Redlands Bicycle Classic - Sunset Road Race - Lisa Campbell

 Redlands Bicycle Classic – Stage 3 – (or 4… if you count the TT…which my legs definitely counted…)

Sunset Road Race

Well, day 4 of one of the hardest stage races in North America was definitely that…hard. However, unlike last weekend, Mother Nature took pity on us and we had dry roads and clear skies at the start of our race. The men were not so lucky and had to race in a downpour, a déjà-vu to last weekend’s San Dimas Road Race. Did I mention this race was hard? Our field of 87 women was whittled down to 57 by the end of this stage…57 finishers out of 87, that should say most of it…but I will fill you in anyway.

There were 4 of us left to start this stage, me, Amber, Joy (our awesome guest rider and adopted teammate), and Jenny. PC, Bea and Holly just missed time cuts in the Beaumont Road Race so they raced the Redlands Criterium while we were warming up for Sunset.

The race starts with a “neutral”, approximately 5 mile roll out. Last year this neutral was so fast I thought my lungs were going to burst, this year it truly was neutral, thank god, but everyone was chomping at the bit and there were a few close calls as girls pushed close to the lead car. We were quickly brought back down to speed by the red paddle yielding official. Once the neutral roll out is over, game on…literally. Joy came by me and said “get ready, it’s gonna get fast”. I am not going to lie, I wanted to cry. I knew I was racing on fumes and sheer willpower and the desire to not let my team, my coach, or my family down. (My husband and father drove out, not really so much to watch me race, but to enjoy Dennis’s barbecue in the feedzone.  PC was seen running alongside several of the pros with meat in hand yelling “sausage, anyone want a sausage?”...)

And fast it got, as soon as we turned to make our way on to lap 1 of the Sunset loop and hit the climb on ridge road, the field split. I saw Joy go up the road, and I wasn’t sure where Amber was, I thought I felt her getting pushed slightly to the back and Jenny is so little I didn’t know if she was in front of or behind me (she was in front of me). The relentless climbing continues for the first few miles and into the feed zone. Joy’s group was pushing hard to try and catch the peloton (about 20 of the fastest women in the United States who were about 40 seconds up the road) and our group was pushing hard to catch on to Joy’s group. Just as we came through the feed zone we latched on to Joy’s group. I didn’t see Amber and it took me 4 laps, and I am not exaggerating. It took me 4 laps to be able to muster the energy to yell to our great support in the feed zone “where’s Amber?” But it came out as a whisper and no one heard me. I knew she was probably a casualty of that split second of time where you just miss grabbing on to the peloton…and then you are history on this course. It’s full of twists, turns, and screaming descents that make it so hard to get back on when you have a big peloton working like mad to win. I was right; Amber needed a lap to get her legs in gear, and unfortunately didn’t have anyone to work with because she kept dropping them on the climbs. But she stayed in for as long as the officials would let her and that is good enough for a finish, and on this course that is awesome. Next year she will be in that peloton, of that I am sure.

So Joy, Jenny and I pushed on with our group of 20 something riders. We knew the race was ahead of us and we were just racing to finish. Joy looked like she was out for a Sunday ride, she lead us down the descents and up the hills. I just focused on her to get me through. Jenny also looked like she was not feeling any pain, strong and smooth. Jenny and Joy stayed in front on the descents and I was last or second to last, playing catch up in various spots, which didn’t help my already maxed out legs. I had two scary moments of fishtailing on the steeper off camber descents in the beginning of the race and it took its toll on my mental state. As Amber so aptly described herself at one point to be, “descending like a grandma”, I’d like to say that I was also participating in the grandma moves during this race.

