BMC Tour of San Rafael - NE

USA, September 8, 2001

Results    Photography

Saturn triumph in San Rafael

By Giana Roberge, Team Saturn

While five of the Saturn Women's Team waits patiently for tomorrow's crucial World Cup, the five stateside athletes raced the third and final race in the BMC Series in San Rafael, CA today. Going into the last of the leg of the series, Saturn's Anna Millward had a lead over teammate Ina Teutenberg; however, Millward absence due to the eighth World Cup opened the door for Teutenberg to win the series.

Although the San Rafael Cycling Classic Race was a BMC Race for the women, the Men's BMC Race will be held on Sunday in nearby San Francisco. However, the men raced on the same 2.4 kilometre circuit as the women in San Rafael as a warm up for Sunday's race. In their 90 minute race, the majority of the major teams were looking for a chance to showcase their sprinters. After an hour and a half of furious racing it was all coming down to a blistering field sprint, with the teams leading out their speedsters. However, Saturn's Mark McCormack surprised the Mercury lead out train by attacking into the first slightly uphill turn and passing the front of the field. He was able to hold onto his speed through the last two turns to win handily.

The Mercury train was trying to lead their sprinter Derek Bouchard Hall for the win but had Jonas Carney of Prime Alliance and Graham Miller of Net Zero came around Mercury along with McCormack's Saturn teammate Soren Peterson to round out the top four.

The women's hour long race began from the gun with the five Saturn women all at the front. Supporting Teutenberg were Kim Davidge, Anke Erlank, Suzanne Sonye and 1996 Double Olympic Bronze Medalist Clara Hughes. Ironically, Hughes is the only member of the Saturn Women's Team not to score a victory this season, with her primary focus on her speed skating bid at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

At about three quarters to go a group of eight was able to escape. The major players in the group were Teutenberg and Hughes as well as Laura Van Gilder (Verizon Wireless), Dede Demet-Barry (Gatorade), Kori Kelly (P&G). The group worked together to establish a gap which continued to grow. Seeing an opportunity to escape, Teutenberg attacked coming into the finish line and motored away from the group of seven.

Teutenberg lapped the main peloton fairly quickly and continued through the field and off the front once again, this time with an Autotrader.com rider. The two caught what was left of the original break and worked together eventually catching the main group, for Teutenberg's second lap of the field. With about six laps remaining the whole peloton was back together, with Teutenberg claiming the win over Kelly and Van Gilder. With the intensity of racing over, the podium allowed Teutenberg to have some fun celebrating.

This is Teutenberg's twelfth victory in Saturn colours this season. Her win clinched the overall BMC Series and moved her into first in the US Pro Tour Standings. The Saturn Team's win of the BMC Series also further extended their lead in the Team standings in the US Pro Tour and the NRC Rankings.

Photography

Jonathan Devich took these pics of the women's race

Results

Men - 90 minutes
 
1 Mark McCormack (USA) Saturn Cycling Team 
2 Jonas Carney (USA) Prime Alliance 
3 Graham Miller (NZl) Net Zero 
4 Soren Petersen (Den) Saturn Cycling Team
5 Derek Bouchard-Hall (USA) Mercury 
 
Women - 60 minutes
 
1 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Saturn
2 Kori Kelly (USA) Procter & Gamble
3 Laura Van Gilder (USA) VeriZon Wireless
4 Pam Schuster (USA) AutoTrader.com
5 Clara Hughes (Can) Saturn
6 Dede Demet-Barry (USA) Gatorade-Olbas
7 Jenny Eyerman (USA) Jane Cosmetics
8 Tina Mayolo (USA) AutoTrader.com
9 Julie Young (USA) AutoTrader.com
10 Melissa Holt (NZl) Equipe Rona