Sea Otter Classic - 2.3

Monterey, California, USA, April 9 - 12, 2003

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Stage 1 - April 9: Circuit Race, Redwood City

Jeanson shows her sprint

By Kristy Scrymgeour

Jeanson leads
Photo: © Garrett Lau

Geneviève Jeanson (Rona-Esker), fresh off winning the Redlands Bicycle classic a few days ago, has sprinted to victory in stage one of the Sea Otter Classic. The diminutive but powerful Canadian beat Dede Demet-Barry (T-Mobile) and Lyne Bessette (Saturn) in a small bunch sprint, and thus took the lead on the first day.

On a course that some considered too dangerous, the women's race started with a steady tempo. Winding through neighbourhoods, the 10 mile lap was challenging enough to split the field relatively early.

On lap one the mood was "very nervous" according to Jeanson. Riders were worried about keeping it safe and staying away from cars coming out of driveways. Saturn's Ina Teutenberg led the first climb, keeping tempo and "trying to keep it safe". The pace was strong enough to lose some riders, and as the bunch got smaller the race became safer.

It was on the third lap that Lyne Bessette (Saturn) attacked, stretching out the field and managing to form a front group of approximately 15 riders. Kristen Armstrong (T-Mobile) and Manon Jutras (Saturn) were struggling to stay on the back of the small bunch at the top of the third climb, and saw the leaders slowly edging away from them. However, as the pace slowed a little they managed to get back on and in one fell swoop they caught the group and immediately swung themselves off the front, getting a good gap and causing a reaction from the field. They were soon caught but Armstrong attacked again as the road started to descend. A great move that caught everyone napping, she found herself with a quite convincing lead with a little over a lap to go.

It was Christine Thornburn from Red 5 Racing that decided she needed to bring this back and she drove the group back to within sight of Armstrong. Seeing a chance to get across, the Rona girls attacked and counter-attacked until Jeanson finally put in one last effort to bring it back. Armstrong was caught and the race steadied a little until the final climb.

Jeanson attacked on the climb, but couldn't quite get the gap she needed and the small bunch of about 13 remaining riders managed to stay with her. As the race sped downhill to the finish line, the attacks really began. T-Mobile began with Demet-Barry, followed by a counter attack by Armstrong and then Rona's Magalie Le Floch. Bessette worked hard to cover the attacks and found herself on the front at the corner with 500m to go. She went too wide and Demet-Barry went underneath her with Jeanson on her wheel. It took the French Canadian powerhouse what seemed like an age to get around her, but she nipped her on the line to win Stage 1.

"I was surprised to win today," said Jeanson at the finish. "I was lucky that Lyne took the corner too wide and Dede had such a perfect line going around the corner. I stuck on her wheel and managed to get around her".

The race now remains open and exciting with three days remaining. T-Mobile had five riders finishing in the top group and is looking forward to tomorrow. "We are in a good position going into tomorrow's time trial. We are all feeling good and I personally am feeling much better than I did last week at Redlands," Kimberley Bruckner told Cyclingnews.

Team Victory Brewing also had a strong showing today, with three of its riders making the top group. Sandy Espeseth told Cyclingnews that "This race is a major goal for us and our sponsors; we really want to do well. It's great that three of us are up there and we have Leah Goldstein as our time trial strength for tomorrow."

Saturn, which has two riders up there, and Red Racing 5, a new team on the scene, are both keen to give the lead a shake, so Rona will have its work cut out in such a strong field. When asked about today's course, most were positive, saying that is was a great course. Saturn's Teutenberg said that she "liked the course, I can imagine it's going to be very hairy for the men, but the women's field is smaller".

Director of the Saturn Women's Team, Giana Roberge noted that "the course was very dangerous in the first lap. Cars were getting in the way, and there were some dangerous areas without marshals, but as the race went on, things seemed to settle."

Demet-Barry and Amber Neben, both commented that the race was very "Euro-style", and the general consensus was that the race was challenging and fun. Not so for the men's race however, which was cut short after a rider protest mid way through lap two.

Men's race neutralised after firm but amicable protest

By Chris Baldwin

Sayers nabs it
Photo: © Stuart Bone

Redwood City has redwood trees growing up its hilly slopes. It is a town where expensive homes seem to rest on nothing more than faith and a pair of concrete stilts, and where wealth can be measured by how far you live from the freeway. All things considered, a midweek bike race here could be a welcome event.

On Wednesday the opening stage of the Sea Otter Classic was certainly welcome here. Folks lined the sloping streets of Alameda and Harding, they stood next to their own bicycles atop Lakeview and Cordilleras, they cheered and snapped photos of the peloton along the summit at Lakeview. A few enterprising fans even inflated a large Emperor penguin and wore wigs to cheer as the pro men rode by.

