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Results and Reports for May 25-31 2002

USA

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Iron Horse Bicycle Classic

Durango, CO, May 27, 2002

Twenty-Three-Year-Old Local Talk of Iron Horse

By Micah Joseph

Every year the Iron Horse Classic road race draws a strange assortment of racers, with mountain bikers and roadies both well represented. The 31st annual Iron Horse was no different. Batting for the roadies were racers like Marc Gullickson, Scott Moniger and Scott Price. In the mountain bikers' corner was Ned Overend, Travis Brown, and the Swenson brothers.

Then there was Thomas Danielson. Never heard of him? He's the 23-year-old Fort Lewis College senior who stunned everyone but himself during Saturday's 43-mile, Durango to Silverton race.

During the opening miles of the race the pack of Pro and Cat. I and II racers stayed together. As the racers reached the 17-mile mark, Kenneth Zimmerman (New Mexico) and Philip Zajicek (Arizona) made the first attack. They quickly opened a three-minute gap on the 25-rider pack.

On the way up the first mountain pass, 10,600-ft Coal Bank, last years winner Price (Arizona) attacked and the pack swallowed Zimmerman and Zajicek. One minute later another attack was formed. Five riders broke away and soon put a 1.5 minute gap on the pack by the top of Coal Bank pass. The five riders were Drew Miller (Arizona), Jose Bonilla Bonilla (Costa Rica), Henry Raabe (Costa Rica), Scott Moniger (Colorado) and Thomas Danielson (Colorado).

The five-rider lead group held down Coal Bank and midway up the four-mile climb up Molas Pass. Moniger, who rides for Mercury, began to slow and motioned to teammate Danielson to slow the pace. Meanwhile, the Costa Rican teammates pushed the speed faster. Danielson had no choice but stay with Bonilla and Raabe.

Moniger and Miller faded as Danielson tucked behind the Costa Ricans. Nearing the top of Molas pass, Danielson attacked, first dropping Bonilla and then Raabe. By the top he had a twenty second lead.

"In practice last week my coach said I suck on the downhills," said Danielson. "I knew I had to put as much time as possible between Raabe and me before we headed down into Silverton."

In the end it was the final downhill that decided the race. Raabe caught Danielson and outsprinted him to the finish. Bonilla finished six seconds later.

Results

Pro Men I/II
 
1 Henry Raabe (CRc)               2.13.13
2 Thomas Danielson (USA)             0.03
3 Jose Bonilla (CRc)                 0.09
4 Scott Moniger (USA) Mercury        1.44
5 Drew Miller (USA)                  1.44
6 Philip Zajicek (USA)               2.24
7 Frederico Ramirez (CRc)            2.24
8 Scott Price (USA)                  2.48
9 Esquivel Deiber (CRc)              2.48
10 Burke Swindle (USA)               2.48
 
Women I/II/III
 
1 Karen Bockel (USA) RONA         2.34.40
2 Elizabeth Matlock (USA)            1.25
3 Julie Emmerman (USA)               2.47
4 Christy Kppasz (USA)               3.00
5 Melissa Thomas (USA)               3.58
6 Sarah Tescher (USA)                8.00
7 Jennifer Hopkinson-Smith (USA)     8.30
8 Sheila Hall (USA)                 11.02
9 Jennifer Tribe (USA)              15.15
10 Alisa Moore (USA)                16.05

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