Wachovia Cycling Series

USA, June 3-8, 2003

Past winners    Start List    Results

Wachovia Liberty Classic: Philadelphia, PA 91km - 4 laps of 22.64km

By Kristy Scrymgeour

In the women's field, this race can be said to be almost owned by ace sprinter Petra Rossner. Rossner, who now rides for the German Nurnberger team. Petra first raced and won the Liberty Classic in a composite team in 1996, and has returned every year since to defend her title. Only once has the title been taken from her, when in 1997 the Saturn team had the numbers consistently attack her, and Clara Hughes, then riding for Saturn, put in a brilliant, powerful attack with one kilometer to go; holding off the chasing field and take the win.

Rossner loves racing this course, and always enjoys coming back here every year to enjoy the great city and for the race. Despite the fact she has won the race so many times, and she is well known as the fastest female sprinter in the world of road cycling, Rossner is always conscious of the fact that the race is anybody's to win. "You never know what can happen in a bike race, you need three things; preparation, a good team and a bit of luck".

The race follows the same course as the Men's USPRO championships, and is actually held simultaneously, so that the Women and Men's peloton can often be seen crossing each other going opposite directions on the main stretch of road along Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Ten kilometers into the race is the hill that makes this race famous, the Manyunk wall. The wall is as steep as 17% in sections, and the riders position going into the climb is crucial. Lining the street as the riders go up are literally thousands of fans who set themselves up for the day to watch the race and join in the festivities.

Usually, despite the hill's level of difficulty, riders manage to chase over the top and get back on and often the race finishes in a bunch sprint. Last year however, Saturn saw the opportunity to really attack on the climb and force a break away that would stay until the finish. In the break was Anna Millward, Judith Arndt, Petra Rossner, all riding for Saturn, with only Laura Van Gilder, Dede Demet Barry, Kim Anderson and Valentina Polkhanova able to go with them. Millward and Arndt worked hard to make sure the group stayed away and made it to the finish line in one piece, leaving Rossner to do her thing in the sprint when she kicked at 200m to go winning the sprint convincingly from Van Gilder. There are also a few other critical points in the race where the race can be won or lost. One is being Lemon Hill, a short power hill about 5km from the finish, and of course, the last kilometer as the riders enter the finishing area for their last loop to the line.

This weekend Rossner will again face competition from riders such as Van Gilder (now riding for Saturn), Demet Barry and her strong T-Mobile team, and potential strengths such as Tina Mayolo Pic (Diet Rite) and Gina Grain (Victory Brewing). As Rossner says, "anything can happen" and if the past few races on the Women's calendar are any indication, this will be an exciting race.

Start List

Equipe Nurnberger Fuji                Victory Brewing Amoroso's
1 Petra Rossner (Ger)                 11 Sandy Espeseth (Can)
2 Margaret Hemsley (Aus)              12 Nicole Demars (Can)
3 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe)            13 Gina Grain (Can)
4 Jenny Algelid (Swe)                 14 Lauren Franges (USA)
5 Trixi Worrack (Ger)                 15 Sophie St Jacques (Can)
                                      16 Leah Goldstein (Isr)
                                      16 Ann Turrin (Can)
                                      18 Veronica Martinez (Arg)
 
Team T Mobile                         Diet Rite
21 Kim Anderson (USA)                 31 Cybil DiGuistini (Can)
22 Kristin Armstrong (USA)            32 Tania Duff Miller (NZl)
23 DeDe Barry (USA)                   33 Kori Kelly (USA)
24 Kimberly Bruckner (USA)            34 Jo-Jo Kiesanowski (NZl)
25 Dotsie Cowden (USA)                35 Tina Mayola Pic (USA)
26 Amber Neben (USA)                  36 Kerry Soraci (USA)
27 Stacey Peters (USA)
28 Mari Holden (USA)
 
Team Basis                            Saturn Cycling Team
41 Nicolita Freedman (USA)            51 Lyne Bessette (USA)
42 Kate Maher (USA)                   52 Megan Elliott (USA)
43 Lauren Gaffney (USA)               53 Manon Jutras (Can)
44 Heather Abert (USA)                54 Katie MacTier (Aus)
                                      55 Amy Moore (Can)
                                      56 Jessica Phillips (USA)
                                      57 Ina Teutenberg (Ger)
                                      58 Laura Van Gilder (USA)
 
Japanese National Team                Team Grace
61 Miho Oki (Jpn)                     65 TBD
62 Myoko Karami (Jpn)                 66 TBD
63 Ayumu Otsuka (Jpn)                 67 TBD
64 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn)               68 TBD
                                      69 TBD
                                      70 TBD
 
