GMSR Road Race: Better Day

This 64 mile road course is 18 miles of flat to the sprint line, then a selective climb, Middlebury Gap, at mile 35, then fast descending, flats, and a few kickers leading into the Baby Gap and the final steep and switchbacking climb, App Gap. TRIA raced with their numbers today, and in the first 20 miles pressured Kristen to defend the jersey by firing off one attack after another. It chilled out into the Middlebury climb though. I saved energy and positioned well, but came off at the QOM, maybe 15th over the climb. But the chase was not too tough and we regrouped. Alison Testerote in 2nd place had been dropped. I tried to motivate the group to rotate, to wear out the pure climbers and those with less endurance in their legs (and keep us moving). Bascially no one attacked (well, except for me, once on my favorite dirt section). TRIA attacked into Baby Gap. I guess it was supposed to be a two-rider attack, but instead one rider chased down the other. After Middlebury Gap I wasn't sure how I would climb, but just stuck to the plan of saving energy and racing that climb, no early attacking. Amy Dombrowski attacked at the base. Kristen rode her own climb, clawed her way back, but got second in the end. Mary Zider got 3rd. I rode my own climb too, stronger on the flatter sections and struggling relative to those around me on the steep stuff. I could have used a 34-27! Rebecca Much nipped me in the last few hundred meters, but I managed 6th, which I feel pretty good about. A spectacular crit can still move me up on GC and I love this crit. Kristen lost the leader's jersey by one point and you can bet she wants it back. Mary Zider is racing awesomely, in third place now. Back at the condo, we were elated to read online that Chris Jones, one of Hiroko and my fellow New Haven cyclists, finished 9th in the US Pro Road Race! WOW.