This was an early bird event, and there was quite a chill in the air. This wasn't one of my better days, in fact probably the worst luck I have had with a bike race. The directions for the race didn't mention that Belmont was blocked off, and I had to take a major detour to get there! Once there, it was very chilly out until the Sun finally nipped that off to a reasonable level. There were only a few top pro registered women riders, so I didn't expect a whole lot from this event.

I have never seen the High Road jerseys before, so I didn't know what to look for. Turns out, they parked remotely somewhere and just limbered up to the start line at the last second. I didn't get many photos at the pre race sign in, as Mara was the other one I saw sign in. The others I didn't recognize at all until they lined up, which the race started so quickly once High Road came onto the course, I didn't figure out who they were in time, and then they were gone!

I barely got off a few shots because the sun was almost dead level just behind the riders, and that made shooting from the front totally impossible, and you couldn't see a thing because of that. With the Sun in the background like that, it made for some very challenging conditions to take a few shots. Later on, I stopped on the steepest section of the grade, around about 15 percent when I snapped these photos of Mara and Kim.

I didn't get more, because to compound back luck on top of bad luck, some guy got a flat tire and stopped right where I was taking photos partially blocking my complete field of view. What really upsets me, and this is party my fault, I got caught up talking about the race with him, really bad timing, that half of the High Road riders slipped by me just at that instance, and I didn't get any shots at all, except Mara and Kim, and I didn't really focus on detail, because I was chatting! I didn't see Kori Seehafer at all.

All things considered, this race was really a pain for me to get to way up in the mountains, with such bad lighting conditions so early, and you can't even park up at the finish line. You must park half a mile away and walk to the finish line, so I opted to stay over at the steepest section instead, sorry, no finish shots and no podium! I did like how it ends on a steep grade, but I don't like the fact that there is no room whatsoever for anything where the race finishes. Really bad deal for cars and spectators, (IMO).

However, I did like the race overall as far as climbing goes, there was a lot of that, and very steep too in certain sections. But really, what makes me pass on this race probably next year, is they don't have a good finish area or podium finale. I guess they just hand out prizes without any fanfare, so overall, it's certainly not worth the trouble for me to take some photos of so few women, because the pro women end up mixed in either the masters or the Cat 3-4, which makes it nearly impossible to sort them out for photos.

So often they can be lumped together with the men, and with so few women in this race, I doubt I will attend it again. I do wish more women would ride this early bird, and that there is more separation between the fields, as some of those climbs make for some great action! The first three photos are Kim and Mara from High Road on a 15 Percent Grade! Like I said, I didn't do better with this, because instead of focusing and shooting, I was being distracted by another rider who had a flat! I don't know who won either, because since there is no podium, I left, and the sign in area had not posted results by the time I left. Well, better days ahead!

I would like to conclude that Kim Anderson looks absolutely awesome! She seems more chiseled and hardened then previous years I have photos for. Kim seems thinner, leaner, and very fit, and very solid, and she has a commanding present as well. She not only looks very professional, but she really stands out, even compared to the men, you know right away that this is a top professional. When she came up the grade, she had absolutely no wasted motion at all, she was incredibly smooth on the pedals up out of the saddle, and you couldn't even tell she was breathing at all. You couldn't hear the faintest sound, she had perfect control of her breathing on what was a tremendously steep grade, at least 15 percent or more, Kim didn't seem to be struggling in the slightest.

Kim made it seem so easy, when even a lot of the men were breathing hard up the climb pretty much, except maybe the very top markers. By the time that they got to the climb, the pro 1-2 women were mixed in with some masters and 3-4 men, so they must of passed some on the climb, as I saw Mara hanging with one of the masters. Kim I think literally has an intimidating present to the riders around her, and I think she's going to have a great year, if this is any indication, she already looking very good so early in the season.

Mara seems to be leaner then last year, in fact most of the High Road girls I knew from last year, seem leaner, stronger, more professional then last year, they seem to get better every year. I heard the High Road women were on the attack early on, and probably passed a number of masters and 3-4 men between Watts Valley road and the top of the climb. Mara looked good, you could see her expression on the climb, she had the bit between the teeth. What can I say, she's an awesome rider, I wish her the best this year in all the classics. Mara Abbott and Emma Pooley might be the new breed of pure climbers!

Results

1. Cara Gillis - 105 Organic Athlete Cycling Team
2. Kristina Seley - 112 Proman-Paradigm Womens Team
3. Pat Ross - 107 Touchstone Climbing

Here are also the same photos which are much larger for bigger monitors.