SBW Women At Cascade Cycling Classic

From July 9th to July 13th, JennX, Morgan, and I competed in the Cascade Cycling Classic in Bend, Oregon. We were joined by guest rider Laurel Green of the Dolce Vita Cycling team in Northern California. The Cascade Cycling Classic is a 5-day, 6-stage NRC stage race, and we covered nearly 350 miles in those five days. The temperatures in Bend were HOT (high 90s), but thankfully the air was clear of the smoke from the wildfires in Northern California.

The field of 88 riders consisted of U.S. Olympians Kristin Armstrong and Christine Thorburn, and Canadian Olympians Gina Grain and Alex Wrubleski, and full squads from Webcor, Tibco, Aaron's, and Value Act. It was an amazing race, and I am so pleased with my experience in my first NRC stage race.

I have to thank Neva, my great friend, Jen Johnson, and Morgan's brother, Jay, for all their help during the race feeding us and helping us with whatever we needed. They were absolutely wonderful, and there is no way that we could have done the race without their help! Thank you so much!!

Wednesday, July 9th
Stage 1: Prineville Road Race – 83.2 miles
Redmond (Deschutes County Fairgrounds) to Bend (Pilot Butte State Park)

We started out on Wednesday from the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond and headed north before turning east toward Prineville. When we entered Prineville, it seemed like the entire town was out cheering for us. What a feeling! About 46 miles into the race we began the 3-mile climb up to the Prineville Reservoir. We were stopped at the top of the climb for 30 minutes or so due to a crash in the men’s field. They then released us in order and time of coming across QOM line. There was a 7-rider break we all chased but could not catch. (Cycling News had this great photo of JennX on the front of the field, working hard to chase down the break.) There was a crash with about 20k to go to the finish and JennX and Laurel went down. I waited to make sure they were okay and to pace them get back into the field. The race finished with a climb up to the top of Pilot Butte State Park, which was much steeper than I expected. Superstar Morgan finished 16th, I was 53rd, JennX was 71st, and Laurel was 77th.

Thursday, July 10th
Stage 2: Three Creeks Road Race – 78.5 miles
Bend (Summit High School) to Three Peaks Snow Park (near North Sister Peak)

We started out Thursday morning from Summit High School in Bend with a very fast first 20 miles. Tibco was constantly sending riders off the front trying to establish a break. A 6-rider break finally stuck. With Morgan sitting 16th, I went up to the front to try to bring down the time gap to the break. The race ended with a long 10-mile climb up the mountain. Morgan finished 26th, Laurel was 73rd, I was 74th, and JennX was 80th.

Friday, July 11th
Stage 3: Skyliner's Time Trial – 14 miles

The time trial was a 14-mile out-and-back course into the forest, with the out leg 7 miles uphill gaining over 900 feet and the back leg 7 miles back down the hill. We started around noon. Morgan finished in 31st, JennX in 32nd, I was 38th, and Laurel was 83rd. Kristin Armstrong set a blistering time. Since they had just announce on Tuesday at the Team Managers Meeting that there would be a time-cut, it looked like we would lose Laurel.

Friday, July 11th
Stage 4: Downtown Bend Criterium – 60 minutes

We arrived in downtown Bend for the evening crit and went to check results and sign in. Laurel and several other riders had missed the time cut. We began warming up and Laurel changed into street clothes. About 10 minutes later Neva came running yelling for Laurel to get dressed because the officials had just rescinded the time cut! Laurel quickly got back into her kit and got her bike ready to go. Wow, the crit was fast! We averaged over 27 mph. Laurel and Morgan went down in a crash, with Morgan falling very hard. They both got back in. Laurel was pulled from the race about 30 minutes or so in, but Morgan was able to hang in with the field. I finished in 33rd, Jenn X in 34th, Morgan in 44th, and Laurel in 49th.

Saturday, July 12th
Stage 5: Cascade Lakes Road Race – 70 miles
Wanoga Snow Park to Mount Bachelor Ski Park

The race started with a 3.5 mile climb before going downhill. Laurel and I got dropped up the climb. I was able to catch back on at the top, but Laurel didn't make it and abandoned the race. JennX was looking like she felt really good and was at the front of the peloton. I got dropped up the climb to the first feed zone and just couldn't get back onto the peloton, leaving me to chase alone for over 45 miles. When I got to the second feed zone I learned that JennX was off the front! She was off the front for about 20 miles or so, but unfortunately, she had another flat and ended up completely losing the gap she had on the field. Morgan finished in 45th, JennX in 65th, and I was 72nd. The race was spectacularly beautiful with the entire route through the forest, past lakes (one of which was emerald green), and then up the mountain. There was still snow on the side of the road, too!

