Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

The 20th edition of the International Tour de ’Toona began Monday with Sheetz’s Time Trial wins by Nathan O’Neill and Lyne Bessette, making them the first to wear the men’s Waste Management and women’s Hershey Foods yellow leader jerseys.
Bessette, the Canadian Olympics hopeful, who races for Quark Cycling Team, beat fellow Canadian Olympian Susan Palmer-Komar by 15 seconds. Bessette is the defending women’s champion, and her Quark Team trails Team Rona by just two seconds in the team standings. Rona’s Genevieve Jensen, the 2001 winner, finished fourth.
O’Neill, of Colavita Olive oil, was able to out-pace the rest of the field by 15 seconds. While he took the individual overall lead, the former Australian National Time Trial Champion, was one of seven Colavita cyclists to place in the top 15, giving them the overall team lead as well.
American Olympian team member Danny Pate, of Health Net presented, finished 10th.
A constant rain forced the racers to take a cautious approach to the 3.5 mile course which begins in the city of Altoona and climbs to the historic Horseshoe Curve.
“It was raining very hard, but you don’t think about it,” said Magali LeFloch of Quark Cycling Team. “I have a secret,” she said as she pulled a piece of plastic out from under her jersey. “That way I don’t feel the wind.”
Over $95,000 in prize money will be awarded over the course of the seven-day event, which is North America’s largest stage-race. The event awards prizes equally among both men and women. The International Tour de ;Toona continues today with the Crown America/Cambria CVB Johnstown Circuit Road Race.

By Rick