COSTA ETRUSKA, ITALY DAY 2

Driving to the race, we drove up one of the race course's "short hills", it wasn't so short, but according to Jim it was more of my type of climbing. I am learning what kind of courses suit me, I like to think it's just a matter of pedaling your bike, but I am growing as a cyclist, and that includes learning the different types of courses, climbs, races, racers, etc.

Anyway, I had a false sense of ease today after speaking with Jim who said the course was "easier" than Day 1 of Estrusca. I beg to differ. It was just as hard, I just learned from my mistakes yesterday, and I am learning what it takes to race over here. The other girls said it was a tough race too, so that gives me a sense of improvement in my racing. I have learned that it doesn't matter whether its a World Cup or a UCI – they are both full throttle.

The whole race is a big blur. I don't really know what climbs happened when or anything else about the course. My radio didn't work either, so I had only the vaguest of ideas of what was ahead – and you know how your brain becomes the size of a peanut when you are racing hard. Its always good not to be too dependent on the radio, so I wasn't completely freaking out about it. I actually didn't have time to think about it.

At one point I got sick of the group and decided to do a little off-roading. Actually, a crash happened right in front of me, and I saw a girl take a right into what appeared to be a street, but it was actually just a dirt parking lot. It was "exciting". I kept riding, pedaling hard, hoping that the 6 inch curb/divider would drop down so I could joing the pack again. Nothing. I kept searching, scanning ahead - nothing looked promising. Utoh! I hope I don't turn off onto another street. I thought for sure it would merge. It didn't. Some of the girls got off their bikes and hopped the curb, I kept riding (this was about 50o+meters) and eventually I saw that there was an entry to the lot way off to the right (the group was on the left), so I veered off, and eventually found my way to the peloton, right as the last girls were passing by. If I had missed the pack by just a couple more seconds it might have been a different story. The other girls who hopped off their bikes I don't think were as lucky - the dismounts and remounts took too long.

I couldn't believe when I looked down at my computer and saw "50km". I thought "That must be wrong! We must be close to finishing!" As I said: it was a hard, fast race. There was one climb that brought us up to another one of those mountain top towns, then we descended single file through a twisty decent, and we came around a corner into another little climb – shoot! I was waaaayyyy to far back. I got gapped off, but I fought hard; I fought through the cars, with a little help from a few girls (but I wasn't going to trust them to do the work, because we know where that got me yesterday) and I got back to the group. I made it back on, "settled" into the group, and then we went up another climb, broke things up, I ended up climbing hard, falling off the back a bit, but catching back on after the descent (really hard to catch these women once you fall off!) Then I made it up the final climb to the finish. I finished! Baby steps, I guess. I still made mistakes and of course there is so much to learn.

~ Megan

COSTA ETRUSKA, ITALY DAY 2

What can be held responsible for a bonk? what is it exactly that leads to this dreaded, all too familiar feeling for cyclists? it only has to happen to you once for you to know that you never want it to happen again. but it will. a missed feed? a strong wind? competitors that can’t take a decent line? maybe one too few glasses of water the night before? one too few gu’s?

I could point my finger at any of said factors that led to my bonk on sunday, but if there is one thing i hate, it is the cyclist that makes excuses. in the end, the bottom line is that i couldn’t do what i needed to do. just didn’t have the legs that day. it is a fine line to walk between allowing yourself bad days, and being too easy on yourself. in only two european races so far, i think i have managed that walk pretty well. i am frustrated, of course. beyond frustrated really. but with the help of some very inspiring women who have been in this position before, the pity party has been avoided. and in the end, the bottom line is simply this: I LOVE THIS RACING. this is racing at it’s finest, hardest, most bleeding-out-the-eyeballs-sufferfest, exciting, pure, BEST.

as jim said last night in our team meeting, recapping the weekend: over here, everything you do in a race, you end up paying for it. everything is a withdrawal from the bank, and if you make too many withdrawals without enough funds…..you pay. if you open up a gap, you pay. if you go into the wind, you pay. it is truly unbelievable. the efficiency with which you have to race is mindblowing, because there ARE NO easy minutes. no chance to recover. the girls i am racing with on the US team know this all too well, and are so impressive in their neat, clean, efficient moves. me, not so much…not yet, anyway. for the most part in the US, you can suffer in the wind for a bit, because most likely you will get to recover a bit before the next hard effort. not so over here, at least not that i’ve seen. ~ Emily

Don’t get me wrong, i am no expert. and there are certainly races in the US that absolutely split me open. these are statements in general, and of course not true in all cases, over here or over there. but it is a crazy thing to see 100 women strung out up an entire climb. not splitting up, not bunched together, but strung out, everyone pushing as hard as they can. it is awesome to see, but i think i’d rather have a different vantage point than from the caboose.

