The final stage of the weekend featured a road race that topped off the teams success from the crit. The course included one 3 km climb that we rode each of the 4 laps, and one hot spot sprint for points. The nature of an omnium race based on points required us to grab as many points as possible, which included keeping as many Giant girls up at the front until the sprint second lap. Jenelle was feeling sick so she decided to go from the gun as hard as possible, and put us in a great position to watch the other riders work at the front, while she managed to get 55 seconds away from the pack. The pace up the first climb was high, where we eventually caught Jenelle, and our newly found crit rider, GC contender Leah easily matched the fastest riders over the climb. The team worked hard to bring it back together in order to keep our sprinters in contention for the valuable points. Unfortunatly there was a slight mistake in the direction of the course, which I would like to add the T-Mobile womens' team made a wrong turn in stage 2 (Team TT) of Tour de l'Aude this year, mistakes happen. Leah and myself ended up at the front only to watch Stacy Spencer and Kelly Murden sprint for the points. I had a small moment of feeling very small (figuratively speaking of course), and as though there was nothing I could have done other than watch these two sprinters ride much faster than I was. I was relieved to see the group back together and find the Giant sprinters back with us where upon I was motivated once again, someday perhaps i'll be able to sprint, i'm still working on it. The next time up the hill the tempo picked up and one again Leah was able to match the pace of Leah Goldstien (Symmetrics), Alison Testrote (Expresscopy), and Suz Weldon (Wines of Washington) and these girls slipped away from the bunch. Suz Weldon eventually returned to the main group and left the 3 woman break to take up the podium. Leah finished 3rd. The rest of the race continued with relitively little action other than being neutralized a few times for the men...The pace up the climbs split up the group a bit, but everyone was brought back together for a final sprint finish. I did what I like to do near the end, go to the front and hammer, keep my fingers crossed that no one attacks and that I see Jenny fly by me on the way to a victory. Claire was there keeping the pace high and marking riders. We rode the final kilo, speed picking up, and went into the last corner with 200 m to go, wide open sprint, and Jenny beat out Laura Brown and Kelly Murden for the bunch sprint which put her in 3rd. I ended up 10th and Claire 12th.
Overall, successful with a lot more to learn, and in the right direction.
The final note...it was pooring rain and I have a GIANT bruise on my hip and elbow from my less than elegant crit crash.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Bromont Disaster
So Bromont was a complete disaster. We got there on the Monday evening after Baie St Paul, leaving us plenty of time to pre-ride and get to know the course. First arriving, the hotel owners warned us the weather looked pretty bad for the week, but no one really listened as it was 22 degrees outside and SUNNY. We woke up Tuesday morning to pouring rain, wind and 2 degree temperatures. I went for a ride, but it was bitter and very unmotivating. Wednesday was no better, and Wednesday is usually like a mock race day, which means I was go out on to the course and hammer out a ideal race, in this case 3 laps. I got to the end of lap one and felt like screaming I was so cold and uncomfortable, I rode back to the motel after only an hour of riding. Thursday was also prettty disgusting out, although a little bit better so I went out and got the mock race in. By the time our race started Saturday it was actually kinda clear, cold, but clear non the less. To tell you the truth I went into the race not knowing how everything went together. The race commisaires had changed the course all around Friday, my rest day, so I didn't get a chance to pre-ride it again after they made the changes. It started on a flat to climb, so everyone hammered hard to get to the hill first. I was in second, sitting close on the crazy french girls wheel. I felt awesome. So excited and full of adrenaline. She was suffering out front and kept yelling at me in french something I couldn't make out...probably to take the lead for a while, but I'm not going to lie, I didn't, I just kept sitting there. At the top of the climb I felt awful. I kept getting head rushes and finally just threw up. After that little fiasco, I fully blacked out for a second and so then fell down a part of the downhill, flatting my front tire. By this time I was sitting about fourth, but we were in a tight pack. I struggled to change my flat as my hands were so shaky. I fixed it pretty fast and jumped back on. Not even 10 minuted later I flatted again, it was sooo annoying, but in appempt to fix it I ran out of CO2 and couldn't finish the race.
