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Race Results

Sea Otter Classic Stage 1

nr San Francisco, California, USA

Stage 1     Stage 2     Stage 3    Stage 4

61km

RONA/ESKER’S GENEVIÈVE JEANSON SPRINTS TO THE LEAD AT THE SEA OTTER CLASSIC

Canadian Geneviève Jeanson of the RONA/Esker cycling team took the lead at the first stage of the Sea Otter Classic, held near San Francisco.  She outsprinted American Dede Barry of T Mobile and Canadian Lyne Bessette of Saturn, after a short (61 km) stage held on a course made up of winding climbs and descents. 

 Today the racers rode four times around a sinuous circuit, where they first had to climb more than 200 meters over 7.5 km, then descended a twisting road.  “The course was interesting, but nos as selective as I expected”, analysed Jeanson after the race.  Indeed after the first climb a large group of 30 riders still held together at the front.  One lap later, that group had reduced by half.  But on about 15 riders were five T Mobiles  (Kristen Armstrong, Kim Bruckner, Amer Neben, Dede Barry, Kim Anderson), against three RONA/Eskers (Jeanson, Magali Le Floc’h et Karen Bockel) and two Saturns (Lyne Bessette and Manon Jutras).  When the group reached the summit of the third ascension of the day and, Kristen Armstrong took everybody by surprise and broke away.  For abour 15 km she rode with a 35-30 second-lead.  The chasing group caught up with her in the last climb of the day.  

 In the last descent Kim Bruckner and Amber Neben slipped and fell.  They quickly made it back on their saddles and into the lead group, who slowed down when Jeanson called for a short truce. 

 The 15 leaders were in a pack when they approached the last turn, 150 megters before the finish line.  “There were several attacks during the last three kilometers, said Jeanson after the stage.  I stayed in the first rows of the group and took wheels.  Lyne (Bessette) took the last curve really wide, but Dede’s (Barry) line was perfect.  So I took Dede’s wheel and I managed to outflank her about 20 meters before the finish. 

First stage :  Redwood City Circuit Race

Stage standings and general classification after stage 1

Team RONA/Esker is one of only two Canadian women’s cycling teams in the Elite Category that are recognized by the International Cycling Union. The team is made up of four Canadian racers (Geneviève Jeanson, Andrea Hannos, Carrie Tuck and Erinne Willock), French racers Catherine Marsal and Magali Le Floc’h, New Zealander Melissa Holt, German Karen Bockel and American Kristen LaSasso.

 RONA is Canada’s leading hardware and home renovation retailer (www.rona.ca). Esker is a natural spring water from the north of Canada, sold in North America and Asia (www.eskerwater.com).

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