Ronde van Mullica - April 3, 2011

Mullica race report…

Fast and Flat!

Introducing new racers: Claire Swarts and Lindsey Knast.

Cat 4s there: Barb Statton, Hannah Vanderlan, Lindsey Knast, Claire Swarts, Lara Marek, and Lisa Bowerman (me)

Congrats to Claire for the 4^th place finish in her first race.

Results for Cat 4: Lisa 3^rd, Claire 4^th, Lara 6^th and Hannah 7^th

For most of us, this was the largest and fastest mass start race. The course consisted of 3 ten miles loops with easy turns and smooth roads. It was a women’s open with the 4’s scored separately.

Weather: mehh….not too hot and not too cold

First Loop: Fast and easy with averages in the 27 mph range. It felt like cake it was so easy. (Men have it made with the large packs).

Second Loop: A crash and a flat. Almost simultaneously there was a seven women pile up and a flat on the other side of the pack. The pile up took down Lindsey along with some other strong and experienced racers. Barb, slightly ahead of the crash, smartly pulled away from the pack when she got her flat. This resulted in a separation of the large pack.

Reaction: Form a rotating pace line to catch up to the main group. The pace line consisted of SGC racers: Lara, Claire, Jody, and me along with maybe 6 other women from different teams. Unfortunately, we did not get the pace line together fast enough to catch up with the main group.

The pace line did maintain its integrity until the last part of the 3^rd loop. A human zoom girl misread Claire and mine’s moves and thought that we were attacking for the finish and thus sprinted off. Claire and I then sprinted to follow. As I got ahead, Claire noticed that I was showing signs of tiredness and helped out by giving me her wheel. I then used that wheel as a lead out to finish the race ahead of the separated pack with Claire right behind me.

Thanks Claire for your most excellently timed assistance!