This was a big crit before the finish of Stage 1 of the Tour de Georgia. The
big competition was Canadian and Olympian Lynn Bessette. She was coming in
from Sea Otter where she had placed 4th in the mountain biking.
The race was pretty fast. I was impressed with the local girls. The racing
scene has really come a long way since I first started racing. There were 42
women!!
The major players were the Forum, Travelgirls, DeFeet, and the BMW/Bianchi
girls. There were lots of attacks and a few times the field was split, but
it always managed to comeback together. At one point there was a big group
and I thought that was going to be the break and I was in the back 1/2 of the
field. I bridged, but the leaders sat up and the field came back together.
I ate half of my gu and put the other part back under the elastic on my short
leg. About 30 seconds later I felt gu running down my leg. I wiped my leg off
and got gu all over my shifter and hand. Oh the lovely stickiness. One girl
asked me what it was. I said that it was my jetfuel...HAHA!
Lynn attacked at one point and myself and Jen Green chased hard to bring her
back. Finally, it was down to the last lap. I wanted to stay close to the front
just because things were kind of getting a little hairy. After turn 2 Defeet
attacked and I went with her. Then bam! Bessette attacked with Jen Green right
on her wheel and a BMW girl hanging on for dear life. They got a large gap
fast. I jumped hard. This was it. It is one of those things A. Do I chase and
get jumped at the finishline. or B. Just let them go and shoot for 3rd. Well,
in that split instance I jumped hard and started chasing. BMW got dropped off
and I knew that I had better just keep going. I came around her hard and into
turn four. My bike felt spongy and I tried to take it easy around the corner,
trying not to go to crazy. I then jumped again, I gained on them and Jen jumped
around Bessette. I closed in on Bessett, but couldn't quite get her at the
line. If I had just a little more room I might have nabbed them. I was out
fox'd. It isn't always the fastest, but the smartest. Great job girls!
I cooled down that lap and as I came up to the finish line my front tire popped.
Oops, no wonder my front tire felt strange! I must have had a slow leak. Thank
goodness the race was over! Time to clean up the gu and change my front tire.
What a day.
Afterwards the Aaron's girls got to meet the real Aaron's folks. Such a nice
bunch of people! You guys rock! You must have a blast at work! You guys, you
know who you are, stay out of trouble!!!!!
1. Jen Green.................Travel Girls
2. Lynn Bessette...........Louis Garneau
3. Shannon Hutchison....Aaron's
