Stefano Zanini (ITA) of the Saeco team won the 2003 Wachovia USPRO Championship race today in a time of 05:56:21, while Saturn?s Mark McCormack of Massachusetts, who finished fourth, claimed the Wachovia USPRO National Road Cycling crown as the first American to cross the line.   An estimated 500,000 fans were in attendance for the 19 ^th annual Wachovia USPRO Championship.   On the women?s side, Canadian Lyne Bessette lead the Saturn women?s team to their sixth consecutive (seventh overall) Wachovia Liberty Classic title in a time of 2:23:16.     <?xml:namespace prefix = o /?>

In the men?s action, Formaggi Pinzolo?s Uros Murn (SLO) finished second.   CSC?s Julian Dean (NZL), who finished third today, dominated the Wachovia Cycling Series placing third in Lancaster and first in Trenton to maintain his lead in the 2003 Pro Cycling Tour Points Standings.   Saturn?s Trent Klasna (USA) captured the Subaru Master of the Mountain while teammate Viktor Rapinski (BLR), 22, earned the Wachovia Pro Cycling Tour Best Young Rider (Under 23) Award for the series.

In the women?s race, Lynn Gaggioli (USA) of Team Fuji crossed the line second in the Wachovia Liberty Classic and Judith Arndt (GER) of Equipe Nurnberger Fuji finished third.   For the third consecutive year, Lauren Franges (USA) riding for Victory Brewing Amoroso was awarded the Miji Reoch Award for the first Under 23 finisher.  T-Mobile?s Dotsie Cowden (USA) took the Subaru Queen of the Mountain.

For most of the race, a four-man break of Klasna, Jonathan Vaughters (USA) of Prime Alliance, Siro Camponogara (ITA) of Navigators and Tristan Hoffman (NED) of Team CSC rode in a breakaway that held as much as a six-minute lead, before the race regrouped for the final large (14.4-mile) laps.   Despite several furious attacks by former winners including Jacob Piil (DEN) of CSC and Fred Rodriguez (USA) of Vini Caldirola, the 30-man peloton stayed together.   Teams CSC, Saturn, Prime Alliance and U.S. Postal all sent their best riders to the front, and the 156.7-mile race came down to a field sprint.

Next up on the seven-race nationwide PCT is the August 3 ^rd NYC Cycling Championship presented by BMC Software.

Wachovia USPRO Championship results:

1 Stefano Zanini  MX1 05:56:21
2 Uros Murn FPF "
3 Julian Dean CSC "
4 Mark McCormack  SAT "
5 Max Van Heeswijk  USP "
6 Massimiliano Mori  FPF "
7 Kevin Monahan  7UP "
8 Henk Vogels  NAV "
9 David Clinger  PRI "
10 Mike Sayers  HNC "
11 Igor Astarloa  MX1 "
12 Alex Candelario  PRI "
13 Vassili Davidenko  NAV "
14 Oscar Pineda 7UP "
15 Chris Horner SAT "
16 Thomas Bruun Eriksen  CSC "
17 John Lieswyn 7UP "
18 Adam Livingston SCI "
19 Matthew White USP "
20 Tim Larkin OFO "
21 Eddy Mazzoleni  VIN "
22 Viktor Rapinski  SAT "
23 Jeff Louder  NAV "
24 Cezary Zamana  MRO "
25 Chann McRae  SCI "
26 Kazimierz Stafiej  MRO "
27 Mariano Friedick  JEL "
28 Simon Kessler  SCC "
29 Fred Rodriguez  VIN "
30 Scott Guyton  FLA "
31 David McKenzie  FLA "
32 David O?Loughlin OFO "
33 Geert Van Bondt  CSC 
34 Bert Scheirlinckx  FLA "
35 Paul Martin  WVC "
36 Chris Baldwin  NAV "
37 Zbigniew Piatek  MRO "
38 Michael Barry  USP "
39 Patrick Calcagni  VIN "
40 Andy Bajadali  OFO "
41 Jimmi Madsen  CSC "
42 Matt Decanio PRI "
43 Alan Iacuone  FLA "
44 Oleg Grishkine  NAV "
45 Steffen Kjaergaard  USP "
46 Antonio Bucciero  MX1 "
47 Michael Jones  WVC "
48 Dominique Perras  FLA 
49 Jamie Drew  FLA 
50 Danny Pate  PRI 
51 Juan Fuentes