TRIA Orthopaedic Center Your Cycling Blog

So there we were, two girls driving down the open road, windows rolled down, music blaring, and a race playing in our heads.  My husband Aaron once told me that two women driving was a dangerous situation. I beg to differ….it’s a pretty awesome adventure when there are women involved.  Anna Barnesfield (Ladies First Racing Team) and I were headed to the Wilmington Grand Prix and Kelly Cup in Wilmington, DE and Baltimore, MD. Anna (riding for Ladies First) was racing both days. I was only racing the Kelly Cup on Sunday since I didn’t make the Wilmington roster in time. It was a relief to be driving on the open road after a very stressful day at the office.  With all the stress left behind in Norwood, I was ready for some Mid-Atlantic criterium action. As the radio blared, my mind flashed to an e-mail I received a few weeks back, after returning home from the Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville, AR.

The e-mail was from my team manager Paul, “Dear Mel, It was really a treat to meet you this past weekend. I want to let you know that I am putting you on the Nature Valley Grand Prix roster. Please advise me if you cannot make it. Cheers, Paul.” I read the e-mail, twice, and screamed with glee in my tiny office. My co-workers were curious as to all the commotion. I called my husband Aaron.  “I’m in!  Paul let me in!” I didn’t have the time off from work yet, but I knew my boss would want me to pursue this. With the Nature Valley Grand Prix being a top priority, I was making every effort to get to the top races, to help prepare for the upcoming stage race in Minnesota.

Back on the road to Wilmington, Anna and I stopped for a room in New Jersey. The reservation was for the Extended Stay America.  We pulled up, attempted to check in, and the lady behind the counter looked into her system, “Ma’am, I do not have a reservation for you two. Are you sure it’s this hotel? There’s another one across the street.  The sign on the hotel across the street read “Office.”  We threw our bags back into the car and drove across the road in the industrial lot.  Sure enough, the building had a sign on the front that read “Office.”  There was no sign of a hotel, or even a motel, anywhere. “That’s weird,” Anna said, “you’d think there would be some sign that said ‘hotel’ or something.”  We checked in, and, though the missing sign made it appear to be a little sketchy, the room had a fridge, stove, and even peace and quiet for a good night’s rest. It was perfect for a bike racer. The next morning we left with good time for Anna to warm up and check out the course in Wilmington.

Wilmington was a city stricken with hunger.  Many people pushed around carts with their belongings.  Trash littered the ground as a gust of wind blew through the streets.  A parade of locals marched through the downtown course; high school marchers, girl scouts, a family on vintage bicycles, and the food bank, all in an effort to raise awareness and get support for the hungry. Afterwards, bikes flooded the course and the pro women were the first to go.  Deep down, I felt a little envy as I wanted to be in the race so badly, yet there I stood: a spectator.

Despite my dismay, I did find advantages of watching the race from a new perspective.  The course was technical and fast with many turns and a few short climbs.  Immediately the field stretched out from the high speed and soon a break formed with 5 women.  I watched every move the riders made at as many angles of the course as possible.  Who attacked, when, and what did they look like when they made their move?  Were they aggressive, or passive? Facial expressions? Where were their teammates, and who were the dominant riders?  Everything I absorbed so I could use for when I’d race against them…in the Nature Valley Grand Prix. I couldn’t afford not to, as the top ranking NRC teams were racing.

My Kenda teammates were very aggressive, especially Silke Wunderwald, who worked hard at the front, and Anna McLoon, who made a courageous move with three laps to go in an attempt to bridge up to the lead group.  She didn’t quite make it, but still she finished eighth in the race.

After the race, Anna Barnesfield (Ladies First Racing Team) and I met up with another racer named Amy McGuire (Wheelworks Racing) and drove to Baltimore to stay the night. Our hotel again gave us something to laugh about and great stories to share! I was excited to finally get some usage out of my legs.

We got to the course on Sunday, early again.  Since the Kelly Cup was no longer an NRC event, some of the top ranking NRC teams had left town, but a few ladies stayed for the race, including Kasey Manderfield (Vanderkitten Racing) and Laura Van Guilder (Mellow Mushroom Racing) . The course was very loopy, without any real corners, so the field stayed together for the most part.  The first few laps were a little slow but once a prime bell rang, it brought on the intensity. I stayed near the front but would get pushed back on every now and then.

On Lap 10 there was a prime and I planned my attack perfectly, grabbing two other wheels in front of me and riding them until just 50 meters from the line, I attacked and sprinted with all my might.  I looked at the line, just two feet away and thought for sure I had the prime, but in one instant, Laura Van Guilder (Mellow Mushroom Racing), the sprinting legend, blew right past me, putting me right in my place. I laughed under my breath and, at same time, jumped to grab Laura’s wheel as she escaped up the road.  I ended up pulling the pack with me, but as the pace had increased, girls were falling off the back.  Laura had attacked again and broke away up the road but the group caught her. The last lap came up on me unexpectedly as I thought for sure there were still two-laps to go.  “One lap to go….one lap to go!”  The bell was ringing wildly!  I had to move up but everyone was moving up too.  The pace was so fast and I was a little terrified on the turns, but I knew that I had to stay on the wheels. I didn’t move up far enough in time when the sprint broke loose, leading to my 26th-place finish.

We cooled down, packed the car, and even brought a Kiwi rider, Emma Petersen (7thgroove/RE:FORM Body Clinic), with us.  She needed a place to stay before the Tour of Somerville and I remember being in her shoes when I was in Europe. I had no room in my tiny apartment, but Anna, being good hearted, opened her apartment up to a fellow rider and the perfect stranger.  “Good Karma will come back to you,” I said to Anna.  “Someone will help you out down the road, too.”  We drove off, getting stuck in traffic in DE, and finally, after agonizing hours of stop-and-go traffic on the interstate, we made it through NJ, NY, and finally home on I-95.  The gas light came on and we pulled off three separate times for gas. The first exit did not have a gas station, the second exit had a gas station that was recently razed, with just a big gaping hole remaining. The third and final try was our charm, as we fueled up and finally got home.

I fell asleep still thinking about my race and how I couldn’t wait for another chance to race against the greatest American riders and another chance to ride with the team. My drive to Baltimore was very long for a 60 minute race, but was something I couldn’t afford not to do as Nature Valley Grand Prix would be hosting the top NRC teams and riders.  I could not afford to miss an opportunity of racing against the most experienced riders such as Laura van Guilder. Without pushing my physical and mental limits, they would just leave me in the dust come mid-June. It’s only a few weeks now and that Nature Valley Grand Prix will not just be an event I think and dream about, but will be something that I do…something I will remember. Until then, I will be on the road with more experiences, adventures and pushing myself even harder.

About the author

photo courtesy of Paul Forsythe

Melissa Ross is a full-time graphic designer and marketer for a small company in Norwood, MA.  She grew up in Gillette, WY and graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor of Arts in 2008.  She met her husband on the UW (University of Wyoming) cycling team. In 2008, Melissa spent the summer in Europe racing for French and Dutch teams and also spent a month in the spring with the US National team’s development program. In her spare time, Melissa loves to bike, cook, and write. For 2010, Melissa is racing for Team Kenda.

About Team Kenda Women’s Cycling

Team Kenda began in 1999 as Team Ameritech with nine riders who excelled at bicycle racing.  Over the years, the team has steadily grown in size and now boasts NRC Elite and Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and West Regional Teams. The team competes in the United States focusing on the National Race Calendar (NRC).  (http://www.teamkenda.com)

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