June 21, 2004 – The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series made its second stop
on June 9 – 13 at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Participation in the
Series resulted in an
increase in the size of the women’s peloton, from 80 in 2003 to 104 this
year, a record for women’s racing in Minnesota.

WPCS Individual Standings
Lyne Bessette (Quark Cycling Team) successfully defended her lead in the
Women’s Prestige Cycling Series by winning the opening stage of the Nature
Valley Grand Prix, the Mesabi Trail Time Trial, and never relinquishing
the leader’s jersey. The jersey often changes hands after the last stage,
the brutal Stillwater Criterium. However, Bessette broke away with
Annette Beutler (Lietzsport Cycling), Katrina Grove and Erinne Wilcox
(both Equipe
Rona), finishing second to Beutler and winning the Nature Valley Grand
Prix by a 23″ margin over Grove. The current Series standing are:

1 – 440 pts – Lyne Bessette (Quark Cycling)
2 – 197 pts – Katrina Grove (Equipe Rona)
3 – 165 pts – Genevieve Jeanson (Equipe Rona)
4 – 132 pts – Christine Thorburn (Webcor Builders)
5 – 121 pts – Susan Palmer-Komar (Genesis Scuba)

WPCS Best Young Rider (U26)
In the Nature Valley Grand Prix’s Best Young Rider competition, Erinne
Wilcox (Equipe Rona) edged out Joanne Kiesanowski (Colavita Olive Oil) by
15 seconds. With leader Genevieve Jeanson absent, Kate Sherwin’s (Team
Kenda Tire) strong performance at Redlands saw her take the lead in this
competition.

1 – 242 pts – Katherine Sherwin (Team Kenda Tire)
2 – 220 pts – Genevieve Jeanson (Rona)
3 – 220 pts – Erinne Willock (Rona)
4 – 209 pts – Lauren Franges (Victory Brewing)
5 – 154 pts – Stefanie Graeter (Webcor Builders)

WPCS Sprint Competition
Sprinters are also recognized by the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series.
Laura Van Gilder (Genesis Scuba) dropped out of the lead after failing to
start the last stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Gina Grain (Victory
Brewing) held the lead in the Nature Valley Grand Prix’s Salsa Cycles
Sprint Competition going into Stillwater, where she successfully defended
the jersey and took the lead in the Series.

1 – 385 pts – Gina Grain (Victory Brewing)
2 – 220 pts – Laura Van Gilder (Genesis Scuba)
3 – 165 pts – Andrea Hannos (Equipe Rona)
4 – 142 pts – Lyne Bessette
5 – 132 pts – Amy Moore (Quark Cycling)

WPCS Team Standings
Despite the absence of their star rider, Rona retained the lead in the
team competition thanks to outstanding performances at the Nature Valley
Grand Prix by three of their riders: Katrina Grove (2nd), Erinne Willock
(3rd) and Katheryn Curi (4th).

1 – 886 pts – Rona
2 – 683 pts – Quark Cycling
3 – 312 pts – Genesis Scuba
4 – 233 pts – Victory Brewing
5 – 204 pts – Webcor Builders

The goal of the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series is to highlight women’s
racing by giving them a spotlight that they don’t have to share with the
men. The Series grew out of meetings that began in Minnesota last year at
the first Yoplait Women’s Cycling Summit Conference hosted at the Nature
Valley Grand Prix. The summit continued in October at Interbike, with an
overwhelming number of women’s team managers and riders requesting that
promoters develop a race series that included most of the top women’s races

The Series began at the Redlands Bicycle Classic and continues at the Tour
de Toona / International (July 26-August 5) and then concludes at the
Bermuda Grand Prix (September 23-26).

Visit www.womencyclists.com for more information.