Presently I am sitting in our Tremblant hotel, sipping soy milk and cleaning ma bicyclette. The trails here are amazing, I am crazy about this course. It's going to be a fun weekend!
Monday, May 21, 2007
Leah's First Win! With many more to come...
Saturday afternoon was GIANT TIME yet again down in Enumclaw, Washington. The team took our test run from the Tuesday nighter earlier in the week where we placed 1,2 and applied it against a much stronger field and came out victorious. The Enumclaw crit was the second stage of a three stage omnium points race and we were firing on all cylinders after a somewhat lacklustre TT had left our team's strategy direction wide open.
Right from the gun, the race proved to be interesting with the eventual ominium leader Kele Murdin (Team Ultralink) going down in the first corner of the race. The course is a technical figure eight (fun!) and the ante was upped by scattered showers that eventually turned into torrential rain. Off the bat, I moved to the front in an attempt to keep the pace high. Half a lap in, I realized that Stacey Spencer (Colavita) had decided to let me get a gap, so I decided to start working it and punched it out of the corners for the next few laps. In my stint off the front (I think it was between 4-6 laps) I managed to get up to a 9 second gap and two primes - one useful ($50) and one ridiculous ("handmade" jewlery - let me know if you want it!), but eventually I was eaten back up.
The meat of the race was then punctuated by numerous primes (of which I managed to come 2nd in 2 - but of course 2nd in primes doesn't mean anything!) and a wreck - yet again in corner one - this one claiming our very own Alena. She hit the ground and slid out, but luckily nothing that would stay with her other than road rash and she was able to come back strong for Sunday's roadrace.
With about three laps to go, after a prime had been called, the heavens decided to really open up. Leah and myself were near the front and Jeremy made the call to have Leah go for it as she was our GC hope going into the next day. As appears to be customary in NW racing, the girls watched her ride away and only about a lap later realized that this was potentially VERY dangerous with such an engine out front. Leah hammered and rode the crit course like it was nobody's business while Claire and I marked wheels near the front. The Symmetrics duo of Leah Goldstein and Marni Hambleton made a couple of efforts to bring her back, but without the cooperation of the pack, Leah's lead grew to 10+ seconds in the dying laps of the race.
With just under one lap to go for the field, it became apparent to me (and probably everyone else) that she was going to stay away - which was incredible, but made my job clear. I positioned myself behind Alison Testeroete's (Expresscopy.com) who was on Murdin's wheel. We shot out of the final chicane and jammed the last 200m, but I came up a little short on Testeroete - however giving Giant 1 and 3 - not a bad day at the office!
A couple of notes on the race:
1) Leah, I bet you didn't think that you're first win would be in a crit! How awesome is she and how great is the team that we managed to get our GC rider to win the crit???
2) Pickle rocked out in her first 1-3 crit and fought to stay with the front group - you are a star!
3) Awesome work girls - I'm really, REALLY proud of us!
Right from the gun, the race proved to be interesting with the eventual ominium leader Kele Murdin (Team Ultralink) going down in the first corner of the race. The course is a technical figure eight (fun!) and the ante was upped by scattered showers that eventually turned into torrential rain. Off the bat, I moved to the front in an attempt to keep the pace high. Half a lap in, I realized that Stacey Spencer (Colavita) had decided to let me get a gap, so I decided to start working it and punched it out of the corners for the next few laps. In my stint off the front (I think it was between 4-6 laps) I managed to get up to a 9 second gap and two primes - one useful ($50) and one ridiculous ("handmade" jewlery - let me know if you want it!), but eventually I was eaten back up.
The meat of the race was then punctuated by numerous primes (of which I managed to come 2nd in 2 - but of course 2nd in primes doesn't mean anything!) and a wreck - yet again in corner one - this one claiming our very own Alena. She hit the ground and slid out, but luckily nothing that would stay with her other than road rash and she was able to come back strong for Sunday's roadrace.
With about three laps to go, after a prime had been called, the heavens decided to really open up. Leah and myself were near the front and Jeremy made the call to have Leah go for it as she was our GC hope going into the next day. As appears to be customary in NW racing, the girls watched her ride away and only about a lap later realized that this was potentially VERY dangerous with such an engine out front. Leah hammered and rode the crit course like it was nobody's business while Claire and I marked wheels near the front. The Symmetrics duo of Leah Goldstein and Marni Hambleton made a couple of efforts to bring her back, but without the cooperation of the pack, Leah's lead grew to 10+ seconds in the dying laps of the race.
