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Perras, Moore win Green Mountain opener

By Chris Milliman
Published: Sep. 3, 2004
Perras took the prologue hillclimb . . .
Perras took the prologue hillclimb . . .
Photo: Chris Milliman

With the Canadian border less than a two-hour drive away, it stands to reason that the Green Mountain Stage Race, September 3-6 in Vermont, would attract a sizable contingent from the Great White North. But the opening day of the fourth annual race looked more like a trans-provincial climbing championship than anything else.

Canadian riders have come in droves to this year’s four-day stage race, run in the heart of Vermont’s Mad River Valley, and two of them – Dominique Perras (Ofoto-Lombardi Sports) and Amy Moore (Quark Cycling) – won Friday’s prologue hillclimb.

The 8.1-mile, mass-start prologue eased riders into an increasingly difficult climb that rose 1276 feet in the final three miles up the east side of the Appalachian Gap.

The 30-year-old Perras broke away from the 100-rider men’s field with less than two miles remaining and held on for the win despite fading badly in the final 200 meters. Defending race winner Mark McCormack (Colavita Olive Oil) finished second, mounting a late-race surge that almost caught the blown Perras in the final few meters. Todd Herriott, McCormack’s Colavita teammate, rounded out the top three.

. . . but McCormack nearly got him when he blew in the final meters
. . . but McCormack nearly got him when he blew in the final meters
Photo: Chris Milliman

“I was happy to sit back and take second,” said McCormack, “but I saw Dominique blow up with 500 meters to go, so I decided to give it a dig. I didn’t quite catch him, but that’s okay with me. With this format time gaps don’t matter, but once I saw I had a chance to win I took it.”

The four-day race calculates general classification based on points rather than accrued time.

Moore’s win came more decisively, but with equal drama. After letting several attacks go up the road, including a dangerous move by New Zealand’s Johanna Buick, Moore found herself racing against Aquafina teammates Katherina Lambden and Liza Rochetta in the final 2km.

Taking advantage of a lull in the pace, Moore attacked the Aquafina duo and made the gap stick all the way to the finish.

Green Mountain Stage Race
Prologue hillclimb
Men
1. Dominique Perras (Ofoto-Lombardi Sports), 8.1mi in 29:45
2. Mark Mccormack (Colavita Olive Oil), at 0:02
3. Todd Herriott (Colavita Olive Oil Pro), at 0:11
4. Aaron Olson (Colavita Olive Oil Pro), at 0:14
5. Dan Timmerman (Maxxis-Spokepost.com), at 0:18
6. Robbie King (Louis Garneau Racing), at 0:21
7. Brian Sheedy, at 0:23
8. Andrew Randell (Jet Fuel Coffee), at 0:24
9. Chris Brennan (JDR-Trek-VW), at 0:31v10. Cristian Meier (Espoirs Laval-Societe Generale), at 0:31

Women
1. Amy Moore (Quark Cycling Team), 8.1mi in 34:57
2. Katherine Lambden (CRCA-Aquafina), at 0:15
3. Liza Rachetto (Aquafina), at 0:21
4. Amy Vasse (Velo Bello), at 0:34
5. Suz Weldon (Wines of Washington-King 5 TV), at 0:43
6. Zoe Owers (NHCC/Team New Hampshire), at 0:46
7. Hiroko Shimada (Velo Bella), at 0:53
8. Johanna Buick (Unattached), at 0:57
9. Jennifer Stephenson (Cervelo), at 1:12
10 .Lea Davison (Balance Bar/Devo), at 1:16

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