Killington Stage Race

Stage 1, Mountain Times Prologue, Aug. 28, 3.4 miles

Men

1. MATT ANAND (ESPOIRES LAVAL), Calgary, Alb., Canada, nine mins, 36 secs
(course record); 2. Levi Leipheimer (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Windsor,
Calif., 9:37; 3. Jonathan Vaughters (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Englewood,
Colo., 9:44; 4. Marty Jemison (United States Postal Service), Salt Lake City,
Utah, 9:45; 5. Mike Engleman (Navigators), Hesperus, Colo., 9:48; 6. Frank
McCormack (Saturn), Leicester, Mass., 9:50; 7. Chann McRae (Saturn), Plano,
Texas, 9:54; 8. Tyler Hamilton (USPS), Nederland, Colo., 9:58; 9. Bart Bowen
(Saturn), Albuquerque, N.M., 10:00; 10. Nate Reiss (USPS), Fort Collins,
Colo., 10:08

Women

1. LINDA JACKSON (SAECO-TIMEX), Napean, Ont., Canada, 11 mins, 12 secs; 2.
Sue Palmer (Saturn), Hamilton, Ont., Canada, 12:26; 3. Susy Pryde
(Saeco-Timex), Auckland, New Zealand, 12:57; 4. Julie Hudetz (Saturn),
Boulder, Colo., 13:05; 5. Cybil Diguistini (Canadian National), Canada,
13:05; 6. Giana Roberge (Saeco-Timex), Saratoga Springs, N.Y., 13:17; 7. Pam
Schuster (Klein), Northridge, Calif., 13:18; 8. Christina Redden (Canadian
National), Canada, 13:21; 9. Kendra Wenzel (Saeco-Timex), McKenzie Bridge,
Ore., 13 mins, 22 secs; 10. Elizabeth Bucy (Ibis), n.a.

Stage 1 Report

Linda Jackson (Saeco-Timex) of Ontario and Matt Anand (Espoires Laval) of Alberta won the 3.4-mile (5.4km) uphill Mountain Times prologue in record time to take the leader’s jersey into tomorrow’s stage one Sunrise Road Race.

"This is the highlight of my career," Anand said.

A week ago, Anand, a Canadian National Team member from Calgary, was the first across the line at the Bob Cook Memorial Mt. Evans Hill Climb in Colorado, but was relegated to second place for ‘hooking’ Jonathan Vaughters (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist) in the final sprint.

At Killington, Anand covered the course in nine minutes, 36 seconds, breaking the record of 9:45 set a year ago by Frank McCormack (Saturn), Leicester, Mass.

Anand finished one second ahead of Levi Leipheimer (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Windsor, Calif. Vaughters, the National Racing Calendar leader, was third in 9:44. Eight riders broke the 10-minute mark as the winds remained calm on the climb which took riders past the main base of Killington Resort, one of the premier ski areas in the Eastern United States.

"I’ve won my provincial hill climb seven times and have a couple of hill climb records, so this was made for me."

Jackson, fresh from a third-place finish at the Tour Cycliste Feminin, the women’s version of the Tour de France, smoked the field in 11 minutes, 12 seconds, 1:13 ahead of fellow Canadian Sue Palmer (Saturn). Ward Griffiths (QualMed), Seattle, Wash., was third at 12:46, while Jackson’s teammate, defending champion Susy Pryde of New Zealand was fourth, 1:44 back.

"I’m just on auto pilot," Jackson said.

After completing the Tour Feminin Sunday, Jackson -- originally from Napean, Ont. -- flew to her home in San Francisco Monday, and then turned around and traveled to Killington Wednesday. She said her main motivation for coming to Killington -- a race she won in 1995 -- was to race one last time this year with her Saeco-Timex teammates. The team last raced together in June at the Hewlett-Packard International Women’s Challenge.

"It’s been a lot of fun racing with these guys," Jackson said.

Other category winners included Andrew Wilkes (GS Mengoni), Hingham, Mass., juniors; Chad Scheer (CRCA), masters 30+; Olav Stana (Spokemotion), masters 40+; James Fraser (unattached), masters 50+; Geoffrey Hamilton (CCB), cat. 3; George Suter (CRCA), cat. 4.

