18 April 2015 USA Criterium Nationals, Greenville SC

Awesome team race announcement designed by teammate Nicole Mertz.

Greenville South Carolina put on an excellent day for the 2015 US Pro Criterium National Championships this past weekend. Local Greenville bike shop Pedal Chic – the first female-specific bike shop in the US – helped to make the event amazing for the female racers, hosting a fabulous meet & greet on Friday night and a pamper tent to help us freshen up and recover after the race on Saturday. While our race result was well below expectation, we came away from the event feeling fortunate and grateful.

Shop owner Robin Bylenga in front of Pedal Chic in Greenville SC, the country's first female-specific bike shop.

To help us feel further special, host Valerie Grimshaw threw us a party to ensure that we felt the support of the Greenville community.

Skylar, Sam, Yusse, me, and Nicole and the boys from Hincapie Racing with our Good Luck cake.

A cold and rainy week in Greenville turned into a hot and steamy day on Saturday with temperatures nearing 80°F (27°C). The race was aggressive from start to finish, with individual riders attacking off the front throughout the race. The relentless pace dwindled the field from 55 starters to about 16 contenders by the final lap.

Me and Sam moving up as the field begins to splinter. Photo by Scott Grimshaw

A dangerous break of three riders established late in the race, but was absorbed with about five laps remaining. United Health Care (UHC) then took control of the front, lining up their ‘Blue Train’ and ramping up the pace for the remaining laps. Sam moved into perfect position, directly behind the train, giving her the best possible shot at the win.

Sam in perfect position behind the Blue Train. Photo by Nathalie Morgan

With half a lap to go, a bad feeling induced Sam to slacken her pace and drop back a bit, relinquishing her prime position. Sure enough, on the final turn, the lead rider slid out, taking down the whole front of the peloton. Had Sam kept position, she might’ve gone down. Fortunately she missed the chaos and finished safely in ninth. Huge congrats to Kendall Ryan (TIBCO) for taking the win!

Call ups: Sam on the start line, ready to race. Photo by Scott Grimshaw.

Not so fortunately, I went down in an earlier crash. As the pace ramped up with ten laps remaining, another rider veered into me, stopping my front wheel. We both went down in a heap. I went over the handlebars, landing teeth first in a full-on face plant on the asphalt. Fortunately, the road stopped my fall… 

Awesome shot of Skylar during the race. Photo by Shane Orr

I can off extremely lucky, with a slightly loose and chipped front tooth, a giant fat lip, a broken finger, a few grazes, and plenty of deep bruises that are now blossoming into interesting multi-color designs on my skin. With heaps of crashes throughout the race, I’m grateful to have avoided more serious injuries. Sending many healing thoughts to Amber Pierce (Pepper Palace) who went down hard early in the race and was less fortunate.

New team mascot Magic helped keep injuries to a minimum.

The late race three-rider break went off while I was getting to the pit, so the pace was on when I got back in the race. My left knee took a big hit and was uncooperative about bending, I had limited use of my right hand for shifting, and my quads were not happy about working after coming to such an abrupt stop only moments before. Poor position on re-entering the race made for a mammoth effort to get to the front to help the team. Struggling, I dropped off the back with about four laps to go. Given circumstances in the final turn, I think this was for the best.

Me behind eventual second place finisher and cycling legend Tina Pic (Pepper Palace) whose face expresses how I'm feeling. Photo by Casey B. Gibson

Thank you to Fearless Femme manager Theresa Cliff-Ryan and several spectators for getting my bike up and running after my crash. I am extremely grateful to teammates Nicole and Abby who did an amazing job taking care of me after the race, and to Robin Bylenga from Pedal Chic for delivering a special care package to help me heal. Huge thanks to our gracious Greenville hosts Nathalie Morgan and Scott & Valerie Grimshaw for being amazing hosts as well as expert photographers. Along with Chicago riders Leah Sanda, Sue Wellington, Jessica Whiton, and Wendy Gaddy, Nathalie, Valerie, Scott, and the Every Woman Cycling Team made certain that we heard GO ISCorp! on all sections of the course.