On to france, and hopefully some better results!

COSTA ETRUSKA, ITALY

Good news comes from this end, as i can now say i have raced in europe. didn't go as well as i'd hoped, of course, but not for a complete lack of fitness and guts. i loved it! really, truly enjoyed every moment. the whole experience before the race, with such good support, the sign-in and team photos, the chaos of languages....the helicoptor!!! i can only imagine the world cups.

i can only imagine the world cups. i was suprisingly not nervous. probably because the team let me off the hook a lot, given that it was my first experience. so i approached it as a chance to learn, and anything great that came of that was an added bonus. we started on THE tiniest street, through an itty-bitty town, and straight into a windy descent. not my forte, but i actually did just fine! the whole first half i moved around, stuck out my elbows, ignored the yelling (unless needed) and had a great time! very different from the US, but super fun! at the bottom of the first climb i had decent position, but then alison powers flatted and had a broken radio. i was right there so i radioed the car for her, and waited to get her back.

lesson #1: no need to stay back with a potential future olympian! :P she made it back after the climb, i rode in the cars, and managed to hook up with a smaller group by the top. jim was great and coached me up, but there was only so much he could do. i descended the loooong descent with 3 others, only two of us willing to work. i was still feeling great, and i think they were not.

lesson #2: if there is a loooong descent on which to recover, GO HARDER on the climb to get back on! i think i was holding back to conserve - bad move. at any rate, as i'm sure you remember, they pull you over here faster than you can spit, so even though we could see the next group way up ahead....YANK! we were pulled.


lesson #3: don't think you can chase back on. don't get dropped to begin with. all in all, again, I LOVED IT! i wish i could have finished it, but tomorrow we go back for more and i have some learning under my belt this time! i am also glad that i was able to do some small job for the team before the end - makes it so much more worth it! armstrong won, fabiana lupieri 2nd, noemi cantale 3rd....not sure i got those spellings right....oh! and judith was 5th i think. :)

~ EMILY

MEGAN'S REPORT
The Costa Estrusca weekend consisted of two tough races. Although the races weren't particularly, they definitely make up for length in the form of incredibly high intensity. I learned a lot this weekend, and racing with these ladies will definitely make me stronger.
The first day did not go so well for me. Although the climbs were "only" 3 to 6km, they were tough. I could have sworn that the 6km climb was more like 15km. The first climb we were going 35km/hr when it "flattened out", relentless I tell you. At the fake top of the climb we went through one of the many mountain towns with insanely narrow streets, which resulted in the field stringing out single file for a brief decent until the road kicked back up into a mini climb.


I stayed with the main group until this last little kicker, at which point the girls in front of me died, and then I put in a good push to try to get around them but I saw two women look over their shoulder as I was coming up on them and they purposefully pinched me out. Seriously now - why? Anyway, so I had to hit the brakes, I got stuck with these girls and not with the main group. Anyway we eventually caught back on. Then the second climb came and some of the big teams throttled it into the base of the climb; it was strung out single file into the climb. It was a relatively steep climb, and I barely came "unattached" from the single file train after about 3km, at which point the girls in front of me were also dropped, so I thought "well I will just stay with these chics and they will bring me back to the group". I stayed with them because we still had about 3km+ to the top of the climb, but it wasn't as steep. The caravan cars started to pass and I questioned whether I should go with the cars and push it or stick with the group and work with them - I wasn't climbing as hard as I would have liked but I thought it would be alright because I wouldn't blow and we could all work together to get back. I was wrong.