With just under one lap to go for the field, it became apparent to me (and probably everyone else) that she was going to stay away - which was incredible, but made my job clear. I positioned myself behind Alison Testeroete's (Expresscopy.com) who was on Murdin's wheel. We shot out of the final chicane and jammed the last 200m, but I came up a little short on Testeroete - however giving Giant 1 and 3 - not a bad day at the office!
A couple of notes on the race:
1) Leah, I bet you didn't think that you're first win would be in a crit! How awesome is she and how great is the team that we managed to get our GC rider to win the crit???
2) Pickle rocked out in her first 1-3 crit and fought to stay with the front group - you are a star!
3) Awesome work girls - I'm really, REALLY proud of us!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Baie St Paul Canada Cup #1
Our first Canada Cup race of the season commenced at 12:00 noon Sunday May 13th. Here all of elite men and women, and junior men and women started. I was so nervous at the start, but I kept repeating in my head to have fun and relax. It was just a race. Starting out was wicked. I got so excited. A crazy french girl gav’er off the start and I stuck on her wheel. The course was really cool. Not really like any other I had been on. It was very flowy and didn’t have any real climbs. Up down, up down.... for 20km. Myself and three other girls switched positions for the first 2 laps, but on our final lap I put the hammer down and tried to stay with the crazy french girl. I ran out of water really close to the beginning of the lap, so it’s kind of a fuzzy scene. I got super dehydrated and pretty delirious. I raced like mad though. I wanted to catch crazy frenchie SOOO much. I didn’t end up catching her though, I finished a little less than a minute back, second place of the junior women. It was AWESOME. I was SOO stoked on my final results.
Monday, May 7, 2007
The Rat Race
This past weekend was my first cross country marathon bike race. It was held in Roberts Creek on the Sunshin-ing Coast. Waking up to rain wasn't exactly my idea of a good time, but as we neared the race start, the clouds disappeared and the skies smiled down. Today was a good day I decided.
The race commenced shortly after 10:30AM. With a gun to signal go and 2 logging trucks creating a scary, loud tunnel we were off on our 48 km pain filled bike ride. Starting the race out feeling awesome, I sprinted up close to the front. This race was on home turf and everyone I knew and loved was there watching and cheering. It was awesome. I felt so appreciated. The first 12 km was a massive, vertical climb up a local favourite, Pumpkin Patch..note to self, ride DOWN Pumpkin Patch. No, it was tough, but I had spent countless hours going over lines and repeating the hill so I knew exactly how I wanted the race to go. I got to the hill and didn't feel great, which was a little discouraging, but it takes time to warm up and I needed to respect that of my body. After a while of climbing and breathing hard, my body felt warm. I was then having fun. The climb just kept ascending, it was like a never ending nightmare of mud and slick rock. When we finally did reach the top, again, there was a huge crowd of loved ones cheering me on.
Getting to the decent I wanted to make up some time. I was sitting about 10th over all woman and wasn't really to content with that placing. I sprinted as hard as I could down the hill, basically having no control at all. My arms were like jello and the trails were so rutted out and muddy that my eyes were closed. The whole way down I screamed I had no brakes so people would move HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH. It was cool. When I finally reached the bottom of the first decent there was a feed station, my mom was happily waiting with my friends and brother. STOKED to have such an amazing support team mountain biking, and with a new bottle of gatoraded-water. I started to ascend one more time. The climbing in that was ruthless. JEEZZEEEE.....
Then some more stuff happened, in which I would explain but it basically is the same as above and that would just bore you. So I will skip to the ending....
The last decent was approaching and I was sitting 5th woman. I knew at the bottom of this decent I had a little uphill sprint and then the finish line. I went hard along the downhill and nearing the uphill road I saw my dad. Just seeing his face light up wanted to make me cry. I hadn't really been getting along with him lately and to see him proud of me and appreciating what I was doing was the best part of the race for sure. "GO SHORTYYYYY" he screamed and I sprinted like mad to that finish line.
