2007 International Tour de Toona
July 23-29, 2007
Altoona, PA
Race Report by Kirsten Robbins

Charles Dionne Anthony Colby

The Colavita/Sutter Home Cycling Teams presented by Cooking Light turned in exceptional results at the 2007 International Tour de Toona. Charles Dionne took home the green jersey as the winner of the sprint competition and Anthony Colby claimed the polka dot jersey as the top finisher in the King of the Mountain (KOM) competition.  The men’s team also made four appearances on the podium and garnered numerous ten top 10 finishes.  The women’s team ranked 4th in the team competition after placing four riders in the top 20 on general classification (GC). Alison Powers brought home a stage win and 4th place in the climber’s competition while Annette Beutler, riding for the first time in Colavita/Sutter Home colors, placed 9th in the climber’s competition and 8th in the sprint competition. The women also raced into seven top 10 finishes
 
Stage Seven (July 29, 2007, Atlantic Broad Band Altoona Criterium, 30 laps):  On the final day of the toughest stage race in the U.S., the Colavita/Sutter Home Women’s Cycling Team covered attacks that were shot off the front on every lap.  In the end, the race came down to an aggressive field sprint with Alex Wrubleski taking 5th.
 
With the green sprinter’s jersey and the polka dot climber’s jersey secure, the Colavita/Sutter Home Men’s Team went into the criterium on the hunt for a stage victory. Though they didn’t get the win, Charles Dionne sprinted to another 2nd place, followed by Davide Frattini in 5th, and Johnny Clarke in 8th.

Stage Six (July 28, 2007, Blair County Road Race, 98 miles):  A decisive day at the Tour de Toona as the riders must confront three mountains to total 98 kilometers.  In the women’s race, several breakaways were unsuccessful going into the tough climb up to Blue Knob.  The Colavita/Sutter Home squad was persistent, with four riders present in the front group of climbers. Dotsie Bausch place 6th in the stage and the team moved Annette Beutler into 8th on GC and 7th in the sprint points competition. Alison Powers maintained 4th place in the climbing competition.
 
The Colavita/Sutter Home Men’s Team finished the difficult stage with five riders in the front group who took Charles Dionne within 200 meters of the finish where he crossed the line in 2nd place, solidifying his lead in the sprint competition.  Anthony Colby won the climb over Blue Knob and took partial points over the remaining two KOMs to secure his lead in the climber’s competition.  View Anthony in the polka dot jersey here.

Stage Five (July 27, 2007 Martinsburg, 76 miles): The riders took a break from climbing and moved into a flat, speedy course consisting of four circuits around Martinsburg, PA totaling 76 miles.  In the women’s race, the field was stretched out for two full laps until a break of 15 riders rode off the front, which included Colavita/Sutter Home’s Annette Beutler.  She placed 4th in the break sprint and moved into 6th place in the overall.
 
With an average speed of 29 miles/hour, the circuit race was the perfect setting for Colavita/Sutter Home sprinter Charles Dionne who took third place on the podium.  Working together, his teammates helped Charles secure two of the three intermediate sprint points and regain the green sprinters jersey. View Charles on the podium here.
 
Stage Four (July 25, 2007 Hollidaysburg, 60 miles):  This year’s 60-mile race around Hollidaysburg was said to have been raced the fastest and most aggressive in the history of the Tour de Toona.  In the women’s race, Annette Beutler and Dotsie Bausch represented the Colavita/Sutter Home Women’s Cycling Team in the top 20.  GC rider Alison Powers ranked 10th overall, 4th in sprint points, and 4th in the climber competition.  Dotsie rode aggressively throughout the race as Cycling News captured in a photo of her ahead of Cheerwine’s Laura Van Gilder, who ultimately won the stage. 
 
The men’s race saw an unexpected breakaway gain time on the field. Coming to the finish, the Colavita/Sutter Home squad lined up to place Charles Dionne 2nd in the field sprint and 9th overall. Anthony Colby remains tied for first place in the climber’s competition with 16 points.  

Stage Three (July 24, 2007, Johnstown to Altoona Road Race, 98 miles):  The stage took the riders over two difficult climbs before ending with select group of 30 riders coming into Altoona. With a two-rider break off the front, Dotsie Bausch took 2nd in the bunch sprint and 4th overall.
 
The Colavita/Sutter Home Men’s Cycling Team had five riders coming into the finish with the front group for a bunch sprint. Davide Frattini was second as he took the last corner into the sprint but took 4th on the line after two riders rode slightly off course and jumped a median to land ahead of the bunch. The commissaries ruled on a nullified stage due to uncertainty of how many other riders rode off course to the finish line. Teammate Anthony Colby tied for first place with in the climber’s competition after picking up points over the two major climbs during the stage.

Alison Powers

Stage Two (July 24, 2007, Waste Management Vintondale to Cairnbrook Road Race, 48 miles): Colavita/Sutter Home’s Alison Powers broke away on a rain-soaked technical descent and continued on in a solo effort to take the stage win.  She gained a maximum of two and a half minutes before Webcor-Builder’s organized a chase from behind. Alison’s victory came 58 seconds ahead of the field, enough to take over the yellow jersey and put Colavita/Sutter Home in the lead.  Annette Beutler, making her debut in Colavita/Sutter Home colors, placed sixth in the stage.  As Alison told Cycling News, “We talked about my attacking on the descent because it is my strength." She continued, "The rain played into my advantage because my fear level with speed is a lot lower than the other girls because of my ski racing. I don't mind being wet, descending in the rain while not being able to see - that's because of downhill ski racing." Read Cycling News’ complete coverage of the stage here and view a rain-soaked Alison as she clinches the win here.

In the men’s race, Charles Dionne of the Colavita/Sutter Home Men’s Cycling Team presented by Cooking Light finished third after a bunch sprint to the line with teammate Davide Frattini following in sixth place.  Anthony Colby took the early lead in the King of the Mountain competition, winning the  first KOM over a steep climb just 10 miles into the stage and placed second in the final climb of the day. Anthony accumulated a total of 16 points to wear the polka dot jersey. The climbs caused a massive split in the peloton and reduced the front group to 60 riders coming to the finish line.  View Anthony on the ascent in the main break of the day in a Cycling News photo.

Stage One (July 23, 2007, Altoona Beasley Manufacturing Team Time Trial, 10 miles):  The Colavita/Sutter Home Women’s Cycling Team presented by Cooking Light placed third in the team time trial that kicked off the start of the 2007 Tour de Toona. A strong squad, including Dotsie Bausch, Iona Wynter-Parks, Andrea Dvorak, Alison Powers, Alex Wrubleski, Sarah Tillotson and Mackenzie Dickey, was enhanced with the addition of Swiss cycling talent Annette Beutler. The women showed their team unity over the 10-mile rolling circuit and finished the new event with six riders that crossed the line in a time of 25:05.
 
In the men’s race, the Colavita/Sutter Home Men’s Cycling Team presented by Cooking Light started their eight-rider team time trial with the combined talents of Anthony Colby, Peter Hatton, Charles Dionne, Johnny Clarke, Davide Frattini, Andy Guptill, Dan Vaillancourt, and Tyler Wren.  The team came through with six riders to cross the finish line and placed seventh overall.