click image to enlarge Christine Thorburn during her time trial. Photo: © Graham Watson   Christine Thorburn capped a stellar season with yet another strong performance against the world's elite. This time, at the World Championships in Verona, Italy, Thorburn confirmed her status as one of the best women in the world in the race against the clock. When the dust settled, Christine took home seventh place, finishing as the highest-placed US rider. There was a brief glimmer of hope when Christine crossed the line; she had posted the fastest time of the day, with only eleven of the top riders still to finish. Her time continued to hold up as the next three riders failed to top her time as well. Eventually, the top finishers on the day came home, bumping Christine out of the hotseat. Not, however, until she had solidified her spot on the world's stage. During Sunday's road race, Christine rode a strong race in support of her teammate Dede Demet-Barry. With Christine's support, the duo just missed the 10-rider group that would contest the sprint for the bronze medal. Denied their medal-hunting glory, the pair came home amongst a 14-rider pack with Demet-Berry coming home in 16th and Christine in 20th. >> more press

click image to enlarge Stehpanie Graeter crests the Fillmore climb. Photo: © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us   Once again it was solid teamwork that set up Webcor's Olympian, Christine Thorburn, for a solid ride and result at the T-Mobile International. After her teammates kept the early goings of the race under control, Christine had to settle for fourth place behind an unstoppable Nicole Cooke (Safi Pasta Zara Manhattan). Indeed, with her teammates covering dangerous-looking moves, Christine was able to arrive at the fifth and final climb of Fillmore Street ready for the impending onslaught. When the smoke cleared, Christine found herself in a small group with teammate Felicia Greer for company as the race hit the final 10 kilometers. Heading into the final climb up Taylor Street, Nicole Cooke attacked hard, with Christine and Lynne Bessette (Quark) her closests pursuers. Despite a strong attempt to hold off her chasers, Christine was caught with only a few kilometers to go by a T-Mobile-led group. In the ensuing sprint for second, Christine was narrowly edged into 3rd place, for fourth spot on the day. >> more press

click image to enlarge Christine Thorburn on her way to 4th place. Photo: © Rob Jones/canadiancyclist.com   Christine Thorburn represented her country and her sponsors well at the Athens Olympics. After automatically qualifying for the Olympic Road Race by virtue of her victory in the Time Trial at Olympic Trials in June, Christine was also awarded one of the two coveted start spots allocated to the U.S. in the time trial. Christine proceeded to turn in one of the most impressive rides of the Olympics, surprising many in the cycling world with her strong fourth place finish. In the road race, three days earlier, Christine worked hard for team leader Kristin Armstrong, setting her teammate up for a solid 8th place finish. Christine came home in 15th place in a group just behind the front runners. >> more press

Felicia Greer rode a dominating race to win the Northern California Championship Road Race at Ford Ord, CA. Attacking hard on the Barloy Wall during the second of four lap, she formed a race-winning two-rider break. Helped by her teammates in the group behind, Karen Kurreck and Lisa Norris, the gap to her break gradually increased. Felicia then dropped her breakaway companion on the third lap to solo to victory. Meanwhile, behind, Karen dropped what remained of the race on the last lap to solo in for second, giving the Webcor Builders a dramatic one-two finish. >> more press

click image to enlarge Christine Thorburn winning Stage One . Photo: © Jason Elhardt   Christine Thorburn followed up her dominant performances at the National Championships and Olympic Trials with another victory. In a season of firsts, this time Christine scored her first NRC stage race victory, leading the 5-stage, 4-day Cascade Classic in Bend, OR from start to finish. Christine got off to an impressive start, catching and passing a solo Lynne Bessette (T-Mobile) in the final kilometer of a 10 kilometer finishing climb on the opening stage. Christine then added to her lead, scoring a victory in the stage two time trial by a scant 2 seconds over Kristin Armstrong (T-Mobile). From there, she turned to the strength and support of her teammates at the race, Cat Malone, Yuki Nakamura, Stephanie Graeter, and Betina Hold, to defend her jersey. Indeed, the effort was not without drama as an attack on the last stage by Kimberley Bruckner (T-Mobile) briefly threatened Christine's overall victory. With the support of her team, though, Christine was able to neutralize the threat and hold onto to perhaps her biggest win of the season. >> more press

click image to enlarge Christine Thorburn on the podium again. Photo: © Kristy Scrymgeour   Christine Thorburn followed up her miraculous ride in the time trial on Thursday to take second in the national championship road race. With the second of two Olympic spots up for grabs to the winner, the race proved to be hotly contested. After escaping early in the race with Kristin Armstrong (T-Mobile), the pair slowly worked their advantage over the tiring field in excess of 3 minutes with two laps remaining in the race. With T-Mobile unable to get any additional riders across to the break, the race came down to a sprint finish. At the line, it was a jubilant Kristin Armstrong narrowly edging Christine at the line to take the remaining Olympic berth. >> more press

