Race Results

Redlands Bicycle Classic

LYNE BESSETTE WINS THE REDLANDS CLASSIC

California, USA

The Redlands Bicycle Classic is a 5 stage race, including a prologue

Final GC

Lyne Bessette (Team Quark) successfully defended her yellow jersey and won the Redlands Bicycle Classic today, beating RONA’s Geneviève Jeanson and Webcor’s Christine Thorburn.  This is Bessette’s second win in this Southern Californian event – she won the 1999 edition.   

Today’s stage, a 99.5-kilometre race on a scenic and tough course in Redlands, was activated by Canadian Nicole Demars (Victory Brewing) right from the first climb.  The peloton let her go, as she was down more than 28 minutes in general classification before the stage.  Her lead over the main field reached more than 2 minutes at one point, but American Susan Haywood (T-Mobile) launched a counter-attack and bridged to Demars with 5 kilometres to go. 

Behind, the field was not preoccupied by this struggle for the stage.  Bessette focused on defending her yellow jersey.  Still hurting after her Thursday post-stage crash, Jeanson didn’t attack.  She focused her energy on defending her second spot in overall standings, and her red climber’s jersey.  But she could not respond to attacks by Canadian Sue Palmer Komar (Genesis Scuba), who eventually scored enough points to win the red jersey for herself.

 Demars finally beat Haywood and the pair crossed the line about 45 seconds before the peloton. 

“I was fortunate that the peloton didn’t race more aggressively today”, said a relieved Jeanson after the race.  “I wouldn’t have been able to respond and I could have lost more than my red jersey.  This stupid crash may have lost me the race, I don’t know.  Still, I’m happy with my week; it was our first major race this year and the team’s chemistry is good, the spirit is excellent.  I look forward to our next races.”

 Team RONA will soon be flying to Europe to enter the Trofeo Banca Popolare Alto Adige, in the Bolzano region of Northern Italy (April 16-18), and the Flèche Wallonne in Belgium (April 21).

RESULTS Stage 5

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Final GC

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Team RONA (www.teamrona.ca) is a Canadian women’s cycling team in the Elite Category recognized by the International Cycling Union. The team is made up of four Canadian racers (Geneviève Jeanson, Andrea Hannos, Émilie Roy and Erinne Willock), three Americans (Katheryn Curi, Katrina Grove and Anna Milkowski), Israeli Shani Bloch and Australian Helen Kelly. The team has exercised a policy of zero tolerance for banned substances since it was founded in 2000. This policy is explicitly stated in all its contracts.

RONA (www.rona.ca) is the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products. Team RONA receives equipment and service sponsorships from many companies, including Colnago, Biemme, Shimano, Vittoria, Bontrager, Sidi, Limar, Selle Italia, USE, Cinelli, Look, CatEye, Elite, Finish Line, Cane Creek, Saris, Power Tap, Trialtir and Cycles Lambert.

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