TRIA Orthopaedic Center Your Cycling Blog

The Nature Valley Grand Prix has always been a strong supporter of women’s cycling, but we thought it might be nice to share an outsider’s perspective of our race and its impact on women’s cycling.

That was 2001. Saturn won both the men’s race with Frank McCormack and the women’s race with Suzanne Sonye. The Saturn women returned with good reports of the race.  It was mostly criterium style racing but the crowds were enthusiastic and the community was very supportive of the idea of a big race in the community. Saturn received some very useful press from attending the event; all in all it was a homerun: my sponsors and athletes were happy with the event. In my mind it was an early success.

Two weeks later Dave called me for feedback.  I was taken aback.  A promoter taking the time to ask me what he could do better?  He wanted my commitment to send a full squad the following year.  At the time I asked him to move the race so it wouldn’t sit over the HP race.  I asked him to support the teams with free entries, travel, gas, meals, and housing.  With smaller team budgets, a race offering assistance to the teams rather than prize money would help to get riders to MN.  I wanted a competitive field for my team to race in.  What I wanted from Dave was the same treatment we received when we traveled to Europe for a UCI World Cup or Tour.  Make it as financially feasible as possible for as many teams as possible to travel to MN and the competition would be then be world class.  It would take time, and over time, it has.

Later that same fall, the cycling community received the sad news that HP would not renew their contract for the HP Women’s Challenge.  Again my phone rang with Dave asking me how he could make his race the new June destination for women bike racers. I wanted to work with this promoter, as I also wanted to grow women’s cycling. His eagerness to grow the women’s side of the race was new to me.  I sent him a wish list of what my sponsors would like from a race, what my riders would want and what I wanted as a Director.  Some of these ideas included a women’s summit, an outreach program to women in the community, travel assistance, an easy housing support system, lots of media support, challenging courses, and a venue which allowed our sponsors to interact with the crowds in the Midwest.  It was a lot to ask.

It took a few months but Dave was relentless in his pursuit of growing the race.  His sponsors rose to the challenge and the following year Nature Valley Grand Prix became the destination for women bike racers in the month of June.  Over the years Dave and his amazing staff have worked tirelessly to ensure women bike racers have extraordinary courses to test themselves, sponsors have tangible returns to utilize, and team management has a tremendous support system to make the race accessible to every team and every rider – not just the ones with the big budgets.

Over the years, some of the greatest women athletes in world have tested themselves at Nature Valley Grand Prix. Some of the “greats” include Kristin Armstrong, Ina Teutenberg, Petra Rossner, Georgina Bronzini, Lyne Bessette, Christin Thornburn, Katie Mactier and Amber Neben.

But the bigger story is that of the women who are not household cycling names but those who are the foot soldiers of women’s cycling.  It is the story of these women that needs to be told when talking about the Nature Valley Grand Prix.  These are-the women who work 40 hours a week in “normal jobs” who carve out time from their families and their jobs to train and race, and who hold women like Kristin Armstrong in awe.  These women have stood at the line with Olympians, World Champions, World Cup and Tour winners, they have tested themselves on the same courses, side by side with the women who have worked to create our cycling history. Nature Valley Grand Prix is also about these women, who have had the opportunity to race with the best of the best for several days; an opportunity not to be had here in the US without Dave LaPorte and Nature Valley.  To hear the crowds in the Twin Cities screaming for the winners, to see your team’s jersey on a baseball card, to be able to be on the radio, TV or the newspaper is available to ALL women who participate at the Nature Valley Grand Prix – not just the “Queens” of the sport.  It is truly an equal opportunity for all.

Nature Valley Grand Prix has supported all facets of women’s cycling: athletes, sponsors, and management.  I will look to the 2012 edition of Nature Valley Grand Prix to indicate who some of the next great women in cycling will be, as well as a point in history when women and men racers are treated equally.  At the 2012 Nature Valley Grand Prix every woman will have an opportunity to experience what is like to be treated as the Champion bike racer she is.