Tomorrow’s stage one Sunrise Road Race covers 108 miles for the pro/1/2 men and 54 miles for the women.

NOTES: The Killington Stage Race is the final event on the nine-event USPRO Tour ... With his third-place finish, Vaughters moved closer to the top with 78 points ... McCormack, who placed sixth today, is first with 95 points, followed by Scott Moninger (Navigators) with 81 points.

Killington is also one of the final events in the National Racing Calendar standings ... Vaughters leads the men with 508 points, followed by Norm Alvis (Saturn), Colorado Springs, Colo., with 459 points ... Pryde leads the women with 656 points, followed by her teammate Kendra Wenzel, McKenzie Bridge, Ore., with 575 points. Jackson’s win moved her into eighth place with 314 points. Killington is also one of the final events in the National Racing Calendar standings ... Vaughters leads the men with 508 points, followed by Norm Alvis (Saturn), Colorado Springs, Colo., with 459 points ... Pryde leads the women with 656 points, followed by her teammate Kendra Wenzel, McKenzie Bridge, Ore., with 575 points. Jackson’s win moved her into eighth place with 314 points. Killington is also one of the final events in the National Racing Calendar standings ... Vaughters leads the men with 508 points, followed by Norm Alvis (Saturn), Colorado Springs, Colo., with 459 points ... Pryde leads the women with 656 points, followed by her teammate Kendra Wenzel, McKenzie Bridge, Ore., with 575 points. Jackson’s win moved her into eighth place with 314 points. Killington is also one of the final events in the National Racing Calendar standings ... Vaughters leads the men with 508 points, followed by Norm Alvis (Saturn), Colorado Springs, Colo., with 459 points ... Pryde leads the women with 656 points, followed by her teammate Kendra Wenzel, McKenzie Bridge, Ore., with 575 points. Jackson’s win moved her into eighth place with 314 points.

Stage 2, Sunrise Road Race, Aug. 29

Men, 108 miles

1. FRANK MCCORMACK (SATURN), Leicester, Mass., 4 hrs, 6 mins, 31 secs; 2.
Norm Alvis (Saturn), Colorado Springs, Colo., s.t.; 3. John Peters
(Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Santa Rosa, Calif., s.t.; 4. Ashley Powell
(Shaklee), Greensboro, N.C., s.t.; 5. Kirk Willett (Comptel-Colorado
Cyclist), Pullman, Wash., s.t.

Overall

1. MAT ANAND (ESPOIRES LAVAL), Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 4 hrs 16, 7 secs; 2.
Levi Leipheimer (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Windsor, Calif., @:02; 3. F.
McCormack, @:03; 4. Jonathan Vaughters (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Englewood,
Colo., @:08; 5. Marty Jemison (United States Postal Service), Salt Lake City,
Utah, @:09; 6. Michael Engleman (Navigators), Hesperus, Colo., @:12; 7. Chann
McRae (Saturn), Plano, Texas, @:18; 8. Tyler Hamilton (USPS), Nederland,
Colo., @:22; 9. Bart Bowen (Saturn), Albuquerque, N.M., @:24; 10. Nate Reiss
(USPS), Fort Collins, Colo., @:32.

Women, 54 miles

1. KAREN BLISS LIVINGSTON (SATURN), Gainesville, Fla., 2 hrs, 23 mins, 14
secs; 2. Kendra Wenzel (Saeco-Timex), McKenzie Bridge, Ore., s.t.; 3. Ashley
McCullough (Century Road Club), New York, N.Y., s.t.; 4. Aleka Skouras (24 Hr
Fitness-GT), Davis, Calif., s.t.; 5. Darcy Ramsey (Kissena), Ossining, N.Y.,
s.t.

