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Before the race, there was a pre race interview with Brooke Millar, and I sat down my fruit smoothie to take a photo. The pre race introductions took a bit of time, as about a million cameramen converged on the women. Also there were several video production companies covering the race for cycling video sites. There were also dozens of hobbyist camera artists working the race, as well as lots of Mom and Pop point and shoot cameras out on the course.
The introduction of the pro women 1-2 event started with the callout of lots of top riders including Laura Van Gilder, Nicky Wangsgard, Brooke Millar and Canadian legend Sue Palmer Komar. Also they introduced the new sensation from New Zealand Rushlee Buchanan, and finally of course super sprinter Ina Yoko Teutenberg. The race actually started with a blast right off the front from Liz Hatch. I hadn't even walked to the first corner when Hatch was already in front before turning the corner. She proceeded to do several laps off the front, good move for publicity for both locally at the race, and the press to take note. Then she was soon back in the rank and file numbers of the peloton.
In the early going Aarons riders snatched the $50 prime, followed by Kim Anderson taking the lead at the front, and then Aarons. On the next $100 dollar prime, Brooke Millar, Ina Teutenberg and Laura Van Gilder blasted to front, but soon Ina was joined by Nicky Wangsgard of Colavita, and she held off Teutenberg to take the prime.
Later on, Hatch crashed out in a very nasty crash which was documented on the video streaming sites, also with photos. There were some photos of her cracked helmet and what appeared to be bruises as well. There were quite a few top riders in that crash but most of them rejoined the race quickly. After the crash Colavita, Aarons and High Road were active at the front. The race had yet quite a bit left, as I worked my way around the course. I found the best shooting location was on the back side of the course, where the sun was at the best angle for exposure. I stayed there for the majority of the race. There were no crashes there, but plenty of action.
On the next prime, Martina Patella of ValueAct Capital Cycling Team took the prize over Aarons. For a while Cheerwine Leigh Hobson was at the front, and then Colavita again pushing the pace. On the next lap, another prime and Alex Rhodes came to the front with Aarons, but Alex took the $50 dollar prime. Rhodes keep a gap and stayed away alone for a couple of laps being pursued by Aarons. Finally she was joined by a group of about 10 riders who had a small gap over the field. The pace had increased quite a bit at this point as the peloton was stretched out for quite a ways back.
Colavita attacked on the next lap as a $50 prime was up for grabs and taken by the breakaway rider Tiffany Cromwell. Then after she was reeled in, Ina Teutenberg took a flyer off the front, little by little High Road was wearing down the field. Tibco riders came to the front to take up the chase, then Laura Van Gilder of Cheerwine took up the chase. Brooke Millar and Aarons Kat Karroll also gave chase. Shortly thereafter the next prime was taken by Nicky Wangsgard of Colavita. The next prime came very quickly as Cheewine and Mara Abbott were off the front.
The next prime was taken by Anke Wichmann of High Road, and again another prime came very quicky. Promans Helene Drumm attacked off the front and held off the peloton to take it, but yet as soon as she won that one, another prime was offered up. There was this huge burst of succession of primes one after another keeping the pace very high. At this point several riders had dropped out and I saw at least one Proman rider drop out right at the corner I was at. The pace was viscious, as I haven't seen any Proman drop out in previous races.
Prime after prime were still being offered lap after lap which turned the race into a knife fight in a phone booth, this time with Anne Samplonius taking the prime. On the next two deep primes, Martina Patella beat out Aarons for the prime, but both riders won $50 apiece. Then on the next lap I saw a rider go down hard, but she seemed to be ok, Red jersey, maybe Cheerwine. On the next prime, Aarons was leading from the front, but Helene Drumm again took the prime.
Then High Road rider Alex Rhodes set a fiery pace stringing out the riders, but Tibco brought her back in line, while Crissy Ruiter opened a small gap at the front. High Road Kim Anderson moved to the front in an attempt to wear down the field and set up the sprint for Ina Teutenberg. Then Aarons made a charge at the front as Anderson moved off, Tibco and Brooke Millar were trying to make the move to the front with one lap to go. On the front of the last lap was Tibco, Aarons and High Road all flooring it to the finish.
I left that corner a few laps before the finish and the women really started to heat things up. I hurried to the finish line just in time. On the last corner, a crash, I could see it in the distance. Just ahead, I think Ina and Brook, Lauren sensed it, as I noticed they sort of looked back for a second, but already heard or realized that the riders had stacked behind them.
That made all the more urgency to hit the gas, and Ina floored it to the finish line. From my point of view, and after watching the crash several times, I don't think Brooke had the best shot at taking Ina out in the sprint, and the German was just too strong. In the end, the photos show the expression of Brooke Millar giving a nod, as to say, well, I tried, but fell just short. Behind you see Laren and the remarkable Canadian Anne Samplonius taking 4th.
