Women’s Prestige Cycling Series Standings After Nature Valley GP

Alison Powers adds a second jersey while TIBCO takes the team lead


Minneapolis – Women’s Prestige Cycling Series leader Alison Powers (Team Type 1) added the Sprinter’s jersey to her collection, but her hold on that jersey is tenuous. Rebecca Much (Webcor Builders) is still in the Best Young Riders jersey. And Team TIBCO swapped places with Webcor Builders in the team competition.

Individual Classification
Alison Powers (Team Type 1) holds a commanding lead in the Series individual classification, finishing third at the Nature Valley Grand Prix behind Olympic Champion Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo Test) and Shelley Olds (PROMAN Hit Squad), neither of who are participating in the Series. Katherine Carroll (Team TIBCO) moved into second, ahead of Katheryn Mattis (Webcor Builders), but the gap to Powers is so large that it’s unlikely that Carroll will be able to claim the win at the final Series event, the Cascade Cycling Classic.

1. Alison Powers (Team Type 1) - 484
2. Katharine Carroll (Team TIBCO) - 300
3. Katheryn Mattis (Webcor Builders Cycling Team) - 275
4. Joanne Kiesanowski (Team TIBCO) - 191
5. Kristin Sanders (Value Act Capital) - 162

Best Young Rider Competition
Rebecca Much (Webcor Builders) retains the lead over teammate Alexis Rhodes, but the gap narrowed from 121 points to 55. Rhodes had a standout performance at Nature Valley, winning the fifth stage and challenging Armstrong for the overall race lead before losing ground in the last stage, the brutal Stillwater Criterium. Much’s lead might be challenged if the two riders have similar results at Cascade.

1. Rebecca Much (Webcor Builders Cycling Team) - 484
2. Alexis Rhodes (Webcor Builders Cycling Team) - 429
3. Julie Beveridge (Team TIBCO) - 308
4. Tiffany Cromwell (Colavita Sutter Home) - 264
5. Amanda Miller (Team Lip Smackers) - 220

Sprinter Competition
Alison Powers ended the Nature Valley Grand Prix tied on points with Tina Pic (Colavita Sutter Home), but the tie was broken since Powers had a higher placing at the most recent Series event. Powers would likely have had a clear lead since Pic’s team hadn’t attended the Joe Martin Stage Race, but that race has no sprint classification, so no points were awarded. But the favorite for the sprint classification has to be 2009 Australian Criterium Champion Kristy Broun (Riverstones CDA), if she participates at the Cascade Classic, since she was launched into third place on the strength of just this one event.

1. Alison Powers (Team Type 1) - 209
2. Tina Pic (Colavita Sutter Home) - 209
3. Kirsty Broun (Riverstones CDA) - 165
4. Kori Seehafer (Team Type 1) - 165
5. Joanne Kiesanowski (Team TIBCO) - 154

Team Classification
In the Series Team competition, Team TIBCO took the lead while Webcor Builders fell to second place. But the margin is very narrow and Team Type 1 is within striking distance as well, so it’ll all come down to the Series finale at the Cascade Classic.

1. Team TIBCO - 769
2. Webcor Builders Cycling Team - 740
3. Team Type 1 - 655
4. ValueAct Capital Cycling Team - 459
5. Colavita Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light - 301

The 2009 Women’s Prestige Cycling Series began at the Redlands Cycling Classic, followed by the Joe Martin Stage Race and now the Nature Valley Grand Prix. It will conclude at the Cascade Classic (July 22 – 26) in Bend, Ore.

Visit www.WomenCyclists.com for more information.

Photos: Steve Pottenger (top - Women's Prestige Cycling Series leader Alison Powers (Team Type 1; right) shares the podium with Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo Test); inset - Alison Powers claimed a narrow lead in the Women's Prestige Cycling Series Sprinters competition)