Overall

1. LINDA JACKSON (SAECO-TIMEX), 2 hrs, 34 mins, 26 secs; 2. Sue Palmer
(Saturn), Hamilton, Ont., Canada, @1:14; 3. Susy Pryde (Saeco-Timex),
Auckland, New Zealand, @1:45; 4. Julie Hudetz (Saturn), Boulder, Colo.,
@1:53; 5. Cybil Diguistini (Canadian National), Canada, s.t.; 6. Wenzel,
@2:04; 7. Livingston, @2:06; 8. Giana Roberge (Saeco-Timex), Saratoga
Springs, N.Y., s.t.; 9. Pam Schuster (Klein), Northridge, Calif., s.t.; 10.
Christina Redden (Canadian National), Canada, @2:09

Report

"Today was a day for us non-climbers," said Livingston, of Gainesville, Fla.

The number three rider in the women’s National Racing Calendar, Livingston beat second-ranked Kendra Wenzel (Saeco-Timex), McKenzie Bridge, Ore., in the final sprint for her eighth national victory of the year.

Despite an aggressive effort by the Canadian National Team, the women’s field stayed together throughout the 54-mile race in stark contrast to last year’s Sunrise Road Race, when a break-away put seven minutes on the field.

"Everybody knew it would come down to a sprint," Livingston said.

Despite Wenzel’s narrow loss, Saeco-Timex still had a positive day as Linda Jackson, Napean, Ont., Canada, remained in the leader’s jersey, 1:14 ahead of Livingston’s teammate, Sue Palmer, of Hamilton, Ont., Canada.

"We really gelled today," Jackson said. "I just tried to stay out of trouble."

The men’s race finished in similar style as McCormack, the USPRO Tour leader, edged teammate Norm Alvis, Colorado Springs, Colo., and John Peters (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Santa Rosa, Calif., in a field sprint.

An early break, which included 1996 Olympian Kent Bostick (Shaklee), Corrales, N.M., and Skip Spankenburg (Navigators), Travelers Rest, S.C., gained a lead of over four minutes, but was eventually brought back by the field.

"We (Saturn) weren’t in it, but nobody else was either," McCormack said.

Race leader Mat Anand (Espoires Laval), Calgary, Alb., Canada, was able to keep the yellow jersey for another day, thanks in part to the efforts of a mountain biker-driven Canadian National Team, which did much of the work chasing down the break.

"It was good to be Canadian today," Anand said.

With his time bonus for the victory, McCormack, of Leicester, Mass., moved within three seconds of Anand heading into stage two, the Brandon Gap Road Race, which covers 106.1 miles (170.6km) for men and 73.8 miles (117.5km) for women.

"I know tomorrow’s going to set the tone," McCormack said.

NOTES: Two national series, the USPRO Tour and the National Racing Calendar, should be decided at the Killington Stage Race ... with the win, McCormack solidified his USPRO Tour lead ... he now has 105 points, with Scott Moninger (Navigators), Boulder, Colo., in second with 81 and Jonathan Vaughters (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Englewood, Colo., third with 78 ... Vaughters remains in first place in the season overall NRC standings with 508 points, followed by Alvis (459) and McCormack (381) ... on the women’s side, Susy Pryde (Saeco-Timex) of New Zealand is first in the NRC standings with 656 points, followed by Wenzel (575) and Livingston (530) ... first place overall in the Killington Stage Race is worth 100 NRC points, while each stage win is worth 15 points.

Other category winners (and overall leaders) today were: juniors, Steven Lawton (NECSA), stage win, and Andrew Wilkes (GS Mengoni), leader; masters 30+, Peter Vollers (Gotham Bike), stage win, and Chad Scheer (CRCA-Metro), leader; masters 40+, Reb Cole (Cranford), stage win, and Olav Stana (Spokemotion), leader; masters 50+, Steven Lehman (Tri State Velo), stage win and leader; cat. 3, Michael Norton (Cyclonauts), stage win, and Geoffrey Hamilton (CCB), leader; cat. 4, Michael Bornhorst (CCB), stage win, and Keith Casserly (unattached), leader KILLINGTON STAGE RACE, Aug. 28-Sept. 1, Killington, Vt.

Stage 3, Brandon Gap Road Race, Aug. 30

Men, 106.1 miles

1. TYLER HAMILTON (UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE), Nederland, Colo., 3 hrs, 59
mins, 16 secs; 2. Chann McRae (Saturn), Plano, Texas, @:33; 3. Mike Engleman
(Navigators), Hesperus, Colo., @:37; 4. Vitali Verevko (Mrs. T’s-Lexus),
Ukraine, @4:12; 5. Frank McCormack (Saturn), Leicester, Mass., @4:14.