The crash looked pretty nasty, there was a mad rush to get in and out of that last corner. I'm not sure, but it seems like the corner at Merco might be a bit further away, which would ease the sense of urgency to get in and out of the last corner as the sprint to the finish at Merco is a long one from that last corner. It could be that the distance from the corner to the finish line is not that great, which means its critical as to who comes out of the corner first and gets the lead position.
However from what I saw I think the actual distance for the sprint was too short for Brooke since it looked like she came late out of that corner, and the crash behind probably didn't help her nerves any. I don't think she has a fair even Steven chance at beating Ina to the finish line. However, the announcer summed it up, that Ina Teutenberg is the strongest women in the world when it comes to a sprint, and she's probably the most experienced too since she been doing it for decades.
This was a fairly hard Crit at 57 laps, and $10,000 of prize money was plenty of incentive for riders to push it to the limit, which they did. There wasn't any long breakaways, but plenty of little random attacks and counters, which kept the coals stoked. It certainly wasn't a boring race and was really tailor made for some great action shots, which I got plenty. At one point the riders formed an echelon, which made for a great photo.
After the race, the podium came quickly, which I like because I don't have to wait, and then I headed for home.
Good race, great festive atmosphere, and I think its one I will certainly return for. While Merco is my hometown favorite, where I also won, Visalia is certainly a fantastic race. It seemed to be pretty well organized with plenty of staff on course. The only thing it lacks like most others is presentations and champagne celebration for the winners.
Podium
1. Ina Teutenberg
2. Brooke Millar
3. Laren Franges
Some of the registered riders.
Lara Kroepsch ValueAct Capital Cycling Team
Martina Patella ValueAct Capital Cycling Team
Christina Ruiter ValueAct Capital Cycling Team
Taitt Sato ValueAct Capital Cycling Team
Tiffany Cromwell Colavita - Sutter Home Cooking Light
Andrea Dvorak Colavita - Sutter Home Cooking Light
Shontell Gauthier Colavita - Sutter Home Cooking Light
Kristin McGrath Colavita - Sutter Home Cooking Light
Nicky Wangsgard Colavita - Sutter Home Cooking Light
Iona Wynter Parks Colavita - Sutter Home Cooking Light
Yukie Nakamura Team Kenda Tire
Tracy Kubas Bicycle John's
Cari Higgins America's Dairyland
Kate Ross America's Dairyland
Clare Vlahopoulos America's Dairyland
Abby Lyn Cooper Proman Racing
Kristin Drumm Proman Racing
Helene Drumm Proman Racing
Megan Guarnier Proman Racing
Betina Hold Proman Racing
Virginia Perkins Proman Racing
Emily Zell Proman Racing
Morgan Kapp SouthBay Wheelmen
Jennifer Reither SouthBay Wheelmen
Jennifer Wilson SouthBay Wheelmen
Marisa Asplund-Owens Cheerwine Cycling
Sarah Bamberger Cheerwine Cycling
Kelly Benjamin Cheerwine Cycling
Allyson Brandt Cheerwine Cycling
Leigh Hobson Cheerwine Cycling
Stacy Marple Cheerwine Cycling
Anne Samplonius Cheerwine Cycling
Laura Van Gilder Cheerwine Cycling
Chellie Terry Fitzgerald's Bicycles
Holly BOROWSKI Touchstone-US Armed Forces
Jane Despas Vanderkitten
Olivia Dillon Touchstone Climbing
Elis Bradshaw Metromint Cycling on Marin Bikes
Amy McGuire Team Kenda Tire
Kristy Gough Third Pillar
Maria Monica McGuire Cycling Team
Laurel Green Dolce Vita Cycling
Megan Hottman DFT-QA3
Victoria Bastide Team Tibco
Rushlee Buchanan Team Tibco
Lauren Franges Team Tibco
Jerika Hutchinson Team Tibco
Helen Kelly Team Tibco
Brooke Miller Team Tibco
Amber Rais Team Tibco
Alison Rosenthal Team Tibco
Liz Hatch Vanderkitten Racing
Mary Maroon Vanderkitten Racing
Flavia Oliveira Vanderkitten Racing
Heather Sborz Vanderkitten Racing
Janel Holcomb Webcor Builders
Rebecca Much Webcor Builders
Alison Littlefield Contender Bicycles
Shannon Koch Metro Volkswagen Cycling Team
Molly Van Houweling Metromint Cycling
Sue Palmer-Komar Team Advil-ChapStick
Kirsten Robbins Team Advil-ChapStick
Rachel Tzinberg Bicycle Johns