6th Annual Great Lakes Cycling Classic - NE

East Aurora, New York, USA, August 24, 2002

Vogels Takes 6th Great Lakes Cycling Classic

By Alan Cote

Australian Henk Vogels scored a convincing win at the 6th Great Lakes Cycling Classic on August 24. Vogels and his Mercury teammates took control of the flat 4-corner criterium, though they had a harder time holding the reigns than many pundits - themselves included - expected.

The race, held in conjunction with East Aurora's annual Toyfest, puts the race in front of thousands of festival-goers. This year, they were treated to the best field ever to race through the streets of this metro Buffalo village.

The first 10 laps saw relentless attacks and short-lived breakaways from the starting field of 47 riders, but no one could shake free for good. Team Mercury had four riders in the pack, giving them more horsepower than the pair from 7-Up/NutraFig- including National Pro Criterium Champion Kevin Monahan, making his debut in the stars and stripes jersey, and 2000 GLCC winner John Lieswyn - could handle. Likewise, top amateur squads like Toronto's Ital Pasta Team, and Go-Mart (with elite national champ James Baldesare) the Mercury boys in check through the early going.

With 22 laps to go, the right combination finally went up the road: Vogels and Plamen Stoyanov from Mercury, along with Lieswyn. After holding a scant 20 second gap for 10 laps, the threesome got out of site of the field, and were gone for good. With one lap to go, Vogels shot up the right side of the road, leaving Lieswyn helpless. The Aussie pounded out the last lap and coasted across the line for the $500 win, with Lieswyn beating Stoyanov in the two-up sprint for second.

In other races, Buffalo's Steve Burget (Shikluna) took the category 3-4 race over Brent Bailor (Kwik-Fill) in a breakaway sprint. East Aurora's own Chris Tirone claimed the Master 35+, while another East Auroran, Janel Bedard, took the women's race. Junior Peter Edge claimed the Junior title, with Raymond Leeown winning the 55+ group.

Results

Pro-1-2 
 
1 Henk Vogels (Mercury)
2 John Lieswyn (7-Up/Nutrafig)
3 Plamen Stoyanov (Mercury)
4 Michael Sayers (Mercury)
5 Chad Gerlach (Sierra Nevada Brewing)
6 Paul Martin (West Virginia/Go-Mart)
7 Andrew Randell (Kissena)
8 Joe Guiliano (Sympatico/Jetfuel Coffee)
9 Andrew Pinfold (Atlas Cold Storage/ Ital Pasta)
10 Kevin Monahan (7-Up/Nutrafig)
11 Don Zuck (Pavan/Lindeburg)
12 Tim Lefebvre (St. Catherines CC)
13 Jim Baldesare (West Virginia/Go-Mart)
14 Scott Moninger (Mercury)
15 Jeff Baumberger (West Virginia/Go-Mart)
16 Adam Myerson (GS Mengoni USA)
17 Buck Miller (Sympatico/Jetfuel Coffee)
18 Antoine Varghese (Atlas Cold Storage/ Ital Pasta)
19 David Fry (Midweek Racing)
20 Michael Moore (Gears Racing.Com)
21 Paul Rego (Atlas Cold Storage/ Ital Pasta)
22 Nat Faulkner (Kissena)
23 Boyd Johnson (Peoples Cycling Team)
24 Mike Luther (Mercy CC)
25 Jason Skalski (Shickluna)
 
Category 3 & 4 Men 
 
1 Steven Burget (Shickluna)
2 Brett Bailor (Kwik-Fill)
3 Bill Mathys (Allied Health)
4 Bret Baronah (Kwik Fill, Red Apple)
5 Mustafa Iman (Shickluna)
6 Robert Klinshaw (Handlebars)
7 Colin Sandberg (ESSM/GPOA)
8 Chris Cioccio (Kwik Fill, Red Apple)
9 Ken Thomas (Galyans)
10 Vincent Bolt (Tom's Pro Bike)
 
Men 35+ 
 
1 Chris Tirone (Tom's Pro Bike / BBC)
2 Anthony Byrne (Schickluna/ BBC)
3 Chris Rassekh (Guiness/MEAT)
4 Jay Downs (All-Ireland/Guiness)
5 Michael Maring (Kwik Fill/ Red Apple)
 
Men 55+ 
 
1 Raymond Leeown (D'ornellas)
2 Peter de (Pagter Handlebars CC)
3 Larry Reade (Buffalo Bicycle Club)
 
Juniors 
 
1 Peter Edge (Team Champion, Tom's Pro Bike)
2 Mark Pozniak (St.Catherines CC)
3 Greg Gunic (St.Catherines CC)
 
Women 
 
1 Janel Bedard (Handlebars CC)
2 Ann Turin (Amoroso's)
3 Kathy Finnegan (Queen City Cyclist)
4 Elizabeth Perkins (BBC)
5 Annie Malouin (ESSM/GPOA)