Overall

1. TYLER HAMILTON (USPS), Nederland, Colo.; 8 hrs, 15 mins, 35 secs; 2.
Engleman, @:33; 3. McRae, s.t.; 4. F. McCormack, @4:06; 5. Mat Anand
(Espoires Laval), Calgary, Alb., Canada, @4:24; 6. Jonathan Vaughters
(Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Englewood, Colo., @4:26; 7. Sylvain Beauchamp
(Everfresh), Quebec, Canada, @4:35; 8. Bart Bowen (Saturn), Albuquerque,
N.M., @4:42; 9. Mark McCormack (Saturn), North Easton, Mass., @4:48; 10. Nate
Reiss (USPS), Fort Collins, Colo., @4:50

Women, 73.8 miles

1. LINDA JACKSON (SAECO-TIMEX), Napean, Ont., Canada, 3 hrs, 35 mins, 10
secs; 2. Kendra Wenzel (Saeco-Timex), McKenzie Bridge, Ore., @9:50; 3. Pam
Schuster (Klein), Northridge, Calif., s.t.; 4. Susy Pryde (Saeco-Timex),
Auckland, New Zealand, s.t.; 5. Lynne Bessette (Canadian National), Canada,
s.t.

Overall

1. LINDA JACKSON (SAECO-TIMEX), Napean, Ont., Canada, 6 hrs, 9 mins, 41 secs;
2. Sue Palmer (Saturn), Hamilton, Ont., Canada, @11:14; 3. Pryde, @11:45; 4.
Julie Hudetz (Saturn), Boulder, Colo., @11:53; 5. Cybil Diguistini (Canadian
National), Canada, @11:53; 6. Wenzel, @11:58; 7. Schuster, @12:02; 8. Giana
Roberge (Saeco-Timex), Saratoga Springs, N.Y., @12:06; 9. Christina Redden
(Canadian National), Canada, @12:09; 10. Elizabeth Bucy (Ibis), n.a., @12:12

Stage 3 Report

Despite some intriguing late-season team tactics, Hamilton conquered the men’s field, covering the 106.1 miles in XX.

Hamilton, a New England native who now lives in Nederland, Colo., was so strong on the major climb of the race that his teammate Marty Jemison, Salt Lake City, Utah, had to tell him to ease up.

"I felt really good on Brandon Gap," Hamilton said of the almost 2,000 foot climb. "Marty told me to back off."

The two USPS riders, who both recently finished the Tour de France, were the power in a five-rider break-away with Saturn’s Chann McRae, Plano, Texas, and Bart Bowen, Albuquerque, N.M., plus two-time Killington champion Mike Engleman (Navigators), Hesperus, Colo.

More was at stake than just the race on the road. The Killington Stage Race is the final event of the nine-race USPRO Tour, led by Saturn’s Frank McCormack, Leicester, Mass., and is the final major event of the season-long National Racing Calendar standings, led by Jonathan Vaughters (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Englewood, Colo. Also, Canadian Mat Anand (Espoires Laval) held the race leader’s jersey at the start of the day, with 20 riders within a minute of the lead.

"There are so many classifications going on," Bowen said.

Anand was one of the riders who initiated the break at the base of Brandon Gap, after a three-rider break -- Jonathan Page (GS Mengoni), Lakeville, Conn., John Lieswyn (Shaklee), Asheville, N.C., and Mark Siega (Century Road Club) of New York -- led for the race’s first 48 miles.

Once the USPS pair spurred the five-rider break, the Saturn riders were instructed not to help speed along the fivesome since Jemison -- fifth in the USPRO Tour standings -- was a threat to McCormack’s Tour lead.

"The big thing was to keep Frankie first in the points," McRae said. "For Saturn, it’s a factor in our sponsorship."

Once the Saturn riders literally explained the situation to their USPS counterparts, Jemison decided to sacrifice himself to help Hamilton win the stage. The pair had pulled the break up Brandon Gap.

"On the descent we found out what was going on," Jemison said. "I told Tyler, ‘I’m going to do 80 percent of the work and help get you to these final climbs.’"