The next 8 laps were just repeats of each other for us. I got up to 47mph on some of the descents, then we’d push up through the climb, descend again…repeat. A nice pro told me I was “holding on the brakes just a tad too long”. I thanked her and then continued to hold on to my brakes too long. The moto told us as we finished our 8^th lap that we were being pulled at the “fire station”. If the leaders are starting their last lap before you start yours, you can’t finish the last lap. But I only made it 4 laps last year, so 8 laps was okay with me. The fire station is where the officials sit and take your number if you get pulled, or if you pull out. When we got to the fire station I was so bonked that I just leaned over my bike. All the girls had their jerseys off and were unpinning their numbers. I could not seem to muster enough coordination to do this, so a nice man came over and said “here, let me take your number off”. He also asked me if I needed medical, (which I did not tell anyone…because it was a little embarrassing.) I said I was fine now that my legs were not moving. I ate every Gu chomp I had emptied into my pocket, sucked down every Gu gel I had and emptied my bottles. I can honestly say that I left EVERYTHING on that mountain. I’m not proud of it, I would have liked to finished strong, or stayed with the peloton for a lap or two…but when we got back to the team  van and everyone was there, joking, laughing, and congratulating…I forgot my disappointment. I only felt pride and remembered how lucky I was to be on this team, riding with people that are like family to me. The best group of women on wheels in southern California. 

Redlands Criterium Cat 1-3 - March 25, 2012 - by Bonnie Breeze

Redlands Cycling Classic is such a phenomenal event!  Not only does the city provide the best season opening stage race, they also put on a single day event for those of us that did not participate in the stage race portion of the Redlands Cycling Classic.

This year the Women’s Category 1-3 races proved to be very competitive.  With approximately 45 riders at the start line and primes offered almost every other lap, this race was as competitive as they come.  The .9 mile course had six corners with a slight uphill finish.

From the gun, this race was fast and furious…everyone was eager to pick up some quick cash as $100 and $150 primes were on the line.   Many escapes from the field were made, none being successful.

With two laps to go, Team Helen’s began to line up their lead out.  Having discussed this with the team prior to the race, I was at the front, sitting 3^rd place behind Helen’s ready to rev the engines for as long as I could for the final lap.  When we came around for the bell lap, I was sitting to the left of the Helen’s train going into a right hand turn….doh……and went too wide for the drive up the incline through the start/finish line.  I tried to recover with no avail, fortunately, Beatrice Rodriguez, Pricilla “Not so PC” Calderon, and Holly Breck, made up the gap and salvaged what was left of the SC Velo Blue Train of Pain!!

A stellar performance was put in by junior racer, Tara McCormick as she sprinted to the win.  Great job Tara!!

Final results:

1		Tara McCormick	Exergy Twenty12
2		Jennifer Valente	Exergy TWENTY12
3		Shelby Reynolds	Helens/Cannondale
4		holly breck	SC VELO/Empower Coaching
5		Alexis Ryan	Team TIBCO II
6		Beatriz Rodriguez	SC VELO/Empower Coaching
7		Jennifer Weinbrecht	Primal/MapMyRide Womens Racing
8		Mary Elizabeth Maroon	FCS|ROUSE: p/b Mr. Restore
9		Priscilla Calderon	SC VELO/Empower Coaching
10		Greta Neimanas	Exergy TWENTY12

Redlands Bicycle Classic Stage 2 - Criterium - By Jenny Rios

Redlands Bicycle Classic

Criterium, March 24, 20012

The course had 6 corners and one that looks like a u-turn(hard), the average was 26.4 mph, we race for 50 minutes, it was a big group, we are 66 riders consisting of 11 teams like; team Now and Novartis for MS, Optum Pro Cycling, Exergy TWENTY12, Specialized Lululemon, Primal/Mapmyride, Cynergy Cycles, Tibco, FCS/Rouse, Vanderkitten and Metromint Cycling and us, SC Velo/Empower Coaching.

It was a sunny day so Lisa, Amber, Joy and I started doing our warm up for the race and during the warm up the team staff (Fernando,Lea,bonnie,bea,Pc,holly and jacob)did a great job to help us prepare our awesome GU Brew Electrolyte Drinks. After the warm up we had the team meeting and our strategy was to stay at the front and try to help me at the end.

