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Univest Grand Prix - 1.6
Souderton, Pennsylvania, USA, September 18, 2004
2003 Results Results Past winners Univest GP Criterium
France's Bonsergent beats hurricane, field to win Univest GP
By John Eustice in Souderton, Pa
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Hurricane Ivan changed, but did not stop the Univest Grand Prix. The storm hit the Philadelphia region early on Saturday morning and as reports of washed out roads and flooding came in, the race organizers decided to cancel the opening 100 kilometer loop of the race course, and hold the entire event, now 130 kilometers, on the grueling 4.8 kilometer finishing circuit.
The Belgian, French and Dutch teams clearly felt at home in the torrential conditions, and with the wind gusting at 2030 mph, they went on the attack. Aggressive moves by Pascal Leivens and Kevin Maene of the Belgian team, the Belgian-based American Brian Sheedy of the Cycling Center, Frank Kantem of the Netherlands, and Stephane Bonsergent of France ignited the race. Sheehy eventually escaped alone at kilometer 50, was joined by Bonsergent at kilometer 62, and dropped by the Frenchman at kilometer 76. Bonsergent forged on alone, building up a 1'30 lead with 40 kilometers to the finish, scooping up all of the sprinter and climber points along the way.
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With 24 kilometers to go, Leivens jumped from the chasing group that included three of his teammates, and bridged to Bonsergent. The classic French/Belgian match-up came onto the finishing straight 20 seconds of a rapidly closing Maene. With Belgian pressure coming up from behind, Bonsergent lead out the sprint, and found the strength to hold off Leivens in a photo finish.
"I've won five races this year, but this one is the most beautiful victory" stated the Frenchman after the finish.
The Univest Grand Prix weekend wraps up on Sunday with an 80 kilometer criterium in Doylestown, Pa.
Photography
Images by Jonathan S. McElvery/www.jsmcelvery.com
- It pays to be at the front...
- These spectators could be mistaken for Ewoks from Star Wars.
- Action from downtown Souderton, Pa.
- Faster than a speeding camera shutter.
- Eeventual winner Stephane Bonsergent.
- Stephane Bonsergent leads the winning break.
- Michael Lange finished sixth.
- Belgium's Pascal Lievens briged up to Bonsergent with 24km to go.
- Lievens's countryman Kevin Maene finished third.
- The men's podium.
Results
1 Stephane Bonsergent (Fra) France /Alderfer Auction Company 3.19.05 2 Pascal Lievens (Bel) Belgium/Etta Maes Antiques Company 3 Kevin Maene (Bel) Belgium/Etta Maes Antiques Company 0.18 4 Ryan Roth (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee 0.50 5 Frank Kwanten (Ned) Holland/Yum Yum Bake Shops 6 Michael Lange (USA) Sharper Image/Colavita-Mathis Brothers 0.58 7 Tom Huyvaert (Bel) Belgium/Etta Maes Antiques Company 1.32 8 David Wenger (USA) Sharper Image/Colavita-Mathis Brothers 9 Russ Langley (USA) Team Snow Valley 2.58 10 Brian Sheedy (USA) ABC-Cycling Center 3.02 11 Frederik Toortelboom (Bel) Belgium/Etta Maes Antiques Company 12 Jelle Hanseeuw (Bel) Belgium/Etta Maes Antiques Company 3.07 13 Tim Henry (USA) Jittery Joe's 3.11 14 Mike Voigt (USA) ABC-Cycling Center 15 Jurgen Van Pelt (Ned) Holland/Yum Yum Bake Shops 16 Jonathan Erdelyi (USA) Velocity Sports/CCE 17 Morris Possoni (Ita) Italy/Doylestown Hospital 18 Joseph Papp (USA) America's Cycling Team-UPMC 3.54 19 Garrett Peltonen (USA) Endeavor Cycling Team 20 Cameron Hughes (Aus) Subway-Express 21 Jake Rosenbarger (USA) Jittery Joe's 22 Yoann Simon (Fra) France /Alderfer Auction Company 23 Andy Lannoo (Bel) Belgium/Etta Maes Antiques Company 24 Bryan Smith (USA) Endeavor Cycling Team 4.29 25 Jean Baptiste-Beraud (Fra) France /Alderfer Auction Company 4.43 26 Jenning Huizinga (Ned) Holland/Yum Yum Bake Shops 27 Roel De Vries (Ned) Holland/Yum Yum Bake Shops 6.42 28 Eneas Freyre (USA) America's Cycling Team-UPMC 7.25 29 Reid Peacock (USA) Velocity Sports/CCE 30 Eugene Boronow (USA) GS Mengoni 31 David Jungels (Fra) France /Alderfer Auction Company
Past winners
Men 2003 Ted Huang (USA) Webcor Cycling Team 2002 Todd Herriott (USA) CRCA/Think Racing 2001 Not held 2000 Bert Dewaele (USA) Men 2003 Ashley Kimmet (USA) Colavita Womens Elite Cycling Team 2002 Jeannie Longo (Fra) 2001 Not held 2000 Leigh Hobson (Can)