McRae made things simpler by attacking, but Hamilton and Engleman stayed with him. Ninety-six miles into the race, Hamilton had the strength to pull away from the other two riders up West Hill Road.

"I figured it was the only steep section," Hamilton said. "It was big ring the rest of the way."

He beat McRae by 33 seconds to take the overall leader’s jersey heading into tomorrow’s VISA Rutland Criterium.

In the women’s race, Jackson, of Napean, Ont., Canada, took a lead of over a minute into the stage and all but ended matters, blitzing the field and winning the 73.8-mile race by a whopping 9:50.

"My legs actually felt terrible today," she said. "On the last hill, I felt like I had been weightlifting."

Teammate Kendra Wenzel, McKenzie Bridge, Ore., won the field sprint for second. Pam Schuster (Klein), Northridge, Calif., was third.

With Jackson in possession of an overwhelming lead, her Saeco-Timex team now shifts to a different goal -- protecting the current NRC standings, which have Susy Pryde of New Zealand and Wenzel in first and second, respectively.

NOTES: Other category winners and overall leaders are as follows: juniors, Scott Wood (MBS), stage win; Andrew Wilkes (GS Mengoni), leader; masters 40+, Olav Stana (Spokemotion), stage win and leader; masters 50+, James Fraser (Zephyr), stage win and leader; masters 30+, John Funk (Fat Dog), stage win and leader; cat. 4, Keith Casserly (unattached), stage win and leader; cat. 3, Alexander Mills (Bike), stage win and leader. ... The Killington Stage Race will also decide the team champion in the USPRO Tour. Coming into the event, Comptel-Colorado Cyclist leads the standings with 66 points, but Saturn is right behind with 65 and USPS has 62. That race will not be decided until the conclusion of the Killington Stage Race Monday.

Stage 4, VISA Rutland Criterium, Aug. 31

Men, 45 miles

1. JOHN LIESWYN (SHAKLEE), Asheville, N.C.; 2. Jacques Landry (Everfresh),
Canada; 3. Norm Alvis (Saturn), Colorado Springs, Colo.; 4. John Peters
(Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Santa Rosa, Calif.; 5. Chann McRae (Saturn),
Plano, Texas.

Overall

1. TYLER HAMILTON (UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE), Nederland, Colo.; 9 hrs, 51
mins, 21 secs; 2. Michael Engleman (Navigators), Hesperus, Colo., @:33; 3.
McRae, @:33; 4. Lieswyn, @3:22; 5. Landry, @3:31; 6. Frank McCormack
(Saturn), Leicester, Mass., @4:06; 7. Mat Anand (Espoires Laval), Calgary,
Alb., Canada, @4:24; 8. Jonathan Vaughters (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist),
Englewood, Colo., @4:26; 9. Sylvain Beauchamp (Everfresh), Canada, @4:35; 10.
Bart Bowen (Saturn), Albuquerque, N.M., @4:42.

Women, 25 miles

1. KAREN BLISS LIVINGSTON (SATURN), Gainesville, Fla.; 2. Kendra Wenzel
(Saeco-Timex), McKenzie Bridge, Ore.; 3. Pam Schuster (Klein), Northridge,
Calif.; 4. Susy Pryde (Saeco-Timex), Auckland, New Zealand; 5. Cheryl Binney
(Potomac Racing), Los Angeles, Calif.

Overall

1. LINDA JACKSON (SAECO-TIMEX), Napean, Ont., Canada, 7 hrs, 10 mins, 13
secs; 2. Sue Palmer (Saturn), Hamilton, Ont., Canada, @10:41; 3. Pryde,
@11:12; 4. Wenzel, @11:19; 5. Schuster, @11:25; 6. Julie Hudetz (Saturn),
Boulder, Colo., @11:53; 7. Cybil Diguistini (Canadian National), Canada,
s.t.; 8. Binney, @12:03; 9. Giana Roberge (Saeco-Timex), Saratoga Springs,
N.Y., @12:06; 10. Christina Redden (Canadian National), Canada, @12:09. 

On a day in which the overall picture did not change much, John Lieswyn (Shaklee) and Karen Livingston (Saturn) won the VISA Rutland Criterium.

