World Children's Center Classic - NE

USA, August 30 - September 1, 2003

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Stage 3 - September 1: US 100K Classic, 100km/10km (M/W)

Victory to Victory Brewing in Big-Budget, Short-Course "Race to the Chicken"

Gina Grain takes top prize in Atlanta $10K/10K Women's Cycling Sprint

By Casper Casparian

In race that must offer the richest dollars-per-mile prize purse in cycling, Gina Grain (Victory Brewing/Specialized) burst out of the field of elite women racers to take the gold (and the green) in the inaugural $10K 10K Women's Cycling Sprint presented by T-Mobile, held in Marietta, GA on the U.S. Labor Day holiday. Laura Downey (Minute Maid/Dasani-La Grange) took the second step on the podium, with Grain's Victory Brewing teammate Lauren Franges claiming third place in the drag race. Racing about 13 minutes in all, the racers barely broke a sweat before sharing the exceptional $10,000 prize purse, equal to the rewards offered the elite men later in the day for their 10-times greater distance.

Held for the first time in 2003, the women's race is part of Atlanta's annual U.S. 10K Classic multi-sport event, and capped a three-day, three-event omnium, won overall by Grain. Proceeds from the event benefit several children's charities, including the World Children's Center.

The 10-kilometer Sprint course, known as the "Race to the Chicken" for the curious roadside attraction en route, features several sharp rises and a dramatic 1km descent to the finish line. Because the event takes place on a course used for other events throughout the day, the cycling sprint faced the challenge of drawing the elite crowd to a National Racing Calendar (NRC) event of minimal duration.

"We designed this course with two things in mind… how could we produce a women's race, since a longer event wasn't logistically possible, and how could we make it exciting for the media and the participants," said Gene Dixon, the race promoter and organizer of the annual Atlanta Twilight Criterium. "In general, the better the show, the better the racers like it. We've had this idea for a couple of years, and with T-Mobile's sponsorship to attract the best women's racers, it came to life."

As if the promise of a 10-kilometer race and $10,000 at the line weren't enough to keep the pace brutally quick, promoter Dixon also designated two intermediate cash sprints at the two-mile and the four-mile markers. Iona Wynter of Genesis, probably the most animated and best-represented team of the day, took the first prime; current U.S. national criterium champion Tina Mayolo-Pic (Diet-Rite) won the drag-race for the second.

Along the way, a threatening move from Mayolo-Pic, Minute Maid's Downey and Laura Van Gilder (Saturn) leapt away from the field but the effort lasted only a minute or two before the panic-driven pack re-absorbed them.

With two kilometers remaining and the three-story "Chicken" coming into view, T-Mobile's Katrina Grove launched a textbook attack, but the descent to the line provided the bunch with the boost needed to reclaim her, and pop off the hangers-on at the back. On the final run-up descent, the group was semi-strung at about 50 miles per hour, when Grove pulled out of the line to the left, opening the door for Downey, who surged even with Grain and Flanges; it took a photo-finish to separate the podium places.

Jim Safford, manager of the Minute Maid/Dasani squad (which flew 3,000 miles for the 6.2-mile event), told me that preparation, and not just training, was essential to his team's success: "We measured the course pretty carefully on Sunday and used some creative gearing on race day which ended up being the most important thing. After the race, we heard a lot of the women saying they wished they had bigger gears."

Although the race resulted in a bunch finale this year, promoter Gene Dixon told me that he can envision a different end-game, and can tailor the race to suit. "I didn't think the field would let it come down to the fast finish. Victory Brewing figured it out and strategically beat up on everyone. It probably will not happen in the future … a breakaway will be more likely to happen and stick. Also, we traditionally keep the prize money fairly even for placings. This will probably change next year to create a stronger incentive to win versus place in the top 10."

Photography

Images by Bill Parsons/North Chattanooga CC

The final selection was large and formed early, just five miles into the race.
2003 Masters 30-34 RR Champion Eddy Hilger (Fairway / CYFAC) is flanked by 2002 Elite RR Champion Scottie Weiss (West Virginia)
It's going to be a really bad helmet-hair day
A colourful trio leads the main bunch
With most of the major teams in the break, the main field was content to ride tempo.
Rashaan Bahati (Saturn) leads a group of four
I think they're going to catch me
Local rider John Murphy (Krystal) leads 2003 GA RR Champion Josh Seldman (Krystal) in the main field.
Travis Hutchinson, right (Krystal)
Chris Horner (Saturn) looks pretty pleased to be away with Mariano Friedrick (Jelly Belly)
Chris Horner (Saturn) and Mariano Friedrick (Jelly Belly) rode off the front of the main break
Robbie Yost (West Virginia)
Hello Mum!
A Back Yard Burger rider gets ready for lunch.
Chris Horner (Saturn) and Mariano Friedrick (Jelly Belly) stayed off the front all the way to the finish.
A 7Up/Maxxis rider leads the chase
The effort shows
A hot day in Atlanta
The peloton rolls toward the finish
Mariano Friedrick (Jelly Belly) celebrates the win.
Mariano Friedrick wins by a comfortable margin over Horner while the runners finish in the background.
Kent Bostick, center (Colavita Bolla) finishes with the main field.