I should have tried to go through the cars and ditch the group because they were not motivated to get back up and stay in the race. One cyclist started yelling at the others not to work (I think thats what she was yelling, because she went up to the girls that were working and then the girls immediately stopped pushing the pace). Well the officials let us descend the entire mountain and at the very bottom they told us "Fermi! Tre minuti! Fermi!" The field had 3 minutes on us and we were being pulled. Argh! I didn't finish! I didn't help the team. Our group finished the last 20km of the course easily, and I took the last climb "piano" because I had another whole day of racing the following day. More mistakes, but mistakes I won't make again.


Later I heard that after the descent the field finally took it easy, so it was a double bummer that I hadn't made it over the top with the main group. The course was tough, the weather was beautiful, and I got to take a few glimpses of the Mediterranean before start time. Although disappointed in not finishing Day 1 of Costa Estrusca, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to race at this level and I am learning a great deal. ~ MEG

TROFEO ALFREDO BINDA - Comune di Cittiglio - CDM

There were 2 loops. The first had a 5-6km climb, which we did twice. Then after that we did 3 smaller loops with a 4km climb (I was supposed to do that one 3 times).
At points the road would narrow down to 2-3 abreast on cobbles - to say the least, if you weren't in good position you came to a complete stop. I came to a complete stop several times.

Into the first climb the road narrowed down through a corner. There was a small 'crash' and some women stepped through Chrissy's wheel, braking her spoke.
Coming into the first climb I had decent position, but I put in a huge effort to try to get to the front, but I ended up blowing myself up. I was dropped on the first climb, but I was the 2nd chase group, and I worked with 3 members of another team (until they attacked me and I thought "Why the heck am I working? Let them do the work") to get to the 1st chase group. Once I was in the 1st chase group I lead down a fairly technical descent because I didn't want to get stuck behind everyone else. Then I sat in because Jim told me to let them bring me back to the group. I did so.
As I passed the team car Jim told me to go "straight to the front" - I tried but I was unsuccessful.

I was forewarned by the ladies that there is a lot of braking with HUGE accelerations after. So it was good that I was warned about it and not sketched out about it. The women are good bike handlers so it was fine.
Ok. So on the second climb I held on longer. Then I was in the group behind the main peloton.

Once I got into the grove in this group, I took a look around at who I was with: Ina Teutenberg, Rochelle Gilmore, Tina Pic.
We did 1.5 laps of the smaller loop (with the 4k climb, and I held in there, was at the front, and it was "steady"). We were pulled with 1.5 laps left.
Bummer.

I think we were 2-3 minutes back at that point, and I guess with World Cups they are pretty strict about pulling people. I think we were the last people to get pulled.
So my goal of finishing didn't happen, and I wasn't able to help the team with feeds.
I am excited for the next races. I hope to be more active and more of an asset to the team. The women are strong over here.

Megan

CYCLING NEWS.COM

COPPEROPOLIS - PODIUM

Race: Copperopolis W12 (The Paris - Roubaix of California!)

Course: 3 laps with a nice 10 minute climb and a narly descent and insane roads.

Teammates: Kristina, Kristin, Betina & teammate to be Melodie Metzger

Weather: Perfect.

Race plan: Get one of us in a break, preferably two and if we are still together Kristin was going to gun it on the descent and try to get a break off that way.

Photo by Ken Conley

Race execution:
First, I didn’t know the course and I didn’t know how my legs were going to behave today since they’ve been misbehaving lately, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I heard horror stories about the roads, but they really weren’t that bad and my new BMC Streetfire felt awesome! The potholes didn’t bother me (just kept the arms nice and loose) and I was comfortable on the gnarly descent.

The field consisted of about 25 riders including about 4 Touchstone, Stacy Marple from Cheerwine, Jane Despas (Vanderkitten), Taitt Sato and teammate from VAC, some Mints including Van Howelling and Eaken, and various other individual riders, and perhaps the largest Women’s ½ field I’ve ever seen at this race.

That being said, the race started with a nice tempo with various women sitting at the front. Kristin, Kristina and I were all close and making sure we were riding safe up there as well. The entire first lap was me asking Kristina: “Was that the climb” and “when is the descent coming up” . Hope I didn’t annoy you too much. J

First climb was a good tempo set by Touchstone, all three us made that selection. No attacks, just drilling up the climb and along the flat. At one point there was a gap on the flat section, I bridged went to the front, but the touchstone girl didn’t pull and soon enough I was pulling the pack. I slowed right down and realized it was too early to go. So again, we rolled along. Just before the finish of the first lap Stacey from cheerwine attacked at about the 500m mark. I followed, caught her went to the front and we started exchanging pulls, but sure enough touchstone went to the front and chased us down. I guess still too early. ..

