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Jacques-Maynes doubles up, Thorburn jumps up at Central Valley Classic

By Kathie Reid
Published: Mar. 10, 2007

Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health) is two for two in Bentley’s Central Valley Classic, adding a win in Saturday’s individual time trial to his victory in Friday’s stage-1 road race and solidifying his grip on the overall lead.

Meanwhile, 1994 national time-trial champion Christine Thorburn (Webcor Builders) rode to victory in the women’s race, vaulting from 16th place to take the white-and-black leader’s jersey from Tina Pic (Colavita-Sutter Home).

Australian Rory Sutherland (Health Net-Maxxis) was just four seconds slower than Jacques-Maynes, moving into second overall at 18 seconds back. Tom Zirbel (Priority Health), Brian Buchholz (BPG-Montano Velo) and Chris Baldwin (Toyota-United) rounded out the top five on the day.

While the weather conditions were excellent with sunny skies and only slight winds across the mostly flat, point-to-point, 16.5-mile course, Sutherland said he found himself "struggling for a bit of motivation" due to what he considered a bad time trial at the Amgen Tour of California.

"I wasn't really sure how it was gonna go. I was feeling the pinch a little bit from racing Cali’, and then straight here afterwards," he said. He finally found that motivation in a sense of obligation to his teammates, whom he described as "working their butts off" for him in Friday's hilly road race.

"Today, you know, it's good for my confidence, but what this does for the team ... showing the guys from yesterday that they did a job for a reason. It builds confidence in the team, for the staff, the riders. It'll hopefully give us some good speed for tomorrow,” he said.

"I'm interested to see what's going to happen tomorrow. You know, it's fun to be in a second spot, but it doesn't mean it's over. And if Ben wins, then Ben wins, you know?”

Women's race shuffles standings
The women's time trial blew apart the general classification, with the top five finishers assuming the top five spots on GC. Thorburn now holds a 23-second lead over second-placed Dotsie Bausch (Colavita-Sutter Home). Katheryn Curi (Webcor), Alison Powers (Colavita-Sutter Home), and Rachel Heal (Webcor) sit third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.

Having ridden this same course in last year's CVC, Thorburn noted that the good weather was greatly appreciated this year.

"It was more windy this year, [but] it was so cold last year when it stopped snowing right before we started," she said, laughing.

Bausch credited her runner-up finish to a winter focused on improving her time trialing.

"I wanted to be a complete stage racer, and that was my missing link, so I worked on it. I got a time-trial coach, and it's fun,” she said. “I've always liked them, and I just got tired of not being good at them."

Looking ahead to Sunday's final stage, a crit in Fresno's historic downtown Tower District, Thorburn said Webcor’s first priority will be “to maintain GC.”

“There's 20 seconds up for a time bonus tomorrow, so essentially, no one can pass me as long as the group stays together and they get the same time,” she said.

Nevertheless, Bausch remains optimistic.

"We have some interesting ideas for tomorrow,” she said. “We'll have fun out there still."

Race note
Friday's grueling road race saw 25 men and nine women DNF — in the first stage.

Bentley’s Central Valley Classic
Individual time trial
Men
1. Ben Jacques-Maynes, Priority Health-Bissell, 35:02
2. Rory Sutherland, Health Net-Maxxis, at 0:04
3. Tom Zirbel, Priority Health-Bissell, at 0:08
4. Brian Buchholz, BPG-Montano Velo, at 0:17
5. Chris Baldwin, Toyota-United, at 0:20

Women
1. Christine Thorburn, Webcor, 39:06
2. Dotsie Bausch, Colavita-Sutter Home, at 0:23
3. Katheryn Curi, Webcor, at 0:53
4. Alison Powers, Colavita-Sutter Home, at 1:15
5. Rachel Heal, Webcor, at 1:35

Overall
Men
1. Ben Jacques-Maynes, Priority Health-Bissell, 4:33:22
2. Rory Sutherland, Health Net-Maxxis, at 0:18
3. Chris Baldwin, Toyota-United, at 0:39
4. Tom Zirbel, Priority Health-Bissell, at 1:06
5. Eric Wohlberg, Symmetrics, at 1:15

Women
1. Christine Thorburn, Webcor Builders, 3:49:08
2. Dotsie Bausch, Colavita/Sutter Home, at 0:23
3. Katheryn Curi, Webcor Builders, at 0:53
4. Alison Powers, Colavita/Sutter Home, at 1:15
5. Rachel Heal, Webcor Builders, at 1:35