TIMPANI CRITERIUM - PODIUM!

Timpani Criterium - 55 minutes
Field: 40+
Team mates: Tracey
me 2nd, Tracey 6th

A healthy field of over 40 women showed up for the Timpani crit, 6 or 7 mints, 2 VACs, Taitt & Hannah, 6 Easton/ Los Gatos, 3 or 4 Dolce Vita etc. A fairly inactive race. Jane Despas opened up the session with a few tt laps followed by some attacks, the bigger teams were not active, Tracey and I attacked a few times to try to encourage a break but no one wanted to work it. We both stayed near the front for most of the race in anticipation of something happening. There were a few primes, mostly tires, needless to say we needn't go for them as we have an endless supply of the fabulous WTB Solano tires.

I am struggling here to write anything! It really was a very quiet race until about 5 to go. There was a last minute prime and then with 3 to go, they showed 3 to go twice, so the girls that saw it the first time were mentally counting down the next few laps, I saw 3 to go the second time around as did most of the field. well with 2 to go, some of the field thought it was the last lap including my leadout gal Tracey! She moved to the front like a bat out of hell to position me, meanwhile I am thinking to myself this was way too soon to be sitting on the front with 2 to go! Tracey set 'me' up perfectly just a lap too soon, the good thing was that she saw I wasn't there and went for the line (and 'won') many others sprinted too, including the beautiful cat 3 Dolce Vita train, which had set up perfectly for the cat 3 win (cat 3 were picked separately), all only to cross the line with the ref ringing the final lap bell! At this point of confusion, los Gatos had Lori Alverez on the front followed by another rider, i was sitting 3rd wheel, i glanced behing me and there was Mary Ellen, Taitt and Hannah, there was certainly some horse power right there. Tracey meanwhile was aggressively making her way back to the front but had less than a lap to do it. Before the final turn i decided to jump, i knew the race had been slow and that Mary Ellen has a ferocious sprint left in her legs due to an inactive race. I had to take a chance as i didn't want Taitt or Hannah to make the first move, well as soon as i jumped i knew the 6 hours on my mountain bike with loads of climbing was taking its toll! My legs felt wooden! I rounded the turn into the finishing straight and pushed as hard as I could (which didn't seem very), sure enough, I heard the familiar grunting sounds of Mary Ellen, she passed me easily . i was sure i was going to get swarmed in this seemingly endless sprint, but i didn't! Taitt was 3rd, Natasha Perry 4th, Hannah Banks 5th and Tracey made it through the pack for 6th!

Its unfortunate that our leadout didn't work out, it was a very confusing moment. This happens occasionally, sometimes in your favor and sometimes not! Thanks for reading

~ Nicola