29 mai 2000

Finn Sundstedt turns tables on Lachine's Jeanson in World Cup race

Pat Hickey, The Gazette

Finland's Pia Sundstedt had revenge on her mind as she wheeled to the starting line for the Montreal Women's World Cup cycling race yesterday.

After losing to teen sensation Genevieve Jeanson in the last World Cup race in Belgium, Sundstedt was determined not to let it happen again.

"She came to Europe and beat me, and I came to America to beat her," Sundstedt said after she and teammate Fabiana Luperini finished 1-2 yesterday. They completed the 106-kilometre course in two hours, 46 minutes and 41 seconds. They were 63 seconds ahead of third-place Diana Zilute. The winner averaged 35.42 kilometres an hour.

Never Challenged
Jeanson, the 19-year-old from Lachine, edged Sundstedt in La Fleche Wallone in April, but she never challenged in yesterday's race. And there was no sign of the expected duel between Jeanson and established Quebec star Lyne Bessette. Bessette, the 25-year-old veteran from Knowlton, was the top Canadian in 12th position - 2:31 back - while Jeanson was 24th in the field of 79 riders, 3:46 behind the winner.

"The other girls were just too good today,'' said Bessette, who has taken a semi-holiday over the past two weeks while moving into the first home of her own in Knowlton. "I've been gearing everything toward the Olympic trials in July and I found that I was very tired at the end of the race."

Jeanson, a double gold medalist in junior events at last year's world championships, had to battle nerves as well as the world-class field.

"I was very nervous," she said. "The crowd was extraordinary, and I think that I learned a lesson out there today. I have to work on my tactics before the Olympic trials."

Bessette and Jeanson are among six world-class cyclists who will battle for three spots on the Canadian team that goes to Sydney. While Bessette enjoyed the upper hand yesterday, she said she wasn't trying to send a message to Jeanson.

"This is a World Cup race and it's totally different from the trials. I'm happy to be the top Canadian, but the trials will be a different story."

The story yesterday was the domination of the race by the Italian-based Gas Sport Team, which consists of four top Italian riders and Sundstedt, a Finn who's more comfortable speaking Swedish.

"Swedish is my native tongue," she replied when a radio interviewer asked her to say a few words for the folks back home. She further confused things by saying that her favourite hockey player was Saku Koivu (Finn) and not Mats Sundin (Sweden).

Sundstedt and Luperini made a break late in the eighth of 12 laps over and around Mount Royal.

"I felt I had to attack early and we opened up a lead of about one minute, but then Mirjam (Melchers of the Dutch team) pulled us back into the pack. We made another move with two laps to go and that was more successful."

Sundstedt said the strategy was to push as hard as possible on the ascent from Mount Royal Ave. up Camillien Houde and on the second, nobody went with them.

Tried to initiate attack
Bessette said she tried to initiate an attack of her own on the 11th lap. "We pulled to within 15 seconds of the leaders on the descent, but Anna (Wilson) and I were working all alone and the Dutch riders behind us caught up."

Sundstedt raised her arms in triumph a full 15 metres from the finish line, and conceded that Luperini might have been able to beat her in a sprint. But cycling at the World Cup level is about teamwork and Luperini deferred to Sundstedt to help her in the World Cup standings.

Sundstedt jumped from fifth to second over-all with 129 points, 11 behind Zilute. Jeanson, the top Canadian, dropped from second to fourth with 75 points.

Tatiana Stiajkina, a Lithuanian riding for the Italian-based Accu Duo O-Lorena Camicale team, won the prize for the best climber.

Many of the World Cup racers will compete in a $5,000 criterium through the streets of Lachine tomorrow night.

page mise à jour le 29 mai 2000 par SVP