Sunday, July 13th
Stage 6: Awbrey Butte Circuit Race – 67 miles (4 laps)
Start and Finish at Summit High School in Bend

Sunday's race was a circuit race of four 18-mile laps through northwest Bend, with the QOM up a steep 14% climb. The course was completely up and down with hardly any flat stretches. Unfortunately, I was dropped going up the climb to the feed zone and was once again doomed to chase behind, although this time I had other riders with me. JennX and Morgan once again did an amazing job in the field. Morgan finished in 29th, JennX in 32nd, and I was 58th.

Morgan finished the stage race in a GC position of 22nd, JennX had mounted a major comeback from earlier in the week when she was plagued by the heat and finished in 45th, and I was in 58th.

3 Days of Fiorenzuola

While the SBW women were kicking butt at Cascades in Oregon, the National Team sent me to Italy to participate in the 3 Days of Rose. I went there with the assumption that the women were going to have Madison races, but when we arrived the race organization did not include it on our schedule. The women's omnium consisted of 2 missing outs, 2 scratch races and 2 points races with two races each day. The track was a 400m outdoor concrete track which as you know is far different from our home track. It was enough difference to throw off my timing for the sprints. The racing was tough and the field was filled with World Cup medalists, World Cup white jersey wearers and Olympians preparing for the big show next month. We raced hard and held our own. My best finish was a 4th place finish in one of the Points races. The Ukranian pursuit team double teamed me twice in the break away. Unfortunately, being out smarted is part of the learning process. I also found that you really have to be on your toes because you can't understand the announcer yet lap cards change in the middle of the race, the total number of laps change, the rules of the missing out change as you're racing and probably don't count it being in your favor. I'm sure this is all part of the leaning curve and I look forward to many more races like it in the future. The riding in Italy is amazing. It's filled with beatiful views and cute villas everywhere you ride.

The picture above is taken at the top of the mountain on our way to the beach. It was about a 45 minute ride from the team house in Lucca to the beach. The next picture is of course the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Nature Valley Grand Prix

Nature Valley Grand Prix turned out to be extremely intense riding in all 6 stages. Morgan and I had a big job holding our own against the best pro teams in the country. Morgan did a great job maintaining her position in the peleton and always finishing with the top girls. Neva was awesome support for us. We cannot express how important her help was to us during the 5 day stage race. It was also really fun having JennX as the announcer. It is always cool hearing your name over the loud speaker. Thanx X!

State Crit Champs: Morgan Kapp Takes Third

Congratulations to Morgan Kapp, who took third place at Sunday's San Pedro Grand Prix, this year's SCNCA Elite Criterium Championships.

The course was challenging and served as a great warm-up to this weekend's Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, as the two courses have some of the same features. From the start/finish, it was wide and flat to very tight right-hand 180 degree turn. From there the course went uphill, then a long downhill run-in to a speedy turn that went 180 degree turn (two 90 degree turns pretty close to each other) to put you on the finishing straight, which was a long, gradual uphill. Already a challenging course, the 96 degree temperatures made it that much more difficult.

Holly Mulvaney joined Morgan and me at the race, and Holly put in a great attack early (I think it was the beginning of the second lap), taking a prime before being tracked down by the field. I was able to go on a short-lived attack with another rider about five laps into the race. Then, about mid-way through the race, with Morgan well-positioned at the front (as she had been from the beginning of the race), I struck out on a solo attack. Nearing the top of the hill on the backstretch, the field was back on. I started slowing it down, and then Morgan jumped, with SDBC's Bonnie Bourque, Helen's Kat Lundby, and Bicycle John's Skye-Lee Armstrong going with her. Since I was on the front, I was able to do a little blocking, and soon the four had a pretty sizeable gap on the field.

I was able to cover a few of the jumps from the field, but SDBC, Helen's, and Bicycle John's had good numbers and were able to keep pretty good control on the field, making it easier on me. With two laps to go, the break was back in sight, and Anna Lang (Aaron's Pro Cycling) started up the chase once again. I was suffering going into the final lap, but saw Neva on the sidelines telling me to get back up to the front. Seeing Neva gave me a little renewed energy, and I was able to get back up to the front going into the tight 180 degree turn to slow the race back down for a few seconds. Once we hit the final hill on the backstretch, the race heated up again, but the break would not be brought back. I used whatever I had left to try to sprint up the long finish straight to finish among the field.

I then saw Morgan and she said she had finished in third. Although I know she wished she would have finished first, it was still a great result for Morgan and SBW. Third place behind Kat Lundby and Bonnie Bourque is terrific.

Thank you, Holly, for joining us in the race, and a big thanks to Neva for cheering us on and helping out on the sidelines. Most of all, though: Congratulations to Morgan!

Back on Track

Last Tuesday was my first night at the San Diego Velodrome this year. Not only was it my first time on the track bike since Nationals last October, but it was my first time racing at the track in San Diego since I crashed in a race there last August and broke my ribs. I was a little nervous getting out there and racing again at the site of my crash, but I was soon very comfortable and did much better than I expected.

