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Bruckner and Vaughters first atop killer climb at Solano

By Chris Baldwin
Published: Mar. 28, 2003
Bruckner on her own
Bruckner on her own
Photo: Casey B. Gibson

On a road so steep that many found it easier to walk their bikes over the final kilometer, T-Mobile's Kim Bruckner and Prime Alliance's Jonathan Vaughters took top honors on what has to be one of the toughest hill climbs in North America, the second stage at this year's Solano Bicycle Classic.

Bruckner maintained her overall lead in the Solano Classic, winning the Stage 2 hill climb up Mix Canyon under warm, but windy skies. Saturn’s Manon Jutras and Lyne Bessette bucked and swayed up the 22-percent grade locals like to call the "death zone" behind her to finish more than a minute and a half back. The last four miles of the 7.7 mile course was narrow, steep and twisting, causing more than a few of the women to dismount, take off their shoes, and walk up some parts in their socks.

Bessette
Bessette
Photo: Casey B. Gibson

“I was nervous last night, having the jersey,” said Bruckner. “I know Saturn is tough. So you always have your work cut out for you.”

The T-Mobile rider finished the course in 39:31, taking a 15 second bonus for being first across the line.

Nearly 100 women began Friday morning’s hill climb on the windy flat just south of the 7.7 miles up Mix Canyon. They rode together in a dash for the first turn and the beginning of the elevation, where the terrain lifted and the race began.

“Pretty much after we turned on to Mix Canyon and we hit the first hill, I think everybody decided ‘Okay, this is where we’re going to sit.’” said Lynn Gaggioli of Velo Bella, who finished 5th at 2:27 back. “The five of us left and the field disappeared.”

Along with Bruckner and Gaggioli, came Jutras, her teammate Bessette, and Canada’s Susan Palmer-Komar. Together the five worked to open a gap before the road turned seriously skyward. Bruckner set a steady tempo that worked to shed her opponents over the next 4 miles. With two miles to go she was alone on the hill but for the silent and shocked fans at the side of the road

“I was so glad to see the mile to go sign,” said Bruckner. “Usually people are saying ‘400 meters to go’ but here nobody was saying anything. I think it’s a fascination with pain. But at the steepest parts there were people cheering, so mentally that helped.”

Jutras finished in 41:10 for second place and a 10 second bonus, while Bessette was 15 seconds back in third.

Vaughters managed to hold off Horner, but by only a small margin
Vaughters managed to hold off Horner, but by only a small margin
Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Vaughters gets his legs – Horner holds his own
Prime Alliance made the men’s race more of a contest, laying it all on the line with a serious attack on overall race leader Chris Horner (Saturn) at the base of the climb. Saturn had sent riders back to pace Will Frischkorn from a near crash on the flat section and were three men short when Horner had to face Prime Alliance’s Matt Creed and Danny Pate.

That duo attacked off the front, but a combination of Pate’s dropped chain and a van on the course only frustrated their efforts. Teammate Vaughters seized the opportunity and pedaled away, towing the race leader with him.

“I stayed with Vaughters, who opened a gap immediately on everybody else,” said Horner. “It was just he and I and with acceleration it was a good 20 seconds.”

Up the 15 percent average grade, through the 26 percent inside line on the switchback and over a mile-long 22 percent wall, Vaughters and Horner pushed time and again for dominance on the hill.

Horner said his gear choice kept him in line. “Our mechanic put a 28-38 on. Most of the guys rode 27s and that was a mistake. A 28 was the gear to have, it was perfect, and I was never bothered bogged down with the gear, so I could get a good spin going.” Vaughters was not to be outdone by mere gear ratios, though, and he jumped at the end to take the stage.

“I think he saved a little something for the line,” said Horner. “Because he put in a punch coming around the last corner there and I couldn’t go around him for the line. He was riding really well today.”

Vaughters was calm after the race, happy for his first win of the year and impressed by the climb.

“I didn’t know what the climb was, but I kind of knew what to expect from the rumor mill,” he said. “It’s similar to the Angliru, just shorter and a little bit narrower. There’s another climb in Spain called the Lagos de Covadonga that it’s really similar to, as well.”

Prime Alliance’s efforts paid off in the team classification, moving them to first overall ahead of Saturn, followed in third by the Great Britain Men’s MTB squad. Oliver Beckinsale showed strong form on the climb, coming across in fourth, behind Prime Alliance’s Matt DeCanio.

Saturdays’ criterium in downtown Fairfield will offer the sprinters an opportunity to test their legs. Look for Vaughters’ teammate Jonas Carney, Gord Fraser (HealthNet), Saturn’s Ivan Dominguez and Marty Nothstein of the Navigators to shake the dusty cramps out of their hill-beaten legs on day three of the Solano Bicycle Classic.

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