Verzizon Wireless Cervelo             Velo Clips NCVC
71 Yvonne Ilton (USA)                 81 Liza Rachetto (USA)
72 Julia Farrell (Can)                82 Kele Hulser (USA)
73 Sarah Foulkes (USA)                83 Shepard Ferrar (USA)
74 Ann Marie Miller (USA)             84 Laura Weislo USA
75 Paula McNamara (USA)               85 Laury Saligman (USA)
76 Julie Monagle (USA)                86 Betsy Sellers (USA)
                                      87 Beth Leasure (USA)
                                      88 Melissa Sanborn (USA)
 
Century Road Club                     Team Fuji
91 Sarah Chubb (USA)                  101 Christina Underwood (USA)
92 Francis Harrison (USA)             102 Gina Voci (USA)
93 Carol Gale (USA)                   103 Alisha Little (USA)
94 Tara Parsons (USA)                 104 Kathleen Billington (USA)
95 Julie Upton (USA)                  105 Jenn Scott (USA)
96 Esther Davis (USA)
97 Betsy Renaud (USA)
 
Colavita Bolla                        Canadian National
111 Shannon Hutchinson (USA)          121 Julie Belanger (Can)
112 Ashley Kimmet (USA)               122 Magalie Boulay (Can)
113 Brooke O'Conner (USA)             123 Julie Hutsebaut (Can)
114 Rebecca McClintock (USA)          124 Genevieve LaBlanc (Can)
115 Lenore Imhof (USA)                125 Audrey Lemeiux (Can)
                                      126 Katy St Laurent (Can)
 
Richard Sachs Cycling Team            Tds Cycling Team
131 Katrina Davis (USA)               141 Anne Samplonius (Can)
132 Alicia Genest (USA)               142 Joan Wilson (USA)
133 Catherine Powers (USA)            143 Shawn Heidgen (USA)
134 Leah Tofolon (USA)                144 Helen Kelly (Aus)
                                      145 Erin Carter (Can)
 
Genesis Scuba FFCC                    Snow Valley Cycling Team
151 Susan Palmer Komar (Can)          161 Elizabeth Begosh
152 Iona Wynter (Jam)                 162 Kristy Scheffenacker (USA)
153 Maggie Shirley (USA)              163 Vanessa Guyton (NZl)
154 Grace Fleury (USA)                164 Dana Walton (USA)
155 Candice Blickem (USA)             165 TBD
156 Clara Constantinescu (Rom)        166 TBD
157 Larssyn Staley (USA)
158 Leigh Valletti (USA)
 
Team Rona Esker                       Los Gatos Bicycling Racing Club
167 Melissa Holt (NZl)                173 Sandra Kolb (USA)
168 Carrie Tuck (Can)                 174 Katheryn Cuci (USA)
169 Kristen LaSasso (USA)             175 Eryn Hanna (USA)
170 Karen Bockel (Ger)                176 Joy Shaffer (USA)
171 Andrea Hannos (USA)               177 Sherri Stedji (USA)
172 Erinne Willock (Can)              178 Christine Thornburn (USA)
 
LSV Trek VW                           Tri State Velo Amoroso
181 Michele Bote (USA)                190 Diane Castor (USA)
182 Kerry Cohen (USA)                 191 Lynda Maldonado (USA)
183 Sheba Farrin (USA)                192 Susan Duff (USA)
184 Susan Hefler (USA)                193 Jennifer Leonard (USA)
185 Laura Schmidt (USA)               194 Maria Collazo (USA)
186 Tina Skelley Kuntsbeck (USA)
187 Clara Beard (USA)
188 Jenette Williams (USA)
 
Freddie Fu Cycling
195 Kelly Yoder (USA)
196 Charmian Breon (USA)
197 Carolyn Fisher (USA)
198 LeeAnne Manderson (USA)
199 Magen Long (USA)
200 Emma Rickards (Aus)

Past Winners

2002 Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn Cycling Team   92.8 kms in 2.27.09 (37.86 km/h)
2001 Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn Cycling Team  116.9 kms in 3.01.47 (38.29 km/h)
2000 Petra Rossner (Ger) Saturn Cycling Team  116.9 kms in 3.00.02 (38.68 km/h)
1999 Petra Rossner (Ger) German National Team 116.9 kms in 3.01.23
1998 Petra Rossner (Ger) 
1997 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu)
1996 Petra Rossner (Ger)
1995 Clara Hughes (Can)

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