Most of the time the group was single file. There were a lot of attacks, since all the teams wanted to initiate a break. I worked hard most of the time to stay at the front and avoid crashes and gaps. During the race we fought for primes every 5 to 7 laps, I got a good position when it was a prime lap. Some girl from Specialized Lululemon attack and  I just followed her wheel, and I looked back I noticed that we had a gap. In the break was Specialized lululemond girl,Optum girl(mountain leaders jersey) we started to work together until the last turn the specialized girl attacked to go for the prime. I reacted and I fought to get the prime with her no matter if I lose or win, in the final 2 meters  I  passed the specialized girl with my fast Cannondale super six  and won it the prime. I felt so proud of my team about getting a good position for the sprint and all the people recognized our awesome team SC Velo/Empower Coaching kits  made by champion system. After the sprint  I just waited for the group and tried to reach a good position once  again in the last 8 laps. I started to fight positions with the rest of the teams, and at 2 laps to go I was in the middle of the group .Once again I started to move positions at the corners since my Cannondale was reacting great at the corners and I felt great confidence on my bike. Finally we were at the 6 corner out of 7  and a crash happened!!!! i was taking the corner when suddenly i saw a girl from primal in the middle of the street ,i managed to get around the crash and I had to  accelerate my Cannondale to top speed to take the final corner and I was able to pass 3 riders at the final meters wish I took 6th on day 3.

After the sprint I went right away with my teammates to say thanks for their support . Amber did a great job on holding her GC position, Lisa worked very hard to stay in the group and at the end everything paid off which was to start the final stage. 

Race Report: Beaumont Circuit Race - Amber Gaffney

Race Report: Beaumont Circuit Race

March 23, 2012

            The Beaumont Circuit Race consists of three laps, with the total mileage being approximately 72 miles. We started race with very specific instructions- the team was working to get me to the front at the very start of the race (not an easy task) and working to keep me there for as long as possible.

            The race started and I immediately started to slide to the back, giving up wheels to any and all takers (I’m a giver). Bea found me and maneuvered her way up to the front with me on her wheel. I gave up a few positions occasionally, but we made it up to the front where I could see both PC and Jenny. I worked to hold my position and when the course narrowed due to narrowing streets, I started to feel myself losing position again. As soon as I felt frustrated and slightly pushed around, Lisa appeared from nowhere with a very protective look on her face and rode near me to make sure that I didn’t lose position. During this first lap I merely worked to hold a teammate’s wheel and not get lost in the pack and find myself on the back.

            Before the feed zone (which I completely missed on the first lap), Joy, our wonderful guest rider, found me and gave me a brief run-down of the upcoming highlights of the course. I stuck to her steady wheel as much as possible and then the first climb appeared. This was great news for me- I found myself on the front where I’m happiest. This was a quick power-type climb and then we hit a few turns and entered the park. Sadly, I made the mistake of doing PRECICELY what I was warned not to do: I was unprepared for the descent to start and got dropped on the descent. This was bad news for me and I think that it hurt me for the rest of the weekend at Redlands.

            I maneuvered the technical descent on my own and was eventually joined by a few other riders (all of whom had fallen back at outset of the climb and caught me on my slow descent). Eventually Joy joined my small chase group and we worked hard throughout the end of the first lap and the start of the second lap to catch back on. This did prove to be an invaluable experience, as Joy taught me how to use cars to my advantage.

            We caught back on to the lead group and Joy helped me to maneuver my way up to the front, all the while offering encouragement and advice (“make sure to eat!” and “stay out of the wind”). When we hit the feed zone (I actually saw the feed zone this time), Joy grabbed extra water for me and made sure that I could get back to the front. As we started the first part of the climb on the first lap, I once again made my way to the front and somehow I was once again shocked when the turn came and I got dropped on the descent. Once again, similar to a bad re-run, I descended alone, until a small group (including Joy) that had lost it on the climb, caught me and we once again worked hard to catch the lead group. I was now highly determined to not let this happen again.

