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La Vuelta de Bisbee - NE
USA, April 23-25, 2004
Prologue - April 23: Mule Pass Individual Time Trial, 2.8 miles
Swindlehurst and Ourada take first jerseys
By Steve Medcroft
La Vuelta de Bisbee got underway Friday with Burke Swindlehurst (Navigators Cycling Team) and Brooke Ourada (Team Victory Brewing) posting the fastest times in the brutal, 2.8 mile uphill time trial prologue.
At 10:01, Swindlehurst was 43 seconds off the record for the course, set by Malcolm Elliot in 1993, but was fast enough to put himself in charge of the GC above Jacob Erker (0'03 - Team Seasilver) likely contenders Davide Frattini (0'05 - the Italian import racing for San Diego's Team Monex) and Drew Miller (0'12 - last year's winner racing for Landis Trek/VW).
Ourada's 11:47, put her ahead of T-Mobile's Lynn Gaggioli (0'07 seconds back and who placed third last year behind riders who aren't contesting this year's event) and Sandy Espeseth (0'47 seconds back - Team Victory Brewing).
Three full fields of racers, more than 225 entrants in all, started Friday's race. The course wound through the center street in this small desert town then up the switchbacks of Tombstone Canyon. Many of the racers, who have come from as far away as Guatemala, found the challenge of the course, besides the obvious 850 feet of climbing over such a short ride, to be headwinds. With temperatures cooling late in the afternoon (into the 60's) and the fact that Bisbee is built along a narrow, twisted canyon - a wedge of terrain on a downhill slope away from the peak of the stage - racers were hit with a surprising headwind on the opening mile and a half through town.
Which meant that there ended up being two types of finisher. Many riders, seeing the end from about 100 meters out, gave a final kick and crossed the line heaving for air. The second type of finish consisted of riders who limped across the finish shaking their heads; who had probably underestimated the lower part of the course.
Race promoter and course supervisor Albert Hopper is pleased that riders found the course a challenge. "Our opener is definitely part of the draw of our race," he said. "It was brutal," said Jason Spencer of Team Atlas. "The headwind through town just killed."
I also overheard one conversation between two women finishers who were rolling downhill after the event that went "What the (hell)? I was in my small chainring a minute before I expected to."
Stages two and three: Continuing the challenge, Saturday's racing consists of two stages: Sulphur Springs Road Race, 79.3 miles for the A Men's race and 45.8 for the Women, and the Warren Time Trial, an 8.3-mile out and back.
In past LVDB's, twenty miles of gradual climbing in the morning race usually enables a competent split in the peloton and a field sprint between a selected group. With a couple of time bonuses on top of that, we could see a shift the overall leader.
Team strength may play a significant role in the outcome. Although he may be the strongest individual rider, Swindlehurst is without formal team support. Which makes him vulnerable. Compare that to the strong Monex, Seasilver and Landis Trek/VW contingents and we could be in for and an exciting, all out showdown at Saturday's finish line.
Race Notes: Bisbee is a perfect example of a how a small community can be both a benefit to and benefited by an event such as La Vuelta de Bisbee. The cyclists who sold out the fields know they'll get their money's worth. There's economic benefit for local merchants of course, but the can be better seen in the faces of the non-cyclists who were watching organized, professional cycling up close for the first time.
At the start of the women's time trial, I stood behind two local women. Advanced in aged and dressed for a Friday afternoon of strolling picturesque downtown Bisbee, they seemed awestruck by the lithe, strong and fiercely competitive women rolling off the starting platform. They were asking questions of each other. "How fast do you think they go?" "How much do those bikes cost?"
A cyclist, standing on the curb in front, turned around and answered. They then stood together for a few minutes, watching women start their time trials, talking about cycling. One passionate cyclist bringing two inquisitive seniors up on the latest they needed to know to better enjoy what they were watching.
The women strolled on after a few minutes; their expressions hadn't lost the awe the obviously felt for these young racers. Next time these women see a cyclist on the road from their cars, do you think they'll be a little more careful, give a little more shoulder. Maybe smile as they pass. I can't see that as anything but a good thing.
Photography
Images by Jason Elhardt/www.jasonelhardt.com
- Heather Woodhouse (Team Kenda Tire) finished 5th, only 50 seconds off the pace set by Brooke Ourada (Victory Brewing)
- Lynn Gaggioli rode an 11:52 over Mule Pass, good enough for 2nd place.
- Sandy Espeseth (Victory Brewing) was 3rd, making it two Victory Brewing women in the top three.
- Mike Dietrich showed good form finishing 7th .
- Burke Swindlehurst (Navigators) Posted the Best time in the Mule Pass Prologue Time Trial. A 10:01 was the time to beat today.
- Jason Spencer (Atlas Cycling) finished 1:53 behind Swindlehurdt.
