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La Vuelta de Bisbee
Bisbee, Arizona, USA, April 25-27, 2003
Prologue - April 25: Mule Pass Time Trial, 28 miles
Miller and Jutras climb into leader jerseys in short, sharp prologue
by Stephen W. Medcroft in Bisbee
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The 25th anniversary La Vuelta de Bisbee (LVDB) began smoothly this afternoon in Southeastern Arizona's high-desert mountains. In fading daylight, a field of just over 200 racers tested themselves on a 2.8 mile prologue up Tombstone Canyon, a climb of almost 900 feet. The first racer fired off the time trial stand in downtown Bisbee just an hour before sunset. And as the sky finally turned dark and all results were tallied, Andrew Miller (Landis/Trek/VW) stood atop the A men's standings with a time of 9.42. Fast, but still 24 seconds off Malcom Elliot's 1993 course record.
In the women's event, Saturn Cycling's Manon Jutras edged out T-Mobile's Katrina Grove by 10 seconds with a time of 11.23. The lead of the men's Master's division was taken by Doug Loveday of Grand Canyon Racing.
Conditions were perfect for cycling with clear skies, temperatures in the high 70's and no significant wind to thwart rider's hard work. The only challenges were the climb -- and the clock.
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The prologue began downtown and ran first along old Bisbee's 100 year old main drag, a street that follows the curves of the canyon within which the town was built. Main Street is lined with a hodgepodge of historic buildings, art galleries, shops, and houses so far up the hillside the only way to the front doors are up long stone staircases. Gary Cassela of Team Iomega-Orbea said, "I love that this race went through town like it did. It had a real European feel."
The general classification for this four-stage race is now set. Tomorrow morning's stage begins with almost fifteen miles of descending which should keep things tense but together. But what goes down must come up as the stage ends with an equal ascent - which should shatter the peloton and re-sort the general classifications by who belongs to the team that works best together and who has the fittest legs for climbing. After the challenge of the morning stage is complete and riders refuel and rest themselves, they will be faced with a second time trial, this time 10.6 miles of more traditional terrain.
In the women's race, T-Mobile is working from a position of strength with three women in the top five overall. Saturn Cycling's Jutras is, of course, the current race leader but with only one teammate to work with, may be vulnerable to T-Mobile's pack tactics.
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In the men's A classification, several strong riders sit within striking distance of the overall. Most notable are Gord Fraser and Mike Sayers of Team HealthNet who sit second and ninth overall. Sayers is separated from GC leader Miller by only 15 seconds. When asked who will emerge as the Team HealthNet leader for this race, Sayers said, "We kind of let the race unfold before we decide. And I feel like I'm in the best form of my life right now."
When asked why these two high-profile racers skipped the current Tour of Georgia for the smaller but more historic La Vuelta de Bisbee, Sayers said, "We're a team that's only four months old. And although it hurts to see the results in Georgia and know we could be doing some damage out there, this race fits so much better for us." He says that preserving the team's funds so they can continue to be competitive throughout the year is a priority for Team HealthNet. "We don't want to run out of money half way through the year."
"Besides," says Sayers of the terrain of Bisbee, the fact that LVDB is fought over two time trials and two road races with uphill finishes, "this race is really great training for us."
Although there seem to be strong expected favorites for high placings, La Vuelta de Bisbee is a race where the lesser-known riders compete in the same pack as brand-name racers; a race that has a history of surprises. Let's not forget that Greg Lemond was sixteen years old and a wisp of the seasoned professional he became when he won LVDB in 1979.