Giana Roberge
http://TeamSpeedQueen.com

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By Cynthia Lou, Nature Valley Grand Prix

Stillwater, Minn. – Giorgia Bronzini (Colavita Forno D’Asolo presented by Cooking Light) attacked at the bottom of Chilkoot Hill Sunday to secure her third stage win at this year’s Nature Valley Grand Prix as Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad) held on to win the race overall.

Kristin Armstrong (Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12) attacked the penultimate time up the leg-breaking climb that was packed with spectators, hoping to repeat her previous years’ success at the Stillwater Criterium. But Neben’s HTC-Highroad teammate, Evelyn Stevens, and Bronzini jumped after her. Bronzini’s win was the reigning world road race champion’s third of the five-day, six-stage race.

Giorgia Bronzini (Colavita Forno D’Asolo presented by Cooking Light) wins atop Chilkoot Hill Sunday at the Stillwater Criterium, the final stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

“I have no words for Evie (Stevens) – she made the race,” Bronzini said, laughing. “I tried to save my power for the last climb because I came here with all of the best climbers and I’m a sprinter. So I tried only to follow (wheels) and save my best sprint for the final.”

Between attacks from Team TIBCO/To The Top and Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12 and the sheer difficulty of the 18 percent average grade on Chilkoot Hill, an elite group of riders quickly separated themselves from the peloton. The decisive breakaway group formed within five laps of the 13-lap race and featured a mix of experienced veterans and promising newcomers. It included Bronzini, Neben with teammates Stevens, Ally Stacher, and Amanda Miller, overall runner-up Erinne Willock (Team TIBCO/To The Top) and teammate Joelle Noumainville, defending champion Armstrong and teammate Kristin McGrath, Anne Samplonius (NOW and Novartis for MS), and Jade Wilcoxson (Nature Valley Grand Prix Pro Ride).

As the teams battled for the general classification, Armstrong and Bronzini were able to sit in the pack and save themselves for the finish.

“I wanted to sit and let Highroad do their work to protect the jersey,” Armstrong said. “I knew two minutes would be too much to gain today so we went for the stage win for the team. I tried my best, I tried to go with two to go but everyone out there was really strong. I just couldn’t get that extra acceleration.”

Neben said it actually was a very easy day for her because her team was so good.

“I didn’t really have to do anything but just watch them,” Neben said. “It went according to plan. I’m proud of them, they rode really well this week. I have the yellow, but really, we all won.”

The HTC-Highroad team protected overall winner Amben Neben on the way to also winning the team classification Sunday at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Stevens’ performance earned her the Freewheel Bike Most Aggressive Rider jersey.

“Ally, Amanda and Chloe raced their hearts out,” Stevens said. “Amanda and Chloe took it on the back, then I would take control on the climb. I think it was perfect teamwork – no one could get away. It was really exciting.”

Before the race, Stacher was honored with the “Carla Swart Sportsmanship Award,” recognizing the female athlete at the race who sacrificed her own chances for the good of her team. Swart was a South African Olympic hopeful and the most decorated collegiate rider in U.S. history who died when she was hit by a truck during a training ride.

We raced how Carla would have raced,” Stevens said. “She was just an amazing woman, and I know Ally was her best friend. I can’t think of someone better than Ally to wear that jersey. The way she rode today, she rode her heart out. It’s just incredible, the whole team.”

Stacher’s performance also won her the Tria Orthopaedic Best Young Rider jersey, and HTC-Highroad won the Team classification.

Riding for the Nature Valley Pro Ride team, Wilcoxson finished with the front group of elite riders to win the Nature Valley Grand Prix Best Amateur.

“I was really nervous to start it, but it turned out to be a really good course for me,” Wilcoxson said. “I kind of shocked myself as well. I was really surprised to hang with the big dogs like that. I just wanted to be able to finish the race today, so, I’m really excited about the results.”

Leah Kirchmann (Colavita Forno D’Asolo) held onto her Sports Beans Queen of the Hill jersey and Wheaties Fuel Sprint Competition jersey.