Results

Pro/1/2 Women
 
1 Gina Grain (Victory Brewing/Specialized)                    
2 Laura Downey (Minute Maid)                                  
3 Lauren Franges (Victory Brewing/Specialized)                
4 Magen Long (The Bicycle Store)                              
5 Tina Pic (Diet Rite)                                        
6 Anne Samplonius (Team TDS Telecom)                          
7 Katrina Grove (T-Mobile Cycling Team)                       
8 Lara Kroesch (T-Mobile Cycling Team)                        
9 Rebecca McClintock (Colavita/Bolla)                         
10 Shawn Heidgen (Team TDS Telecom)                           
11 sherri stedje (BBC)                                        
12 Tania Duff Miller (Team Diet Rite)                         
13 Christina Dekraay (Team Fuji)                              
14 Laura VanGilder (Saturn Cycling Team)                      
15 Sarah Uhl (Saturn Cycling Team)                            
16 Kathleen Billington (Team Fuji)                            
17 Tracy Sproule (Colavita-Bolla)                             
18 Shannon Hutchison (Colavita-Bolla)                         
19 Lori Palmer (Team Florida)                                 
20 Iona Wynter (Genesis)                                      
21 Jennifer Cooper (Genesis)                                  
22 Sheba Farrin (LSV-Trek-VW)                                 
23 Candice Blickem (Genesis)                                  
24 Elizabeth Morse (The Bicycle Store)                        
25 Alisha Little (Team Fuji)                                  
26 Shontell Gauthier (Southern Fire)                          
27 Maaike Everts (GC Cycling)                                 
28 Kimberly Flynn (Team Peggy)                                
29 Beth Leasure (VeloClips)                                   
30 Megan Esmonde (Lake Mary)                                  
31 Leigh Valletti (Genesis)                                   
32 Nicole Brandt (Minute Maid)                                
33 Unknown Rider                                                   
34 Allison Carter (CLIFBAR)                                   
35 Cara McCauley (Asheville Bicycle Racing Club)              
36 Kim Sawyer (Nalley Automotive/Roswell Velo)                
37 Margaret Shirley (Genesis Scuba)                           
38 Deborah Elliott (Earth Fare)                               
39 Geri Laverty (Ford Cycling)                                
40 Shannon Koch (Team LaS'port)                               
41 Kirsten Robbins (Victory Brewing/Specialized)              
42 Kim Foland (Genesis)                                       
43 Wendi Stinnett (Knox/Revolution)                           
44 Carla Koehler (Minute Maid)                                
45 Summer Calder (boston bicycle club)                        
46 Brooke O'Connor (Colavita-Bolla)                           
 
