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Sea Otter Classic - 2.5/2.9.2
Monterey, California, USA, April 15-17, 2004
Prologue - April 15: Laguna Seca Time Trial, 1.7 miles (M/W)
Godfrey and Armstrong fastest down the hill
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Hayden Godfrey (Health Net presented by Maxxis) and Kristin Armstrong (T-Mobile) were the fastest over three kilometers today and will go into tomorrow's circuit race in the leaders jersey. The 3km course, that was predominantly down hill, started at the top of what is known as the corkscrew on Laguna Seca Raceway and wound down the hill and around the race track with just one small uphill drag mid way around. The strong wind was a big factor in wheel choice for the riders and in addition, many riders opted not to ride with time trial bars because of the wind and the short distance.
The women started first with Lauren Franges holding the fastest time for the majority of the day. It was when the final riders came through that her time was beaten putting her in 5th place. Eventually it was Armstrong who clocked the fastest time to win her second time trial for the season.
Armstrong was happy with her race and her decision to ride a rear disc. "I was up in the air about it before the race," she said, "as a lot of other riders were advising me not to use it because of the cross wind on the corkscrew. I decided to go with the disc and just use my bullhorns on the corners."
Armstrong is confident now that her and her team can ride well enough together to win the tour from here on in. "Six seconds is six seconds and even though there are time bonuses and hard climbs over the next couple of days, I think we have the mental advantage and a strong enough team to be able to win."
Armstrong's teammate Stacey Peters who took third in the prologue, agreed that they have a good chance this weekend. "We have a lot of work cut out for us with Lyne [Bessette]. She has good form and is riding really well on the climbs."
Stacey was happy with her ride to third position. "It went by so fast. It just seemed like I took one long breath and it was over," she said. "I honestly didn't think I did a good time though. I navigated the turns well, but going over that small pinch I really died."
Second placed rider Tina Pic (Genesis Scuba), was all smiles as usual and just thankful that she got to the finish. "I had a disc wheel on, which was fine in practice, but the wind had picked up and by the time I got to the bottom of the climb I was so busy making sure I stayed up that I was forgetting to pedal. Luckily I pulled it together."
Pic also thinks her team is riding well enough to win the race this weekend. "I think we have a chance. I haven't seen the road course but I've heard it's pretty hard."
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In the men's race it was Health Net who came out on top, pleasing their title sponsor in their own backyard. Hayden Godfrey, coming straight from the Manchester track world cup took the win from his teammate, Gord Fraser and Eric Wohlberg (Sierra Nevada).
Godfrey was modest about his result, emphasizing the fact that his win today does not mean he will be racing to win the tour. "I don't think today's result has any effect on the overall," he said. "All our guys are up there on GC now and we'll be going for the tour win."
Godfrey enjoyed the course, especially after his training lately has been specifically for short efforts. "It's good," he said, "when you can go from zero to 40km/hr that quickly and then it's all over."
Fraser too, had a smile on his face after the race. "It's nice to be able to start a stage race without giving Horner a minute lead on the rest of us. It's a miracle just beating Horner in any event at the moment."
Fraser admits tomorrow's 27 lap circuit race will be a bit harder for him than in the past. "I've won it a couple of times, but the only reason I have been able to survive it is because of the large fields we have had here. I was able to drift back in the climbs and still keep contact. Now with only 70 riders in the field it is going to be harder."
"It's nice to get some results for the team, especially here at Sea Otter," Fraser added. "After Redlands where we didn't get any results, and not for lack of trying, it will be nice to put that behind us."
Wohlberg, who is known for his time trial strength, said he was surprised to make the podium on such a short course. "I really needed another 38km to win this race," he joked.