            Ahh, but have I mentioned that I am a repeat offender of mistakes? After the feed zone on the final lap, we hit the first part of the climb and I felt tired. Entering the park, my legs started to hurt, and then I got dropped on that first turn of the first descent. This time I descended as quickly as possible (alone), and then somehow missed a turn and went off course. As I worked to quickly recover, I felt shame as I saw Lea and Dennis in the follow car looking bewildered as I pulled back onto the course. I worked hard and chased hard. A few people that had been dropped on the climb and were chasing the main group had finished their descent and we worked together to chase. I noticed quite quickly that their pulls were not quite enough, so I took long and hard pulls, but gladly sat in when a woman from Metromint jumped on the front to give me a little time to recover. Regardless, I worked hard on the front of that group to decrease the gap between our group and the leader group. When we finished, none of the riders in the chase group contested my finish- our nice group of chasers finished with respect to our workload. Lesson: learn how to descend so you do not burn up your legs for the rest of the weekend chasing! Joy finished a few minutes behind my group, and then Lisa and Jenny finished a few minutes behind Joy. This meant that the four of us would be in the crit the following day, but my position was of course, due in large part to the help of my team who worked so hard to get me to the front on that first lap.

San Dimas Criterium - Holly Breck

      San Dimas crit was the  third stage of a hard and painful three day stage race. This year especially we had some interesting weather. Cold and dark on day one, pouring  hard icy cold rain with miserable winds on day two and clouds with some drizzle on day three. All in all though it was a lot of fun.

          This was my first year making the crit, so coming from my prospective it was fast in sections and alright in others but for the most part the pace was high the whole time. Bea, Amber and Jenny did an awesome job staying up front and staying out of trouble. It surged quite a bit and a few times there where people off the front. The race ended in a group of 4 off the front and the rest of the group sprinted.

          Once again my teammates did an amazing job staying up front and in the action. Jenny ended up 17^th Amber 19^th  Bea 23^rd and myself in 26^th.  I learned a lot and had fun, thanks to my teammates. Cant wait till the next one. J

Blurry Memories of the San Dimas Road Race

We all knew to anticipate rain for the second stage of the San Dimas Stage Race Road Race. After an all out effort up Glendora Mountain Road the day before, we were up against rain, the strongest women in the PRO peloton and 8 laps that would test our fitness up the grueling Cannon Ave. climb.

It was time for staging and the only real consolation for racing in the rain was that we weren’t the only team getting ready to suffer this much in the next few hours. We had not yet started and we were already cold and wet. I wished at that moment I could put on all my cold weather Champion Systems apparel … Then again I also wished I was sitting next to a fireplace with a hot chocolate in my hand…BUT back to reality. It was time to GO! They said go and it was a race to the start line, but they must have decided to skip the traditional line up given the weather and we raced right past the Start/Finish. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one wishing I’d gotten a better warm up. Between riding around and standing around waiting for the start, my legs were not ready for the start. Pain shot through my legs as we all went as hard as we could to stay with the group.

I didn’t dare look back in those first few kilometers. RAIN in my face, grime in my teeth, legs throbbing with PAIN! …Ahhh racing :D The race started to string out the first time through the the rolling hills of Binelli Park and by the time we hit Cannon for the first time, those who would be dropped at the hill were. I, along with some others that fell behind on the climb, were trailing and trying hard to catch on to a group of some kind. I was with one other rider and we were working hard to catch on to a group ahead.  I only hoped my teammates were with the lead group as we kept on charging. A lap later, going through the park, a group of about 6 caught up to us and I was so glad to see familiar jerseys, Holly, Jenny and Ruth. I was no longer alone. We all worked hard along with riders from Helen’s, Tibco, and Cysergy and Rouse to try and avoid being time cut. We couldn’t slow down or we wouldn’t be allowed to race the next day (Stage 3: Criterium …my FAVORITE!).

