Like all streaks, it had to come to an end sometime. Since 1997, German Petra Rossner has held a virtual monopoly on the Wachovia Liberty Classic, the 56 mile former World Cup run concurrently with the USPRO men’s championship in Philadelphia. This year, it was not to be, as Rossner, riding for Equipe Nürnberger this year after five years with Saturn, faced stiff competition from her former team as well as the all-American T-Mobile squad. After a year away from the Saturn squad, Lynne Bessette returned home to end her former teammate’s reign and continued Saturn’s, jumping away from three breakaway companions to take her first Liberty Classic win.

Saturn put the pressure on early, putting Katie Mactier and Jessica Phillips in a five woman move that formed when T-Mobile’s Dotsie Cowden went for Queen of the Mountains points on the first ascent of the Manayunk Wall. Cowden brought teammate Kristin Armstrong with her to balance Saturn with two riders each, while Nürnberger’s Austrian Margaret Helmsley covered the move for Rossner. The group powered away to a 25 second gap, and spent the majority of the second lap out front before being brought back into the fold by a Nürnberger and Diet Rite led chase.

Saturn and T-Mobile continued to string the group out along the flat Kelly Drive stretch and through the Logan Circle start-finish area. As the pace shed riders off the back, Saturn hit out again at the front, as Rona transplant Manon Jutras (Saturn) went away alone on the third ascent of the Wall and soloed to a 20 second gap, forcing T-Mobile to work on the front of the main bunch. Jutras held on long enough to lead the group into the final lap but was caught just before the Manayunk climb on the far end of the course.

Though the attack didn’t stick, Jutras paved the way for Bessette, who stomped away on Manayunk’s slopes, ultimately bringing Anderson, German champion Judith Arndt (Nürnberger), and upstart Lynne Gaggioli (Team Fuji) with her. Once clear and off the wall, Gaggioli attacked the group, staying away only briefly.

“I’m not sure how long I was out there, maybe a minute,” said Gaggioli, “I just wanted to keep it going. I wanted to be caught, then sit on and sprint.”

True to Gaggioli’s plan, the power trio reeled her in and she drifted to last wheel, safely a part of the first breakaway finish at the Liberty since the dawn of the Rossner era. The hammer fell again when the break hit Lemon Hill, the Liberty’s final climb, where Bessette jumped away to small but sufficient gap. The Canadian held off the break by a safe 9 seconds to keep the Saturn alive, while Gaggioli’s tactics paid off, allowing her to hold off the charging field and come around Arndt and Anderson for a surprise second place. Rossner showed she can still take any field sprint in Philly, hanging in for fifth place.

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

Wachovia Liberty Classic, June 8, 2003
Philadelphia, PA
Full results to come
1. Lynne Bessette (Can), Saturn, 56 miles in 2:23:16 (23.45mph)
2. Lynn Gaggioli, Team Fuji, at :09
3. Judith Arndt, Equipe Nürnberger
4. Kim Anderson, T-Mobile
5. Petra Rossner, Equipe Nürnberger
6. Kimberly Bruckner, T-Mobile
7. Karen Bockel, Rona-Esker
8. Ina Teutenberg, Saturn
9. Tina Mayolo-Pic, Diet Rite
10. Elizabeth Begosh, Snow Valley Cycling, all s.t.Miji Reoch Best Young US Rider: Lauren Franges, Victory Brewing Amoroso
Subaru Queen of the Mountains Winner: Dorothy Cowden, T-Mobile
Team: Saturn