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Zajicek, Abbott win Colorado series kickoff
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Phil Zajicek (Health Net-Maxxis) and Mara Abbott (Team High Road) won the kickoff to the 2008 Tour of Colorado race series on Saturday in Boulder.
The 9.14-mile Excel Sports Sunshine Hill Climb up Sunshine Canyon served up 3226 feet in elevation gain with a maximum grade of 23 percent. Conditions didn’t make the climb any easier, with temperatures in the low 40s under cloudy skies at the start and mid-30s with snow at the finish.
Abbott must have been in a hurry to get it over with — she set a record in the women’s race, finishing in 49 minutes, 26 seconds, eclipsing the previous mark of 50:29, set in 2004 by Ann Trombley.
Andrea Dorak (Colavita-Sutter Home) took the runner-up spot, crossing in 53:23, with teammate Tiffany Cromwell third in 55:42.
The men’s race was a more closely fought affair, with Zajcek winning in 45:06, 22 seconds ahead of Jonathan Baker (Vitamin Cottage) and 25 up on 3, Scott Tietzel (Jelly Belly).
Up next in the seven-race series is the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic May 24-26 in Durango. For more, see the Tour of Colorado website.
