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33rd Cat's Hill Classic - NE
Los Gatos, California, USA, May 13, 2006
2004 Results Results Past winners
Thorburn, Jacques-Maynes take second wins
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In Saturday's 33rd running of the ST Bikes Cat's Hill Classic, Menlo Park's Christine Thorburn (Webcor-Platinum) and San Jose's Ben Jacques-Maynes (Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada) took their second wins in this classic Northern California race, which pits cyclists against the short, steep grade of its namesake slope.
Jacques-Maynes' win - his second in three years - came along with a third place finish for his Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada teammate Jackson Stewart, the defending Cat's Hill winner.
In the early going of the pro men's race, Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics Cycling) jumped away from the field just after the start of the 90-minute race, and held a small lead until Jacques-Maynes bridged up shortly after the halfway point.
The pair worked together smoothly and lapped the field inside the last 10 laps, shortly before the race was neutralized while emergency vehicles tended to a rider injured in a crash.
After the race was restarted with 2 laps to go, Jacques-Maynes easily outsprinted Wohlberg, and Stewart finished off a small chase group.
"Once Eric gave it everything on the hill and couldn't drop me, he acquiesced to the reality of the situation," noted a loquacious Jacques-Maynes, who added that he supported the officials' decision to neutralize the race.
In the women's race, Thorburn captured her second-straight win by solo breakaway, although the 2004 Olympian described it as, "much harder than last year."
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Riding without any of her Webcor-Platinum teammates, she had to outmuscle a large contingent from the McGuire Cycling team that had the race's fastest sprinter, Laura Charameda, as their ace in the hole.
After a solo break by McGuire's Taitt Sato was reeled back by the Palo Alto Bicylcles/TIBCO team, over the last six laps Thorburn powered away, chased by Jenny Eyerman (Morgan Stanley/24Hr Fitness/Specialized), Brooke Miller (PABW powered by TIBCO), and Melodie Metzger (McGuire Cycling).
Although the pack never really challenged Thorburn, it did catch the chasers on last lap, as Charameda took the sprint for second followed by Miller and Eyerman.
"It's very satisfying to win Cat's Hill and I was very motivated today," said Thorburn.
Other winners in the day's earlier races were Jeff Angermann (Team Spine) in the Masters 35+ 1/2/3, Kurt Bickel (Team Spine) in the Masters 35+ 4/5, Alejandro Mordines (California Giant / Village Peddler) in the Category 5 race, James Badia (Webcor/Alto Velo) in the Category 3 race, Amanda Eaken (Metromint) in the Women 3/4 field, and Patrick Ruggles in the Category 4 race.
In the Juniors fields, race winners were the David Bike Club's Joseph Iannarelli and David Vuilleumier in the 17-18 and 15-16 age groups, Webcor/Alto Velo's Kelly LaFleur in the women's 17-18, Katrina Vorris and Davis Bentley (Team Swift) in the 13-14 age group, and Kendra Higgins and Dustin Benton, both of Team Wolfpack, in the 10-12 age group.
In all, 674 racers took part in the ST Bikes Cat's Hill Classic, which also served as the opening race of the Northern California/Nevada Cycling Association's 2006 NCNCA Premier Series, which continues next weekend in Stockton with the Pacific State Bank Grand Prix presented by Anderson Homes.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Garrett Lau/www.pbase.com/garrettlau
- Christine Thorburn (Webcor-Platinum) off the front
- Yukie Nakamura (Easton/Specialized) and Rachel Lloyd (Proman/Pradigm) chase
- Christine Thorburn wins
- Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics) off the front on the hill
- Jackson Stewart (Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada) leads the chase group
- Ben Jacques-Maynes (Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada) shadows Eric Wohlberg
- Ryan Wong (Easton/Specialized) tucks on the descent
- Ted Huang (Webcor-Platinum) accelerates on the restart