But the cheering rang hollow when the men came soft-pedaling by the second time, and even the long straight descent on Emerald Hill was not terribly fast or exciting. For all the hoopla, hullabaloo and flightless balloon birds, the race was not terribly race-like.

"On the start line everyone kind of made the decision that it was going to be two laps neutral," said Ryan Guay (Navigators),"then start racing from there."

The men's race was effectively neutralized by the riders, who were concerned enough about their own safety along the 10-mile rolling enclosure that they met beforehand with promoter Terry Tupper and race officials.

"The biggest issue we had before the race was riders who were dropped and outside of the 'security bubble'," said Gord Fraser (HealthNet). "I find it very unacceptable to put riders in a race situation where there's a timecut of a certain percentage, and on this course it would have been hard to make the time cut, where these riders were going to be outside any security and asked to yield to traffic, stop at stop signs. It is unrealistic to ask that of riders who are trying to make the time cut."

"We came to an agreement," said Tupper, "which was to pull riders out of the race but prorate their time. That was satisfactory to them, but that started a buzz about the safety of the course."

That buzz soon grew to a dull throb, as word of twisty, blind turns filled with parked cars came back into the peloton via the rumor mill.

Fraser had his worries from the beginning. "When we got to the race we were told by various parties, like photographers, neutral service and the women who raced before us, that the race was very unsafe," he said.

"We felt that if we just raced easy the first couple laps, meaning we all stick together, no attacks, that means there's longer race time before anybody gets dropped, that means that fewer people would be affected by that time cut. As we were racing it became apparent to me, and for whatever reason I was being singled out as one of the leaders of the riders, that most teams wanted more laps neutral."

Steve Larsen (Webcor) was not entirely convinced that a wholly neutral race was the best situation. "I thought it was safe enough to race on," he said. "But for me the decision was either we race, or we don't race. You can't sort of race halfway or not. You can't be ambiguous about it. We either decide it's unsafe and we make a statement, or as professionals we say 'We are in an inherently dangerous sport. (The officials are) doing their best to keep it safe. Let's go race today.'"

Tupper and the riders, along with race officials from the UCI, spoke for nearly 15 minutes on the hilltops above Redwood City. The debate was civil, and at times comic, particularly when David Zabriskie (US Postal) suggested ending the whole matter by allowing just him to race on alone, but nevertheless one that needed a quick solution. The new matter at hand was all the parked cars along the route.

"Every lap there was new cars up there," said Ryan Guay. "It just wasn't consistent. It was a rolling enclosure, but there were new parked cars every time around. It was a tough call for the riders."

Eventually the parties came to a compromise, but not without testing the limits of the riders, the promoters and officials, and the police escort.

"The compromise we came to was that we shorten the race by two laps," said Tupper. "They would ride two laps, and that made our police officers very happy, because we were very close to losing them."

"The riders realized that we were running the risk of losing something we worked really hard for," he continued. "They agreed that they would ride the race in a manner that appeared to be racing, and that when we turned on to Jefferson a member of each team would come forward and we would do a real sprint."

The compromise came as some of the fans were beginning to check their watches and scratch their heads. The team directors in the race caravan were no less impatient to get the race restarted, but frustrated all the same by what was perceived as a logistical, rather than a technical problem.

"A decision should have been made," said Robin Zellner, Ofoto-Lombardi DS. "Because once the guys started riding and the fans got out there to see a bike race, we kind of disgraced ourselves by not giving them a show. We should have discussed it and said either all the parked cars go or else we don't race. If we had sat here until that was done, that would have been a much more prudent way to handle it in my opinion."

"I think ultimately a good compromise was reached, but it's a shame," said Steve Larsen. "It would have been one hell of a bike race. It was a very challenging course, and had we raced six laps I think you would have seen an epic day for Sea Otter. It's unfortunate for the spectators who came out and didn't get to see it, but hopefully we were able to put on a good show."

Kenny Labbe (US Postal) also thought highly of the Redwood City circuit race, despite its logistical shortcomings.

"If this course had world championship or world cup support and everybody there was passionate about putting on a great race," he said, "it would be a really challenging course. I think the course itself wasn't dangerous, I think the situation with the cars and some of the residents not being aware of it made it a little bit more dangerous."

