NATURE VALLEY BY CORYN RIVERA

Nature Valley is one of the toughest, but best organized race of the year. The first time I did Nature Valley was last year and that is when I first met Kristin Armstrong. Now it is her last year of racing and Nature Valley will be her last american race. It's surprising how fast time flies. Each stage at Nature Valley is filled over the top with intensity. This year, Proman Hit Squad had Shelley Olds, Rachel Lloyd, Rachel Neylan, Christen King, Nicole Brant, and myself on the front line ready for battle.

The first day was a double day. A 10km TT in the morning and the St. Paul criterium later in the evening. The TT was short and fast with a nice kicker at the end. I was satisfied with my run since it was better than last year, so improvement is always good. But it was really Shelley Olds who did great from Proman Hit Squad with an 11th place finish. Later in the evening Proman Hit Squad director sportif, Nicola Cranmer, came up with an awesome game plan for the whole team in the criterium. Rachel Lloyd led out Shelley for many of the Wheaties Sprint Points. And on the final sprint I swept Shelley's wheel and she couldnt get to the final corner first, so she ended up in 4th place, just one place off the podium.

The second day was the Cannon Falls Road Race, which didnt start until 5:30 in the afternoon!! It was different, but cool that we raced late, so I was able to sleep in real good. Only the end of the race, during the circuits and the dirt road really mattered. But about 5km before the dirt road, Rachel Lloyd and I got caught up in a massive crash that basically took out the Webcor team. We cyclocross-hopped back on our bikes and tried to chase back onto the pack. Then I noticed that there was blood dripping on me, and then I realized that it was coming from Rachel's elbow! She was hurting and she thought her elbow was 'hanging on by a thread' so I said we should just wait for the caravan and use it to work back up into the field. And that is exactly what i did, but Rachel couldnt hold on. Right when I caught on I moved up straight to the front and got myself ready for the dirt road to help protect Shelley. I exited the dirt road 3rd wheel, with Shelley right behind me. I just tried to hang on her wheel for the circuits, but it was a tough circuit for junior gears. Shelley ended up in 3rd place!

The third day was the Uptown Minneapolis Criterium. Today was all about getting sprint points forShelley to get in the lead and for Shelley to take the stage win. Shelley was in contention for all the sprint points, so she got into the Wheaties Sprinters Jersey. And she finished in 2nd and I finished up in 11th, the first amateur to finish and the 2nd U26 rider to finish. Rachel Lloyd did some major team work helping Shelley get to the line first for the sprint points.

The fourth day was the longest, the Mankato Road Race. All the women had to race 92 miles. Today was about protecting the Wheaties Sprinters Jersey. The team helped lead Shelley out for the intermediate sprints and followed wheels of those who were also competing for the jersey. The whole team demonstrated awesome team work, with Nicola always being on the radio for us telling us what was going on, with Tim making sure Christen's wheel change was smooth, Rachel Neylan swept up some leftover sprint points so that the other competitors wouldnt, Christen going back to the car for bottles, Rachel Lloyd also picked up some left over sprint points, I marked certain wheels that may have been in contetion for the sprinters jersey, and even my dad was in the feed zone for us after driving the big bus over to Mankato to keep the whole team comfortable before and after the race. Then after our race our host family had a bbq where we all got together and hung out by the bonfire with smores in hand!

And the fifth and final day was the infamous Stillwater 'Criterium'. If you've seen or have done Stillwater before you would understand why I put criterium in quotes. The race started at the bottom of a 22% climb. This race is always fast paced from beginning to end. And there is no possibility of riding that climb easy. Kristin won the stage and overall GC. Shelley got 2nd in the stage and moved up to 2nd GC after being in a break with Kristin and Andrea Dvorak. Rachel Lloyd finished in 11th on the stage. I finished as top amateur. And Rachel Lewis finished right with me.

My 2nd year at Nature valley grand Prix would have to be called a success. As a team, Proman Hit Squad successfully rode collectively to move Shelley up to 2nd in GC and the winner of the Wheaties Sprinters Jersey. Individually, each of us accomplished our own goals and we are very proud of what we have done together this past week. Racing in a professional field with world champions and olympic champions on junior gears is rediculously tough, but is definitely do-able, just put your head down and spin like crazy because it is a blessing in disguise and it will eventually pay it's dues.

Big thanks to the Cravens family for hosting Proman Hit Squad!

Big thanks to Mark, Chad, Derrick, Clay, and the rest of QBP for supporting us through all of our races and getting us on the fastest BMC bikes!