March 21/05 3:45 am - # San Dimas Stage Race: Women's Stage 3 and Final GC Results

Posted by Editoress on 03/21/05
 

San Dimas Stage Race

Report by Jim Williams, Quark Cycling

After two days of steady to heavy rain the skies opened and showed the magnificent hills that surround the San Gabriel Valley. The sun and dry conditions were a welcomed change as the riders took to the Streets of San Dimas for the San Dimas Hospital Old Town Classic.

Generally the final day crit has very little impact on the general classification but with milli seconds separating the top two GC placings and 40 seconds in time bonuses up for grabs the outcome of the race was far from over. This set the stage for what would be an exciting day of racing. The pace of the race was fast from the start as the Webcor team and race leader Erinne Willock went to the front to discourage attacks and protect Willock's yellow jersey. The green of Webcor had help from the yellow of Quark because the first hot spot sprint contained points as well as time and Quark wanted to secure the Green jersey for Tina Pic.

As riders made the wide sweeping left onto the finishing straight Quark's Pic and Laura Van Gilder gave the peloton a bit of foreshadowing of what was to come as the crossed the line 1, 2 cementing Pic's hold on the jersey. Kristen Armstrong of T-Mobile picked up 3 seconds for 3rd and moved within 26 seconds of Willock. The field remained together and the pace remained high all the way to the second sprint which was once again won by Pic. Second was Webcor's Christine Thorburn gaining seconds to protect her teammates lead. Armstrong again took third.

From that point on the Quark team moved to the front and began setting up their lead-out train. With 2 laps to go it was all Quark with Candice Blickem, Audrey Lemieux, Helen Kelly driving it. Down the back stretch Annette Beutler took over lifting the pace even higher and sweeping left after the final corner. Pic then launched her sprint with Laura Van Gilder tucked right behind after spending the last lap sweeping her teammates wheel of the other sprinters. At the finish it was Pic with VanGilder in second with her arm raised high. The battle for third was won by Magen Long over Victory Brewing's Gina Grain.