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Miller, Jutras take Bisbee opener
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- Results
La Vuelta de Bisbee kicked off its 25th year of bicycle racing in southern Arizona on Friday afternoon with the Mule Pass Time Trial, a little leg-stretcher that climbed 837 feet in just 2.8 miles.
Andrew Miller (Landis-Trek-VW) won the elite men’s prologue in 9:42, well short of Malcolm Elliott’s 1993 mark of 9:18, but still 15 seconds ahead of Mike Sayers (Health Net), Miller’s teammate Scott Price, and Saturn’s Viktor Rapinski, all of whom were given the same time as Sayers and Price. Cyclo-crosser Todd Wells (Hyundai-Mongoose) rounded out the top five a further three seconds back.
Among the women, Saturn’s Manon Jutras proved fastest up the pass, winning in 11:23, also well off Leslie Schenk’s 1987 record of 10:33. But T-Mobile placed riders in three of the top five spots - Katrina Grove second at 10 seconds back, Dotise Cowden in third at 0:23, and Kristin Johnson fifth at 0:43 – while VeloBella’s Lynn Gaggioli snagged fourth at 0:25.
Saturday brings the competitors a double-stage day in what should be delightful weather, if they don’t mind a little pollen; temperatures in the 70s to 80s are in the forecast.
Racing begins with the Sulphur Springs Road Race, which features 79.3 miles and more than 2300 feet of climbing for the elite men, and 45.8 miles with a little less up for everyone else. The day’s action concludes with the 10.6-mile Warren Time Trial, which gains a mere 415 feet from start to finish.