Jersey winners of the Nature Valley Grand Prix Sunday (left to right): Sports Beans Queen of the Hill and Wheaties Fuel Sprint Competition winner Leah Kirchmann (Colavita Forno D’Asolo), Tria Orthopaedic Best Young Rider Ally Tria Orthopaedic Best Young Rider, Freewheel Bike Most Aggressive Rider Evelyn Stevens, overall champion Amber Neben and Nature Valley Grand Prix Best Amateur Jade Wilcoxson.

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by Cynthia Lou, Nature Valley Grand Prix

Menomonie, Wis. — It was a battle of a pair of former world time trial champions Saturday at the Menomonie Road Race as Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad) took over the yellow race leader’s jersey from Kristin Armstrong (Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12) at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Rising star Lisa Kirchmann (Colavita Forno D’Asolo presented by Cooking Light) took the stage win and rode aggressively enough to claim three classification jerseys: the Tria Orthopaedic Best Young Rider, Wheaties Fuel Sprint, and Sport Beans Queen of the Hills.

As Amber Neben (left) and Erinne Willock charge to the line, Leah Kirchmann (Colavita/Forno d'Asolo presented by Cooking Light) begins to celebrate her win Saturday at the Menomonie Road Race of the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Neben will start Sunday’s Stillwater Criterium with a 21-second lead over Erinne Willock (Team TIBCO/To The Top), 38 seconds over third-placed Leah Kirchmann (Colavita/Forno d’Asolo presented by Cooking Light), and 52 seconds over Armstrong, who slid to fourth.

The atmosphere was reverent, but competitive, at the start of the race, as riders lined up with memories of Friday’s crash-cancelled stage still top of mind. Rolling out of the neutral start, Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12 controlled the pace and set out to protect Armstrong’s jersey.

At first, it looked like a repeat of Thursday’s Cannon Falls race was on, with all early attacks being brought back. But within the first 14 miles the decisive break that would change the complexion of the race was launched.

Figuring in the break were: Inga Cilvinatte (Diadora-Pasta Zara-Manhattan), Kirchmann, Megan Guarnier and Samantha Schneider (Team TIBCO/To The Top), Ally Stacher (HTC-Highroad), Anna Barensfeld (Missing Link Coaching Systems presented by Specialized), and Tayler Wiles (Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12). The escapees quickly grew their lead to a minute.

“Immediately on the feed zone climb (at Star Hill), we were able to get her (Armstrong) isolated,” Neben said about her team’s strategy. “It was once I was able to get across to the break that I thought we would have a chance. There were enough numbers in the break to ride with me. It came down to the length of the day, and we were motivated at the front to keep going.”

Wiles dropped off the pace at the third Queen of the Hills competition and returned to the peloton to support Armstrong, who was beginning to slip out of the overall lead.

”It was really aggressive today,“ Willock said. ”We had two girls up in the break, and Joelle (Numainville) drove it hard over the top of the third KOH, and it was over the third KOH that I bridged across.”

”Before Erinne and Amber were in the break, I was the leader of the group and we all worked pretty evenly to keep it away,” Kirchmann said. ”But as soon as they got there, I wasn’t leading the race anymore so I could save my legs for the sprint.”

The seven entered the finishing circuits with a 33-second lead that increased to 45 seconds, then stretched to more than a minute, thanks to Neben and teammate Stacher working to extend the lead over the hilly four-mile finishing circuits. Back in the second group, Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12 was doing the majority of the chasing.

”I knew there was a chance to move up onto the podium on GC, and that was our goal,“ explained Willock. ”Leah didn’t do any work all day, and that’s fine, and that’s the way the game goes.“

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Waking up this morning there is a lot of positive energy in our large host house in Hudson, WI, and for a good reason: Every member of the Kowalski’s Markets Collegiate All-Star Team is starting stage 4 of the NVGP. Yesterday we raced the Cannon Falls road race.   After the previous day with a time trial and criterium I was feeling a bit stiff and sore especially from the crit crash, and woke up with whole new eyes to the world of professional cycling. 

