Kuddos Category 4 Women-Hillsboro
In the shadow you are not…but the refreshing bloom of a category that we thought was becoming extinct here in the St. Louis area.
At Hillsboro, Team Revolution triumphed in more ways than victory. Through excited newcomers from Chicago, fast starts, aggressive maneuvers, headwinds, crashes, and all out tenacity, Team Revolution shined and rose to the occasion. In representing women’s cycling, the women at Hillsboro Roubaix should all be commended, Team Revolution or other. It takes great guts to overcome fears, course anxiety, and competition gitters, BUT, ladies from Nebraska, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri came together to mix it up and ride competitively with each other. YAHOO!!!  This is the future of women’s cycling and we need to encourage each young girl, high school student, college student, mother or retiree, to spin just a little bit!!!
Read the comments for recaps of a few of the viewpoints out there on the road during the Cat. 4 women’s race. If you are reading this and are from another team, please add your viewpoint as well. We are all community!
5 Comments, Comment or Ping
View #1-
The group idea for the race was to attack early as a group and ride
together. We were going to attack on the first hill.
Teresa started up with the first ladies with Allison and I about 3 bikes
back ( for the first 10 minutes I was riding about 10 bikes from the front
– happy about positioning to start with).
About 10 minutes into the race, a girl went down and Allison and I and we both went down as well. I quickly jumped up, grabbed my bike and started biking all out to catch some girls. I caught up to several girls quickly and we started trying to work together and reel in some more girls. I caught Susan and we started making our way toward Stephanie N.(maybe 30 minutes into the race) I took a pull on front and went to get in line in the back and the group started pulling away. They continued to pull away and away they went. I was passed by maybe five more cat 4 women from that time until the end of the race. At one point Allison passed, “are you coming”, and took off. I didn’t have the gumption to catch up with her. I rode most of the race by
myself.
Ruth
Apr 8th, 2008
View #2-
My goal was to try to stay with the lead pack or if that wasn’t possible then to stay on the wheel of either Kate (who was ahead of me in Froze Toes) or Teresa. As we started I was mid-pack and claustrophobic but Kate was nearby so it wasn’t hard to try to follow her- Teresa was already too far ahead for me to manuever up. Not too far into it we all had to slow down and move right as the Junior pack passed
by, then I guess some of the Juniors faded back again because there was some incident with them that caused a crash (I’m sure Allison and Ruth know all about it). Luckily that was just far enough ahead of me that I was able to go around without incident, but from then on was I chasing like a mad woman to keep up. Lost track of Kate, fell behind more, eventually could only see the lead group just tantalizingly out of reach and slowly getting further and further away.I remember being by myself for awhile, then Kate caught up and we worked together awhile. The head wind was getting fierce.
We caught up to someone who was obviouly having trouble in the wind, yet she stayed with us and we had 3 to work with. Then a team-mate of hers caught up with us, saying how hard she had worked to catch up. So now we were 4. Then we picked up the pace and eventually left the first woman behind. I let this newer stronger woman set the pace. I took my turns in the wind but I wasn’t going to wear myself out before the hills at the end. Turns out that was a good strategy because we did end up leaving her behind at those final hills. Kate wasn’t too far behind as we climbed, then turned the corners and descended.
I had practiced going down that final hill twice with Dessa before the race so was able now, with nobody else on the course with me to fly down without hitting the
brakes at all (Dessa and Susan will know that’s an accomplishment for me). After turning the corner for the final stretch I knew Kate was coming on strong for the finish and I tried to pick it up but it wasn’t quite enough! Still we both came in strong and smiling as you can see if you look closely at Cory’s picture!!
Alice
Apr 8th, 2008
View #3-
Here’s my take on it….
Fast start…. Teresa(aka Speedie) stayed with the lead pack from the get go and hung on. We were all cruisin along pretty well and then a wreck that took down Allison and Ruth happened when we were slowed by the junior field. Alice and myself got stuck out in the middle between the lead pack and the rest of the team. We found each other after a few miles and worked together to close the gap on a pair of girls from another team that were stuck out there with us.
Call us rude but we let them do most of the work and then rolled em up and smoked them shortly before the feed zone. Alice and I finished almost neck and neck. I think everyone else came shortly after us. Ruth and Allison must have really hustled because it seems like they were there with everyone else. Lots of fun!!!!
Rev on in Dogwood!