In the end Mike Sayers (HealthNet) nipped Matt Dubberley (Sierra Nevada-Clif Bar) and Miguel Meza (Schroeder Iron) for the sprint finish. The rest of the field came in right behind and the riders donated their winnings to the family of Garrett Lemire, who was killed in a traffic safety accident three weeks ago during a race in Arizona. Tomorrow's time trial will sort out the GC and leave the winner to be determined by the outcomes of Saturday's criterium and Sunday's Carmel Valley road race. The Redwood City circuit race will hopefully live on, and the Sea Otter Classic will definitely survive.

"I think it's a good solution," said John Lieswyn (7Up-Maxxis), "and I hope that the race is improved for next year. I think it's a great venue, I just think they need a little more work to make it safer for the riders."

Photos

Images by Bob Wilson/Bob Wilson Photography

• Plenty of spare wheels
• Vaniqa riders warm up before the start
• Lyne Bessette (Saturn) and Genevieve Jeanson (Rona), ready for the off
• The women's race gets underway
• Genevieve Jeanson (Rona) leads the women's field
• Shadowed by Mavic yellow the women climb again
• The final selection stayed together despite Jeanson's and T-Mobile's efforts
• Kim Bruckner (T-Mobile) managed to finish despite a buckled rear wheel
• The leading women take one of the course's many corners
• Genevieve Jeanson (Rona) narrowly edges out Dede Barry (T-Mobile) and Lyne Bessette (Saturn) in the sprint
• Jelly Belly rider Brian Forbes signs on
• The men's race gets off to a cautious start
• No dash for the holeshot as the men had already agreed to neutralise the first two laps
• Genevieve Jeanson (Rona) gets busy with the fizzy
• The women's podium
• A day out in leafy suburbia
• The men's peloton tackles one of the course's steep suburban climbs
• The men round the final corner into the finish
• Mike Sayers (Healthnet) gets the men's sprint win
• The men's podium - all 'unofficial' of course
• Mike Sayers (Healthnet) chases the competition off the podium
• Dede Barry (T-Mobile) was delighted with second place
• Lyne Bessette (Saturn) gives interview and beams from the podium
• Miguel Meza (Schroeder Iron) on the podium
• Mike 'many jerseys' Sayers shows off his wardrobe from the podium

Images by Stuart Bone

• The riders have stopped. The peloton is confused.
• Johnathan Vaughters explaining an altered/shorter race route to the peloton after the riders stopped the circuit race because they felt that the race was too dangerous due to the auto traffic on the course.
• Floyd Landis and Chann McRae share a joke during the stop
• The peloton laughs during the stop as Dave Zabriskie of US Postal makes a joke
• John Lieswyn of 7Up comes in off the sidewalk as the riders start rolling.
• Another shot of Vaughters talking to the peloton
• Randomly parked cars (like the black SUV shown here on the right) on the race course were one of the concerns of the riders.
• Victor Rapinski of Saturn doesn't like the way things are going.
• Floyd Landis, who suffered a broken hip earlier this year is back on the bike, feeling strong, and says that he will race the Tour this year.
• The sprint for the finish
• The bunch finishes

Images by Ruben Villarreal

• The front of the men's field on lap one
• Genevieve and Rona at the front
• Kristin Armstrong goes off the front on the last lap
• Team Cliff's Gina Hall chases on the climb

Images by Garrett Lau

• Genevieve Jeanson grinds her way up the climb
• Erin Kassoy showing the strain
• The women's field passes one of many driveways that worried the riders
• Nicole Freedman continues the climb
• Saturn leads the women's field
• Genevieve Jeanson still leads
• The Men's field casually climb after deciding to shorten the race due to safety reasons
• The riders enjoy a few laughs

Images by Mark Shimahara/Bikezen.com

• Jeanson (Rona-Esker) pops open the champaign as Barry (T-Mobile)and Bessette (Saturn) fearfully look on.
• The top five women finishers of stage one.
• The third through fourth place women (Dede Demet-Barry, Lyne Bessette, and Nicole Demars) patiently wait for Jeanson to arrive to the awards ceremony.
• Pro men line up for stage one of the Sea Otter Classic.
• Pro men begin their protested race.
• The men wind their way through the twisty neighborhood roads of Redwood City.
• Steve Larsen (Webcor) heads the charge up Summit Drive in lap two, with the San Francisco bay to his back.
• Mike Sayers (Healthnet) leads out the pack of selected leaders who would contest this protested race.