This race was the first road race where I have been able to use the full road, and the full road was actually used. We started out rolling through the neutral zone, and then it was on! The first QOM (Queen of the Mountain) was 3 miles in so there was a bit of a tension you could feel in the field as everyone got rolling into the race.  It was hot and humid but the race rolled on. I felt myself wanting to go to the front or off to a side just to get a breeze blowing across my face as I got hotter and hotter sitting in the field. Attacks were thrown back and forth between different teams in the rolling hills we encountered.

For me, the most memorable section was the gravel. I was told way before arriving in Minnesota to make sure I was towards the front on the gravel section. Not having a computer/powermeter on my bike, I didn’t know what mile we were at or how long we had been riding so the only way I knew we were about to enter the gravel was by the lead car’s trail of dust in the air.  I moved up as many positions as I could, putting me in the top 30 of the peloton going through, and I just mashed through the section. I witnessed riders crashing across the gravel, but I was not one of them, which was great.  I came out of the gravel in the back on the first group, and I gave it everything I had, but in the end, my legs got me. I had a full bottle on my bike I was wishing I could get rid of but when you are done, you are done.  I tried to stay with the groups that came by me, and I did for a little while, but once again, I popped.

The best part of the stage yesterday, was riding along in the peloton and seeing my teammates around me.  At one point, 5 of us (as far as I could see) were riding within a few riders of one another, staying with it, and making our presence known in the peloton. Also, I am very proud of myself for not only making it into the final circuit, but being able to finish the race, and not getting pulled.  The hardest part of the stage was the finishing circuit.  I came into it perfectly: In the first group, made it through clear without any crashes or injury, but after the first lap, I suffered on the rise to the finish. With 5 more laps to go I found myself getting farther and farther back getting passed by groups as they went by.

Almost everything I encounter in this race is a learning experience. Yesterday was the first time I have gone back to a car to get feed bottles, for not only me, but also members of my team.  I also found out what the smell of burning brake pads was like. I found myself riding next to Bronzini (Current World Road Champion), and Shelley Olds, not to mention Kristin Armstrong, or Olivia Dillon.  I have found how important it is to set small goals for myself. Looking out of a smaller window, instead of a large one, and realizing that I’m riding for today, to learn from these experiences, and not for anything else.

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By Cynthia Lou, Nature Valley Grand Prix

Cannon Falls, Minn. – World champion Giorgia Bronzini (Colavita Forno D’Asolo presented by Cooking Light) sprinted to victory in Thursday’s Nature Valley Grand Prix Cannon Falls Road Race to win her third race on American soil in 11 days.

Giorgia Bronzini takes the sprint finish in the Cannon Falls Stage 3 road race.

Having two very strong sprinters on one team is an advantage, giving the team more options in chaotic sprint finishes, Cliff-Ryan said.

“The sprint was going to be for me today,” she said. “I lined up behind Shelley (Olds) with Giorgia behind me as a sweeper. That gives us a chance if I screw up the sprint so Giorgia can come. I chose to be on the left side and had to go onto the curb because the peloton came up the left. Halfway up the hill I yelled to Giorgia to ‘go.’ With Giorgia first and me third, it’s a good result.”

“We tried to do the same sprint today as we did yesterday,” Bronzini said of her plans with teammate Cliff-Ryan. “She is strong, and I hope she win tomorrow.”

Bronzini sprinted to victory in Wednesday’s Paul Downtown Criterium Wednesday night to go along with her victory June 5 at the Liberty Classic in Philadelphia.

The majority of Thursday’s 66.5-mile race traveled through gently rolling farm lands surrounding Cannon Falls. Several teams set out to make the race hard and attacks were launched nearly continuously.

“We’re going to be aggressive and race smart,” Evelyn Stevens (HTC-Highroad) said before the start. “We have a really incredible team here, and we’re sitting in second and fourth overall, so we have a lot of options. We’re going to see how the race plays out, what the other teams do, and take it from there.”