Our energy levels started to drop, with every lap getting  harder and harder. The weather kept beating down with rain and wind . I knew I had to chow down on some GU Chomps and Gels even if I couldn’t feel my fingers. We got ourselves up Cannon time after time (every time having to wipe the fog off my glasses) and then something great happened. We went through the Start/Finish and there it was: the “1” lap to go card was up. We did one final lap and went through the finish line pooped. Amber finished in the main pack and our little Lisa though she was lapped and stopped too soon. Now it was time to go home and rest for the next day. SDSR definitely made us all “just a little” stronger.    

-Beatriz Rodriguez

San Dimas Time Trial March 16, 2012 - Ruth Clemence

Read the Race Bible………it is a must for stage racing.  Many times it will be the same old, same old but every once in awhile a rider will be thankful that they took the extra time.  In the San Dimas Stage Race bible for 2012 on page 12 there were two key notes at the bottom, the start and finish of the Time Trial had been changed by 1100 feet.  To some this brought a smile and to others, well not so much.  You see for those who had been doing the TT in years past, they had experienced the 25 mph sense of speed that the 1100 feet in the beginning of the TT had yielded.  This year that would go away and bring on an additional 1100 feet of climbing at the top.  A few of us went out and rode the course and had a plan for race day.  Race day always brings the element of the unknown and this year it was the temperature and humidity.  It was cooler than years past and the humidity was over 90% which makes the air very heavy.  We (Amber,Lisa,Bea,Holly,Jenny,PC and myself) all warmed up with our own determination and plan.  I can only speak for myself in realizing that the final 1100 feet took more energy than I had saved, it was almost as if my body knew the old finish line and said “ok that’s good” only for me to tell it that we had another 1000 feet.   I rode the course according to my plan and now realize that I needed to save a bit more in the tank to keep my speed for the final DIG!!!  We all commented that the last 1000 feet were hard and yet Kristen Armstrong threw down a 15:01 which is an average speed of 15:18 mph for 3.8 miles.  There were four women in the 15’s, ten women in the 16’s and myself, Amber and Lisa in the 17’s with 17:16,17:36 and 17:53 respectively.  Bea did 19:22, Holly  19:43, Jenny 20:31 and PC 21:48.  Bravo to all of my teammates, it’s a difficult TT for a season opener and we all came away with a deposit in our fitness bank.    

Tour de Murrieta Race Report March 9, 10, 11th - Lisa Campbell

Stage 1 – The Time Trial

The Tour de Murrieta starts out with a 4.1 mile TT, with the last mile taking place on well groomed but unpaved road. Which, for Holly, one of our new fearless youngsters who is a motocross/cyclocross aficionado, was a piece of cake. I think she said, and I may be quoting…”the dirt was fun! The TT was an excellent start for the SC Velo/Empower Coaching Systems team. Besides looking pretty darn good in our super cool skin suits from Champion Systems, we also placed very well. We had Ruth in 3^rd, Amber in 4^th (in only her second TT…), me in 3^rd, and Holly picking up Omnium points as well in 12^th, Jenny also did great…(despite her handlebars slipping down) and PC also had a strong ride…(even with her TT bars moving and slipping). I must say that I love the TT because there is no one taking my line…bumping me in the corners…or crashing on the cobblestones…that’s the story for the next Stage…

Stage 2 – The Grand Prix

Going into the Grand Prix we had our work cut out for us. Let me just say that I am glad Ruth and Bonnie must have done a lot of Gu shots before the race…because they did all the math, figured out all the numbers of the people we needed to watch…and had our strategy all planned out at the pre-race meeting.

An omnium is based on points, not time, and the TT is not weighed as strongly as the Grand Prix and the Circuit Race (when I rule the world the TT will count for double!). So we needed to watch several women and make sure that we placed in front of them. The plan was to try to keep Me, Ruth and Amber protected so we could finish strong. When Bonnie said that we had to “not be workhorses” I looked at Amber like “seriously?.  If we aren’t work horses does that mean we have to sprint??? Holly, PC, Jenny and Bonnie were going to do their best to cover moves and pull back anything that looked dangerous. 