click image to enlarge Christine Thorburn basks in the limelight of her victory and Olympic berth. Photo: © Kristy Scrymgeour   Christine Thorburn put in an incredible ride at the national time trial championships in Redlands, CA to win the national title and secure an automatic berth in the road race at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Surprising herself and her competitors, Thorburn blitzed the 24 km course to beat last year's national time trial champion, Amber Neben (T-Mobile) by 8 seconds. With the T-Mobile women ranked as the overwhelming favorites, Christine was able to put in a pressure-free ride to claim the victory. Also on the line in the time trial was one of two spots on the U.S. Olympic Team later this summer in Athens. With her victory, Christine secured one of those spots, fulfilling one of her biggest goals in what has already been a hugely successful season. >> more press

Christine Thorburn backed up a solid third-placed ride in the opening time trial at the Tour of the Gila with her first victory of the season on the NRC circuit. In the wind-swept Inner Loop Road Race, Thorburn took the win in a rather tempestuous sprint. Heading into the finish Christine was locked in a duel with Lynn Gaggiolli (T-Mobile) for valuable time bonuses up for grabs at the finish. Christine hit out the sprint a bit too early, but used her guile to force Lynn back onto the front with a scant 100 meters to go. Christine then launched herself again as Lynn moved erratically, forcing Christine toward the barriers and preventing her from having a clear shot at the line. The judges assessed the situation and then penalized Lynn, awarding Christine the well-deserved victory. >> more press

click image to enlarge Christine Thorburn basks in the limelight of her third-placed finish on the final podium . Photo: © Casey Gibson   Christine Thorburn finished up three days of solid racing in Monterey to grab third overall at the Sea Otter Classic. In a race that was tight form the outset, Christine found herself in the company of Lynne Bessette (Quark) and Kristin Armstrong (T-Mobile) yet again. This time, the three separated themselves from the field on the finishing climb of the final stage to arrive at the finish almost a full minute clear of their pursuers. Christine had to settle for third in the sprint, a result that saw her finish a scant 28 seconds behind Lynne Bessette in the overall.   >> more press

click image to enlarge Christine Thorburn marks the competition during the final stage at Redlands . Photo: © Casey Gibson   Christine Thorburn finished up an awe-inspiring week of riding at the Redlands Classic, claiming third overall, and the final podium spot, in the final general classification. Christine wrapped up her solid week of riding by finishing with the main field in today's final Redlands Business Center Sunset Road Race. Ably supported throughout the week by Stefanie Graeter, Yuki Nakamura and Catherine Malone, Christine consistently came through during crunch time, most notably during her ride on Oak Glen that netted her second place. Coupled with the success of the men's squad during Redlands, the Webcor Builders Cycling Teams have enjoyed a very successful week in southern California. >> more press

click image to enlarge Christine Thorburn on her way to 2nd place during the climb to Oak Glen . Photo: © Rob Karman and roadbikephotos.com   After a strong ride to grab third in yesterday's mountain stage, Christine Thorburn went one better during Stage Two of the Redlands Classic, grabbing second place behind a surging Lyne Besssette (Quark) on the epic climb to Oak Glen. Ably supported by Yuki Nakamura and Stefanie Graeter througout the stage, Christine was perfectly placed when Genevieve Jeanson (RONA) inititiated the fireworks at the bottom of the 10 km climb to Oak Glen. Quickly, the group was whittled down to just Christine, Jeanson, and Lyne Bessette. Then, with 3 km to go, Besstte attacked, Christine followed, and Jeanson was dropped. Christine helped put time into Jeanson in the final 2 km, with Bessette coming around her with 500 m to go for the stage win. With her strong ride, Christine solidifid her hold on 3rd place overall, with just 39 seconds separating her from first. The next few days will provide an exciting for the overall victory. >> more press

click image to enlarge Christine Thorburn on her way to 3rd place in Stage One of the Redlands Bicycle Classic. Photo: © Rob Karman and roadbikephotos.com   After an impressive ride in the opening day's time trial that netted her fourth place, Christine Thorburn demonstrated why she will be one of the riders to watch this year on the national racing scene taking home third place in Stage One of the Redlands Classic. Christine hung tough when Genvieve Jeanson (RONA) attacked hard at the bottom of the day's 6 km finishing climb. After finally succumbing to Jeanson's pressure, Thorburn worked with Lynne Bessette (Quark) to keep Jeanson in check on the climb. The pair then limited their losses on the 3 km descent to the finish, with Christine crossing the line in third. Redlands continues with the queen second stage, featuring the epic Oak Glen climb setting up a dramatic finish. Given her recent form, look for Christine to have a good ride when the course head up. >> more press