Second lap boiled down to the climb again. Once again Kelly from Touchstone and Jane from Vanderkitten drove the pace. I think Kristina was also setting pace at some point as well and I was watching and riding alongside who I thought might make a move. Close to the crest Stacy gunned it and about 8 of us made the selection forming a paceline almost immediately. . Included were Kristina, Kelly and Maria from Touchstone, Molly? Amber? From Metromint, Stacey and Jane and myself.

We traded pulls (with a few games from Stacey and Maria) until the 3rd lap where we somewhat played until the climb. Then once again the pace was driven by all of Jane, Kelly, myself..Kristina? with Maria and Stacy following close behind. At the top we crested with 5 and then we drove it once again. Kristina was having a bad day and ended up with the two metromint girls who would not work with her and then outsprinted her in the end.
The last lap was a little bit of cat and mouse. We had a paceline going (Kelly, Jane, Stacy, Maria and myself) but Stacey started sitting out and so did Maria.. Interesting the stories these people can come up with. At one point Kelly attacked, I followed, then Jane drove it…then I saw the chase group and drove it because I’d rather a sprint with 5 than 8, and I knew Kristina was there so I was hoping she was sitting on in case we did get caught.

Sure enough just before the descent Maria attacks. I almost went, but I know she’s not that strong on descents and flats so I let her go. Also I know Stacy and didn’t want to give her a free ride. So, that boiled down to Jane closing the gap which she did so nicely. Sure enough when we caught Maria, Kelly attacked, but I was on her wheel expecting this… We rode some more with Jane, Kelly, and I taking pulls, Stacy and Maria sitting on, then around 1km to go Maria attacked and I was on her wheel….I let her go and about 350m to go, I couldn’t wait and went for the sprint. Nice big ring sprint, and I gave it all, thought I had it, but Stacy was on my wheel and crossed the yellow to nip me at the line. Well, I gave her a nice leadout, but by crossing the yellow line she cut Jane off who was also sitting on and there was a protest. So, all thi s being said I managed a second on the road but a first by a protest. Stacey clearly was fastest to the line but after violating the center line rule which was implemented in all the other races.
Kristina came in with the next group and also got pimped at the line but finished a respectable 7th and kristin 10th

Photo by Ken Conley

Now of course we had no cameras which really sucked because I really wanted a team picture, but we shall be sporting our new T-shirts at some point.
All in all a fun race and I am glad I’ve got my race legs back and super glad to be racing for PROMAN!

PS. Kristin only does this race for the descent and finished somewhere around 10th,, but is unsure since results were not up when she left. Stealth teammate Melodie Metzger led Kristin out at the finish to outsprint the unsuspecting Touchstone rider.
Thanks to Velo Promo and all the volunteers.

~ Thanks for reading! Betina

Photo by Ken Conley

Photos:Ken Conley (great shots!)
kwc.org

MERCO CRITERIUM

The Merco Crit in Merced is a race I’ve been looking forward to do since watching the pro races last year. It was sunny and warm, and we had a full strong team in the race. We knew that the chances of a break sticking was high given the strength in the field with Tibco, High Road, Value Act and Vanderkitten all there, and my teammates were looking to shut down threatening breaks and join those that looked good. Though I was also reserving myself for the sprint, if it came down to that, I wanted to be ready to cover attacks and join a break if needed.

The race started with attacks from the gun and my teammates Abby, Kate, Betina, Emily and Kristina were working hard at the front constantly. It seemed there was always someone off the front or trying to get there. Shortly into the race Kim Anderson from High Road launched an attack and she seemed to be off the front for an eternity. But, it was a long race, and Proman took charge at the front to reel her back in. Shortly thereafter, another High Road rider and a Tibco rider attacked and got a good gap on the field. As we passed through the start/finish I heard the announcer say that the High Road rider was Emilia Fahlin and I remembered Giana’s words – “watch the sprinters, if there is a break with sprinters, that is your break.” Again, my teammates were at the front, working like crazy to reel them back and when it looked close, Kim Anderson jumped – I knew this was definitely the break I needed to be in – with Kim, Emilia and Rushlee off the front, I attacked and bridged the small gap that remained opened. Immediately I heard that Proman was at the front, working to help make sure that the break would stick.

