USA) AutoTrader.com	       45.51.3
2. Pam Schuster (USA) AutoTrader.com		0.44.8
3. Marjon Marik (Swe) AutoTrader.com 		1.04.5
4. Sheri Stedje (USA) BBC-Jetworks 		2.21.6
5. Christina Underwood (USA) Fuji 		5.18.9
6. Sheba Farrin (USA) NCVC Spokes 		5.47.5
7. Elizabeth Wencel-Stone (USA) Hurricane	9.10.1
8. Robin Thomas	(USA)
9. Susan Hefler (USA) NCVC Spokes 	       11.36.9
10. Kristine Bilyeau (USA) Naples Velo 	       13.01.0

Day 2 - October 22: Coconut Grove Criterium

Dominguez does it again

Cuban Ivan Dominguez picked up where he left off on Saturday, winning day two of the Sunshine Cycling Classic in Florida. The Coconut Grove criterium was the final event on the US National Series calendar, and it was of a similar format (though on a shorter course) to day 1. After a lot of attacks, covered by Dominguez, a winning break got away. The Cuban missed it, but bridged up fairly quickly and was clearly the strongest in the sprint.

Results

Men

1. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Saturn Cycling Team
2. Russell Langley (USA) NCVC Spokes
3. Todd Littlehales (USA) Navigators
4. Jesse Lawler (USA) Zaxby's
5. John Cipolla (USA) Jamis-Access Health
6. Chris Pic (USA) Mercury
7. Mark Light (USA) Snow Valley
8. Brice Jones (USA) Mercy Fitness Cycling
9. Ray Sanchez (USA) Rubio's Bike Shop
10. Antonio Cruz (USA) Saturn Cycling Team

1. Marjon Marik (Swe) AutoTrader.com
2. Tina Mayolo (USA) AutoTrader.com
3. Christina Underwood (USA) Fuji
4. Sherri Stedje (USA) BBC-Jetworks
5. Sheba Farrin (USA) NCVC Spokes
6. Pam Schuster (USA) AutoTrader.com
7. Elizabeth Wencel-Stone (USA) Hurricane
8. Susan Hefler (USA) NCVC Spokes
9. Robin Thomas (USA) Best of the Bay
10. Debra Vanderlaan (USA)