As SBW Women make and impression across the pond, the elite road team is making it's mark here in the home land. Although not a NRC, the San Dimas Stage Race attracts all the major teams as a prelude the the Redlands Bicycle Classic, which starts next week. The women have already completed stage one and two with great top placings. Jenn Reither puts in a 17:33 up the 3.8 mile hill of Glendora Mountain Road for 12th place. Morgan Kapp was not too far behind, being the last ride to break the eighteen minute barrior with a 17:54 for 16th place. Jennifer Wilson, had a personal best, posting an 18:20, 29th place, Kristen King brought out her climbing legs after a successful track season for a 19:20, 50th placing.
The Incycle Cannondale Road Race around Pudding Stone park is less of a road race and more of a road crit. Team High Road, Value Act and Touchstone were content to go hard from the gun and with the rolling terrain of the seven mile loop, girls we dropped quickly. Every lap had a QOM or sprint, making the pace constantly hard up the hill and at the finish. Team High Road managed to get two girls off the front, as much as SBW wanted to chase, we didn't have the woman power to assist in a chase, besides, Value Act and Touchstone had the numbers and top GC riders making those teams responsible to bring back the break. It wasn't just a sit along tempo ride in the pack, while the teams were chasing, SBW had to bridge gaps and stay in the game. By lap seven Mara Abbott (High Road) had attacked and got in a solo break, so a podium finish was out of the picture, Morgan and I have to maintain our top 20 G.C.'s and finish in the main pack.
The finish of the road race was exciting. JennX found a hole and drove to the front with Jen Wilson in tow. Morgan was in her own fight on the other side of the pack. Jen Wilson put in a good effort finishing 5th in the field sprint.
Road Race Results: Wilson 8th, Kapp 18th, Reither 19th
Wish us luck in the crit today!