The most prominent break of the day gained nearly a minute’s lead in anticipation of the first Sport Beans Queen of the Hill competition. Leah Kirchmann (Colavita Forno D’Asolo), Rachel Warner (Missing Link Coaching Systems/Specialized), and Amity Elliot (Team Kenda presented by Geargrinder) took the top points, respectively, up the first QOH. But they were caught shortly afterwards.

Women's Peloton - Cannon Falls Road Race

From then on, no other breaks were allowed more than 20 seconds of freedom, with all teams contributing to the chasing. Yellow jersey wearer Kristin Armstrong (Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12) even brought back two herself.

“It was a really good race and there was always something going on,” said Rushlee Buchanan (Colavita Forno D’Asolo), wearer of the Trio Orthopaedic Best Young Rider jersey. “The race went really fast, we were always concentrating. I think every team was out today to draw everybody out. It was good out there and the wind wasn’t too strong. We knew we had good sprinters in the bunch, so either way we knew we had good cards to play.”

All of the jerseys remained the same after today’s race, including the Freewheel Bike Most Aggressive Rider jersey that went to Shelley Olds (Diadora-Pasta Zara-Manhattan). The jersey typically changes shoulders on each stage.

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By Elle Anderson, Dartmouth College, and Robin Bauer, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Kowalski’s Markets Collegiate All-Stars Team

A beautiful sunny evening in St. Paul was interrupted by a storm that blew in an hour before our race. With the high winds and rain now coming, the race suddenly took a different turn. It was the first of many fast changes in the course of the night’s event.

Even without the rain, this 6-corner course is difficult. With the rain, all of the manhole covers, bricks, concrete slabs, cracks, and curbs were much more dangerous and slippery. Although the rain dissipated during the race, the roads were very wet and set the stage for many pack crashes. The first crash was 15 minutes into the race and took out at least 20-30 riders. In a split second, nearly one third of the field was down.

Elle’s thoughts about the crash: I think it was a manhole cover that caused it, but at the apex of the turn a racer to my inside just slid out and started a domino effect throwing me over the curb and onto the highway median.

Robin’s thoughts about the crash: As I came into the turn, I saw a line of riders down. I tried stopping and then maneuvering around it but instead was taken out by a girl who slammed into me from behind.

Elle: After untangling my bike from the pile-up I hurried to the pit. My shoulder was aching from hitting the concrete and I had also somehow landed on my face. At the pit, I was comforted to see Robin and Laura (Bauer and Ralston, respectively, both are Kowalski’s Collegiate Allstar team mates) there too, who were also ok. As the rush of the peloton went by we accelerated and blended in.

Robin: The race got going again and there were few more crashes. Thankfully none of them too bad since the rain buffers the falls some. But those manhole covers! I must have hit one because my rear wheel started to slide before I thankfully regained my balance… but I did not regain the wheel in front of me. Again, in a blink of an eye my race completely changed. I was no longer with the main peloton but was instead chasing.

Elle: The pace continued to be insanely high for the later part of the race. I had to grit my teeth as I slowly counted down the laps. I was incredibly relieved to see one lap to go and still be with the main pack.

Robin: It was a great race but things that were totally unexpected happened. I am excited to move on to stage 3.

Elle: Yes – a pretty spectacular race and I’m really glad we survived! Queuing up on the start line I had no idea what was ahead of us. Looking forward, Stage 3 is going to be a blast.

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strong>By Cynthia Lou, Nature Valley Grand Prix
St. Paul, Minn. – World road champion Giorgia Bronzini (Colavita Forno D’Asolo presented by Cooking Light) won Wednesday night’s rainy and crash-filled St. Paul Downtown Criterium in an exciting sprint finish, while Olympic time trial champion Kristin Armstrong (Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12) retained the Nature Valley Grand Prix overall lead.

Shelley Olds (Diadora-Pasta Zara-Manhattan) and Chloe Hoskings (HTC-Highroad) rounded out the Stage 2 podium in second and third, respectively.

As the women warmed up, the weather quickly turned from sunny and warm to windy and rainy, leaving them to make last minute adjustments to tire pressures. Tension built as knowing glances were passed between teammates while the national anthem played and the officials made their final announcements.

