6th Great Lakes Cycling Classic
East Aurora, NY
August 24, 2002
Vogels Takes 6th Great Lakes Cycling Classic
EAST AURORA, NEW YORK: Australian Henk Vogels scored a convincing win at the 6th Great Lakes Cycling
Classic on August 24. Vogels and his Mercury teammates took control of the flat 4-corner criterium,
though they had a harder time holding the reigns than many pundits - themselves included - expected.
The race, held in conjunction with East Aurora's annual Toyfest, puts the race in front of thousands
of festival-goers. This year, they were treated to the best field ever to race through the streets of
this metro Buffalo village.
The first 10 laps saw relentless attacks and short-lived breakaways from the starting field of 47 riders,
but no one could shake free for good. Team Mercury had four riders in the pack, giving them more
horsepower than the pair from 7-Up/NutraFig- including National Pro Criterium Champion Kevin Monahan,
making his debut in the stars and stripes jersey, and 2000 GLCC winner John Lieswyn - could handle.
Likewise, top amateur squads like Toronto's Ital Pasta Team, and Go-Mart (with elite national champ
James Baldesare) the Mercury boys in check through the early going.
With 22 laps to go, the right combination finally went up the road: Vogels and Plamen Stoyanov from Mercury,
along with Lieswyn. After holding a scant 20 second gap for 10 laps, the threesome got out of site of the
field, and were gone for good. With one lap to go, Vogels shot up the right side of the road, leaving
Lieswyn helpless. The Aussie pounded out the last lap and coasted across the line for the $500 win, with
Lieswyn beating Stoyanov in the two-up sprint for second.
In other races, Buffalo's Steve Burget (Shikluna) took the category 3-4 race over Brent Bailor (Kwik-Fill)
in a breakaway sprint. East Aurora's own Chris Tirone claimed the Master 35+, while another East Auroran,
Janel Bedard, took the women's race. Junior Peter Edge claimed the Junior title, with Raymond Leeown
winning the 55+ group.
6th Annual Great Lakes Cycling Classic
August 24, 2002
East Aurora, New York, USA
Pro-1-2
Place Name Team
1 Henk Vogels Mercury
2 John Lieswyn 7-Up/Nutrafig
3 Plamen Stoyanov Mercury
4 Michael Sayers Mercury
5 Chad Gerlach Sierra Nevada Brewing
6 Paul Martin West Virginia/Go-Mart
7 Andrew Randell Kissena
8 Joe Guiliano Sympatico/Jetfuel Coffee
9 Andrew Pinfold Atlas Cold Storage/ Ital Pasta
10 Kevin Monahan 7-Up/Nutrafig
11 Don Zuck Pavan/Lindeburg
12 Tim Lefebvre St. Catherines CC
13 Jim Baldesare West Virginia/Go-Mart
14 Scott Moninger Mercury
15 Jeff Baumberger West Virginia/Go-Mart
16 Adam Myerson GS Mengoni USA
17 Buck Miller Sympatico/Jetfuel Coffee
18 Antoine Varghese Atlas Cold Storage/ Ital Pasta
19 David Fry Midweek Racing
20 Michael Moore Gears Racing.Com
21 Paul Rego Atlas Cold Storage/ Ital Pasta
22 Nat Faulkner Kissena
23 Boyd Johnson Peoples Cycling Team
24 Mike Luther Mercy CC
25 Jason Skalski Shickluna
Category 3 & 4 Men
1 Steven Burget Shickluna
2 Brett Bailor Kwik-Fill
3 Bill Mathys Allied Health
4 Bret Baronah Kwik Fill, Red Apple
5 Mustafa Iman Shickluna
6 Robert Klinshaw Handlebars
7 Colin Sandberg ESSM/GPOA
8 Chris Cioccio Kwik Fill, Red Apple
9 Ken Thomas Galyans
10 Vincent Bolt Tom's Pro Bike
Men 35+
1 Chris Tirone Tom's Pro Bike / BBC
2 Anthony Byrne Schickluna/ BBC
3 Chris Rassekh Guiness/MEAT
4 Jay Downs All-Ireland/Guiness
5 Michael Maring Kwik Fill/ Red Apple
Men 55+
1 Raymond Leeown D'ornellas
2 Peter de Pagter Handlebars CC
3 Larry Reade Buffalo Bicycle Club
Juniors
1 Peter Edge Team Champion, Tom's Pro Bike
2 Mark Pozniak St.Catherines CC
3 Greg Gunic St.Catherines CC
Women
1 Janel Bedard Handlebars CC
2 Ann Turin Amoroso's
3 Kathy Finnegan Queen City Cyclist
4 Elizabeth Perkins BBC
5 Annie Malouin ESSM/GPOA