Results

Elite Women

1 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) Equipe Cycliste Rona-Esker  1.51.22
2 Dede Barry (USA) Team T-Mobile USA
3 Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn Cycling Team
4 Sandy Espeseth (Can) Victory Brewing/Amoroso's
5 Nicole Demars (Can) Victory Brewing/Amoroso's
6 Amber Neben (USA) Team T-Mobile USA
7 Christine Thorburn (USA) Red 5 Racing
8 Kristin Armstrong (USA) Team T-Mobile USA
9 Karen Bockel (Ger) Equipe Cycliste Rona-Esker
10 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Team T-Mobile USA
11 Susan Palmer-Komar (Can) Genesis-Scuba
12 Leah Goldstein (Can) Victory Brewing/Amoroso's
13 Kim Anderson (USA) Team T-Mobile USA
14 Manon Jutras (Can) Saturn Cycling Team                0.08
15 Magali Lefloch (Fra) Equipe Cycliste Rona-Esker       3.58
16 Charm Breon (USA) Veloclips                           6.26
17 Michellie Jones (USA) Total Trainer                   7.03
18 Emma Rickards (Aus) Goldys                            7.06
19 Candice Blickem (USA) Genesis-Scuba                   7.14
20 Dotsie Cowden (USA) Team T-Mobile USA                 7.30
21 Iona Wynter (Jam) Genesis-Scuba
22 Gina Hall (USA) Euroduds
23 Jane Despas (USA) Euroduds
24 Elizabeth Begosh (USA) Velobella                     11.29
25 April Henderson (USA) Total Trainer
26 Beth Leasure (USA) Veloclips
27 Cynthia Mommson (USA) Euroduds
28 Jennifer Stevens (USA) Red 5 Racing
29 Melissa Holt (NZl) Equipe Cycliste Rona-Esker
30 Amy Moore (Can) Saturn Cycling Team
31 Maatje Benassi (Ned) Intermountain Cycling
32 Jenny Eyerman (USA) Red 5 Racing
33 Brooke Ourada (USA) Goldys
34 Erin Kassoy (USA) Basis
35 Megan Elliott (USA) Saturn Cycling Team
36 Vanessa Guyton (NZl) Velobella
37 Melissa Sanborn (USA) Intermountain Cycling
38 Laura Van Gilder (USA) Saturn Cycling Team
39 Catherine Marsal (Fra) Equipe Cycliste Rona-Esker
40 Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Saturn Cycling Team
41 Cathy Bearce (USA) Total Trainer                     13.46
42 Michelle Beltran (USA) Red 5 Racing
43 Kristin Drumm (USA) Euroduds
44 Larssyn Staley (USA) Genesis-Scuba
45 Liza Rachetto (USA) Intermountain Cycling
46 Sima Trapp (USA) Goldys
47 Lauren Franges (USA) Victory Brewing/Amoroso's
48 Judy Hay (USA) Velobella
49 Helene Drumm (USA) Basis
50 Kele Hulser (USA) Veloclips
51 Suzanne Macht (Can) Goldys
52 Julia Hawley (Ber) Basis
53 Sarah Konrad (USA) Basis
54 Troy Watson (USA) Goldys
55 Christy Kopasz (USA) Intermountain Cycling
56 Heidi Stamm (USA) Intermountain Cycling
57 Mary Kneeland (USA) Intermountain Cycling
58 Emily Kachorek (USA) Red 5 Racing
59 Catherine Powers (USA) Total Trainer
60 Lisa Hunt (USA) Euroduds
61 Julia Bradley (Can) Veloclips
62 Cynthia Carroll (USA) Goldys
63 Gina Grain (Can) Victory Brewing/Amoroso's
64 Sophie St Jacques (Can) Victory Brewing/Amoroso's
65 Jody Kosinski (USA) Genesis-Scuba
66 Grace Fleury (USA) Genesis-Scuba                     19.03
67 Nicole Freedman (USA) Basis                          22.17
68 Cory Irimes (USA) Velobella                          23.16
69 Natalie Scott (USA) Veloclips                        23.50
OTL Galina Asipenko (Blr) Euroduds                      39.07
DNF Naomi Gollogly (USA) Total Trainer
DNF Sarah Foulkes (USA) Total Trainer
DNF Erika Schwarz (USA) Red 5 Racing
DNS Kate Maher (USA) Basis
 
Teams
 
1 Team T-Mobile USA                                   5.34.06
2 Victory Brewing/Amoroso's
3 Equipe Cycliste Rona-Esker                             3.58
4 Saturn Cycling Team                                   11.37
5 Genesis-Scuba                                         14.44
6 Red 5 Racing                                          22.58
7 Euroduds                                              26.29
8 Veloclips                                             31.41
9 Total Trainer                                         32.18
10 Goldys                                               32.21
11 Velobella                                            36.44
12 Intermountain Cycling
13 Basis                                                39.01

Men (no official results)

1 Mike Sayers (USA) Health Net
2 Matt Dubberley (USA) Sierra Nevada-Clifbar
3 Miguel Meza (Mex) Schroeder Iron