Central CA in the Spring
Ah. Bicycle racing in Merced.
Nothing like the smell of kettle corn, cow manure, and the local taqueria to motivate you to race your bike in mach speeds around a Central California downtown.
Plan your next spring vacation to Merced, California.
The Merco Credit Union Cycling Classic weekend, included a downtown criterium the town of Merced, and a road race somewhere 20miles west, also known as the middle of nowhere. Here is an idea, let’s all go to a remote location full of country roads, rolling terrain, and full blossom orchards, and race our bicycles. Game on.
The field was full and deep of some of the strongest national and international riders. Ina? Does she need a last name? Highroad, PeanutButter, Team TIBCO, Colavita-Baci, and Webcor. Even though it was just a little local bike race, with the caliber of riders showing up, it was going to be a good level of intensity, difficulty, and a high level of racing brought to the farmlands of Central California.
The crit was a full field, and the race was animated by the fighting for who got to control the race. With 2 laps to go, there was a brutal crash involving one of my teammates. Thankfully, she is all right, except there was quite a scare for a little while. She is tough and will be back on her bike soon. The race was neutralized for 20min, and then re-started with the lap counter saying 6 to go. Ouch. Ina (Columbia-HTC), Shelley (PB), Choloe (Columbia-HTC), BLWM (TIBCO).
We learned from this experience, and moved on to Day 2. The road race.
Flat road races are usually harder then hilly. Why? Because if the course isn’t selective enough, the teams are forced to create their own selection process. Attacks. Counter attacks. Attacks. With the sprinters in the field, it was looking like a sprint finish. But for those who hopes were for their own moment in the sun, the attacks ensued. It was a hard day in the office. With a flat tire in the last lap of the race, the comm moto would not like my DS motorpace me back up. Which left me chasing to get back on after the flat. Ouch. I learned it is more fun to be off the front of the bike race, then chasing to get back on after a flat. With a crash in the last 1k, and another fast sprint finish, it was Ina, Shelley, KellyB (Colavita-Baci), BLWM (TIBCO).
We will build on this race and continue to learn as a team. Our jobs are not easy, and they are hard, but if properly executed we will win.
Thanks to Merced, Merco Credit Union, and VeloPromo for another great weekend of racing.
Training Day in NZL
Having grown up in some remarkable places, from the Central Coasts of Santa Barbara County to the rugged terrain of Shasta County, few places ever seem to compare to my “home”.
As I continue to travel the world, and experience new places, I am beginning a small collection of places that similarly tug on my heart’s strings. You may remember Limoux, France, and this February, I discovered that I truly love New Zealand as well.
Am I making you jealous, and you want to explore NZL on your own? What about a training ride with the US National Team?
Mission Accomplished
I had the best of intentions to document each grueling stage of the Tour of New Zealand. However, even the best of intentions are sometimes foiled. As you many know, I was in the northern island of New Zealand competing in an event that is sure to raise a hint of jealousy. The Tour of New Zealand. Does it get any better than that? A bike race in New Zealand. Even though the scenery was breath taking, the air warm, and the sheep happy, I was unable to relax and enjoy where I was. I was competing in one of the most difficult cycling endeavors I have done so far.
We were arriving to this UCI tour with one of the strongest teams present. Did I believe it? Absolutely. With Olympians, World Champions, National Champions, and some of the strongest riders I have ever competing against domestically, I had confidence in our US National Team. However, what did the rest of the world have to offer? It was destined to be a tough race. Tough fails to describe the effort we put in at the tour of New Zealand.
Our main goal was simple: Win the Tour.
Will we win stages on our way to complete this lofty mission? Possibly. But most importantly, USA must leave NZL with the coveted yellow jersey.
Second goal: Win a stage
Third Goal: Win Overall Team Classification
I have mentioned our incredible director, Manel Lacambra, an energetic Spanish man who prefers to fight in Italian, and he is a huge asset to the program at USA Cycling. This man is a tactical genius who sacrifices, sleep and rest to be prepared and to prepare us for every test of each day. He studied not only the courses, but the riders and weather conditions as well. An invaluable director ensures confidence in his riders, and we are able to race accordingly.
Until now, I may have not understood the amount of work that is required to keep the jersey. Now, I look upon that jersey with a little different point of view. Each day of the tour was a new battle, a new challenge, and constant pedaling to protect the yellow jersey. Upon completion of the tour, the USA had won 5 stages, the yellow jersey, and overall team classification. We made history. When I see that yellow jersey I was able to take home with me, I take great pride in the USA and our accomplishments in New Zealand. We put our whole effort, blood, sweat, and tears into protecting that jersey, and we accomplished all our goals. Normally when someone says this phrase, it is with a hint of exaggeration, however, in our case, I mean it quite literally. It was a true battle to protect this, but we knew we had the strength to do so, we just needed to discover our own limits. Mission accomplished.
2010 will be a good year for USA, and we look forward to continue to build and grow on this tour into more races in the future.
Protect the Jersey
Stages won: 5
Days yellow jersey worn and protected: 6
Overall Team: USA
1st and 2nd rider: USA
Upon arriving home yesterday, my mind was still in a whirl of all we had done. Thank you for the direction Manel, and thank you team for putting everything we had out there. We did it.
Now, what’s the next race on tap?
Finding myself in NZL
The Tour of NZL has been a tough race. New Zealand is a beautiful country, and it has offered us hills, rain, wind, and undulating countryside. What more could you ask for in a bike race?
I have found myself in a ditch. In the wind. Up King of the Mountain climbs. In a chaotic sprint finish. In warm humid rain. On gravel roads. Through cities and farmlands. From coast to coast. Over rivers. From beaches to the forest, I have seen so much. And we have only done 4 stages. 2 more stages to go.
I have yet to see a kiwi, but I have seen my fair share of sheep.
Wrap Up: USA National Team has won 2 stages, and secured the yellow jersey. We have fought long and hard to protect the jersey. Never discredit the power of the yellow jersey. Much work is necessary to ensure its safety. Welcome to my life.
It has been an honor to race with some of the finest women in the world. I am truly privileged to be getting this experience and learning under such incredible direction.