Downtown Greenville. Photo by Teammate Lexie Millard.

11 & 12 April 2015 Novant Health/CaroMont Health Criteriums, North Carolina

Race ready. Photo by Anthony James

Returning to the Southeast, we once again found some warm weather, with temps just about perfect come race time on Saturday for the Novant Health Invitational Criterium in Charlotte NC. Located in the heart of uptown Charlotte for the past twelve years, the event has special significance, being held to raise money and awareness for the Brain Tumor Fund for the Carolinas.

Skylar and Sam lined up in good position during the race.

The event also served as the second race on the National Criterium Calendar, a major focus for the team this season. Despite Skylar doing an absolutely amazing job controlling the race, our top result reflected much work to be done within the team, with Sam finishing eight.

Cooling down together post-race. Photo by Anthony James

We made up for our disappointment the following day at the CaroMont Health Criterium in nearby Belmont NC where Sam and Skylar finished 2-3, absolutely electrifying the race in the process. Yusse’s eighth place, despite a knee injury, gave us three riders in the top ten!

CaroMont Health podium: Sam, Hannah Barnes (UHC), and Skylar

Skylar’s finish was particularly impressive given that, at 16 years old, she’s required to ride junior gears. Junior gear restrictions limit riders under 18 years of age from using gears at the bigger end of the spectrum--which means that on a course like Belmont, with a fast downhill section, Skylar has a massive handicap, having to spin like crazy to stay in the pack with all the other riders on normal gears. And she does it all with a constant smile and without complaint.

Smiling Skylar awaiting the start of the Novant Health Invitational. Photo by Anthony James

Despite racing in North Carolina, our home away from home for these races has been in Greenville South Carolina where we’ll remain for another week as we prepare for the US National Criterium Championships this weekend. We’re grateful to our host Valerie Grimshaw, who, in addition to being an amazingly generous host, had fresh baked and still warm chocolate chip cookies waiting for us when we returned late Sunday night, exhausted from a weekend of racing and traveling.

Our beautiful Greenville neighborhood.

Special thank yous to mechanic Pete Hill for volunteering his time to make sure our bikes were in absolutely pristine condition for both races, to ISCorp's Anthony James for excellent photos, to Race Director Thad Fischer for putting on a great weekend of racing, and to race sponsors Novant Health and CaroMont Health for making these races possible.

Clematis - one of many flowers in bloom making springtime is absolutely breathtaking in the Southeast.

4 April 2015 Lincoln Park Criterium, Chicago IL

Race Podium: me, Daphne Karagianis, Holly Mathews

A weekend home between stints on the road offered up the opportunity to catch-up with some of my favorite Chicagoland cyclists at the  Alderman James Cappleman's Lincoln Park Criterium, Chicaoland’s first race of the season (having only just emerged from the ice-locked depths of winter!). The women’s race in particular was extra special, in remembrance of xXx rider Beth Kobeszka who was killed in 2007.

Celebrating Easter with some racing!

Chicago put on a stunner day with plenty of sunshine. Chilly spring temperatures and a solid, gusty wind brought extra challenge to the 0.8-mile (1.3km) Lake Michigan lakefront course. Repeated accelerations out of the leg-zapping 180-degree turn was all the challenge I needed for one day!

Chicago skyline from Montrose Harbor after the race.

Teammate Holly Mathews made my day, spontaneously deciding to venture down from Madison WI to join me for the race, both of us keen to clear out cob webs and get some racing in our legs before heading to Charlotte NC for NCC Race #2 The Novant Health Criterium this weekend.

All together early in the race. Photo by Warren Cycling

The race did not disappoint, panning out as one of the most exciting races of the day. Excellent teamwork from Chicago Cuttin Crew riders Daphne Karagianis, Janette Rho, and Maria Larkin animated the race early and throughout.