Results
Men 1 Burke Swindlehurst (Navigators Cycling Team) 10.01 2 Jacob Erker (Team Seasilver) 0.03 3 Davide Frattini (Team Monex) 0.05 4 Drew Miller (Landis/Trek/VW) 0.12 5 John Hunt (Village Peddler) 0.14 6 Dylan Sybel (Symmetrics Cycling) 0.16 7 Mike Dietrich (Fiordifrutta) 0.24 8 Peter Fairbanks (GP - Bianchi) 9 Scott Blanchard (Eclipse Racing) 0.25 10 Michael Lange (Sharper Image - Mathis Brothers) 0.26 11 Tim Carolan (Landis/Trek/VW) 0.28 12 Matt Sadauskas (Team Seasilver) 13 Peter Knudsen (Team Seasilver) 0.29 14 Philip Wong (Fiordifrutta) 0.30 15 Andrew Pinfold (Symmetrics Cycling) 16 Adam Livingston (Team Seasilver) 0.38 17 Robbie King (Louis Garneau Racing) 0.40 18 Geoffrey Rapoport (Velo Club LaGrange) 0.42 19 Cam Evans (Symmetrics Cycling) 0.44 20 Marsh Cooper (Symmetrics Cycling) 0.46 21 John Osguthorpe (Ogden One) 0.47 22 David Wenger (Sharper Image - Mathis Brothers) 0.48 23 Matt Bromen (Velo Club LaGrange) 24 Ryan Dewald (Team Snow Valley) 25 Michael Hernandez (Reno Wheelmen) 0.49 26 Daniel Ramsey (Team Seasilver) 27 Hugh Moran (Atlas Cycling) 0.55 28 Clayton Barrows (Rocky Mountain Cycling Ed Fnd) 0.59 29 Will Routley (Symmetrics Cycling) 30 David Robinson (Broadmark Capital Elite) 1.01 31 George Ganoung (US Armed Forces) 1.02 32 Peter Penzell (US Armed Forces) 1.03 33 Carl Decker (Broadmark Capital Elite) 1.04 34 Kurt Hackler (Ibex/Fitwerx) 1.07 35 Bartek Fidelus (Ranchos Cycling Club) 1.08 36 Matt Gilbert (Team Monex) 1.09 37 Justin Morgan (Broadmark Capital Elite) 1.10 38 Jacob Rubelt (Landis/Trek/VW) 1.11 39 Owen Jeffries (Rocknasium/CBE) 40 Neil Shirley (Team Seasilver) 1.15 41 Shawn Olin (US Armed Forces) 42 Peter Baker (Team Snow Valley) 1.18 43 Chad Beyer (Domenics) 1.19 44 Logan Garey (Unattached) 1.20 45 Thomas Hallock (Northwest Cycling Club) 1.21 46 Zach Winter (Hayden Frontier Cycling Team) 47 Edward King (Louis Garneau Racing) 48 Enrique Ospina (Team Monex) 49 Erik Van Den Akker (Reno Wheelmen) 50 Pat Caro (Team Monex) 1.23 51 Ryan Hamity (Rocky Mountain Cycling Ed Fnd) 52 Karl Bordine (Team Monex) 1.29 53 Chris Gruber (Unattached) 1.33 54 Curtis Gunn (Veloworx Racing) 55 Tom Crawford (Broadmark Capital Elite) 1.34 56 Keith Miller (Team DARE) 1.35 57 Ryan Yee (Team Monex) 1.36 58 Sean Cahill (US Armed Forces) 59 Michael Gallagher (US Armed Forces) 60 Mike Zagorski (Velo Club LaGrange) 1.37 61 Evan Elken (Broadmark Capital Elite) 1.39 62 Todd Terlecki (Giant Factory Team) 1.40 63 Andew Guptill (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology) 1.47 64 Greg Bourque (Team Seasilver) 65 Jason Karew (Eclipse Racing) 1.49 66 Devin Zoller (Hayden Frontier Cycling Team) 67 John Hackman (Velo Club LaGrange) 68 Drew Deters (Team Seasilver) 1.51 69 Kevin Nicol (ACA) 1.52 70 Jason Spencer (Atlas Cycling) 1.53 71 Matthew Holecko (Arizona State Cycling) 72 Evan Lawrence (Team Hammer Gel) 73 Mark Weideman (High Sierra Cyclists) 74 Dave Reid (Landis/Trek/VW) 1.54 75 Trent Hornus (US Armed Forces) 1.55 76 Todd Hageman (Cole Sports) 1.57 77 Brian Lemke (Landis/Trek/VW) 78 Owen Gue (Team Hammer Gel) 1.59 79 John Salskov (CZ Racing) 2.00 80 Aaron Smathers (Sharper Image - Mathis Brothers) 81 Steve Mlujeak (US Armed Forces) 82 Andy Bestwick (HDCC) 2.01 83 Wayne Puckett (Team Spine) 2.04 84 Omer Kem (Broadmark Capital Elite) 