Photography
Images by Stephen W. Medcroft
- Six USA Cycling Officials guided racers up the prologues course
- Bisbee is home to many 'artists' such as local resident Gretchen Baer
- And this is what they're all racing for
- The depth of local support extends to the construction of the time trial start gate
- The narrow, twisty streets through town gave racers a European-style prologue
- One of the Expert women prepares for her prologue start
- The T-Mobile National Women's Team brought a contingent of five racers to LVDB
- The T-mobile team put themselves in the best position with three riders in the top 5 of the overall standings
- The 2.8 mile prologue climbed straight up Tombstone Canyon, following a road that used to be a mining trail
- Saturn Cycling is represented with five racers, three of them A level men
- Brian Chimileski of the Duane Duggan Remax/Paketa Bikes club team is experiencing what it's like to race against top pros
- Concentrating hard in the start gate
- Gary Fisher/Subaru mountain bike pro Walker Ferguson begins what will end up a sixth place effort in the prologue
Results
Men Pro/1/2/3/4/5/juniors 1 Andrew Miller (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 9.42 2 Mike Sayers (USA) Team HealthNet 0.15 3 Scott Price (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 4 Viktor Rapinski (Blr) Saturn Cycling Team 5 Todd Wells (USA) Hyundai Mongoose 0.18 6 Walker Ferguson (USA) Subaru/Gary Fisher 0.25 7 Ron Hudson (USA) Sportsbook.Com 0.29 8 Tim Carolan (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 0.31 9 Gord Fraser (Can) Team HealthNet 0.36 10 Nic Brown (USA) Lemond Fitness/Captain Cra-Z Soap 0.39 11 Scott Blanchard (USA) Eclipse Racing 0.43 12 Gardie Jackson (USA) Healthy Choice-Guru's 0.44 13 Patrick Sullivan (USA) GS Ciao/Al's Barber Shop 0.49 14 Justin Peschka (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 0.54 15 Adrian Laidler (USA) LeMond Fitness/Captain Cra-Z Soap 0.55 16 Calvin Allan (USA) Broadmark Capital Cycling Team 0.57 17 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Saturn Cycling Team 18 Matt Bromen (USA) Minute Maid/Dasani-LaGrange 0.58 19 Scott Keller (USA) Speed Bikes 20 Alex Kozlov (Blr) Team HealthNet 1.01 21 Russ Langley (USA) Team Snow Valley 22 Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Sierra Nevada/Clif Bar 23 Rusty Beall (USA) Team HealthNet 24 Jason Tullous (USA) Grand Canyon Racing 1.04 25 Jeffrey Austin (USA) Arizona State Cycling 1.05 26 Todd Harriott (USA) Team HealthNet 1.06 27 Bartek Fidelus (USA) Celo Pacific 1.08 28 Doug Ollerenshaw (USA) Broadmark Capital Cycling Team 29 Chris Isaac (Can) GearsRacing.com 1.09 30 Ian Stuart (USA) Saturn Cycling Team 1.10 31 Eric Ransom (USA) Team Iomega-Orbea 32 Craig Wilcox (USA) Broadmark Capital Cycling Team 33 Jacob Rubelt (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 1.13 34 John Osguthorpe (USA) Heathly Choice Guru's 35 Sandy Perrins (USA) Healthy Choice-Guru's 1.14 36 Timmy Duggan (USA) Duane Duggan ReMax/Paketa Bikes 37 Peter Sanowar (Can) GearsRacing.com 1.15 38 Daniel Ramsey (USA) Sierra Nevada/Clif Bar 1.17 39 Ian Prichard (USA) Schwab Cycles/Torelli 40 Ian MacGregor (USA) Duane Duggan ReMax/Paketa Bikes 1.18 41 Sheldon Deeny (USA) RMCEF 1.19 42 Leigh Palmer (USA) LeMond Fitness/Captain Cra-Z Soap 43 Chris McGovern (USA) Team HealthNet 1.21 44 Bryson Perry (USA) Healthy Choice-Guru's 45 Andy Crater (USA) LeMond Fitness/Captain Cra-Z Soap 1.22 46 Scott Zwizanski (USA) Team Snow Valley 1.23 47 Evan Elken (USA) Broadmark Capital Cycling Team 1.26 48 George Ganoung (USA) NCVC/Edge Technologies 1.27 49 Eric