The break was a very strong one. Kim Anderson was there with huge horsepower, along with High Road's powerful sprinter Emilia, and Tibco’s Rushlee, who I knew was very strong as well. I wanted the break to stick, but I also knew if I worked too hard, I risked being attacked and dropped in the final laps. We had about 12 laps to go, and though we rotated through, Kim Anderson did 90% of the work – with the other three of us pulling through it seemed only to give her a rest at the front.


With less than 2 laps to go, Mara Abbott, another High Road rider, bridged. I heard on my radio that she was bridging, and a couple minutes later, I heard Kim say “go Mara” – I looked over my shoulder and there she was out of nowhere and with a “click, click, click” of her gear, she attacked the break before even joining us – amazing. I jumped hard to get on her wheel and stay there as she seemed to just keep accelerating. When we hit the headwind, the break was together again – and I stayed on Mara’s wheel through the start finish. At the left hand turn in the final lap, we were on the far right and Kim attacked hard to the far left. Rushlee and Emilia and I fought hard to get on her wheel. Unfortunately, I never made it – dangling off the back for the rest of that lap. In the final stretch, I could hear Niki shouting at me to “go”! When I passed Kim, who had sat up in the final stretch, she cheered me on as well. So, in the end I got 4^th – With Emilia, Rushlee and Mara in 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd.

It was a fun race. My teammates were instrumental in making sure my legs were fresh for the last part of the race – and I was glad to get to be in such a strong break.

Thanks for reading J

Virginia

MERCO CREDIT UNION ROAD RACE

High Speeds and aggressive racing mark the Merco Credit Union Foothills Road Race
Team High Road come up on top, PROMAN finishes a strong third
March 2nd, 2008

The Northern, CA road racing peloton returned to the central valley once again this weekend to compete on the farm roads surrounding the Merced and Snelling area. The rough roads were flanked with Almond groves in bloom, the largest Almond producing groves in the Nation incidentally, and the bees hummed along, oblivious to the 900 riders competing on the 24 mile course.

The women’s race was once again a hotly contested battle between the Proman Racing Team, Tibco and the #1 ranked UCI Team, Team High Road. Although Proman had eight women competing, an early mechanical marred Megan Guarnier’s race, while team Director and Leader Giana Roberge was suffering from a severe head cold. However, looking for vindication from the previous weekend’s race, the Proman Team set a hard pace early capturing control of the substantial peloton.

At the conclusion of the first lap, the field remained intact, but strung out due to the pressure exacted by Proman riders Emily Zell, Abby Cooper and Roberge. Not to be outdone, the High Road Team made their presence known with continuous attacks from Kim Anderson, Mara Abbot and Anche Wichmann.

Nothing proved successful until a vicious attack from Abbot out of a small group of four saw her clear the field and put 20 seconds into a quickly organized chase by Roberge, with assistance from Betina Hold, Kate Ligler and Kristina Seley. Abbot’s solo effort lasted for nearly 10 kilometers before the Proman Team brought her back to task. From that point on, the attacks came fast and furiously, with Tibco constantly seeking opportunities, and Proman marking each effort to escape.
However, after two and a half laps of racing saw no one able to escape, a field sprint became inevitable. Rounding the second to last corner, what was left of the field was stretched thin as the Proman women set up a hard tempo to protect their sprinter, Virginia Perkins.

In the final kilometers, a last ditch effort by Team high Road’s Anderson almost saw her with a win, but Proman’s Roberge was quick to keep her in check, and with one kilometer to go it was Abbot leading out High Road’s sprinter Emilia Fahlin, with Perkins glued to her wheel.

In the final kick it was Fahlin with a handy win, with Rushlee Buchanan in second and Perkins finishing in a strong third.

Thank you to Tracey, Ann, Shelley and team mechanic Tim for all the help this weekend.