2.06 85 Mike Herdman (Team Monex) 86 Matt Lorenz (US Armed Forces) 87 Zachary Vestal (Jimmy D Racing) 2.07 88 Gregory Abrahamson (CRCA/Sakonnet Technology) 2.09 89 Roy Pickavance (CenturyTel) 2.12 90 Mari Holden (T-Mobile) 91 Russell Cree (Broadmark Capital Elite) 2.13 92 Scott Goguen (Symmetrics Cycling) 93 Josh Goodwin (Team Monex) 2.16 94 Axel Santiago (CenturyTel) 2.21 95 Scott Kasin (Team Lucky Lounge) 2.35 96 Jacob Hunter (Team Revolution Racing) 97 Nick Kiernan (Sharper Image - Mathis Brothers) 98 Stuart Press (Velo Club LaGrange) 2.40 99 John Reed (Team Lucky Lounge) 2.45 100 Mark Cunningham (Symmetrics Cycling) 2.48 101 Jose Quintero (Ranchos Venezuela) 2.50 102 Joel Hennings (Atlas Cycling) 3.16 DNF Duane Dickey (Bianchi-Grand Performance) DNF Sherman Gingerella (SC Velo) DNF Matt Usborne (Symmetrics Cycling) DNF James Carney (Unattached) Women 1 Brooke Ourada (Team Victory Brewing) 11.47 2 Lynn Gaggioli (T-Mobile) 0.07 3 Sandy Espeseth (Team Victory Brewing) 0.37 4 Maatje Benassi (Excel Sports) 0.42 5 Heather Woodhouse (Team Kenda Tire) 0.50 6 Suz Weldon (Tamarack/Goldy's) 0.52 7 Johanna Buick (Team Victory Brewing) 0.53 8 Chrissy Ruiter (Basis) 0.54 9 Kristin Johnson (Basis) 0.55 10 Carolyn Donnelly (Landis/Trek/VW) 11 Jennifer Todd (Red 5 Racing) 1.00 12 Kate Sherwin (Team Kenda Tire) 1.05 13 Jennifer Stevens (Red 5 Racing) 1.12 14 Kirsten Robbins (Team Victory Brewing) 1.21 15 Sheila Orem (BBC) 1.22 16 Rook Campbell (Genesis Scuba/FFCC) 1.33 17 Sima Trapp (Tamarack/Goldy's) 1.35 18 Sandra Kolb (Bicycle John's Serious Cycling) 1.36 19 Maureen Middleton (Landis/Trek/VW) 1.40 20 Maria Molina (Ortho-Evra) 1.44 21 Juliane Mortello (Landis/Trek/VW) 1.59 22 Corinn Clark-Danielli (Bicycle John's Serious Cycling) 2.11 23 Lisa Hunt (The Olympic Club) 24 Michelle Beltran (Red 5 Racing) 2.12 25 Marielle Aunave (Unattached) 2.15 26 Rebecca Stengel (Mountain Velo Cycling Team) 2.16 27 Cynthia Mommsen (The Olympic Club) 28 Marie Rosado (Ortho-Evra) 2.19 29 Maria Castaneda (Ortho-Evra) 2.20 30 Maggie Luciano-Williams (Landis/Trek/VW) 2.24 31 Rebecca Cooke (Grand Canyon Racing) 2.25 32 Rosanne Lent (Skirack.com/Provisions Intl Ltd) 2.35 33 Deneen Brown (Landis/Trek/VW) 2.36 34 Kele Hulser (Basis) 2.37 35 Maegan Daigler (Helen's/Trek/VW) 2.40 36 Dorothy Wong (Bicycle John's Serious Cycling) 2.46 37 Holly Hagan (Durango Wheel Club) 2.49 38 Emily Westbrook (Tamarack/Goldy's) 2.51 39 Jana Repulski (Tamarack/Goldy's) 2.59 40 Nadine Bruhn (Red 5 Racing) 3.04 41 Betsy Sellers (Team Kenda Tire) 3.12 42 Paula Higgins (Landis/Trek/VW) 3.17 43 Kate Gracheck (Unattached) 44 Jacqui Lockwood (Team Kenda Tire) 3.19 45 Mindi Martin (Team Kenda Tire) 3.20 46 Mary Rudy (US Armed Forces) 3.26 47 Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire) 3.27 48 Diane Shaline (Durango Wheel Club) 3.32 49 Mary Georgetti (Mystic Velo) 3.38 50 Sarah Barber (Richardson Bike Mart) 3.47 51 Graciela Perez (Unattached) 3.57 52 Jennifer Stern (Arizona State Cycling) 4.02 53 Lauren Dorsch (Tamarack/Goldy's) 4.09 54 Louella Holter (PSCC Gregg Specialized) 4.17 55 Marlene Zuhl (Mountain Velo Cycling Team) 4.19 56 Katherine Farago (NEBC/Cycleloft) 4.39 57 Karen Kraus (Team Kenda Tire) 5.07 DNF Leah Tingley (US Armed Forces) DNF Elizabeth Begosh (Velo Bella) DNF Becky Broeder (WFRA)