Move off the front by Maria Larkin, Chicago Cuttin Crew. Photo supplied by Fernanda Guzman

Additional strong riding from Ellen Ryan (xXx Racing), Anina Blankenship (Balanced: Bike Fitting), and  Christine Thornburg (PSIMET) keeping me and Holly working hard.

Holly putting in an attack. Photo  supplied by Fernanda Guzman

A well timed attack late in the race saw Daphne escape the bunch. Waiting a bit too long to respond, I launched a chase effort which, despite being extremely painful, was not enough to reel in the on-fire Daphne who took a well-deserved solo win. My pursuit gave me a hard-earned second, with Holly taking the bunch sprint for third.

Holly winning the bunch sprint for third. Photo by Warren Cycling

Chiacagoland racing allows me to stay with my favorite hosts, my parents. Big thanks to them for hosting me! Thanks also to PSIMET Racing -- I was grateful for shelter from the wind and cold in the PSIMET team tent! Rob Curtis (PSIMET) did an excellent job on the mike announcing the races, and neutral support mechanic Matt got my bike sorted out and ready to race. And of course, huge thanks to xXx Racing-Athletico and especially Kevin O’Neill for putting on a great race.

28 March 2015 Sunny King Criterium, Anniston AL

I kicked off my US racing schedule with the National Criterium Calendar (NCC) opener The Sunny King Criterium in Anniston AL. The team posted an impressive yet bittersweet result, sweeping fourth through sixth spot. The race featured an excellent live stream with the best voice in cycling Brad Sohner. If you missed it, you can catch the race, including awesome interviews with Sam and Skylar, starting at about 6:25:00 on the feed here: http://www.annistoncycling.com/videos/

Live feed, thanks to EBOX, Matt Wilson and crew, takes lots of technology.

Typically early season US races are concentrated in southern areas of the country, where the advance of spring precedes that of the north. We certainly found warmer temps during our two-week stay in North Carolina compared with the still snowy Chicago-Milwaukee region. Traveling 5 hours southwest from North Carolina (plus an extra hour sitting in Atlanta traffic!), we arrived in Anniston early Wednesday evening to find heavy, almost sultry air so typical of the humid, subtropical climate of the Southeast.

Enjoying some Alabama sunshine before a ride. Photo by Stephen Gross - The Anniston Star

Anniston was once well-know as an important source of cast iron for sewer pipes until plastic replaced iron in the 1960s. Today, Anniston is the home of the country’s largest office chair. Yep. In 1981, Miller Furniture built a 33-foot tall office chair outside their factory. Apparently the largest chair competition is quite a hot battle, raging since 1905 with over 15 different leaders over the 110 years of competition. The Anniston chair was once the world’s largest, but that title now belongs to a 65-footer in Manzano, Italy.

Anniston's 33-foot tall office chair.

We were greeted in Anniston by our amazing hosts, Cindy and Terry Phillis, owners of the local Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers. Mellow Mushroom is familiar to many in the cycling peloton thanks to legend Laura Van Gilder.

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers - Oxford/Anniston

For those who don’t know, Mellow Mushroom Oxford-Anniston is THEE Mellow Mushroom that started MM’s support of LVG and subsequent presence in the women’s peloton. If ever anyway near Anniston, definitely don’t miss the opportunity to stop in for a meal. The restaurant features jerseys, race numbers, water bottles, and historic cycling photos all throughout the restaurant. The atmosphere is electric. And the food’s pretty awesome as well. Amazing pizza crust!

Just some of the cycling jerseys that cover the walls at Mellow Mushroom-Oxford/Anniston

Once in Anniston we were joined by ace mechanic Pete Hill who made certain our bikes were in absolutely pristine working condition.