Photography
Images by Colin Meagher
- Lara Kroepsch (T-Mobile) taking the final bend in the prologue
- Audrey Liemieux (Quark) concentrating hard on the finish line
- Lauren Franges (Victory Brewing) clocks a fast time to come 5th
- Former World TT champion - Mari Holden (T-Mobile)
- Tina PiC (Genesis Scuba) continues her season success taking second
- Stacey Peters (T-Mobile) takes third
- Laura Van Gilder (Genesis Scuba) riding into fourth place
- Kristin Armstrong (T-Mobile) on her way to win her second prologue for the year
- Devon Vigus (McGuire) looking strong at the end
- Neil Shirley (Seasilver) is having a good season this year
- Race winner Hayden Godfrey (Health Net/Maxxis) was prepared for this after racing on the track in Manchester
- Eric Wohlberg (Sierra Nevada) was surprised to make the podium on such a short course
- Charles Dionne (Webcor) riding in for fifth place
- Gordon McCauley (Monex) donning his National team skinsuit
- Gord Fraser (Health Net) rides strongly into second place
- Trent Klasna (Sierra Nevada)
- Hayden Godfrey (Health Net/Maxxis) decides the announcer needs some champagne)
- A couple of Canadians and a kiwi on the podium
Results
Women 1 Kristin Armstrong (USA) T-Mobile 3.02 2 Tina Mayolo-Pic (USA) Genesis Scuba 0.05 3 Stacey Peters (USA) T-Mobile 0.06 4 Laura Van Gilder (USA) Genesis Scuba 0.07 5 Lauren Franges (USA) Victory Brewing 0.08 6 Melissa Sanborn (USA) Wells Fargo Ragats 0.09 7 Mari Holden (USA) T-Mobile 0.10 8 Lyne Bessette (Can) Quark 9 Catherine Powers (USA) La Grange 0.11 10 Rook Campbell (USA) Genesis Scuba 11 Christina Ruiter (USA) Basis 0.12 12 Jenny Eyerman (USA) Red 5 Racing 13 Amy Moore (Can) Quark 14 Erin Mirabella (USA) Red 5 Racing 0.14 15 Nicole Demars (Can) Victory Brewing 0.15 16 Laura Downey (USA) La Grange 17 Meredith Miller (USA) SATS 18 Audrey Lemieux (Can) Quark 19 Emma Rickards (Aus) Victory Brewing 0.16 19 Nicole Brandt (USA) La Grange 21 Katherine Maher (USA) Basis 0.17 22 J. Kele Hulser (USA) Basis 0.18 23 Lara Kroepsch (USA) T-Mobile 24 Brenda Lyons (USA) Sycip/McGuire 25 Kristin Durmm-Collins (USA) Morgan Stanley/Specialized 26 Jane Despas (USA) Wells Fargo Ragats 0.19 27 Jennifer Stevens (USA) Red 5 Racing 28 Rebecca Broeder (USA) Wells Fargo Ragats 29 Christine Vardaros (USA) Velo Bella 30 Felicia Greer (Can) Webcor Builders 31 Bridget Evans (Aus) Dewar's Racing 0.20 32 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) MABRA 33 Karen Bockel (Ger) TDS/Schwalbe 0.21 34 Rebecca Much (USA) Acme Racing 0.22 35 Nichole Wangsgard (USA) Acme Racing 36 Johanna Buick (NZl) Victory Brewing 37 Anne Samplonius (Can) TDS/Schwalbe 38 Betsy Bloom - Galenti (USA) La Grange 39 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders 0.23 40 Katherine Sherwin (USA) Kenda Tire 41 Carla Hukee (USA) Kenda Tire 42 Beverley Harper (USA) LGBRC 