April 4, 2003 (Redlands, CA) – Genevieve Jeanson's win in the women's third stage of the Redlands Bicycle Classic wasn't exactly the nail-biter provided by John Lieswyn's narrow victory in the inaugural men's portion of the Panorama Point Road Race on Friday.

Jeanson's win not only extended her overall lead six minutes, it virtually sealed the RONA-Esker star's victory in the 19th Redlands event with just a criterium and a circuit race remaining.

Then there was Lieswyn, the 7-Up/Maxxis star who barely outdueled Prime Alliance's David Clinger across the line in a sprint finish. Lieswyn quickly told people, “I don't specialize in downhill finishes.”

But there were some circumstances that favored the veteran cyclist.”The wider the road, the smaller the group, the fewer the elbows I had to bang into,” he said, “the better it was for me. “Clinger emerged with the red climber's jersey, while Schroeder Iron Cycling's Miguel Meza claimed the green sprinter's jersey.

Lieswyn won the stage, but Saturn's Nathan O'Neill remained in the yellow jersey, by just a short gap ahead of teammate Chris Horner, the defending champion. Saturn cyclist Tom Danielson was third.

And Jeanson? One day after wiping out the field by nearly three minutes in a climb to 2,400-foot Oak Glen in neighboring Yucaipa, Jeanson belittled an impressive field again. She beat Saturn's Lyne Bessette by 2:26 in the stage, extending her overall lead to 6:01. “She does everything,” said Minute Maid's Katie Safford, who was pulled by referees with one lap remaining, “especially if there's climbing. She time trials well. I think she's even starting to get better in crits.”

The Panorama Point stage was a first-year race in the Redlands event. Women rode four laps around a 10-mile loop that included one 20 percent climb, along with a few other uphill pulls. The men took seven laps around the circuit.

Race official Craig Kundig, who supervised the newly-designed Panorama circuit race, said he thought the race went well. “We wanted to try and make the person who won Oak Glen have a tougher time defending the yellow jersey.” In past years, the Oak Glen stage winner almost always hung on to win the overall Classic. “Any time you take the mystique out of the race like that,” said Kundig, “it hurts. We wanted to do something a little different.” It seemed up and down all day. Said Lieswyn: “You had to do a 26 (gear) on the climb, but you needed a two on the sprint. You can't have both. This was one of the hardest 100-kilometer races I've ever done.”

 

Panorama Stage Race
Women's results
1. Genevieve Jeanson (Can) Rona-Esker 2.00.30
2. Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn Cycling 2.26
3. Manon Jutras (Can) Saturn Cycling
4. Amber Neben (USA) T-Mobile USA
5. Kimberly Bruckner (USA) T-Mobile USA 6.15
6. Felicia Greer (USA) Velo Bella 7.53
7. Magalie Lefloch (Fra) Rona-Esker 13.21
8. Tina Mayolo-Pic (USA) Diet Rite
9. Meredith Miller (USA)
10. Catherine Marsal (Fra) Rona-Esker

Overall
1. Genevieve Jeanson (Can) Rona-Esker 7.32.23
2. Manon Jutras (Can) Saturn Cycling 6.01
3. Lyne Bessette (Can) Saturn Cycling 6.04
4. Amber Neben (USA) T-Mobile USA 7.32
5. Kimberly Bruckner (USA) T-Mobile USA 9.36
6. Felicia Greer (USA) Velo Bella 15.22
7. Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Velo Bella 20.18
8. Leah Goldstein (Can) Victory Brewing/Amoroso's 20.36
9 .Alison Dunlap (USA) Luna Women's MTB Team
10. Katherin Maher (USA) 20.37

Sprint Jersey: Helen Kelly
Climber's Jersey: Jeanson
Team Overall: Saturn

Men's results
1. John Lieswyn (USA) 7Up/Maxxis 2.37.20
2. David Clinger (USA) Prime Alliance
3. Glen Mitchell (NZl) Navigators Cycling
4. Trent Klasna (USA) Saturn Cycling Team
5. Danny Pate (USA) Prime Alliance
6. Ben Brooks (Aus) Jelly Belly/Carlsbad Clothing 0.51
7. Jacob Erker (Can) Schroeder Iron Pro Cycling
8. Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Navigators Cycling
9. Jonathan Vaughters (USA) Prime Alliance
10. Chris Horner (USA) Saturn Cycling Team

Overall
1. Nathan O'Neill (Aus) Saturn Cycling Team 9.20.50
2. Chris Horner (USA) Saturn Cycling Team 0.02
3. Tom Danielson (USA) Saturn Cycling Team 1.03
4. Roland Green (Can) Trek-VW All Stars 1.08
5. Jonathan Vaughters (USA) Prime Alliance 1.09
6. Danny Pate (USA) Prime Alliance 2.08
7. Glen Mitchell (NZl) Navigators Cycling 2.17
8. John Lieswyn (USA) 7Up/Maxxis 2.40
9. Matt Decanio (USA) Prime Alliance 3.00

Sprint Jersey: Miguel Meza (Schroeder Iron)
Climber's Jersey: Clinger
Team Overall: Prime Alliance