Mechanic Pete Hill working on the bikes. Photo by Stephen Gross - The Anniston Star

A warm day on Thursday quickly turned to chilly on Friday and downright cold by race time on Saturday with temperatures dipping into the single digits (45°F). We would need a good solid warm-up for this one! Unfortunately just as we began our warm-up, I had a fluke mechanical, maybe an object drawn up into the drive train, and my warm-up time was taken up getting my bike back up and running. Come start time I had less than 10 minutes warm up, which is pretty suboptimal in chilly conditions.

Sam off to a good start off the line. Photo by Trent Perry - The Anniston Star

With the pace fast off the line and my job starting early in the race, I was feeling pretty nauseated by about lap two, my body not at all happy with the expectations I was placing on cold muscles. The feeling persisted (intensified actually) over the course of the race, and, well, let’s just say I wasn’t feeling in top form over the course of the hour.

Me, Skylar, and Nicole patrolling the front.

Fortunately my teammates picked up the slack without missing a beat, making certain ISCorp was a strong presence throughout the race. Eventual winner Hannah Barnes and runner up Coryn Rivera (both UHC) showed impressive form, almost effortless throughout the race. With this year’s blue train leadout being led by Kiwi Linda Villumsen, UHC will be a challenge to beat. We’re up for it!

Me, Nicole, Sam, and Yusse all keeping an eye on things up front with Skylar up the road. Photo by Trent Perry - The Anniston Star

We head home for 10 days (just coming to the end of that now!) before heading back to the Southeast for another block of racing starting with NCC Race #2, the Novant Health Invitational Criterium in Charlotte NC.

Host Cindy Phillis capturing the moment as we get ready to go for a ride with host Dr. Terry Phillis. Photo by Stephen Gross - The Anniston Star

Special thank yous to hosts Terry and Cindy Phillis and Mellow Mushroom - Oxford/Anniston for huge support of this race, and to the city of Anniston, Sunny King Auto Group, race director Marilyn Cullinane.

11-25 March 2015 Asheville NC

Nicole, me, and Skylar with our Asheville host Andy McKenzie.

Spring has arrived, and with it, the official start of racing for the ISCorp pb Smart Choice MRI Women’s Team. We kick things off tonight with the Sunny King Criterium in Anniston AL. Watch it live here: http://www.annistoncycling.com/videos/. To get our race legs in tune and escape the icy grips of winter, still strong upon the MidWest, five of us (Skylar, Yusse, Nicole, me, and team manager Dave), loaded up the team van and headed 12 hours south to Asheville NC for some warmer weather and good training before the National Criterium Calendar (NCC) opener Gasparilla, scheduled for 21 March in Tampa FL.

Home on the road: ISCorp pb Smart Choice MRI Women's Team van.

The first few days in Asheville were wet and chilly -- and unseasonably warm in the MidWest -- the cold weather apparently having followed us south. But soon we had some beautiful warm days to tackle the picturesque rolling countryside of the Asheville area. We got in plenty of climbing, a real treat given the flat terrain of much of the MidWest. Plus, spring truly is breathtaking in the southeast.

Photo stop on the way up Mt. Pisgah.

As we headed into the final week before the NCC launch, Gasparilla organizers announced the cancellation of the race. As one might imagine, the cancellation so close to the event was incredibly disappointing and disruptive to everyone involved. We chose to find the positive in the situation though. Enamored with the beauty and incredible riding of the area, not to mention our awesome Asheville host family the McKenzies, we rejoiced in the opportunity to spend an extra week exploring the roads around Asheville.

Stopping off for water at a curious little store on our beautiful ride around Lake Lure.

The extended stay also allowed me a rare siting of a Brevard white squirrel -- three in fact! Although quite rare in the rest of the US, white squirrels are quite common in Brevard, a small city a bit southeast of Asheville. I didn’t know about white squirrels in the US, so the sightings were intriguing, the striking white fur in stark contrast against the brilliant blue sky of the day. Although white, these guys aren’t albino. They have a distinctive black cap and saddle and dark eyes. Apparently the whole population arose from two squirrels, released in the 1950s. Where the original squirrels came from is uncertain, but they’ve populated Brevard. Some have been spotted as far north as New York. Busy squirrels. 