Abrams (USA) Grand Canyon Racing 50 Eneas Freyre (USA) Lemond Fitness/Captain Cra-Z Soap 1.28 51 Colin Rooney (USA) E-Caps/Hammer Gel 52 Bill Innes (USA) LeMond Fitness/Captain Cra-Z Soap 1.30 53 Ian Dille (USA) Team Snow Valley 54 Barkley Robinson (USA) Schwab Cycles/Torelli 1.32 55 Brian Lemke (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 1.33 56 Jonathan Heidemann (USA) RMCEF 1.34 57 Justin Mayfield (USA) Team Iomega-Orbea 1.36 58 Jason Lockesmoe (USA) Team HealthNet 1.37 59 Jason Klikna (USA) Sierra Nevada/Clif Bar 60 Chad Beyer (USA) Giant/Domenic 1.39 61 Jeffrey Wardell (USA) Xybix Systems Inc. 1.45 62 Keith Miller (USA) Kissena Cycling Team 63 Michael Moore (Can) GearsRacing.com 64 Brian Chimileski (USA) Duane Duggan ReMax/Paketa Bikes 1.46 65 Kale Keltz (USA) CZ Racing 1.50 66 Hayes McNeil (USA) CZ Racing 67 Brad Scott (USA) Team Revolution Racing 1.51 68 Eric Brownell (USA) Honeywell Cycling Team 69 Jeff Hoppert (USA) Eclipse Racing 1.53 70 John Rogers (USA) ProCon Cycling 1.54 71 Tyler Thompson (USA) Broadmark Capital Cycling Team 1.55 72 Nathan Mitchell (USA) Giant USA 73 Matt Unger (USA) No Hair.com 2.00 74 Dan Maggiacomo (Can) GearsRacing.com 2.02 75 Dave Reid (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 2.09 76 Jacob Hunter (USA) Team Revolution Racing 2.11 77 Jonathan Parrish (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 2.12 78 Adam Hoppe (USA) Ochsner 79 Joe Sternberg (USA) Moots Bicycles 2.13 80 Abraham Taylor (USA) Sierra Nevada/Clif Bar 2.17 81 Jason Karew (USA) Eclipse Racing 2.20 82 Danny Kaukola (USA) Los Malos Racing Club 2.26 83 Josh Klikna (USA) Sierra Nevada/Clif Bar 2.30 84 Evan Hepner (USA) University of Arizona 2.31 85 Tad Hamilton (USA) Team Iomega-Orbea 2.34 86 Daren Schmidt (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 2.37 87 Bronson Criddle (USA) Unattached 2.40 88 Brian Hawley (USA) Sierra Nevada/Clif Bar 89 Joshua Powers (USA) Bicycle Ranch 2.43 90 Isaiah Adams (USA) Westwood Velo 2.46 91 Chris Abbruzzese (USA) Team Iomega-Orbea 2.52 92 Andrew Olson (USA) Evo 3.04 93 Gary Casella (USA) Team Iomega-Orbea 3.10 94 Dan Distefano (USA) Eclipse Racing 3.33 95 Roy Pickavance (USA) No Team 3.56 Women 1 Manon Jutras (Can) Saturn Cycling Team 11.23 2 Katrina Grove (USA) T-Mobile 0.10 3 Dotsie Cowden (USA) T-Mobile 0.23 4 Lynn Gaggiolli (USA) VeloBella 0.25 5 Kristin Johnson (USA) T-Mobile 0.43 6 Jennifer Wilson (USA) Mt Velo/Supergo 1.10 7 Elizabeth Begosh (USA) Team Snow Valley 1.11 8 Deneen Brown (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 1.27 9 Amy Moore (USA) Saturn Cycling Team 10 Cynthia Mommsen (USA) The Olympic Club 1.29 11 Maureen Brooks (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 1.33 12 Beth Leasure (USA) Team VeloClips 1.40 13 Johanna Buick (NZl) New Zealand 1.42 14 Joan Wilson (USA) TDS 1.43 15 Megan Elliott (USA) Saturn Cycling Team 1.49 16 Lara Kroepsut (USA) T-Mobile 1.52 17 Maria Molina (Gua) Guatemala 1.54 18 Yvonne Shouse (USA) Mt Velo/Supergo 1.56 19 Sarah Hammer (USA) T-Mobile 1.57 20 Kristy Scheffenacker (USA) Team Snow Valley 1.59 21 Amy Vinik (USA) Mt Velo/Supergo 2.03 22 Rebecca Cooke (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 2.05 23 Liza Rachetto (USA) ICO 24 Mary Kneeland (USA) ICO 2.15 25 Rebecca Stengel (USA) Mt Velo/Supergo 2.22 26 Chole Black (USA) Terry Precision 2.28 27 Juliane Mortello (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 2.30 28 Laura Stahl-Schmidt (USA) Terry Precision 29 Rook Campbell (USA) Hi Tech Bikes/Harbour Lites 2.44 30 Maria Castaneda (Gua) Guatemala 2.55 31 Maggie Luciano-Williams (USA) Team One Racing 