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Jacques-Maynes and Powers take TT wins at Sequoia

By Kathie Reid, VeloNews.com
Published: Mar. 17, 2007

Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health-Bissell) chalked up yet another win Saturday in the 30km Exeter Time Trial that opened this weekend's Quad Knopf Sequoia Cycling Classic in Central California, while Alison Powers (Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light) took her first win of the season.

Two-time national time trial champion Chris Baldwin (Toyota-United) trailed Jacques-Maynes by 34 seconds, while Anthony Colby (Colavita/Sutter Home), Chris Wherry (Toyota-United), and Canadian Eric Wohlberg (Symmetrics), rounded out the top five.

Having just returned Tuesday from racing in New Zealand, Leigh Hobson (Cheerwine) apparently has overcome her jetlag, as she came in second place, 18 seconds off of Powers' time. Amber Rais (Webcor Builders), Suzanne de Goede (T-Mobile), and Alex Rhodes (T-Mobile) filled the remaining top five.

On an out-and-back course famous for climbs up both sides of Rocky Hill just outside of Exeter, the "Citrus Capital of the World," racers were faced with temperatures in the mid-80s and winds that seemed to blow every direction but behind them.

"Not a lick of flat road on this course," Jacques-Maynes said. "It's all rolling up and down...crosswind, sidewind, headwind...but the legs felt quick and I got to my pace easy."

The last one out of the gate, he was sent 30 seconds after Baldwin, and "having a rabbit there really, really" helped motivate him. Jacques-Maynes caught Baldwin the first time at the top of Rocky Hill on the way out, despite the slipping of his arrow bars when he hit a railroad track about 200 meters out of the start. From that point, it was game on as they traded the role of rabbit over the remainder of the course.

"We're very evenly matched," Baldwin reported. "You know, once he passed me, I could stay with him no problem, and I could pass 'em and he could stay."

On the final descent where racers caught speeds upwards of 50 miles per hour, Jacques-Maynes said Baldwin was "pedalin' his ass off...and I did kind of like an arrow tuck, and I was kind of gaining on him slightly...[then] it kind of leveled out and we stayed real even" to the finish.For third-place Colby, who referred to the course as a "suffer-fest," his performance today was indication that he's bounced back from a bout with the flu after the Amgen Tour of California.

"This weekend shows me that I'm on track."

On a pre-ride of the course done with media and sponsors the day before, Powers indicated that her goal was to win the time trial. "I've been targeting this race for a long time," she said. After she delivered, she said she knew her fitness was spot on. "After last weekend when I was 4th [at Bentley's Central Valley Classic individual time trial], I knew that I was going ok."

Hobson, who won the race last year, wasn't quite sure how she would do, given her return from New Zealand just days prior, but indicated that pre-riding the course the day before was key. "It helps to see the course...the more you know, the more little things, every second counts. Two seconds between second and third place [Rais], when it comes down to that, you gotta do everything you can do."

And Rais indicated that she "didn't have real high expectations for today, but I do want to focus more on my time trialing this season. I was looking at this like an early season practice run...but I'm really pleased with how it went, so hopefully it will bode well for the rest of the season."

Race NotesThe Quad Knopf Sequoia Cycling Classic that will conclude with the Visalia Criterium on Sunday, was particularly appealing to the women's field because the prize money is equal to the men's: $10,000 for the time trial and $10,000 for the criterium. At the end of race director Sheri Clark's closing comments at the media pre-ride breakfast on Friday, Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine) asked for the microphone.

"On behalf of the women's peloton, thank you so much for having equal prize money. It's a really, really, really big deal, and I can only think of one other race that we race the entire season where we have equal prize money [Tour de Toona], so thanks." Clark responded, "We're just glad you're all here, and we know you work just as hard as the guys do."

Amateur racer Brian Buchholz (BPG/Montano Velo) made it into the top 10 again this week, as he did last week in two stages and the overall GC at the Bentley's Central Valley Classic. "My legs were pretty tired after last weekend," he said. "[Today] was a big confidence boost...even though I came in a little tired, I was still able to crack top 10."

Quad Knopf Sequoia Cycling Classic
Exeter Time Trial
Men
1. Ben Jacques-Maynes, Priority Health-Bissell, 39:41
2. Chris Baldwin, Toyota-United, at 0:34
3. Anthony Colby, Colavita/Sutter Home, at 1:20
4. Chris Wherry, Toyota-United, at 1:24
5. Eric Wohlberg, Symmetrics, at 1:28
6. Tom Zirbel, Priority Health-Bissell, at 1:33
7. Sean Sullivan, Toyota-United, at 1:38
8. Ivan Stevic, Toyota-United, at 1:44
9. Brian Buchholz, BPG/Montano Velo, at 1:49
10. Justin England, Toyota-United, at 1:59Women
1. Alison Powers, Colavita/Sutter Home, 46:35
2. Leigh Hobson, Cheerwine, at 0:18
3. Amber Rais, Webcor Builders, at 0:20
4. Suzanne de Goede, T-Mobile, at 0:49
5. Alex Rhodes, T-Mobile, at 0:52
6. Katharine Carroll, Aaron's, at 0:55
7. Oenone Wood, T-Mobile, at 1:01
8. Felicia Gomez, Aaron's, at 1:24
9. Rachel Heal, Webcor Builders, at 1:28
10. Kim Anderson, T-Mobile, at 1:29