Pro/1/2 Men
 
1 Mariano Frederick (Jelly Belly Cycling Team)         2.09.51
2 Chris Horner (Saturn Cycling Team)                      0.01
3 Alex Candelario (Prime Alliance)                        2.45
4 Jeff Hopkins (Jittery Joe's Cycling Team)               2.47
5 Emile Abraham (Aerospace Engineering)                       
6 Vassili Davidenko (Navigators Cycling Team)                 
7 Kevin Monahan (7 Up Cycling Team)                           
8 Frank Travieso (Aerospace Engineering)                      
9 Scottie Weiss (West Virginia Pro Cycling)                   
10 Chris Pic (7 Up Cycling Team)                              
11 Adam Bergman (Jelly Belly Cycling Team)                    
12 Marc Anderson (Locos-Porterfield Tire)                     
13 David Wenger (West Virginia Pro Cycling)                   
14 Eddy Hilger (Subaru/ Athlete's Foot)                       
15 Kirk O'Bee (Navigators Cycling Team)                       
16 Ernie Lechuga (Sol De Oro)                             2.53
17 Jesse Lawler (Jittery Joe's Cycling Team)              3.01
18 Cesar Grajales (Jittery Joe's Cycling Team)            4.52
19 Kent Bostick (Collavita/Bolla SE)                          
20 Jonas Carney (Prime Alliance)                              
21 Chris Harkey (Subaru-Athlete's Foot)                       
22 Robbie Ventura (United States Postal Service)              
23 Sebastian Alexandre (Colavita Bolla Pro Cycling Team)      
24 Brent Dawson (Jelly Belly Cycling Team)                    
25 Chad Hartley (Jittery Joe's Cycling Team)                  
26 Radisa Cubric (Clif Bar Evergreen)                         
27 Geri Mewett (Cane Creek)                                   
28 Andy Applegate (Cane Creek)                                
29 Jason Waddell (Mathis Brothers Cycling Team)               
30 Juan Haedo (Colavita Bolla Pro Cycling Team)               
31 Robbie Yost (West Virginia Pro Cycling Team)               
32 Jason Snow (Cycle Science)                                 
33 Rich Harper (Cane Creek)                                   
34 Aaron Smathers (Mathis Brothers Cycling Team)              
35 chris knetsche (earthfare)                                 
36 Rahsaan Bahati (Saturn Cycling Team)                       
37 Chris Frederick (Aerospace Engineering)                    
38 Mike Zingaro (Cycle Science)                               
39 Joseph Coddington (Cane Creek)                             
40 Zach Taylor (Hot Tubes Cycling Team)                       
41 John Murphy (Krystal)                                      
42 Brian Bibbens ()                                           
43 Todd Henriksen (Backyard Burgers)                          
44 Timothy Henry (West Virginia Pro Cycling)                  
45 Oleg Grichkine (Navigators Cycling Team)                   
46 Nathan Rogut (Team Dairy Queen)                            
47 Unknown Rider (Collavita/Bolla SE)                         
48 Larry Waters (Roswell Velo)                                
49 Jay Charles (Earthfare)                                    
50 Fabrice Peltier (O.C Locmine)                              
51 Everett Baker (Krystal Cycling)                            
52 Jonny Sundt (Jittery Joe's Cycling Team)                   
53 Joe Fernandez (Cycle Science)                              
54 Tony Scott (Genesis Scuba/FFCC)                            
55 Torsten Wambold (OLP Racing/ SSG Bensheim)                 
56 Stephen Carhart (Roswell Velo)                             
57 Eric Murphy (Aerospace Engineering)                        
58 Shawn Willard (Colavita Bolla Pro Cycling Team)            
59 John Green (Bicycle Sports)                                
60 Darrell Pounders (Outspokin')                              
61 Jonathan Matey (Roswell Velo)                              
62 Spencer Beamer (Cane Creek)                                
63 David Guttenplan (Atomic Race Club)                        
64 Kirk Albers (Jelly Belly Cycling Team)                     
65 Charles Pendry (Krystal Cycling)                           
 