2.58 32 Diana Hunt (USA) Unattached 3.06 33 Sheba Farrin (USA) LSV/Trek/VW 3.17 34 Mellisa Lemke (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 3.25 35 Nicole Habay (USA) Speed Bikes 3.26 36 Wendy Kuhn (USA) Team One Racing 3.29 37 Amy Zirneklis (USA) Unattached 3.32 38 Michelle Bote (USA) LSV/Trek/VW 4.33 39 Nicole Bossie (USA) Fuji 4.46 Masters Men 1 Doug Loveday (USA) Grand Canyon Racing 10.37 2 Brian McGuire (USA) The Olympic Club 0.07 3 DJ Fernandez (USA) CZ Racing 0.43 4 Kevin Riseborough (USA) Honeywell Cycling Team 0.52 5 Christian Reidys (USA) Ochsner 6 Scott Biaggi (USA) GS Tucson Racing 0.53 7 Paul Wolfe (USA) Grand Canyon Racing 0.54 8 Michael Middleton (USA) Team Rhino 0.55 9 Eric Sternlicht (USA) Simply Fit/Action Sports 0.58 10 Paul Carter (USA) Sharp's Bicycle Racing Team 11 Troy Love (USA) CZ Racing 0.59 12 Doug Powell (USA) AZphalt Cycling 13 Denny Vaughan (USA) Team Revolution Racing 1.05 14 Donald Lewis (USA) Team Rhino 15 Byron Mulligan (USA) NCCC 16 Craig Long (USA) ProCon Cycling 1.07 17 Mike Wracher (USA) Simply Fit/Action Sports 1.08 18 Raymond Dunn (USA) GS Tucson Racing 19 Joel Cleare (USA) Giant/Domenic 1.10 20 Rick Cimaglia (USA) Grand Canyon Racing 1.22 21 Corky Kurtz (USA) Unattached 1.24 22 Scott Bartel (USA) Unattached 1.26 23 Mark Schaefer (USA) Ogden One 1.28 24 Don Williams (USA) CZ Racing 1.30 25 Link King (USA) Team RPM 1.31 26 Tom Reid (USA) Everest Challenge/Eastside Velo 1.32 27 Jeff Traynor (USA) Pinnacle Peak/Mitchum Racing 1.34 28 Lindsay Crawford (USA) GS Strada 1.39 29 John Dehnnert (USA) Team Revolution Racing 1.40 30 Christopher Rutz (USA) Bicycle Ranch 1.41 31 Steve Stuart (USA) CZ Racing 1.47 32 Gavin Kennard (USA) Honeywell Cycling Team 1.53 33 Richard Allen (USA) Team RPM 1.55 34 Paul Cooke (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 1.57 35 Mike Pierce (USA) Honeywell Cycling Team 1.58 36 Brock Boring (USA) CZ Racing 2.01 37 Steve Morton (USA) Hillenbrand Racing 2.08 38 Darik Russell (USA) ProCon Cycling 2.09 39 Ken Jones (USA) CZ Racing 40 Duane Mulvaney (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 2.10 41 Rene Lucas (USA) ProCon Cycling 2.14 42 Phillip Austin (USA) Pinnacle Peak/Mitchum Racing 2.18 43 Brian Smith (USA) Pinnacle Peak/Mitchum Racing 2.23 44 Daniel Whitehill (USA) Honeywell Cycling Team 2.26 45 Mark Fosenburg (USA) Honeywell Cycling Team 2.27 46 Peter Erdoes (USA) Los Malos Racing Club 2.28 47 Erick Flores (USA) Team VeloSport 2.32 48 Rick Watson (USA) North Chattanooga Cycle Club 2.36 49 Vaughn Van Note (USA) Sharp's Bicycle Racing Team 2.37 50 Chris Thompson (USA) GS Tucson Racing 51 Jason Suarez (USA) Pinnacle Peak/Mitchum Racing 2.45 52 William Decker (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 2.48 53 Jerry Hutchinson (USA) Hillenbrand Racing 2.56 54 John LaSorsa (USA) Los Malos Racing Club 3.03 55 Bzur Haun (USA) Unattached 3.09 56 Craig Liming (USA) M&M Road Club 3.16 57 Troy Heineman (USA) Cochise County Cyclists 3.17 58 Edward Sullvian (USA) Unattached 3.23 59 Efraim Rojas (USA) Honeywell Cycling Team 3.31 60 Jeff Katz (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 3.33 61 Juan Quintero (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 3.38 62 Steve Diamond (USA) EddieB.Cycling.com 3.42 63 Joel Austin (USA) Simply Fit/Action Sports 4.06 64 David Anderson (USA) Team RPM 4.11 65 Mike Parrish (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 4.45 66 Leroy Bloom (USA) Cochise County Cyclists 67 Al Caccavale (USA) Landis/Trek/VW 5.33 68 Glenn Harris (USA) Cochise County Cyclists 5.50 69 James Buttke (USA) Cochise County Cyclists 7.32
