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Zajicek, Abbott win Colorado series kickoff

By VeloNews.com
Published: May. 11, 2008
High Road's Mara Abbott blew the field away at the Excel Sports Sunshine Hill Climb.
High Road's Mara Abbott blew the field away at the Excel Sports Sunshine Hill Climb.
Photo: courtesy Tour of Colorado

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.