43 Catherine Malone (USA) Webcor Builders 44 Stefanie Graeter (USA) Webcor Builders 0.24 45 Liz Begosh (USA) Velo Bella 0.25 46 Kristin Johnson (USA) Basis 47 Martina Patella (USA) LGBRC 48 Gabriella Gonzalez De Ferrat (Mex) Velo Bella 49 Mary Rudy (USA) Acme Racing 50 Cindy Carroll (USA) Dewar's Racing 51 Kimberley Cunningham (USA) Morgan Stanley/Specialized 0.26 52 Megan Monroe (USA) TDS/Schwalbe 0.27 53 Jana Roberts (USA) Sycip/McGuire Men 1 Hayden Godfrey (NZl) Health Net/Maxxis 2.43 2 Gordon Fraser (Can) Health Net/Maxxis 0.03 3 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Sierra Nevada 0.04 4 Jason Lokkesmoe (USA) Health Net/Maxxis 0.06 5 Charles Dionne (Can) Webcor Builders 0.08 6 Chris Horner (USA) Webcor Builders 0.09 7 Dan Schmatz (USA) Health Net/Maxxis 0.10 8 Matt Dubberley (USA) Sierra Nevada 0.11 9 Michael Jones (USA) Health Net/Maxxis 0.12 10 Brice Jones (USA) Health Net/Maxxis 11 Scott Kasin (USA) Lucky Lounge 12 Glen Mitchell (NZl) Sierra Nevada 0.13 13 Gordon McCauley (NZl) Monex 14 John Reed (USA) Lucky Lounge 15 Roman Kilun (USA) McGuire 16 Jason Waddell (USA) Sharper Image/Mathis Bros 0.15 17 Mike Taylor (USA) McGuire 17 Trent Klasna (USA) Sierra Nevada 19 Nicklaus Kiernan (USA) Sharper Image/Mathis Bros 20 Neil Shirley (USA) Seasilver 0.16 21 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Sierra Nevada 22 Daniel Ramsey (USA) Seasilver 23 John Kelly (USA) Webcor Builders 0.17 24 Justin England (USA) Webcor Builders 25 Devon Vigus (USA) McGuire 26 Cory Lange (Can) Canadian national team 27 Davide Frattini (Ita) Monex 0.18 28 Marc Collard (USA) The Red Edge 29 Alexandre Nadeau (Can) Canadian national team 0.19 30 Brian Sheedy (USA) Village Peddler 31 Geoff Rapoport (USA) La Grange 32 Matthew Svatek (USA) Sharper Image/Mathis Bros 33 Peter Knudsen (USA) Seasilver 34 Aron Huerta (USA) Village Peddler 35 David Wenger (USA) Sharper Image/Mathis Bros 36 Todd Terlecki (USA) La Grange 0.20 37 Ben Haldeman (USA) Webcor Builders 38 Jacob Erker (Can) Seasilver 0.21 39 Imanol Ayestaran (Spa) Webcor Builders 40 Josh Klikna (USA) McGuire 41 Andrew Touchstone (USA) Lombardi Sports 0.22 42 Stuart Press (USA) La Grange 43 Dean Laberge (USA) Lombardi Sports 44 Mike Herdman (USA) Monex 45 Dennis Guikema (USA) The Red Edge 46 Patrik Carro (USA) Monex 47 Kevin Schleuter (USA) La Grange 48 Tim Granshaw (USA) Lombardi Sports 49 Steven Cate (USA) Sharper Image/Mathis Bros 50 Adam Myerson (USA) Sharper Image/Mathis Bros 0.23 51 William Innes (USA) Lombardi Sports 0.24 52 Patrick Briggs (USA) The Red Edge 53 James Hibbard (USA) Lombardi Sports 0.25
