Sterling - Cat 4 women race report -5-12-08
Sterling Classic RR – 10 May 2008
24 Starters
Clara Kelley – 1st
The large turnout by NEBC Cat4 women was very encouraging. Team spirit, brand new bike, and the leisurely neutral start gave me some positive feelings going into the race.
Loraine and Cathy each made an attack early in the race which got things going. After 5 minutes my lesson from the Turtle Pond race (sit in the pack, conserve energy) had been forgotten. Loraine had to tell me not to be chase my teammates (sorry, ladies). Her advice to not be in the front of the pack also went unheeded (oops) and I started wasting energy chasing a competitor zigzaging over the highway.
Two girls from CVC attached and Katherine Snell jumped on their wheel. Not about to let this opportunity to burn off more energy pass, I pushed to get on Katherine’s (NEBC) wheel. After this I became a bit too preoccupied with holding wheels to really note what was going on. At one point, I found myself on Katherine’s (from CVC) wheel, the pack nowhere in sight, and two laps of the race to go. I remembered the last day of class for the Intro to Racing Clinic. We were watching a scene from the Tour du France in which two guys in a breakaway work extremely hard for a long time, only to be overtaken by the pack at the end of the race.
Katherine and I started working together to prevent this scene from playing out. I tried to keep the pace down so I would have legs for the final climb (ie not another Turtle Pond). We were really relieved to hear that we had a 2 min lead on the pack with a lap to go. We stayed together up until the turn to the final hill. I think that I came into this turn ahead of Katherine. When I stood up, for the final part of the climb, I couldn’t hear her behind me. Until then, I didn’t know which of us was going to win, since she had seemed strong on all of the hills.
I thank my light bike and the compact crank for the final push.
Thanks to all of the NEBC ladies for your help at the start of the race.
Katherine Snell – 6th
Wow – what a great race and learning experience! At our initial meeting we discussed goals and strategy. Mine was simple – to finally stick with the pack until the end of the race. Luckily, Loraine had a great plan. We would work as a team and hold back our stronger riders to cover any breaks and the rest of the team would block and launch attacks. I lined up near the front of the field and we started the rollout to the start up the hill. The rollout was incredibly slow, 13-14 MPH and I felt incredibly silly climbing up the hill to the applause of the spectators. Patience, I repeated to myself. I learned at Myles Standish not to use up my precious energy going too fast at the beginning. We rolled over the line and still the pace did not pick up 10-12 MPH in the rollers what the !@#$%? Patience again. I knew Erica, Clara and myself were supposed to be on the back and yet I was still on the front waiting for the pack to roll through. Finally about a third of the way through the lap the field finally started rolling through and I got on the back with Erica. Loraine launched an attack and nobody went. Then I think Kathy launched an attack again without much response. When we hit Rt. 12 finally things started happening and the CVC gals launched their attack. Luckily Erica and Loraine alerted me to it and I started chasing and caught their break along with Clara. One of the NCC gals also came out with us to make a break group of five. Never having been on a break before I was unsure of what to do – my instinct was to rest so I slowed a little which then elicited a comment from one of the CVC gals; “We can’t make the break work if you don’t”. Ooops! Right, so I had better stick to it. I think at that point I came out front and led around the corner into the hill. Then it was pretty much game over for me – I wasn’t able to climb with them- something about being 30-40 lbs heavier and a few years older. Luckily Clara is a great climber and was able to stick with them and I watch them move on up the hill as I vainly tried to chase. Eventually found myself alone doing the rollers when two thirds through the second lap I was passed by another NCC gal which cost me 5th place. Lesson learned – never give up for a minute and keep the effort going. So after that I went into full blown time trial mode and did not let up for the rest of the race to cross the line in sixth place with Erica coming up right behind me for seventh. I was very happy to learn that Clara had been able to stick with the break group for the rest of the race and finish first – Congratulations Clara! Thanks to Loraine, Kathy, Caroline, Andrea and Michelle for doing a great job blocking and attacking!
Take aways: Once you’re in the break, try and work with the group to try and consolidate your position. I learned this again at Wells this morning. I still suck at hill climbing and am not sure how to get better at it. I’m not too bad at sprinting – maybe I’ll be a better crit rider.