Final Omnium points
 
Pro Men
 
1 Emile Abraham (Aerospace Engineering)                     75 pts
2 Alex Candelario (Prime Alliance)                          71
3 Vassili Davidenko (Navigators Cycling Team)               70
4 Eddy Hilger (Subaru/ Athlete's Foot)                      61
5 Chris Horner (Saturn Cycling Team)                        56
6 Jeff Hopkins (Jittery Joe's Cycling Team)                 55
7 Kirk O'Bee (Navigators Cycling Team)                      53
8 Scottie Weiss (West Virginia Pro Cycling)                 51
9 Chad Hartley (Jittery Joe's Cycling Team)                 50
10 Jesse Lawler (Jittery Joe's Cycling Team)                49
11 Cesar Grajales (Jittery Joe's Cycling Team)              42
12 Frank Travieso (Aerospace Engineering)                   40
13 Kevin Monahan (7 Up Cycling Team)                        38
14 Chris Pic (7 Up Cycling Team)                            38
15 Adam Bergman (Jelly Belly Cycling Team)                  37
16 Jason Waddell (Mathis Brothers Cycling Team)             35
17 Siro Camponogara (Navigators Cycling Team)               35
18 David Wenger (West Virginia Pro Cycling)                 31
19 Mariano Frederick (Jelly Belly Cycling Team)             30
20 Sebastian Alexandre (Colavita Bolla Pro Cycling Team)    30
21 Ben Brooks (Jelly Belly Cycling Team)                    30
22 Ivan Dominguez (Saturn Cycling Team)                     29
23 Dan Larson (Cycle Science)                               27
24 Oscar Pineda (7 Up Cycling Team)                         25
25 Kirk Albers (Jelly Belly Cycling Team)                   24
26 Hugh Moran (Cycle Science)                               22
27 Trent Klasna (Saturn Cycling Team)                       22
28 Rich Harper (Cane Creek)                                 21
29 Marc Anderson (Locos-Porterfield Tire)                   19
30 Eric Murphy (Aerospace Engineering)                      19
31 Jay Charles (Earthfare)                                  18
32 Zach Taylor (Hot Tubes Cycling Team)                     18
33 Chris Frederick (Aerospace Engineering)                  18
34 Ernie Lechuga (Sol De Oro)                               15
35 Kent Bostick (Collavita/Bolla SE)                        12
36 chris foster (subaru/ athlete's foot)                    12
37 Jonny Sundt (Jittery Joe's Cycling Team)                 12
38 Jonas Carney (Prime Alliance)                            11
39 Kevin Moran (Subaru)                                     10
40 Robbie Ventura (United States Postal Service)             9
41 Doud Ziewacz (7 Up Cycling Team)                          9
42 Jason Snow (Cycle Science)                                8
43 Brent Dawson (Jelly Belly Cycling Team)                   7
44 Glen Mitchell (Navigators Cycling Team)                   7
45 Matt Decanio (Prime Alliance)                             6
46 Josh Seldman (Krystal)                                    6
47 Radisa Cubric (Clif Bar Evergreen)                        5
48 Timothy Henry (West Virginia Pro Cycling)                 5
49 Geri Mewett (Cane Creek)                                  4
50 John Murphy (Krystal)                                     4
51 Andy Applegate (Cane Creek)                               3
52 zak grabowski (Hot Tubes)                                 3
53 Scott Henry (TEAM LUCKY LOUNGE)                           3
54 Mike Zingaro (Cycle Science)                              2
55 Aaron Smathers (Mathis Brothers Cycling Team)             2
56 Juan Haedo (Colavita Bolla Pro Cycling Team)              1
 
Women
 
1 Gina Grain (Victory Brewing/Specialized)                  85 pts
2 Tina Pic (Diet Rite)                                      85
3 Magen Long (The Bicycle Store)                            75
4 Laura VanGilder (Saturn Cycling Team)                     75
5 Lara Kroesch (T-Mobile Cycling Team)                      70
6 Shawn Heidgen (Team TDS Telecom)                          59
7 sherri stedje (BBC)                                       57
8 Anne Samplonius (Team TDS Telecom)                        56
9 Shannon Hutchison (Colavita-Bolla)                        56
10 Lori Palmer (Team Florida)                               55
11 Kathleen Billington (Team Fuji)                          53
12 Candice Blickem (Genesis Scuba/FFCC)                     53
13 Christina Dekraay (Team Fuji)                            52
14 Lauren Franges (Victory Brewing/Specialized)             51
15 Laura Downey (Minute Maid)                               48
16 Katrina Grove (T-Mobile Cycling Team)                    48
17 Shontell Gauthier (Southern Fire)                        41
18 Brooke O'Connor (Colavita-Bolla)                         37
19 Tania Duff Miller (Team Diet Rite)                       35
20 Rebecca McClintock (Colavita/Bolla)                      29
21 Sheba Farrin (LSV-Trek-VW)                               27
22 Elizabeth Morse (The Bicycle Store)                      24
23 Tracy Sproule (Colavita-Bolla)                           22
24 Kim Foland (Genesis)                                     20
25 Catherine Connell (Realitybikes)                         18
26 Beth Leasure (VeloClips)                                 17
27 Sarah Uhl (Saturn Cycling Team)                          16
28 Karen Blarnick (Ford)                                    12
29 Leigh Valletti (Genesis)                                 12
30 Iona Wynter (Genesis)                                    11
31 Alisha Little (Team Fuji)                                11
32 Jennifer Cooper (Genesis)                                10
33 Geri Laverty (Ford Cycling)                              10
34 Carla Koehler (Minute Maid)                              10
35 Cara McCauley (Asheville Bicycle Racing Club)             9
36 Cindy Musselwhite (Ford Cycling)                          9
37 Megan Esmonde (Lake Mary)                                 8
38 Summer Calder (boston bicycle club)                       7
39 Wendi Stinnett (Knox Revolution)                          5
40 Iona Wynter (Genesis)                                     5
41 Maaike Everts (GC Cycling)                                4
42 Nicole Brandt (Minute Maid)                               4
43 Kimberly Flynn (Team Peggy)                               3
44 Margaret Shirley (Genesis Scuba)                          1