June 6, 2004 – The Wachovia Liberty Classic was held in Philadelphia today,
marking the twentieth edition of the USPRO Championships. Cloudy skies and
unseasonably low temperatures met a huge field of 186 women. Four laps
featured the infamous ascent of Manayunk Wall of 17% as well as two small
climbs on Strawberry Mansion and Lemon Hill. Defending Champion Lyne
Bessette had her strong Quark Team to defend her title, but the queen of
Philadelphia, Petra Rossner, was for certain the undeniable favorite.
Nearly every year but three, the Wachovia Liberty Classic has come down to
Rossner’s specialty: the 30 mph field sprint up the Benjamin Franklin
Parkway. Today was no different: the end result was Rossner making history,
and winning the inevitable field sprint for her seventh very impressive
victory.

The race was calm for the first fifty miles with no substantial break
leaving a mark. The peloton averaged about 24 mph, and the group was
together coming into the final ascent up the wall. Quark and T-Mobile all
took their turns at trying to escape on the climb, but Rossner’s Nurnberger
Team, confidently brought back every effort, clearly riding for a field
sprint.

In the final run into the finish, Rossner could be seen moving up on her
teammate Judith Arndt’s wheel, flanked by fast women Anita Valen (SATS),
Laura Van Gilder (Genesis-Scuba), Gina Grain (Victory Brewing) and Magali
LeFloch (Quark). But in the final meters, it was Rossner pulling away, with
plenty of time to raise her hands in the victorious salute with seven
fingers high in the air. Second was Victory Brewing’s Gina Grain over third
Van Gilder.

Defending champion Bessette had, possibly, the worst bad luck of the
peloton, suffering from a double flat, a crash and a mechanical which
required a bike change. With all the chasing, it was no surprise that
Bessette did not have the final punch the Quark Team had hoped for.
However, youngster Sarah Uhl had a strong ride finishing fifth overall but
winning the under 23-prize, awarded to the top American woman finisher.

From here the majority of the peloton heads to Minnesota, for the Nature
Valley Grand Prix, kicking off on Wednesday. Quark’s Bessette will look to
defend her lead of the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series.