"I have a lot to prove," Lieswyn said.

Lieswyn, 29, of Asheville, N.C., returned to the sport this year after an 18-month retirement. In his Shaklee debut, he joined Peter Pape (unattached) and Jacques Landry (Everfresh) and lapped the field. Pape crashed in the final laps and fell back to the field as Lieswyn won the race with Landry second. Norm Alvis (Saturn), Colorado Springs, Colo., broke away from the field late to place third.

Tyler Hamilton (United States Postal Service), Nederland, Colo., remained in the overall lead, ahead of Chann McRae (Saturn), Plano, Texas, and Mike Engleman (Navigators), Hesperus, Colo.

In the women’s race, Livingston, of Gainesville, Fla., outsprinted five other riders to earn her second victory in three days. She won yet another sprint victory over longtime rival Kendra Wenzel (Saeco-Timex), McKenzie Bridge, Ore.

"It’s fun to have someone like that," Livingston said. "It helps keep me on my toes."

The pair were joined by Pam Schuster (Klein), Northridge, Calif., and Cheryl Binney (Potomac Racing), Los Angeles, Calif., in the initial break, which was later joined by Sue Palmer (Saturn) of Canada and overall National Racing Calendar leader Susy Pryde (Saeco-Timex) of New Zealand.

Overall leader Linda Jackson (Saeco-Timex) of Canada kept her overwhelming lead of 10:41 over Palmer heading into tomorrow’s final Saab Road Race.

NOTES: Other winners and overall leaders at America’s largest stage race (total of 820 riders): cat. 4, Michael Bornhorst (CCB), stage win, and Keith Casserly (unattached), leader; cat. 3, Noah Elbers (NECSA), stage win, and Alexander Mills (Bike), leader; masters 50+, William Hartwell (Midcoast), stage win, and James Fraser (Zephyr), leader; masters 40+, Chip Berezny (Bikeline), stage win, and Olav Stana (Spokemotion), leader; masters 30+, David Hudson (Mambo), stage win, and John Funk (Fat Dog), leader; juniors, Kyle Wamsley (FCCC), stage win, and Andrew Wilkes (GS Mengoni), leader.

Tomorrow’s race will likely decide three national series ... Frank McCormack (Saturn), Leicester, Mass., leads the USPRO Tour with 105 points, with Scott Moninger (Navigators), Boulder, Colo., 81; Jonathan Vaughters (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Englewood, Colo., 78; McRae, 76; and Marty Jemison (USPS), Salt Lake City, Utah, 66; all still in range. First place overall at the Killington Stage Race is worth 50 points .. Vaughters and Pryde should clinch the overall titles in the National Racing Calendar standings.

Stage 5, Saab Road Race, Sept. 1

Men, 105.6 miles

1. LEVI LEIPHEIMER (COMPTEL-COLORADO CYCLIST), Windsor, Calif.; 4 hrs, 35
mins, 58 secs; 2. Mark McCormack (Saturn), North Easton, Mass.; s.t.; 3.
Scott Moninger (Navigators), Boulder, Colo.; @:10; 4. Chann McRae (Saturn),
Plano, Texas, @:12; 5. Tyler Hamilton (United States Postal Service),
Nederland, Colo., s.t.

Overall

1. TYLER HAMILTON (UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE), Nederland, Colo., 14 hrs,
27 mins, 31 secs; 2. McRae, @:33; 3. Mike Engleman (Navigators), Hesperus,
Colo., @:33; 4. Jacques Landry (Everfresh), St. Bruno, Quebec, Canada, @4:01;
5. John Lieswyn (Shaklee), Asheville, N.C., @4:19; 6. Frank McCormack
(Saturn), Leicester, Mass., @4:24; 7. Mat Anand (Espoires Laval), Calgary,
Alb., Canada, @4:24; 8. Jonathan Vaughters (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist),
Englewood, Colo., @4:26; 9. M. McCormack, @4:30; 10. Sylvain Beauchamp
(Everfresh), St. Bruno, Quebec, Canada, @4:53.