I finished 5th woman and first junior, but best of all, had a SUPER fun race. I was feeling like lately all my races were based on contending other people. I went into this race in a different mind frame. I wanted to race this race for myself, not for others. It was so good. I did things because I wanted and didn't base my decisions on what would please other people.
Thank you Rod and Tanya, you guys are awesome Race organisers. The Rat Race 2007 was a huge success and we were lucky to benefit from all your hard work.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
bye bye cat 4
Well i must say it was rather fun while it lasted but alas i must join the big girls in their game.
this weekend signaled the end of cat 4 riding for me, but not to worry i went out with a bang.
After arriving to the Saturday rr with just enough time to sign on , get changed and warm up ( thanks to a directionally challenged driver ) the two giant "kids" lined up to score some BC team points and cause some pain ( for both ourselves and our competitors ). Within the first quarter lap we were accomplishing our goal. Without and conscious effort on the team's part the pack had fragmented into several smaller clumps with the front group only registering 6 ( some credit must however go to the new, but fast Megan Rathwell for pulling the unwilling group up the first long climb ) by the time we got to the top of the WALL OF DOOM the lead pack was down to 4 with Megan Rathwell powering off the front. After some shared effort with one of the local ride girls and some yo-yoing I Finaly caught up with her just before the end of the lap, only to have her slip away again when we reached the WALL. But a certain spectator wasn't about to let me loose her and followed me yelling for me to ride faster ( i was pretty sure that wasn't possible but a scary guy in a large truck is pretty good motivation ) with about 7 km to go i caught her and sat on her wheel waiting for her to make me pull or for her to attack , but neither happened and it came down to a sprint for first , after her power housing the course i had the legs and took the win by several bike lenghts.
Sunday morning came far to early and i dawned my skin suit at 7:30 am and started warming up for what was to be my hilliest time trial yet, now i must admit that time trials are not my favourite form of punishment but this one was much less horrible and i ended up 3rd ( which ment that i needed to win the crit to keep the overall )
As Sunday afternoon rolled around i was excited about the technical but flat crit that i was about to embark on. After umpteen times around the course i lined up front and center , ready. the pace was moderate from the gun and picked up a bit for a few of the laps but nothing that would really shatter the group. because of my solo status and the nasty headwind i sat out of the wind in second place for 90 percent of the race watching for anything dangerous but nothing really presented itself and it wasn't until the prime lap that the speed picked up again with Liz from local ride making a serious effort for the three points , but after some good cornering i had a gap and sprinted for the line and took the points. When i crossed the line and looked back i realized that i had quite a gap and made an effort to stay away but the group pulled me back and i took my second wheel spot back with no opposition . In the final lap Rachel Canning and i jumped and seceded in acquiring a small gap which we kept to the line.
well im going to miss not being the poor sucker suffering off the back but my dues must be paid and im down with suffering as long as i learn somthing aling the way.
bye bye cat 4
this weekend signaled the end of cat 4 riding for me, but not to worry i went out with a bang.
After arriving to the Saturday rr with just enough time to sign on , get changed and warm up ( thanks to a directionally challenged driver ) the two giant "kids" lined up to score some BC team points and cause some pain ( for both ourselves and our competitors ). Within the first quarter lap we were accomplishing our goal. Without and conscious effort on the team's part the pack had fragmented into several smaller clumps with the front group only registering 6 ( some credit must however go to the new, but fast Megan Rathwell for pulling the unwilling group up the first long climb ) by the time we got to the top of the WALL OF DOOM the lead pack was down to 4 with Megan Rathwell powering off the front. After some shared effort with one of the local ride girls and some yo-yoing I Finaly caught up with her just before the end of the lap, only to have her slip away again when we reached the WALL. But a certain spectator wasn't about to let me loose her and followed me yelling for me to ride faster ( i was pretty sure that wasn't possible but a scary guy in a large truck is pretty good motivation ) with about 7 km to go i caught her and sat on her wheel waiting for her to make me pull or for her to attack , but neither happened and it came down to a sprint for first , after her power housing the course i had the legs and took the win by several bike lenghts.