- Ben Jacques-Maynes takes the sprint from Eric Wohlberg
- The podium - Eric Wohlberg 2nd, Ben Jacques-Maynes 1st, Jackson Stewart 3rd
Results
Pro men 1 Ben Jacques-Maynes (Kodakgallery.com / Sierra Nevada) 2 Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics) 3 Jackson Stewart (Kodakgallery.com / Sierra Nevada) 4 Bernard van Ulden (Navigators) 5 Brent Miller (Santa Cruz / Fox) 6 Dirk Copeland (California Giant / Village Peddler) 7 Ted Huang (Webcor / Alto Velo) 8 Christian Kearney (RHVilla.com / Montano Velo) 9 Joshua Snead (RHVilla.com / Montano Velo) 10 Colby Farrell (GS Lombardi Sports) 11 Todd Hennings (Delta Velo / Anderson Homes / Pacific State Bank) 12 Dean LaBerge (GS Lombardi Sports) 13 Steve Reaney (California Giant / Village Peddler) 14 Andres Gil (Pacific State Bank / Anderson Homes) 15 Michael Buckley (Team Spine) 16 Chad Fischer (RHVilla.com / Montano Velo) 17 JD Bergmann (Metromint Cycling) 18 Joseph Iannarelli (Davis Junior Team) 19 David Wyandt (Unattached) 20 David Pierce (Club One / Jamba Juice) 21 Paul Penn (RHVilla.com / Montano Velo) 22 John Staroba (Eastside Cycles / Marin) 23 Tyler Gough (Tieni Duro) 24 Paul Sumner (GS Lombardi Sports) 25 Alex Simelnikov (3 Pillar) 26 Mack Chew (Arete Racing / Vellum Cycles) 27 Aaron Odell (RHVilla.com / Montano Velo) 28 Brian Buchholz (Webcor / Alto Velo) 29 Aaron Cox (McGuire / Langdale Pro Cycling) 30 Dean Peters (Safeway / GA Communications) 31 Ronnie Kier (Central Valley Cycling) 32 Jon Erskine (LGBRC / Easton / Specialized) 33 Peter Cazalet (Webcor / Alto Velo) 34 Carl Mekkert (LGBRC / Easton / Specialized) 35 Jesse Mendonca (RHVilla.com / Montano Velo) 36 Clint Rogers (McGuire Cycling) 37 Christopher Skulley (GS Lombardi Sports) 38 Phil Roberts (McGuire Cycling) 39 Randy Bramblett (McGuire / Langdale Pro Cycling) 40 Brian Heneghan (LGBRC / Easton / Specialized) 41 Ryan Wong (LGBRC / Easton / Specialized) 42 Tim Brackett (Team Spine) 43 Richard del Valle (Club One / Jamba Juice) 44 Colin Beardsley (Metromint Cycling) 45 Taylor Kuphaldt (Team Spine) 46 Sam Pickman (Specialized / Sierra Nevada) 48 Dennis Guikema (RHVilla.com / Montano Velo) 49 Christopher Hipp (Labor Power) 50 Keith Szolusha (Pacific State Bank / Anderson Homes Cycling Team) 51 Bob Newman (Pacific State Bank / Anderson Homes) 52 Trevor Mays (First Rate Mortgage) Women 1 Christine Thorburn (Webcor-Platinum) 2 Laura Charameda (McGuire Cycling) 3 Brooke Miller (PABW powered by TIBCO) 4 Jenny Eyerman (Morgan Stanley / 24Hr Fitness / Specialized) 5 Kate Maher (Morgan Stanley / 24Hr Fitness / Specialized) 6 Shelley Olds (PROMAN / Paradigm) 7 Melodie Metzger (McGuire Cycling) 8 Taitt Sato (McGuire Cycling) 9 Jenni Tafoya (PABW powered by TIBCO) 10 Rachel Lloyd (PROMAN / Paradigm) 11 Cynthia Mommsen (The Olympic Club) 12 Martina Patella (McGuire Cycling) 13 Jamie Crawford (PABW powered by TIBCO) 14 Erin Alders (McGuire Cycling) 15 Jennifer VanMuckey (LGBRC / Easton / Specialized) 16 Sarah Kerlin (Velo Bella / Kona) 17 Yukie Nakamura (LGBRC / Easton / Specialized) 18 Kristina Seley (PROMAN / Paradigm) 19 Cindy Carroll (McGuire Cycling) 20 Alena Hetsman (3 Pillar) 21 Diane Millar (HPC / LIST)
Past winners
2005 Jackson Stewart (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) Christine Thorburn (Webcor Builders) 2004 Ben Jacques-Maynes (Sierra Nevada Cycling) Karen Brems (Webcor/Alto Velo) 2003 Jonas Carney (Prime Alliance) Karen Brems (Webcor / Alto Velo) 2002 Eric Wohlberg Karen Brems (nee Kurreck) 2001 Eric Wohlberg Lauren Smith 2000 Edwin Bull Karen Kurreck 1999 Ted Huang Cynthia Mommsen 1998 Derek Bouchard-Hall Karen Kurreck 1997 J. T. Burke Kendra Wenzel 1996 Dylan Casey Karen Kurreck 1995 Matt Carlson Laura Charameda 1994 Roberto Gaggioli Karen Kurreck 1993 Ron Kiefel Sally Zack 1992 Matt Hamon Kim Applegate 1991 Eric Rekkas 1990 Johnny Franck Maureen Kaila 1989 Chris Huber Katrin Tobin 1988 Matt Doval Peggy Maas 1987 Ron Kiefel Genny Brunet 1986 Mark Caldwell 1985 Fred Markham 1984 Sterling McBride Liz Chapman 1983 Fred Markham 1982 Chris Huber 1981 Dave Zanotti 1980 Bill Watkins 1979 Bob Muzzy 1978 Greg Lemond 1977 Marc Brandt 1976 Bill Robertson 1975 Mark Pringle 1974 Paul Wilson
