Steel City Endurance Racing

G20 Summit Prologue & Criterium

September 19, 2009

Allison Park, PA

Women’s Criterium Race Report

Let’s just say that approximately 3 weeks ago, we were both surprised and excited when we heard that there would be a criterium race right here in our backyard. We have to tip our cycling caps to Craig Cozza and Pro Bikes for putting on a wonderful race! The course ran through North Park, and was beautiful with some nice climbs and descents. Turns were sweeping, with one technical turn into the finish.

Rachel, Kate, Stacie and I pre-rode the course on Wednesday night, and figured this would be a good race. We weren’t able to pre-ride that last corner that evening because of the traffic, but knew it would be a challenge, and figured we’d dial on race day.

In our pre-race chatter, I confessed that I wasn’t sure I had the same race legs I had a month and a half ago, and in general we hadn’t been racing as much these past few weeks, so we decided to ride smart, and a little more conservatively with the group, rather than just attack too early when the pace slowed, and burn up on mad climbs at the wrong time. All races ebb and flow, so the smart thing is to pick the right time to go for it, rather than just try to push the pace of the peloton. If we rode smart, then an opportunity would come to attack at the right time, with fresh legs and when we weren’t redlined, so that would be our strategy. Ride smart, go for good position: PG to lead out Rach or Kate at the end.

Race day meant morning pancakes. (I’d forgotten how much I enjoy race day pancakes.) Then I packed the car and zoomed to North Park to see the team off at the Prologue. Those who were among the first 50 to pre-register were assigned a time trial spot in the 2.2 mile prologue. This meant Rachel, Dustin, EJ, and Ben raced the Prologue. It was fun watching them. On a cool 54 degree 7:10 AM Saturday morning, they all looked great! Rachel won the Prologue on the women’s side, and the men looked strong as well.

In between the Prologue and our race, we kept warm with the car heater (with seat warmer – nice). Kate rode over from home (great warmup) and met us in the lot. At Start Time – 20, I warmed up on the trainer, and then headed for the starting line and stood next to our friends: Steph, Jodi, Tammy, and Sherri Cozza was there riding her first race! Given it was this late in the season, the group looked strong, and it felt great to be back on the bike again. Jodi (who has really raced a fantastic summer) rode aggressively and often at the front of our paceline, but we kept close to the front and took our pulls when we could. The final left turn into the finish was challenging with the group. Some people were a little heavy on the brakes, others took peculiar lines, so I struggled a little at first to find my comfort zone. Rach was drafting me in that corner, and after the turn reminded me: “You gotta get that turn dialed in, PG. It’s going to be important for the finish.” So I told her I would get to the front going in on the next laps, so that I could take the line we wanted.

So at 2 to go, we came down through the turn and up on the outside, took the corner faster and without trouble. That felt good. Then with one to go, I was wondering when or if Rach was going to get itchy and try a breakaway. But she stayed calm (as did I), and we rode smart. At one point when she was on the front I called out: “Yo Rach, let us have a turn,” and we rotated front duties. Sherri pulled a heck of a pull near the end there, I must say.

At the final left turn, we again sped up early, and I led Rach through that corner, from which point she slingshotted past me into her sprint finish. She looked super sprinting up the hill, and took first by a landslide. We ended up 1, 2, and 5, and definitely enjoyed our morning at North Park.

Thanks again to Craig Cozza and Pro Bikes for a fun Saturday morning!