Women, 65.6 miles

1. LINDA JACKSON (SAECO-TIMEX), Napean, Ont., Canada, 3 hrs, 27 mins, 6 secs;
2. Susy Pryde (Saeco-Timex), Auckland, New Zealand, @1:13; 3. Sue Palmer
(Saturn), Hamilton, Ont., Canada, s.t.; 4. Pam Schuster (Klein), Northridge,
Calif., @1:24; 5. Cybil Diguistini (Canadian National), Canada, s.t.

Overall

1. LINDA JACKSON (SAECO-TIMEX), Napean, Ont., Canada, 10 hrs, 37 mins, 9
secs; 2. Palmer, @12:00; 3. Pryde, @12:29; 4. Schuster, @12:59; 5. Kendra
Wenzel (Saeco-Timex), McKenzie Bridge, Ore., @13:16; 6. Diguistini, @13:27;
7. Christina Redden (Canadian National), Canada, @13:43; 8. Cheryl Binney
(Potomac Racing), Los Angeles, Calif., @14:00; 9. Giana Roberge
(Saeco-Timex), Saratoga Springs, N.Y., @14:03; 10. Lynne Bessette (Canadian
National), Canada, @14:14.

Stage 5 Report

The two riders, who will both be representing their countries at next month’s World Championships, maintained their leads through the final day Saab Road Race. Jackson, of Napean, Ont., Canada, won the 65.6-mile women’s race, while Levi Leipheimer (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Windsor, Calif., won the 105.8-mile men’s race.

The Killington Stage Race also decided the National Racing Calendar overall winners for the season as Jonathan Vaughters (Comptel-Colorado Cyclist), Englewood, Colo., and Susy Pryde (Saeco-Timex) of New Zealand secured those titles. Saturn and Saeco-Timex won the men’s and women’s team NRC titles, respectively.

Frank McCormack (Saturn), Leicester, Mass., won the USPRO Tour individual title, while his Saturn squad came from behind to win the team honor.

Leipheimer, along with Mark McCormack (Saturn), North Easton, Mass., and Scott Moninger (Navigators), Boulder, Colo., were in a breakaway for almost 100 miles. Initially, the trio were joined by Kent Bostick (Shaklee), Corrales, N.M., Peter Pape (One Plus) and Canadian Jacques Landry (Everfresh) for the first 60 miles of the race.

Moninger attacked with four miles remaining, but McCormack and Leipheimer were able to catch him, only to see the former Killington Stage Race attack again. This time, the other two riders caught and passed Moninger. McCormack then jumped with about 300 meters remaining, but Leipheimer was able to come around him for the win.

"I put forth my work just as much as the other guys, but I made sure I had enough at the end," Leipheimer said.

It was his fifth national win of the season.

Hamilton, who brought a 33-second lead over Chann McRae (Saturn), Plano, Texas, and Mike Engleman (Navigators), Hesperus, Colo., into the race, was content to sit in the pack and let the break swallow up the victory and the time bonuses.

"It would have been nice to win the stage, but it’s better to be safe," Hamilton said.

McRae finished second overall and Engleman third.

Jackson again rode away from the women’s field, earning her third stage win of the race. The Canadian Olympian topped the women’s field by 1:13. Pryde won the sprint for second over Canadian Sue Palmer (Saturn).

Jackson won the overall by a whopping 12:00. Palmer was second and Pryde third.

It was a fitting end to the U.S. season for the Saeco-Timex team, which dominated throughout the year, finishing with four of the top six riders in the season-long NRC standings. Pryde won the Redlands Bicycle Classic to begin the year and was only second briefly in the standings this season -- to her teammate Kendra Wenzel, McKenzie Bridge, Ore., who finished second overall.

NOTES: Other category winners at Killington Stage Race, America’s largest stage race (over 820 competitors): juniors, Will Frischkorn (GS Mengoni), stage win and overall; cat. 3, J. Alain Ferry (NJBC), stage win, and Derek Teed (Sportable), overall; cat. 4, Keith Casserly (unattached), stage win and overall; masters 30+, John Funk (Fat Dog), stage win and overall; masters 40+, Olav Stana (Spokemotion), stage win and overall; masters 50+, James Fraser (Zephyr), stage win and overall