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Peterson, Bausch take stage 3 at Gila
O'Neill, Abbott keep leaders' jerseys
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Tom Peterson (Slipstream-Chipotle) and Dotsie Bausch (Colavita-Sutter Home) survived brutal winds — and in Peterson's case, a softening rear tire — to win the Fort Bayard Inner Loop road race, the third stage of the 2007 Ben D Altamirano Tour of the Gila.
Peterson’s victory came after his Slipstream-Chipotle squad shattered the entire men’s field within the first 10 miles of the 80-mile race. With gusting winds bombarding the peloton from the race’s start in Fort Bayard, five miles east of Silver City, New Mexico, Slipstream-Chipotle flexed their muscles on the opening climb to nearby Pinos Altos.
The plan was hatched after the team’s dismal showing in Thursday’s Silver City-Mogollon road race, won by Hernan Munoz (P&S Halcones).
“I don’t think people knew what was happening — no one was ready to go that fast,” said Petereson. “We were so stoked to do it. We just wanted to hurt some people’s legs after yesterday.”
The team attack shelled all but 20 riders by the summit off the Pinos Altos climb, and after a the switchback-filled 1600-foot descent to Sapillo Creek, only 20 riders remained at the front.
Race leader Nathan O’Neill (Health Net-Maxxis) was present in the lead group. However, the Australian opted to wait for his chasing teammates. Peterson seized the moment and attacked along with Nick Reistad (Jelly Belly), Ivan Stevic (Toyota-United) and David Solomon (P&S Halcones).
For 45 miles the four held a gap over the chasing peloton. Health Net initially showed little interest in bringing back the break, and let the gap hover at between two and three minutes. But with 20 miles remaining the men in green began reeling in the four.
“Nathan wasn’t very concerned, so we didn’t go full gas,” said Health Net manager Mike Tamayo. “We kept it steady but it wasn’t a huge threat. We tried to keep it around two minutes.”
But within the final 10 miles, Health Net stepped on the gas. The sudden acceleration had Peterson shaking in his cleats. Then, with 3km to go, Peterson’s rear tire sprung a slow leak. He opted to ride it to the finish.
“I was like, man, I’m really blown, but my tire was just soft,” he said. “I was thinking of how the team had blown themselves up to win this stage. I told myself that I had better make it to the finish.”
With Stevic and Solomon sitting in, Peterson drove it to the line just ahead of the surging peloton. Nick Reistad (Jelly Belly) took second and Ivan Stevic (Toyota-United) third in the same time.
O’Neill crossed with the bunch at five seconds back to retain his overall lead by 1:59 over Chris Baldwin (Toyota-United) and 2:48 over Scott Moninger (BMC).
The victory was Peterson’s first since the 2004 road race junior national championships.
“I’ve been waiting for this one for a while. I kept thinking it was just around the corner,” he said. “I mean, I should be winning stuff because I’m fast, but I haven’t been. I hope this is the first of many to come.”
Bausch beats the breeze
Bausch took the victory in the 77.9-mile women’s race by jumping out of the peloton inside the final kilometer. The strong winds and flat midsection of the stage kept the women’s field together, something that frustrated the Colavita-Sutter Home rider.
“There was a million attacks from us and Expresscopy, but with the really strong headwind everybody got back on,” she said. “I was like, you know what, we worked too hard not to win, so I went.”
Rachel Heal (Webcor) crossed second, three seconds back. Gina Grain (Expresscopy.com) took third in the same time.
Baush’s win came after two straight days of dominance by the women of Team Webcor. Mara Abbott, who seized the pink leader’s jersey after winning the Mogollon road race, retained her overall lead — she has 35 seconds on teammate Heal in second place and 1:05 on third-placed Bausch. But Bausch was adamant that Webcor was not overpowering the women’s field.
“Mara’s girls did awesome yesterday. Nobody could match it,” she said. “More power to her, but they’re not overpowering anybody. We’re here to race and we showed that today.”
Saturday brings the Downtown Silver City Criterium, run on a 1.08-mile rectangle. Men race 40 laps (43.2 miles) and women 25 laps (27 miles).
2007 Ben D Altamirano Tour of the Gila
Stage 3 Fort Bayard Inner Loop Road Race
Men
1. Tom Peterson, Slipstream-Chipotle, 3:15:09
2. Nick Reistad, Jelly Belly, same time
3. Ivan Stevic, Toyota-United, s.t.
4. David Solomon (Mex), P&S Halcones, s.t.
5. Richard England, Priority Health, at 0:05
6. Ben Jacques-Maynes, Priority Health, s.t.
7. Alex Candelario, Jelly Belly, s.t.
8. Chris Baldwin, Toyota-United, s.t.
9. Hernan Munoz (Mex), P&S Halcones, s.t.
10. Alex Howes, Slipstream-Chipotle, s.t.
Women
1. Dotsie Bausch, Colavita-Sutter Home, 4:04:10
2. Rachel Heal (GB), Webcor, at 0:03
3. Gina Grain, Expresscopy.com, s.t.
4. Ann Samplonius (Can), Expresscopy.com, at 0:06
5. Mara Abbott, Webcor, s.t.
6. Amber Rais, Webcor, at 0:08
7. Marisa Asplund, Tibco, s.t.
8. Amy Dombroski, Excel Sports, s.t.
9. Stacy Marple, Tibco, at 0:11
10. Leigh Hobson, Cheerwine, s.t.
Overall
Men
1. Nathan O'Neill, Health Net-Maxxis, 7:45:29
2. Chris Baldwin, Toyota-United, at 1:59
3. Scott Moninger, BMC, at 2:48
4. Hernan Munoz (Mex), P&S-Halcones, at 2:49
5. Ryder Hesjedal, Health Net-Maxxis, at 3:24
6. Tom Peterson, Team Slipstream, at 3:25
7. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes, Priority Health-Bissell, at 3:35
8. Stefano Barberi, Toyota-United, at 3:43
9. Burke Swindlehurst, Toyota-United, at 3:45
10. Anthony Colby, Colavita-Sutter Home, at 3:48
Women
1. Mara Abbott , Webcor, 8:28:27
2. Rachel Heal (GB), Webcor, at 0:35
3. Dotsie Bausch, Colavita-Sutter Home, at 1:05
4. Anne Samplonius (Can), Team Expresscopy.com, at 2:33
5. Amber Rais, Webcor, at 3:01
6. Brooke Ourada, Cheerwine, at 3:15
7. Leigh Hobson, Cheerwine, at 3:29
8. Nicole Evans, Team Lipton, at 3:45
9. Leah Goldstein (Can), Symmetrics, at 4:10
10. Sarah Tillotson ,Colavita-Sutter Home, at 6:40
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