SoCalCycling.com

SoCalCycling · Joined: 15 Nov 2005 Posts: 736 Location: SoCal

I just posted the flyer for the Amgen TOC Women's Criterium in Santa Rosa. This should be a really good race and is a great town with a neat downtown area.

Is anyone going to head up for it?

Have fun and good luck.

Flyer:
http://www.socalcycling.com/Schedule/2005/racesched05.asp

bmbcyclist · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 541 Location: EARTH

Yup, I'll be there.

It should be a good field. I encourage anyone who has the day off from work to try and go. I have found several people interested in hosting women cyclists, so I can forward the contact info for host housing.

The plane ticket is under 170 bucks (alaska airlilnes) so really there's no excuse.....I know two ladies from LA are actually driving! (crazy)

Anyway, I am for sure looking forward to this event. I know the promoter and sponsors are very excited to have it.

bmbcyclist · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 541 Location: EARTH

Was awesome! 85 starters. They still talk about giving us a stage race, we'll see if they finally do it next year.

I'll be back!

SoCalCycling · Joined: 15 Nov 2005 Posts: 736 Location: SoCal

That is awesome you had a great time. You'll have to give us the low down - was it fast? lots of attacks? sprinters teams wanting a field sprint or any breaks?

Did you get to hang out and watch the men finish?

That is great that they added a race for the women. I have heard they were trying to make it few stages too. That would be great!

In '94, my teammate Carmen DAlusio (nee Richardson) and I did the Tour DuPont. They had two days for the women and we won the race in Delaware, so that was really cool. It was really exciting to be a part of such a big race and see all the big named guys.

I am really glad they have added the women and hopefully it will continue to grow. Maybe Missouri and Georgia will add the women too?

photo © Mitchell Clinton / www.clintonphoto.com

tippytoe · Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 10

Congrats racers,

this is BIG, in my opinion. Too bad Versus probably did not cover it. It would place womens racing in front of the clueless masses, to let them know, yes, women race too.

I think Amber should have been promoted like Lance, two back to back tour de france wins??!!

And kudos to the women racers at VOS, which was anything but sunny. I saw Banning's ladies, Rock racing, Kahala/Griffen (who took 3rd in the Masters' TT) and some others. Be sure to tell us about the adventure, keep the momentum going, we need someone to aspire to.

bmbcyclist · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 541 Location: EARTH

Story soon.
I was told by my host that Versus did cover the women's event and he is making a DVD.
The local station showed the start, a few laps in the background while talking about the boys and the finish. The local station also showed the podium and a brief but good interview with the 3 podium ladies.

I hope this race is a keeper. The fans were fantastic, the support of the community was exceptional.

What a great weekend for sure!

bmbcyclist · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 541 Location: EARTH

https://www.usacycling.org/results/?permit=2008-271

Full Results.

mkidd · Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 5 Location: San Diego

Awesome finish. I'll bet there aren't a lot of people who can say they came around Van Glider in a sprint.

SoCalCycling · Joined: 15 Nov 2005 Posts: 736 Location: SoCal

bmbcyclist · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 541 Location: EARTH

Ya, when Brooke got on the podium, her quads were HUGE!
She certainly did some prep work this winter and must have phenominal power.

It was at least 700 m to the finish, if not longer, you could barely see the finish sign if at all from the final turn. (we rode opposite direction than the men) The ladies certainly rode an impressive race.

I think Laura lead it out for a while, from the stories it states Brooke came around at 50 m. 2nd is still a fantastic finish, what a treat to see the top two sprinters duke it out.

BikeBoy · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 120

It was a great sprint finish just to get top ten...
Judging by the attrition (about 90 riders at the start), it was something of a success just to finish with the pack.
I heard firsthand that the race was really fast. Twisted Evil

bmbcyclist · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 541 Location: EARTH

Our ave was 25. My max was only 32.8 which is why I didn't win.....I am sure the sprinters were topping above 37.

Good news is I didn't feel like it was hard,( though my result didn't show that.)

One of these days I'll take some chances, but I had to work on Tuesday......I took the inside line for safety, thinking wow there is only a few chicks in front of me. Then I looked Left and saw all the trains up the outside!

Doh!....but the crashes happened wide, so I just didn't want to take another chance on the outside given that took me out once already in the first 20 minutes.

Next time.

Kudos to the local girl in the top 6!!!
And I believe she won one of the CASH Primes!

sinner · Joined: 04 Feb 2007 Posts: 10

Aaron's had a team there... But no sprinter in the results??? Oh maybe thats because they can't say up right on 2 wheels???...

Dear Crabby · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 118

bmbcyclist · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 541 Location: EARTH

About 15 of us went down or stopped in turn 2. there was no where to go and riders were already down on the ground. (there are actual photos!)

A mechanical within 5 laps to go from the spare bike ended the chances of an Aaron's podium unfortunately.

Visailia is coming though!

sinner · Joined: 04 Feb 2007 Posts: 10

It just seems that some girls are on the ground more than others??? Sure this one might have been a worong place at wrong time kinda thing but someone had to cause it.