March 29/98 8:57 am - More World Cup News, Criterium International

Posted by Editor on 03/29/98
 

Women‚s World Cup #1

Centennial Park, Sydney, Australia - 100 km (35 laps)

1. Dede Demet (US) Saturn 2:35:53
2. Pam Shuster (US) at 0:02
3. Elizabeth Tadich (Aus) 0:05

Field at 2:38


More Mountain Bike World Cup Details

Our correspondent Hank Sydor has filled us in on the details of the women‚s World Cup race in Napa, California. The 7.1 km main circuit was very tough - much more so than last year - after numerous changes were made by the organizer in response to suggestions from the UCI. At the gun, Annabella Stropparo (Volvo-Cannondale) led Alison Dunlap (GT), Alison Sydor (Volvo-Cannondale) and Caroline Alexander (Ritchey) through two short starting laps, before Sydor gunned it to take the lead as the riders hit the main circuit.

„She was so focussed, so determined‰, said Hank on his daughter Alison. „She was taking the best line on all the climbs. Paola Pezzo (Gary Fisher) looked uncertain on the climbs, go to the left, and then the right, but Alison was very smooth and straight.‰

By the end of the first lap, Sydor had put 50 seconds on her rival Pezzo, who had moved into second, ahead of Dunlap. The Canadian rider never looked back, increasing her winning margin over Pezzo to 2:07 by the end of the race. Dunlap finished 4:16 back, and Alexander was 4th, 5:58 behind Sydor. Hank said that the majority of riders came in looking very tired by the end of the race, but that Alison appeared fresh enough to do another lap.

Canadian Ritchey pro Chrissy Redden DNF‚d, during the second lap it appears. We have not been able to determine the exact cause of her abandonment, but it looks like it was a mechanical.

Other race news:

• Sydor rode with a set of experimental cross-country disc brakes, something she has been testing all winter. The brake discs themselves are less than an inch and a half in diameter, and the brakes weigh considerably less than current models on the market (even less than regular brakes we are told). Hank reports than Alison was very pleased with the braking performance, so we may see something like this on the market within the year.
• Paola Pezzo was the mystery women of the event. Nobody even saw her training during the days leading up to the race. Known for her fashion statements on the race course, Pezzo was modelling clothing from her new signature line of cycle wear. During the race she wore camouflage shorts and a world champion jersey with gold lame down the side. On the podium, it was gold lame knee high knickers...

Criterium International, France

Stage 2 - Mazamet to Aussillon, 80 km

1. Rodolfo Massi (Ita) Casino
2. Alberto Elli (Ita) Casino at 0:05
3. Bo Hamburger (Den) Casino4. Kevin Livingston (USA) Cofidis5. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Polti all s.t.

GC

1. Davide Rebellin (Ita) Polti
2. Bobby Julich (USA) Cofidis
3. Bo Hamburger (Den) Casino
4. Christophe Moreau (Fra) Festina al s.t.
5. Luc Leblanc (Fra) Polti 0:25

 

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