Kate
Apr 8th, 2008
View #4-
Hillsboro was tough for me…..I guess I need to warm-up longer….there
were a bunch of new cat 4s from Chicago
(I swear they were barley 19 and all weighed @ 100 lbs….I think my
racing days maybe over - if that is what the competition field is going to be……or until there are more masters (over 40) cats.
The young guns all jumped and attacked with in the first 500 ft
Susan and Alice had the lungs to hang on to those lil wiper snappers!
(shouldn’t happen till after the first mile or two). I was hanging in and looked down (my speed was 26mph and my HR was 183) I
thought geezzz its going to be a long 22 miles
I just faded to catch what was left of my mine ( I think they were up in my throat by then). There was sort of the same type of attack on Froze Toes as well….must be the new strategy. On the Tour of ST Gen….they did not attack that early (100 - 500ft) we all rode together at
a nice diplomatic pace (18-19 mph) till the first big climb. (@ 2-3
miles or so).
There was a crash after a mile or so…..the Jr pack had caught us and
was trying to pass (can not cross the yellow line - in the middle of the road). The Jrs are not very steady and who knows what
they did to get thru……..I almost caught the 2nd pack when everyone had recovered…..one of my teammates was just in front of me and she said to hang on…..we climbed a hill (doing @ 20) I died at the top (no oxygen) and had to recover before I passed out. She looked back at me with that look of “what in the hell is all that gasping noise…I told her to go on….I would just slow her down.
The rest of the race was just agony……Nonstop head wind, cross winds(16-20 mph) and chip and seal pavement. NICE!
I think we got a 100 ft of Tailwind at the end. Like Susan had said we
were working it and our speed was 13 mph…….Uggghhhhh….the last two miles are two big climbs….then about 3-4 blocks of brick roads -
that didn’t bother my breathing but I have two very nice saddle blisters
from all the rough terrain!
You gotta love it to bear it…..way different then just going for a
tour ride
Alice and Susan hung in there and had great results….along with a few
other Team Rev gals - YEAH!!!
Good luck if you go to the DOG - I hear its tough - I am staying home to
“TOUR-RIDE this weekend
Dessa
Apr 8th, 2008
Stephanie’s account of a 27th place finish:
40+ women at the start! The pace quickened right after the neutral zone as everyone jockied for position. I could hear the other teams strategizing/planning attacks. As we approached the first turn, it seemed there was a little panic, braking and some thinning of the group. I used that opportunity to gain the ground I’d lost right before the turn. Suddenly, the juniors were passing. We called out to neutralize and the pace slowed again, significantly! There was a crash, taking out what appeared to be 5 or 6 girls. Ruth and Allison were down in the mix (but ok!). I rolled between and head and a water bottle on the ground and managed to stay upright, but I was quickly on my own. As the other girls grabbed their bearings, I quicky found myself getting dropped. I tried to jump on a pace line but soon realized it was more juniors. Soon, I discovered I was on my own, with the nearest girl about 1/4 of a mile down the road. I seemed to gain ground on the hills, only to lose it again on the flats in the wind.
As I passed the house of “Ruth’s Dogs,” The Collie was in the yard, not moving an inch and had the most hoarse bark I have ever heard!
I was on my own, in the wind, for what felt like forever. After several miles of solo effort, I heard a group coming up to me. At first, I was unhappy about it but I realized it would equal some much needed rest. The group included Susan Kubinak and four others (including Megan from Nebraska) and we worked together nicely for several miles. I actually started to feel good on the climbs. The wind was my enemy!
At one point, one of the girls said “This would be a good time to echelon.” When I agreed, she said, “I don’t know how.” So, Susan and I proceeded to teach the rest of the group how to echelon DURING the race!
With about 6 miles to go, two of the girls were off the front of our group. I tried to bridge but it took longer and more energy than I wanted. I did eventually catch them and then we caught two others. The five of use worked together to, and up, the two big climbs. Just as we crested the last hill, I was able to pull up to the front with one other girl. She and I stayed in good proximity for the cobbles, but she got a little too far ahead before the last turn. I knew I could take 1 place higher if I sprinted at the line, so I went for it. I felt bad; I don’t think she even thought about me as I passed her just before the line. When I looked back at the picture Cory snapped at the finish, there I appearing gunning for 27th place, while she’s upright, grinning and practically waving for the camera!
Overall, it was a fun race, on a challenge course and a beautiful day!
Stephanie N.
Apr 9th, 2008
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