Fortunately the rain subsided about 15 minutes into the race, and the second half of the hour-long race unfolded under clear skies. The road started to dry, but not before several crashes happened, including one that took down about 30 riders.

There was fierce competition for the time bonuses, the first which happened with 23 laps to go. Hosking, Lauren Tamayo (Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12), and Amanda Miller (HTC-Highroad) soaked up the first round of bonuses earning five seconds, three seconds and one second, respectively.

With 20 laps to go, a break formed that included riders Miller, Tamayo, Olds, and Leah Kirchmann and Joelle Numainville (Colavita Forno D’Asolo). Their lead ticked up to a 14-second gap and lasted 10 of the 28 total laps.

As the break started to absorb time bonuses and stretch its lead, it became clear to the Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12 squad that it had to start reeling it back in.

“There was a break that got off that we weren’t excited about,” explained Armstrong. “With the conditions, it was single-file all night long. It was really difficult for our team to get together and chase down another team. That was frustrating. There was a point when I came up to help my teammates to finish and close the gap. After that, we just made sure there wasn’t another attack that went off and stayed off. The energy we expended to close that break was not something we wanted to do twice. People are out to race against us. We have three of the top five, and it makes for hard racing.”

With the peloton together for the final laps, teams began setting up their sprinters.

“There was a pretty solid lead out from TIBCO, so I made my way up to their train and just tried to hold position in the last lap,” Olds said. “In the last turn, Theresa Clif-Ryan (Colavita Forno D’Asolo) jumped, and I jumped to cover it. But Bronzini was on my wheel and she came around me. It’s difficult when you have two really fast sprinters from the same team.”

“I was in front of the first position, behind my teammate,” Bronzini said. “I was in third position at the corner, and gave my best sprint today.” Bronzini said she felt confident she could win as long as she came out of the final corner no farther than three riders back.

Georgia Bronzini (Colavita Forno D'Asolo presented by Cooking Light) celebrates her victory in the St. Paul Downtown Criterium, Stage 2 of the Nature Valley Grand Prix. (Matthew Moses)

“Tonight was one of the hardest crits I’ve done in years,” Armstrong said. “People were on fire. I know that there’s been past years that have been tough, but I think the depth of this field is the best I’ve seen at Nature Valley.”

Olds, who has raced a full schedule this season in Europe, agreed: “The field this year is incredibly strong. I think, much stronger, with a lot of numbers for each team.”

The Nature Valley Grand Prix has seen a lot of growth in recent years, from stronger fields to increasing opportunities for growth and visibility of new and upcoming riders.

Jade Wilcoxson is one such rider, having been selected through the Nature Valley Grand Prix Pro Ride – a series of qualifying races across the country.

“Just having a team director and a team mechanic and having all those details taken care of has been incredible,” Wilcoxson said. “Then racing with this caliber of women – this was a hard crate.” The Talent, Ore., resident will wear the Nature Valley Top Amateur jersey for Thursday’s road race at Cannon Falls.

Other jersey wearers include Olds in the Freewheel Bike Most Aggressive Rider jersey, Leah Kirchmann (Colavita Forno D’Asolo) in the Wheaties FUEL Sprinter jersey, and her teammate, Rushlee Buchanon, in the Tria Orthopaedic Best Young Rider jersey. Though Armstrong leads the Sports Beans Queen of the Hills jersey competition, Evelyn Stevens (HTP-Highroad) will wear the jersey for Cannon Falls.

Looking forward to Thursday’s first road stage in rural east central Minnesota, Armstrong noted, “We’ll have to see what the weather does, because sometimes it’s really windy. Again, we ride as a team, we ride as a unit. The technicality of tonight was hard to get the team together, but tomorrow the roads are wide, but the finishing circuits are tough. They always are. They’re technical and tough. We’ll have to stay safe and use the same tactics as tonight and work as a team.”

The women’s race in Cannon Falls starts at 5:30 p.m. Watch the race in person or streaming online at http://www.naturevalleybicyclefestival.com.

