The 2004 Redlands Bicycle Classic kicked off on a typical hazy Southern California spring day on Tuesday, and it was business as usual for two riders who have dominated the event in recent years. Chris Horner (Webcor), who has won Redlands three of the past four years, and Geneviève Jeanson (RONA), who has won two of the last three Classics, put an early stamp on what should be a tough week of racing. Each scored a convincing win in the 3.2-mile prologue time trial to the top of Mount Rubidoux in the city of Riverside.

Jeanson has had a slow start to the season, after having problems obtaining a license through the Québec cycling federation – eventually taking out a license through USA Cycling – and then injuring her knee at a race in the beginning of March. The Canadian looked to be back on track, though, at the Redlands prologue.

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

The Rubidoux course begins in Fairmount Park in Riverside, winding through residential streets for a little over a mile before passing through the gates of Rubidoux Park and hitting the slopes of Mount Rubidoux. From there, the race follows the narrow, paved path cut into the hillside lined with rocks and cactus, finally topping out at the 1197-foot summit overlooking Riverside.

Before Jeanson made her assault on the climb, no woman had come close to breaking the 10-minute barrier, with early starter Kristin Armstrong (T-Mobile) posting the fastest time, 10:20, that would survive the test of 121 other riders before Jeanson.

Among the final 10 starters, only Susan Palmer-Komar (Genesis Scuba-FFCC) came close to Armstrong, clocking in with a time of 10:23. But when Jeanson made her charge, it was clear that Armstrong's time wouldn't hold up. Before she reached the summit, Jeanson passed three riders who started before her, and covered the course in 9:58, off her mark from last year, but good enough to make her the clear favorite for the rest of the week.

On the men's side, Horner was the favorite before the race even started, coming off a win at the Pomona Valley Stage Race where he was clearly on form. However, U.S. Postal Service stole some of the early thunder when 21-year-old Belgian Jurgen Van Den Broeck stormed to the lead with a time of 8:59. Van Den Broeck's American teammate Dave Zabriskie was second-to-last to start, and he bettered the Belgian's mark, posting a time of 8:47, but behind him, Horner had made nearly made up the 30-second gap between himself and Zabriskie. Horner would throw down a time of 8:25, and put himself into the race lead.

Zabriskie takes second

Photo: Casey B. Gibson

But while Horner is in a familiar position, it's uncharted territory for the Webcor team he joined over the winter. "I just need a team to look after me, and get me to the bottom of the climb with everyone," he said. "The legs are good. I don't see anyone riding away from me. The form's the best that I've seen. It's fantastic."

Horner and Jeanson's form will be put to the test in stage 1 on Wednesday, the brand new Crestline road race. Eighty-five miles for the men and 53 for the women, the new point-to-point stage will cover windy high-desert roads before a mountain finish in the town of Crestline, and will be an early test for all the teams at Redlands.

"The last climb is very hard," said Horner, who drove the course on Monday. "If it's windy like it was yesterday, it could split before the climb. It's not hard enough to split up before the climb unless it's windy, but the climb will split everything."

Mount Rubidoux prologue time trial
March 23, 2004
Men
1. Chris Horner, Webcor, 5km in 8:25
2. David Zabriskie, U.S. Postal Service, 8:47
3. Jurgen Van Den Brouck (B), U.S. Postal Service, 8:59
4. Eric Wohlberg (Can), Sierra Nevada, 9:03
5. John Lieswyn, Health Net-Maxxis, 9:05Women
1. Geneviève Jeanson (Can), RONA, 9:58
2. Kristin Armstrong, T-Mobile, 10:20
3. Sue Palmer-Komar (Can), Genesis Scuba, 10:23
4. Christine Thorburn, Webcor, 10:29
5. Sandy Espeseth (Can), Victory Brewing, 10:33
fullresults