pitures from Gwinnett

The womens1,2,3 field cresting the first hill at Stage 1



flying through the corners



Glued to Rebecca's Wheel



Sprint finish Stage 2 (criterium)



Sneaking in for 3rd



Criterium Podium



Road Race Stage 3



Off the front during the road race



Women 1-4 start for the circuit (final stage)



off the front during the circuit

Gwinnett Final Stage

Yesterday was the last race in the Gwinnett stage race. It was a circuit race on a rolling course. There were no big hills but a couple of rollers that got painful after a while.

The women 1,2,3 raced with the women3-4. We had 6 laps on the 2 mile course which equaled about 50 minutes. At the start of the race the officials called all of the 3-4 to the front of the field because their race was faster than ours in Saturdays RR.

At the start of the race nothing major was happening. A couple small attacks but everything was being pulled back. On the second lap Rebecca Larson attacked. I followed on her wheel and we were able to bridge up to a rider that had about a 20 sec. lead on the field. I was in the break for a little bit, but then wasn't able to hold with the pace.

Once the field came around I dropped back in. They were chasing hard but no one was willing to get organized and work. There was a pace line going with me and two other girls as we tried to bring the break back. An attack went that managed to make it up to the break.

About 5 minutes later another attack went from team Kenda. I followed. We took 1 other rider along and caught up with 1 other girl who was trying to bridge up to the leading group of 3 that was now about 25-30 seconds up the road.

Our little group was just off the front of the field. The Kenda girl and I were rotating but the two other girls were to tired to pull. I was kind of tired but maybe it was just the excitement of being off the front that gave my legs a little bit more energy to push on.

1 lap to go! It took all of us by surprise. We hadn't heard them count down laps and the field was charging up behind us. The two other riders made a couple pulls but we started to get unorganized. Halfway through the last lap the field caught us. I looked around for the right wheel to follow into the sprint. I found my way to the girl that had finished second in the crit. I knew she was the strongest sprinter in the field.

As we rounded the final corner Kenda was leading. I was fourth wheel. I don't think that many of the girls actually knew that it was the final lap, but the girl in front of me finally jumped with about 50 meters to go. Looking back I should have tried to jump her, because she ended up beating me in the sprint. I finished second in the field sprint and 4th over all.

This weekend was really good for me. I got a 3rd,4th,7th, and 8th and finished 5th in the GC. It was great to get out and race one last time before nationals.

We leave for Cali next Monday and I race Wednesday-Friday. I'm very excited for nationals. Also there is a TT this Tuesday at the OIA. I'll have updates as the races come around.

Thanks for reading

Ciao

Gwinnett Stages 1-3

Well its been a while since my last race so I was totally pumped to get out and race this weekend in GA. My dad, my sister, and I traveled up to GA on Wednesday for the start of the Gwinnett stage race. Its a 4 day stage race that consists of a crit, a road race, and 2 circuits. I decided to race the womens 1,2,3 instead of the women 3,4. And I'm glad I did. Its been hard but I've had alot of fun so far.

I don't have much to say about Thursdays race. It was a circuit race on the Road Atlanta race course. Right after the start/finish line was a killer hill that wasn't as long the one on the Luguna Seca course at Sea Otter that I did last year. But it was alot steeper. We had a 6 lap race. The course was hilly without a single "flat" section.

We had 8 ladies in our race and all of which were registered for the GC. A couple attacks happened in the first few laps but everything was pulled back. I don't know where my head was during the race because I didn't race as smart as I could have. I ended up blowing on the big hill and was caught by 8th place on the road. When she flew past me on one of the descents she didn't know that I had hopped onto her wheel. Without looking she turned around and spit =/ it definitely took me by surprise and I had to whip my glasses off.

It came down to a sprint between us. I led it out hoping to beat her to the line but she came around me and I ended up getting last. I wasn't to happy and I was ready to come out to the crit the next day and avenge myself.

The crit the next day was supposedly flat...but in actuality it was rather hilly for a crit. The start finish was mid way up a hill that basically carried around to the back side of the course. There was a steep descent and then a right hand corner into a sharp right into a quick left and after a small descent about 50feet uphill to the finish.

The womens 1,2,3 were on the course at the same time as the women 3,4. We had more girls show up. Including power house Rebecca Larson. I knew what wheel I wanted.

our race was 45 minutes long including 5 laps to go. For the first few laps nothing really happened. There was one small attack but it was quickly shut down by the field. Then BAM Rebecca attacked. Everyone reacted but she still had a gap. I sat and watched. I wanted to race smart today so I tried to keep my nose out of the wind. She was eventually reeled in 2 laps later.

For about 10 minute nothing happened. We wandered around the course waiting for the next move. Then Rebecca went again. This time she was chased and caught fairly quickly. When she integrated back into the field I hopped on her wheel and refused to leave it.

For the next 20 minutes or so nothing exciting happened. There were maybe a few attacks but nothing stuck. I was glued to Rebecca's wheel. With 4 laps to go people started to get antsy. A couple accelerations but no major attacks. Finally we made it to the final lap. I wasn't on Rebecca's wheel but there was only one rider between us. I came down the hill and through the final corners in fourth position. Rebecca led out the sprint. We passed on rider during the sprint but other than that no one passed each other.

I finished 3rd about 1 bike length behind Rebecca. It was my best finish of the year and one of my best ever womens 1,2,3 finishes. I was totally stoked for the Circuit the next day.

Today's race was hilly. There was a KOM on the second lap and 2 hills that made your legs scream. They had the women 1,2,3 on our own today with the women 3,4 2 minutes behind us.

The first lap was really boring. There were no attacks and nothing exciting that happened. just after beginning our second lap we were caught by the women 3,4 field. After being neutralized for several minutes we were allowed to race again. We caught the 3,4 field a couple minutes later and were allowed to pass. When the KOM came around I got 4th and was just off the back of the lead group of 3 riders. I dragged myself up to them and tried to recover.

Lap 3: On the first big hill a Kenda rider started to pull away from the field. I accelerated and jumped onto her wheel. She was a good climber and I was struggling on her wheel. But I wouldn't drop off and go back to the field. She was really cool and gave me a chance to recover and allowed me to pull through when it had leveled out a little. We stayed off the front for nearly a full lap until we got caught by the 3 men which caused all sorts of confusion and allowed the field to catch us again =P

the fourth lap went by with a couple small attacks on the hills but nothing got more than 15 seconds. finally we came around to our final lap. i was pumped. I was a little tired but I felt like I accomplished alot just being able to race hard and aggressive in the field.

On the final hill (a 1 mile climb about about 1 miles away from the finish) the attacks started flying. It was really hard and I started to bonk. About 1000 meters from the finish on the final hill I popped and died. I struggled to the line and gave a little sprint to the line.

Tomorrow is a circuit race and I am very excited. With nationals a couple weeks away I am very excited to be racing well.

We drive home tomorrow so I'll prob have an update for you guys on Monday about how tomorrows race goes. I also have pictures that I will post of the weekends races but now its time to watch the Tour (we jsut realized that we get it in our hotel room).

thanks for reading!

ciao

More Kentucky Pics

Here are some more pics of the Swifties in Kentucky (courtesy of Tyler Brandt and his dad Mr. Eric)

Enjoy!



My sprint finish in the RR for 6th



Ryan and I before the RR



Tyler, Will, and I after our RR



Team picture after all the races are done

As of right now I'm in Georgia chillaxing before the first race of the Gwinnett stage race. I have a curcuit race tonight on a race track. Its going to be alot of fun and I am totaly stocked!!!!!! I'll have race reports up soon.

Thanks for Reading,

Ciao