Erica Mains – 7th
Loraine Warner – 17th
The team did awesome at Sterling! Andrea, Kathy M., Caroline, Michele and I were the sacrificial members protecting Erica, Clara and Katherine S. I launched the first attack and no one came with me. Kathy M. launched a beautiful counter that Clara jumped onto and we had 2 in a break for a bit. They got reeled in and Andrea launched the counter that ended up splitting the entire field. She was away for several minutes and some of the other teams finally decided to race, so there was a mad dash to catch Andrea, that Clara, Katherine S., and Erica responded to. The outcome was a break, then a chase group, then the chase group that I was in of about 5. I was proud of Michele and Andrea for being such solid wheels in the paceline that we worked on. The other 2 rookies with us were very sketchy at times. One veered her bike every time she looked to the side, and the other decided that the MIDDLE of the road was a good place to be. I had to drive home several lessons on safety to these 2 that hopefully sank in. It’s important to note that everyone was amazing at Sterling, working as a team and sacrificing their own results for the benefit of getting the team win. Kathy M., Andrea, Michele and Caroline probably could’ve stayed with the pack quite a bit longer if they hadn’t been attacking and sitting on the front blocking, and generally exhausting themselves for the benefit of protecting Katherine S, Erica and Clara. Congrats to Clara on her win and congrats to the whole team for helping to get her there!!! It was a great day for the NEBC women!
Andrea Wasik – 20th
We had a fantastic team meeting before the race where Loraine proposed a plan to set up our top 3 riders by staging an early attack on the first lap to surprise everyone because normally there would not be any attacks until the 2nd lap. The rest would stay back blocking. We had strength in numbers and I thought this was a spectacular idea as it allowed us to use our numbers to our advantage. Since I knew I would be dropped off the main pack at some point anyhow, I was more than happy to put in my effort early and contribute my part.
I was feeling good, and after we were past the hillier sections of the loop Loraine suggested that I go if I felt up to it. So I went, and I think it did surprise everyone. I felt like I got pretty far out ahead but it’s hard to judge when you’re off the front. I got out onto rt 12 and started looking back every so often – I didn’t see anyone for a while, and then finally there they were!
As they caught me Loraine told me ‘great job’ and I was happy because our plan seemed to be in action. Apparently Caroline and Loraine and Kathy were back doing some good blocking while I was off the front, and I believe Kathy staged an attack as well. So now I was trying like heck to stay with the front bunch and I managed for a while, but at some point it was just too much. I knew It turned into a chase group of me, Loraine, Michelle, and 3 others. A couple of the others (not NEBC) were not familiar with riding a paceline so Loraine took it upon herself to whip them into shape and soon we were flying along like a well-oiled machine. We did this for the remainder of the race, and of course fought it out on the final climb to the finish where Loraine edged out the Bicycle Alley woman. I could see I would be able to reach the Subaru woman and I gained on her towards the finish but she must have edged me out by about an inch! I don’t see Michelle listed in the results so they must have missed her.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the race. I am thrilled that Clara won! We went in with a real plan and carried it out. Looking forward to the next one!
Caroline Cardiosmenas – 21st
I started my first race of the season with one goal: Be positive! With Loraine’s guidance, the team agreed to protect three riders. I had much fun, maneuvering to block up front and keep the pace down! I felt confident maintaining my chosen place, even using my elbows to widen my space. The pack wasn’t being very aggressive so I sat up at times; I’m told this is too obvious so I won’t do that again! Unfortunately, I rode much too hard on Thursday and my legs weren’t fresh; when I tried to bring back an up-hill attack with Loraine and Katherine, I fell right off the back with a surprising and painful cramp in my right calf. But, I ate a GU, drank some stuff, told myself to keep going, happily found Kathy on the last lap, and made it to the line having achieved my goal..
Sterling Road Race – Kathy Martin – 22nd
At the pre-race team meeting, Loraine asked several of us to attack on the first lap in the hopes of either getting a breakaway and/or tiring the rest of the field. We were to protect Clara, Katherine and Erica, and the rest of us were to do what we could for the team. As soon as we left the neutral zone, the team started attacking. It was awesome! NEBC went on attack after attack. From what I could tell, we completely controlled the race for the entire first lap. Somewhere on the rollers before Rt. 12, one of my teammates was out in front (I honestly can’t remember who it was – there were so many attacks), and I realized that she was about to be reeled in and that this was a perfect time for a counter move. I maneuvered so that I was third from the front, and just as we caught her I went. I put my head down and pushed as hard as my screaming legs would let me until I had a gap on the field. I don’t know how long I was away (probably just a couple of minutes), but then we hit one of the uphill sections and I couldn’t hold it anymore and got swallowed up again. Luckily, I was able to re-integrate into the pack and stayed with it until the bottom of the s/f hill, at which point I got left behind. I went into TT mode as best as I could, but I knew that I was done. I was on my own for about 1 ½ laps, and then Caroline caught up to me and we worked together until the finish. Although I was DFL, I am very grateful for the experience of launching my first counter attack and actually being able to get a gap on the field! It was so much fun to be in the thick of the action for the first lap and see the team really execute our plan and pull off the win. I look forward to continuing to get stronger and being able to contribute more to the team. :-)