White squirrels of Brevard NC.

Fortunately Sam, who had planned to meet us in Tampa, was able to change her travel plans and join us in Asheville for our second week there. Holly wasn't so lucky and wasn't able to join us. I think she had a fun time in Tampa sans race though! While in Asheville we had excellent visits with the local TREK dealer Liberty Bicycles and our headset manufacturer, Cane Creek.

Team visit to Liberty Bicycles.

We enjoyed the opportunity to join Asheville riders on the weekly Saturday Bakery Ride and Tuesday Etowah Ride to make lots of new friends and help boost our fitness. On other days, figuring out where to ride was a breeze with expert guidance from Team NCCF/Specialized Racing rider and Asheville local Colton Brookshire who came out to ride with us every day. Thanks Colton! 

Enjoying Asheville roads with Charlie McKenzie (black & orange jersey) and Colton Brookshire (red jersey).

No doubt, two weeks hosting a cycling team can be quite trying. Our host Andy McKenzie and sons Charlie and Ben were endlessly welcoming and took it all in stride. We absolutely felt like part of the family and had some great times together. Come time to leave, we found it difficult to go. But racing calls. Off to Anniston AL for the 'new' start to the NCC series tonight with Sunny King. It's going to be cold, but this one is a go.

Cane Creek makes dreams into reality at their manufacturing facility in Fletcher NC.

11-22 Feb 2015 Tour of New Zealand

I’ve managed a good bit of travel since my last post: 12 days riding with DNA Racing pb K4 in the Wairarapa region of the North Island racing the Trust House Tour of New Zealand, a few days at home in Nelson to pack, two weeks of snowy wintery cold near Chicago, including time in Crystal Lake catching up with my parents, a beautiful ride up and around Lake Geneva, and a day in Whitefish Bay WI for the ISCorp pb Smart Choice MRI team launch, and now on to Asheville NC for a mini-team camp before commencing our first race of the National Criterium Series with Gasparilla in Tampa FL on 21 March. 

Beautiful sunrise over Lake Michigan from Whitefish Bay WI to welcome me to the US.

The Tour of New Zealand turned out to be an exceptionally challenging tour, for all sorts of reasons! This year’s Tour featured 5 days of racing in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand’s North Island. Located north of the capitol city Wellington, the Wairarapa offers beautiful views and perfect terrain for a stage race. As a top level UCI tour, where riders and teams earn valuable points towards World Rankings, and countries earn Olympic berths determining the number of riders they can enter in the next Games, the Tour drew an international field featuring 13 five-rider teams.

Stunning and interesting views can be found all throughout the Wairarapa.

I was invited to guest ride with the Utah-based team DNA Racing, joining riders Breanne Nalder, Gabby Pilote, Lauren DeCrescenzo, and Anne Perry, team manager Alex Kim, and team/tour photographer Cathy Fegan-Kim.

Tour of New Zealand team: Lauren, Breanne, Anne, Gabby, me.

The team arrived from the US a week early to get acclimated, recon the courses, and get in some team time trial training for Stage One of the tour. It’s a good thing too! We ended up needing the extra days: two bikes went missing en route and took several days to arrive, one rider came down with a nasty respiratory virus upon arrival, and one rider was delayed a day, having missed her connecting flight to NZ, and then ill for a few days, her immune system challenged by the stress of her experience. So, with only three riders able to ride together for the first several days, getting any sort of team continuity was challenging.

Gabby celebrating the Wairarapa wine trial.

We made it work as best we could. We were well-equipped and looking good to boot with the AvantiPlus Lower Hutt van for course recons. Plus excellent support from AvantiPlus Masterton for local knowledge on where to ride and connecting with the local cycling community.