The night started with the customary motor-paced warmup of 30 laps. The first race was a 7-lap then win-&-out, and my final race of the night was a 20-lap scratch race. I was not aiming for any results in the races, but instead was using the racing to get some extra speed training in. However, being able to hang with the field of very fast men (who are highly motivated by the beer primes) and finish the races in the field made me very happy about where I am right now with a full three months to go before Nationals at the beginning of of October. Racing at the track each Tuesday night will now once again be added to my training.

From the first Tuesday in April through the last Tuesday in September, the San Diego Velodrome is the site of Tuesday Night Racing every week. The San Diego Velodrome is no ADT Event Center Velodrome, though. I am so thankful to be only 100 miles from the ADT Velodrome, one of the best tracks in the world -- an indoor, 250 meter track with a wood surface and 45 degree bankings -- and feel very spoiled every time I've ridden there and then come back home to the San Diego track. The San Diego Velodrome is an outdoor, 333 1/3 meter track in Balboa Park's Morley Field with a concrete-ish surface and probably only about 20 degrees of banking in the turns. However, although it's not in the class of ADT, I am priviledged to have a velodrome only a quick two mile drive away that I can race and train on.

Tuesday Night Racing draws a great crowd every week, with the bleachers always full of a great mix of people taking advantage of the opportunity to watch track racing for free. Some bring picnics, others bring beer and margaritas, and others just come and watch, but all the spectators do a lot of cheering for all of the racers. In the past, they've even had a wine tasting night and a live band on another night. Gary, the announcer for Tuesday Night Racing, is hilarious and entertains the crowd with his race commentary and his ability to poke fun at anyone whenever the opportunity presents itself. Joly and Ray, two USCF officials that everyone who races crits and road races is very familiar with, are there each Tuesday to handle registration and officiate. Their efforts every week are greatly appreciated.

Our International Soigne and Friend Monsieur Foss

A happy reunion with Larry after Stage 3 Time Trial. A Minneapolis resident, Larry came down to watch his peeps. Larry will be married in September- Congratulations!! (No- Larry is not marrying SBW's Christen King as pictured-he's marrying Sophie who is not pictured because she is working hard with the Canadian National Team!)

Kapp Positions in GC Day 2 but Really Day 1

NVGP had a wild start Day 1 with the rain soaked crit ending in complete mayhem. Who was in, who was out but still in, and why did the 3rd place break sprint 2 times? Who knows and who cares...because the officials threw the race out! Don't ask. So Morgan's 21st position was literally a wash. Good for Christen, bad for Morgan...but both were in high spirits because that's racing and now Day 2 would officially start the NVGP for official stage results.

Day 2 was a road race and was sure to be a hammerfest since there was no GC and it was any one's GC to take. The botched start started the 2nd day of mayhem when the motorcade took the wrong road over a narrow bridge and realized they were off course so they literally turned the peleton around and the back became the front and the front the back and now all the work riders had done to position was in vain and mayhem ensued. I heard zone 5 was the result with heart pumping speeds for the first 30 minutes and rumor had it a group of 30 was shelled off the back. At mile 25 100 riders remained in the main peleton (145 were to start) and both SBW riders were intact but Christen looked like she was being gapped off due to a positioning error on a steep downhill into a sharp right turn...hang on CK!

Feed was at mile 30 and I anxiously awaited her riders. All hands were grabbing at my bottles and riders pleading me for water (it was awful because I could hear their desperation) but I held tight only giving one away to a No Cal rider while I anxiously looked for Mojo and King. Then everyone was gone and I was still with bottles- gulp...I yelled to the big team cars that had radios and asked if there had been a crash and the response was no so I waited and about 4 minutes behind the peleton came 2 riders and one was Christen. She looked pretty fierce with a determined look on her face ad plenty of sweat so I kept silent and prayed she would be able to grab the bottle- she did. I knew it was going to be a long 20 miles because the rider with her was done so Christen would be TT'ing solo trying to make the time cut. Over 10 minutes back came a group of about 12...too far back to help her...she was in that awful place called no-man's land. Bummer.

Morgan must have stayed in the main peleton so I headed to the finish circuit hoping she was fine with water. As the peleton arrived into the 5 lap circuit and made its way into the start of the laps, I saw Morgan looking pretty good- and she was in about 40th position of about 80 riders who made it into the circuit to complete the 5 laps. For the first 3 laps Morgan moved up just a person or 2 and then with 2 to go she had moved up near mid pack and in a terrific finish she ended up 28th! What was even more amazing is she placed 3rd out of 50 in the amateur Cat 2 division just a few places behind the leader. I then got word that Christen made the time cut so prep started for an early morning TT start in St. Paul.