General classification after prologue Women 1 Kristin Armstrong (USA) T-Mobile 3.02 2 Tina Mayolo-Pic (USA) Genesis Scuba 0.05 3 Stacey Peters (USA) T-Mobile 0.06 4 Laura Van Gilder (USA) Genesis Scuba 0.07 5 Lauren Franges (USA) Victory Brewing 0.08 6 Melissa Sanborn (USA) Wells Fargo Ragats 0.09 7 Mari Holden (USA) T-Mobile 0.10 8 Lyne Bessette (Can) Quark 9 Catherine Powers (USA) La Grange 0.11 10 Rook Campbell (USA) Genesis Scuba 11 Christina Ruiter (USA) Basis 0.12 12 Jenny Eyerman (USA) Red 5 Racing 13 Amy Moore (Can) Quark 14 Erin Mirabella (USA) Red 5 Racing 0.14 15 Nicole Demars (Can) Victory Brewing 0.15 16 Laura Downey (USA) La Grange 17 Meredith Miller (USA) SATS 18 Audrey Lemieux (Can) Quark 19 Emma Rickards (Aus) Victory Brewing 0.16 19 Nicole Brandt (USA) La Grange 21 Katherine Maher (USA) Basis 0.17 22 J. Kele Hulser (USA) Basis 0.18 23 Lara Kroepsch (USA) T-Mobile 24 Brenda Lyons (USA) Sycip/McGuire 25 Kristin Durmm-Collins (USA) Morgan Stanley/Specialized 26 Jane Despas (USA) Wells Fargo Ragats 0.19 27 Jennifer Stevens (USA) Red 5 Racing 28 Rebecca Broeder (USA) Wells Fargo Ragats 29 Christine Vardaros (USA) Velo Bella 30 Felicia Greer (Can) Webcor Builders 31 Bridget Evans (Aus) Dewar's racing 0.20 32 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) MABRA 33 Karen Bockel (Ger) TDS/Schwalbe 0.21 34 Rebecca Much (USA) Acme Racing 0.22 35 Nichole Wangsgard (USA) Acme Racing 36 Johanna Buick (NZl) Victory Brewing 37 Anne Samplonius (Can) TDS/Schwalbe 38 Betsy Bloom - Galenti (USA) La Grange 39 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders 0.23 40 Katherine Sherwin (USA) Kenda Tire 41 Carla Hukee (USA) Kenda Tire 42 Beverley Harper (USA) LGBRC 43 Catherine Malone (USA) Webcor Builders 44 Stefanie Graeter (USA) Webcor Builders 0.24 45 Liz Begosh (USA) Velo Bella 0.25 46 Kristin Johnson (USA) Basis 47 Martina Patella (USA) LGBRC 48 Gabriella Gonzalez De Ferrat (Mex) Velo Bella 49 Mary Rudy (USA) Acme Racing 50 Cindy Carroll (USA) Dewar's racing 51 Kimberley Cunningham (USA) Morgan Stanley/Specialized 0.26 52 Megan Monroe (USA) TDS/Schwalbe 0.27 53 Jana Roberts (USA) Sycip/McGuire 54 Kendra Wenzel (USA) Wells Fargo Ragats 55 Penny Avril (USA) Sycip/McGuire 56 Grace Fleury (USA) Genesis Scuba 0.28 57 Starr Falk (USA) LGBRC 0.29 58 Pat Ross (USA) MABRA 59 Mette Fischer-Andersen (Den) SATS 60 Troy Watson (USA) Dewar's Racing 61 Betsy Sellers (USA) MABRA 0.30 62 Kristin Caldwell (USA) Morgan Stanley/Specialized 63 Kate Landau (USA) LGBRC 0.31 64 Michelle Beltran (USA) Red 5 Racing 65 Crystal Yap (USA) Kenda Tire 66 Karina Louise Sorensen (Den) SATS 0.33 67 Carol Lynn Neal (USA) Kenda Tire 68 Leah Tingley (USA) Acme Racing 69 Sarah Bamberger (USA) Sycip/McGuire 0.34 70 Shawn Heidgen (USA) TDS/Schwalbe 71 Ginger Buller (USA) Velo Bella 72 Christina Peick-Andersen (Den) SATS 0.39 73 Yukie Nakamura (Jpn) Dewar's Racing 0.40 74 Megan Elliott (USA) Quark 0.45 75 Aimee Vasse (USA) MABRA 0.46 76 Lisa Hunt (USA) Morgan Stanley/Specialized 1.17 Men 1 Hayden Godfrey (NZl) Health Net/Maxxis 2.43 2 Gordon Fraser (Can) Health Net/Maxxis 