Hanging out by the AvantiPlus Lower Hutt van.

We were fortunate to be able to join in on the AvantiPlus Masterton Sunday bunch ride were we made some excellent new friendships. Come tour time, we felt like the ‘home team’ with DNA signs up along the road and what felt like heaps of people out cheering us on.

One of many DNA sign along the course.

Stage One, a 15 km team time trial, was a little rocky with a shaky start off the line, the whole team fighting illness, and too few days of all riding together. We put in a decent time and improved over the course of the stage, which is the most important element in the early season.

Out on course for the Team Time Trail, Stage One.

Stage Two was not a good day for much of the peloton, with a big crash taking out multiple riders and affecting most teams. We had Bre go down hard, dislocating and fracturing her elbow in the process. She fought through serious pain to finish the stage (huge thanks to Kiwi Kerri-Anne Torckler Page for getting Bre to the finish) and make it through the next day until the pain settled down (slightly) enough for her to be able to race hard to final two days.

Pacing back to the hotel post-Stage Three. Bre riding through the pain.

Stage Three was the most rewarding day for the team. Late in the 130-km stage, with the peloton split into several bits and a nine-rider break established up the road, we were able to launch Gabby who put in a mammoth solo 26-km (16-mi) effort, nearly catching the break to take 10th and gaining enough time to take over the Fagan Motors U23 jersey.

Gabby in the white Fagan Motors U23 jersey after Stage 3.

Unfortunately for me I woke up the day before the tour started with a horrible sore throat, stuffy head, and foggy brain. Despite lots of optimism and plenty of denial, my health deteriorated over the days that followed. Conservative riding kept me in the peloton, but big efforts to cover moves and launch Gabby in Stages Two and Three took their toll.

Me covering a move in Stage 2, Gabby positioned at the front ready for the next move.

I’ve had enough experience with illness to know that when my resting heart rate doesn’t come down and my peak flow drops, I’m heading for a lung infection if I keep pushing it. Given a 6-month recovery time from last-year’s lung infection and antibiotic side effects that I’ve only just gotten sorted, I opted to finish my tour with Stage Three in favor of recovery.
The team rode awesome the final two stages, especially Lauren who really came into some good form on the final stage. But with me out, Bre injured, and Anne still struggling with illness, we didn’t have enough fire power to keep Gabby in the jersey. We posted four top-15 results, topped by Gabby’s 10th place in Stage 3, followed by two 13th places from me in Stage 2 and Lauren in Stage 5, and 14th from me in Stage 3.

Lauren putting in one of many attacks in Stage 5.

We were incredibly fortunate to have amazing support from the Masterton community. Local masseuse Melissa Barry kept us running smoothly with daily massage and local rider Earl (I don’t know Earl’s surname!) came out to every stage to cheer us on and help with bottle hand-ups.

Earl (dressed in bright colors so we can find him!) handing up a bottle in Stage 3.

Wellington chiropractor Simon Pumfrey was definitely a valuable connection made on our Sunday bunch ride, proving an indispensable asset to the whole team, especially in helping Bre to dissipate pain from her injured elbow enough to keep her functioning, racing, and even smiling.

Simon working magic to help reduce Bre's pain.

We had amazing race and mechanical support from Kevin Laskey from Laskey’s Autoservice/Laskey’s Cycles in Pahiatua. I just can’t say enough about what an incredible job Kevin did maintaining our bikes. In addition, thanks also again and often to AvantiPlus Masterton and AvantiPlus Lower Hutt for assistance.

Kevin tending to the bikes after a stage.

After a two-year hiatus, it was fabulous to have the Tour of New Zealand back this year. Thanks to Jorge Sandoval for putting together a great tour. The best Tour of New Zealand so far. Looking forward to even better next year! All the awesome photos posted here are from CottonSox Photography.