Sunday morning came far to early and i dawned my skin suit at 7:30 am and started warming up for what was to be my hilliest time trial yet, now i must admit that time trials are not my favourite form of punishment but this one was much less horrible and i ended up 3rd ( which ment that i needed to win the crit to keep the overall )
As Sunday afternoon rolled around i was excited about the technical but flat crit that i was about to embark on. After umpteen times around the course i lined up front and center , ready. the pace was moderate from the gun and picked up a bit for a few of the laps but nothing that would really shatter the group. because of my solo status and the nasty headwind i sat out of the wind in second place for 90 percent of the race watching for anything dangerous but nothing really presented itself and it wasn't until the prime lap that the speed picked up again with Liz from local ride making a serious effort for the three points , but after some good cornering i had a gap and sprinted for the line and took the points. When i crossed the line and looked back i realized that i had quite a gap and made an effort to stay away but the group pulled me back and i took my second wheel spot back with no opposition . In the final lap Rachel Canning and i jumped and seceded in acquiring a small gap which we kept to the line.
well im going to miss not being the poor sucker suffering off the back but my dues must be paid and im down with suffering as long as i learn somthing aling the way.
bye bye cat 4
Monday, April 30, 2007
The Ridge Crit
The crit course in Haney was one of the coolest courses that I've seen - sharp corners, with half the course really wide, then funneling into a very skinny U-shaped 180 degree corner with a park in the middle for interactive spectatorship!
Bill Pickle, aka Chelsea Bilsbarrow, dominated the Cat 4 women and won all three stages this weekend, including the prime...she showed them no mercy!! Congrats Pickle, and welcome to Cat 3:)
Our team numbers dwindled from 8 to 4 on Sunday for the crit, with just Leah, Claire and myself left to defend Leah's overall lead for the stage race. Claire and I could feel the pressure before the race, it was perfect, just the pressure that we needed!
Claire did a great job covering any attacks at the front, while I marked other potential racers that could take points for the overall (especially Leah's good friend Jean-Anne!). We were on every attack that was lauched, and never let one go...
As the race went on to half way, BH lauched an attack every lap, obviously trying to tire out the rest of us to get there sprinter Laura Brown the win.
With the prime lap called, I moved to the front of the pack into the last two corners, with Claire leading Leah up on the outside - the perfect lead out! We came around the corner with Claire leading where she enable me to take the prime with Leah in second holding off Laura Brown in 3rd.
With only 5 minutes to go, the pace slowed and it was obvious that it would be a pack sprint for the finish. Jean-Anne lauched one more try for a breakaway, but we hooked her back in...
The bell lap saw myself and Leah sitting in 5th and 6th for the final corner where we were able to outsprint 2 riders for a 3rd (Leah) and 4th finish, respectively keeping Leah in 1st Overall for the Stage Race!!
Thanks for a great race ladies!
Bill Pickle, aka Chelsea Bilsbarrow, dominated the Cat 4 women and won all three stages this weekend, including the prime...she showed them no mercy!! Congrats Pickle, and welcome to Cat 3:)
Our team numbers dwindled from 8 to 4 on Sunday for the crit, with just Leah, Claire and myself left to defend Leah's overall lead for the stage race. Claire and I could feel the pressure before the race, it was perfect, just the pressure that we needed!
Claire did a great job covering any attacks at the front, while I marked other potential racers that could take points for the overall (especially Leah's good friend Jean-Anne!). We were on every attack that was lauched, and never let one go...
As the race went on to half way, BH lauched an attack every lap, obviously trying to tire out the rest of us to get there sprinter Laura Brown the win.
With the prime lap called, I moved to the front of the pack into the last two corners, with Claire leading Leah up on the outside - the perfect lead out! We came around the corner with Claire leading where she enable me to take the prime with Leah in second holding off Laura Brown in 3rd.
With only 5 minutes to go, the pace slowed and it was obvious that it would be a pack sprint for the finish. Jean-Anne lauched one more try for a breakaway, but we hooked her back in...
The bell lap saw myself and Leah sitting in 5th and 6th for the final corner where we were able to outsprint 2 riders for a 3rd (Leah) and 4th finish, respectively keeping Leah in 1st Overall for the Stage Race!!
Thanks for a great race ladies!
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