Santa Rosa, CA - February 15, 2009 – For the second year in a row, the Women’s Professional peloton graced Sonoma County with their presence. The region, famously know for its wine making; however, unceremoniously became known for it water production this weekend, in the form of rain.
Emilia Fahlin (SWE) of Team Columbia-Highroad, out-kicked Lauren Tamayo [Franges] of Team TIBCO to the line to win the second-annual event in Santa Rosa.
Although some reports would lead you to believe that thousands of fans lined the streets of Santa Rosa this year for the second-annual Women's Criterium presented by the Redwood Regional Breast Center, the weather unfortunately deterred many fans from coming out early to watch the women’s race.
But for those who endured, they were treated to some spectacular racing in less than spectacular conditions.
The first event of the 2009 season on the National Racing Calendar (NRC), the field showcased many of women’s cycling top international and domestic competitors, including defending champion Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO) and Ina Teutenberg (Team Columbia – High Road), among others.
Rebecca Much (Webcor Builders), a late arrival to the start line, got things started and tested the bunch right out of the gate.
However, Much wouldn’t last long on the front, as a 13-woman break soon developed led by Meredith Miller (Team TIBCO). The break ended up having just the right mix of riders and teams, including Miller’s teammate Lauren Tamayo, Fahlin and Kim Anderson (Team Columbia-High Road), Sara Bamberger and Olivia Dillon (Touchstone Climbing), Value Act Capital teammates Kristen McGrath and Robin Farina, Farina’s former Cheerwine teammate, Kelly Benjamin (Colavita Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light, Rachel Lloyd (PROMAN), Katheryn Mattis (Webcor Builders), Karla Kingsley (Sugar CRM), and Jennifer Reither (Vanderkitten), to stay away until the finish line.
Tamayo attacked the breakaway group several times, but Kim Anderson was quick to mark her, which all but ensured a bunch sprint.
None, but Tamayo could stay with Team Columbia-High Road’s Emilia Fahlin in the final meters. Rachel Lloyd (USA) of PROMAN would round out the podium. Tamayo took first in the 2008 Women’s International Challenge and the 2008 Atlanta 10K Classic. Lloyd won the 2008 Single Speed World Championship Mountain Bike Race.
“When I was here last year, I finished third,” said Fahlin, winner of the second-annual Amgen Tour of California Women’s Criterium. “I really enjoyed the race last year with the big crowds, so I wanted to do better. Getting to win here was really fun and great way to start the season; very motivating.”
Emilia Fahlin, overall winner of the Women’s Criterium and current National Champion of Sweden, took several important wins in the 2008 season, including the Merced Criterium and Merco Cycling Classic Road Race. Fahlin also took a stage win in the 2008 Redlands Bicycle Classic. In 2007, she took second place in the Sparkassen Giro Bochum.
Results
1. Emilia Fahlin (Team Columbia-High Road)
2. Lauren Tamayo (Team TIBCO)
3. Rachel Lloyd (PROMAN)
4. Karla Kingsley (Sugar CRM)
5. Sara Bamberger (Touchstone Climbing)
6. Kelly Benjamin (Colavita Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light
7. Kristen McGrath (ValueAct Capital)
8. Katheryn Mattis (Webcor Builders)
9. Olivia Dillon (Touchstone Climbing)
10. Robin Farina (ValueAct Capital)
News and Noteworthy
- Emilia Fahlin (Team Columbia-High Road) is the youngest member of Team Columbia-High Road. Her talents certainly command some respect from her teammates and team management.
- The newly married Lauren Tamayo (Team TIBCO) played the role of pinch hitter for her California based team. Tamayo took the place of Kat Carroll, who was originally slated for the race.
- It was a stellar weekend for PROMAN. To accompany Rachel Lloyd’s success at the Amgen Tour of California Women’s Criterium, Shelley Olds (above) likewise stepped onto the podium at the 2009 UCI Track World Cup Event in Copenhagen. Olds finished fourth at last year’s Inaugural Women’s Criterium in Santa Rosa.
- Vanderkitten unveiled their new kits (Melissa Sanborn, above) and a few new team members, most notably Jennifer Reither, who was in the successful 13-woman break and finished in 11th.
- Juliet Macur of the New York Times followed up the day's event with a great article featuring Team TIBCO, "Women's Pro Cycling Teams Struggle for Recognition"
Photos: © Leonard Basobas (first through seventh; ninth, tenth, twelfth); Kurt Harvey (http://www.printroom.com/pro/khphotography/; eighth); Kacey Manderfield (eleventh).
No comments:
Post a Comment