This course is pretty technical, and almost a mile long. There are 7 tight corners, two with cobblestones that have caused some crashes in the past…and today was no exception. Just a little over 2 laps into the race (6 minutes) we were brought to a stop because a woman crashed on the cobblestones in the second to last corner. Since I was in the back I heard her go down…and looked back (you aren’t supposed to do that, FYI…but I wanted to make sure none of my team was caught up in it). The woman was out…not moving. We were neutralized immediately as we came around the crash. They red flagged the race and sent us back to the start. We waited for 15 minutes for the ambulance to get on the course and  get the injured racer off to the hospital.

**(The injured woman is Kim Tom from Team Dude Girl and I am happy to report that is she is going to be okay. She has a minor fracture of her right eye socket, some staples in her head, black eyes…and stayed overnight in the hospital just for observation).**

Even though you try to not think about a crash when it happens, and just focus on the race, it does do a job on your head, at least for me. The first 6 minutes were smoking fast, and I can’t remember the last

time I have been stuck in the back of a field and unable to work my way up…it was pretty strung out the whole time. Right before the crash I remember yelling to Amber…”go, go, go, let’s move up”…problem is, Amber “went, went, went”…and I was like..oh crap I better get up there too. But then the crash happened and we were brought back to the start.

So, back at the starting line. My mom took a lot of pictures. The ones before the race began, and the ones before we were re-started. I can tell you, the looks on our faces are quite different. I’d say they went from enthusiastic anticipation, to something like reluctant yet forced enthusiasm mixed with thoughts of “oh my God, my Gu is wearing off now what do I do”. Luckily…I had some chomps stashed in my speed suit. However, I am not sure if all the Gu in the world could have prepared me for this 23 minute crit. Yes, that’s right. I think we had done 2 laps when I heard “8 laps to go”…”WHAT!!!!! I just kept looking for orange and blue…where was Amber…where was Holly…there they were, up front…Bonnie worked her magic, as she always does, pulling hard off the front…I tried a silly hail mary attempt to go off the front during the last lap, because, frankly, it was the only place I felt safe. (I only lasted 3 corners before getting swallowed up). There was a lot of “sketch” as PC put it. Amber and Holly did a great job of getting up there and placing in, or close to the top ten, as did Jenny. Bonnie worked  hard and PC, Ruth and I fought our way  through to arrive upright…which, in my humble opinion, was a pretty good outcome in this race. Just goes to show you that bike racing is something new and different every day. You can strategize and plan all you want before the race, but sometimes the stars just align in ways that don’t always match your plan. The key is to adapt and to do the best you can, and I think we did that. After the results were posted we had Amber in 2^nd place GC, which was awesome!

Stage 3 – The Circuit Race

The Murrieta Circuit is a mostly flat 3.5 mile per lap circuit. Now, I have to preface this report by saying that I am prejudiced against anything that says “mostly flat”…and only “3.5 miles per lap”…to me..that just sounds like this is going to be a REALLY long drawn our crit…yes…I know, it’s not…but that’s what it feels like to me, and I’m writing the race report, okay! All right, enough whining.

So, we had Amber tied for second and our strategy was to keep her protected, and try to get her in a break and avoid a field sprint finish. The last corner in this course is tight, and it’s a long way to the finish and we had some strong sprinters in this group including Loren Rowney from Specialized-lululemon, (who ended up winning the race), Kendall Ryan from Tibco, and Jade Wilcoxson from Team Optum…and of course our  great local women from Helen’s and Team Revolution who were well represented and did great in the criterium.