0.03 3 Eric Wohlberg (Can) Sierra Nevada 0.04 4 Jason Lokkesmoe (USA) Health Net/Maxxis 0.06 5 Charles Dionne (Can) Webcor Builders 0.08 6 Chris Horner (USA) Webcor Builders 0.09 7 Dan Schmatz (USA) Health Net/Maxxis 0.10 8 Matt Dubberley (USA) Sierra Nevada 0.11 9 Michael Jones (USA) Health Net/Maxxis 0.12 10 Brice Jones (USA) Health Net/Maxxis 11 Scott Kasin (USA) Lucky Lounge 12 Glen Mitchell (NZl) Sierra Nevada 0.13 13 Gordon McCauley (NZl) Monex 14 John Reed (USA) Lucky Lounge 15 Roman Kilun (USA) McGuire 16 Jason Waddell (USA) Sharper Image/Mathis Bros 0.15 17 Trent Klasna (USA) Sierra Nevada 17 Mike Taylor (USA) McGuire 19 Nicklaus Kiernan (USA) Sharper Image/Mathis Bros 20 Neil Shirley (USA) Seasilver 0.16 21 Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Sierra Nevada 22 Daniel Ramsey (USA) Seasilver 23 John Kelly (USA) Webcor Builders 0.17 24 Justin England (USA) Webcor Builders 25 Devon Vigus (USA) McGuire 26 Cory Lange (Can) Canadian national team 27 Davide Frattini (Ita) Monex 0.18 28 Marc Collard (USA) The red Edge 29 Alexandre Nadeau (Can) Canadian national team 0.19 30 Brian Sheedy (USA) Village Peddler 31 Geoff Rapoport (USA) La Grange 32 Matthew Svatek (USA) Sharper Image/Mathis Bros 33 Peter Knudsen (USA) Seasilver 34 Aron Huerta (USA) Village Peddler 35 David Wenger (USA) Sharper Image/Mathis Bros 36 Todd Terlecki (USA) La Grange 0.20 37 Ben Haldeman (USA) Webcor Builders 38 Jacob Erker (Can) Seasilver 0.21 39 Imanol Ayestaran (Spa) Webcor Builders 40 Josh Klikna (USA) McGuire 41 Andrew Touchstone (USA) Lombardi Sports 0.22 42 Stuart Press (USA) La Grange 43 Dean Laberge (USA) Lombardi Sports 44 Mike Herdman (USA) Monex 45 Dennis Guikema (USA) The red Edge 46 Patrik Carro (USA) Monex 47 Kevin Schleuter (USA) La Grange 48 Tim Granshaw (USA) Lombardi Sports 49 Steven Cate (USA) Sharper Image/Mathis Bros 50 Adam Myerson (USA) Sharper Image/Mathis Bros 0.23 51 William Innes (USA) Lombardi Sports 0.24 52 Patrick Briggs (USA) The red Edge 53 James Hibbard (USA) Lombardi Sports 0.25 54 Keith Szolusha (USA) The Red Edge 0.26 55 Dominique Perras (Can) Canadian national team 0.27 56 Matthew Sadauckas (USA) Seasilver 57 John Hackman (USA) La Grange 58 Patrick Dunaway (USA) McGuire 59 Drew Deters (USA) Seasilver 60 Troy White (USA) Sierra Nevada 61 Colin Beardsley (USA) McGuire 0.28 62 Omer Kem (USA) Lucky Lounge 0.29 63 Russell Walther (USA) Lucky Lounge 64 Tim Gernitis (USA) Village Peddler 0.30 65 Bart Fidelus (USA) Lucky Lounge 66 Matt Bromen (USA) La Grange 67 Lucas Euser (USA) The Red Edge 0.31 68 Aliaksandr Ivavou (Blr) The Red Edge 69 Patrick Fetzer (USA) Monex 0.32 70 Daniel Hopley (USA) Village Peddler 0.33 71 Danny Kaukola (USA) Lucky Lounge 0.34 72 Rich Del Valle (USA) Lombardi Sports 0.35 73 Roberto Gaggioli (Ita) Monex 0.43 73 Alexandre Lavalee (Can) Canadian national team