In our pre-race meeting I wish I had a camera to take a picture of Amber’s face when we said “So Amber, you have to stay protected in the pack, no attacking, save yourself for the  breaks that matter”…That is kind of like telling a small child that they are going to Disneyland for the whole day, but they can only go on one ride…But, in a flat 43 mile criterium…I mean…circuit race, that is how you have to play the game…

Everyone on SC Velo/Empower Coaching did a great job today. Jenny Rios, one of our newest (and youngest) members, and Mexico’s National Champion, had some great attacks and rode like the true champion that she is. Bea Rodriguez was very missed by our team on Friday and Saturday…and we were so lucky to have her today. She rode at the front, protected Amber and provided great race strategy before, and during the race, as well as having a great finish at the end of the race. Our beloved “not-so” PC rode with her heart and soul, as she always does. She also protected Amber and chased down Julie Cutts from LaGrange late in the race (who was a strong threat to Amber), got caught, and still recovered to finish strong as always. Ruth and Bonnie were our rocks and our leaders for the weekend and just having them there, knowing they had our backs was comforting and empowering. Ruth is our master’s national and world champion and the level of racing is always a bit higher when she shows up. Bonnie, our amazing “granny” (her word, not mine, especially since I think I am older than her) was a rock. She is coming off a nasty injury in the last Ontario Criterium, where she suffered a punctured lung and fractured rib but still gave 100% today and provided lead outs both during the crit and the circuit race. Holly, another new and young addition to our team continued to prove what a strong, smart and smooth bike handler she is, as she continues to finish close to, or better than top ten in every race. Holly also did a great job of finding Amber and bringing her to the front and helping position her for the finish.  I did my best to ride at the front and keep Amber out of the wind (although my strategy did not always work), while Amber acted like that little kid at Disneyland who couldn’t ride just one roller coaster. True to her competitive nature and strong form, Amber attempted some breaks…some off the front…but the  field was just too big and no one was really putting themselves at risk. We had a lot of sprinters here today and some very experienced women who were happy to have this race come down to a field sprint…which basically it did. Bea and Holly did a great job of being up there for all the bumping and mashing that I am still afraid to get near. Amber also had good position going into the 3^rd turn and then the swarm took over. Bea provided a wheel for Amber as did Holly but there was a lot of jostling going on (as told to me…because I was back about 12 seconds cheering my team on in my head) and Amber ended up a very respectable 11^th, with Bea 12^th, Jenny 17^th and Holly 20^th.

We won the overall team trophy and Amber took 4^th in GC with Holly 12^th in GC. And I am so proud to also say that Amber and Holly both qualified to be in the Nature Valley Pro Chase. It’s still very early in the season and this team has already raced over 16 races on their amazing Cannondale bikes and put in some time on the podium. We dearly miss Tammy Wildgoose (who we got to see this weekend and gave her some big hugs and slobbery kisses), Pam Schuster (who we hope is on her way to getting back on the bike soon) and Dotsie Bausch (as she continues to work the road to Olympic Gold…and still manages to find time to sneak out and win Ontario for us!).

Next up is San Dimas Stage Race. Everyone do a little dance to the rain gods and ask them to stay away til we are done racing! 

Merco Crit - March 3, 2012 - Jenny Rios

Holly. Amber. PC, Bea and I did Merco cycling classic. 

The crit was a technical race with 7 corners. The crit had a lot of holes and that made the crit a little more technical. We did 35 laps and it was windy! The average was 41km. We rode with the best US teams like Specialized lululemon and Exergy.

The first laps Amber, Holly and Bea had a good position in the front. PC and I took a crash in the 5th lap so they opened up a gap. We chased hard to connect again with the group.

I saw Holly and Bea in good position so I moved to be with them at the front. Amber and I in the last 15 laps stayed on the front. It was easier than being the back, which was single file.
The last 5 laps all the girls tried to stay in good position for the sprint. Bea stayed always at the front with the best. Holly and Amber stayed in the middle of the field and in good position.

They did over 50kmph in the sprint.
I was really happy for all the experience we got and for Beas result. She took 10th. We did our best and we are ready for the next day. It was a good experience for me since It was my first time doing  merco and spending time with the girls as a team :)