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strong>Minneapolis – Amber Neben and her HTC-Highroad team sit atop the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series standings after the first event, the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

Neben’s overall victory at the four-day USA Cycling National Racing Calendar event in California puts her ahead of Erinne Willock (Team TIBCO/To The Top) and fellow HTC-Highroad teammate Evelyn Stevens in the individual standings of the only national bicycle racing series exclusively showcasing the country’s top female cycling talent.

“It is always a positive thing to be wearing a leader’s jersey, and I am excited to have it,” Neben said. “It is even better that the team is in the first position, since they were instrumental in helping me get into it.”

On the strength of Neben’s overall victory and Stevens’ strong performance at Redlands, HTC-Highroad leads the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series team standings ahead of Team TIBCO/To The Top and Colavita Forno D’Asolo. Last year’s team winner, Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12, is fifth.

In the Best Sprinter competition, Rouse Bicycles riders Christina Smith and Robin Farina hold down the top two spots, respectively. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Colavita Forno D’Asolo) is third. Like the Individual and Best Young Rider leaders, Smith will wear a special Women’s Prestige Cycling Series jersey (produced by Champion System) at the next WPCS event.

Leading the Best Young Rider competition is former Canadian junior national road champion Denise Ramsden (Juvederm-Specialized-Mazda). Her team is a merger of the long-running Specialized-Mazda-Samson Groupe Conseil women’s team from Montreal and last year’s Team Nanoblur-Gears formation out of Toronto. The squad is Canada’s only UCI women’s road team.

Denise Ramsden (Team Juvederm-Specialized-Mazda) dons the Women's Prestige Cycling Series Best Young Rider jersey after the Redlands Bicycle Classic. (photo courtesy of Kristin Frith)

The Redlands Classic was the first stop on the 2011 edition of the Women's Prestige Cycling Series. The other three races are the SRAM Tour of the Gila (April 27-May 1), Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota (June 15-19) and the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic (July 19-24) in Oregon.

For more information about the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series, visit the official website, www.WomenCyclists.com.

INDIVIDUAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Amber Neben, HTC-Highroad, 220.
2. Erinne Willock, Team TIBCO/To The Top, 165.
3. Evelyn Stevens, HTC-Highroad, 132.
4. Carmen Small, Team TIBCO/To The Top, 121.
5. Andrea Dvorak, Colavita Forno D’Asolo, 110.

SPRINT CLASSIFICATION
1. Christina Smith, Rouse Bicycles, 220
2. Robin Farina, Rouse Bicycles, 165.
3. Theresa Cliff-Ryan, Colavita Forno D’Asolo, 132.
4. Chloe Hosking, HTC-Highroad, 121.
5. Catherine Cheatley, Colavita Forno D’Asolo, 110.

BEST YOUNG RIDER CLASSIFICATION
1. Denise Ramsden, Team Juvederm-Specialized-Mazda, 220.
2. Amanda Miller, HTC-Highroad, 165.
3. Mara Abbott, SC Velo-Empower Coaching, 132.
4. Lindsay Myers, Danbury Audi, 121.
5. Lex Albrecht, Team Juvederm-Specialized-Mazda, 110.

BEST TEAM CLASSIFICATION
1. HTC-Highroad, 504.
2. Team TIBCO/To The Top, 324.
3. Colavita Forno D’Asolo, 296.
4. Team Juvederm-Specialized-Mazda, 227.
5. Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12, 128.

About the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series

The only only national-level competition produced by women for women features four races in its eighth year. Its origin can be traced back to a discussion at the 2003 Women’s Cycling Summit Conference, held at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Since then, more than 30 teams have participated in some of the United States’ top races from coast to coast. The four events on the 2011 schedule are: Redlands Bicycle Classic in California (March 31-April 3), SRAM Tour of the Gila (April 27-May 1), Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota (June 15-19) and the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic (July 19-24) in Oregon.

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Minneapolis — The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series opens team registration for its eighth season as strong as ever, with all four stage races returning from 2010.

The Series is the only national-level cycling competition solely produced for women, by women. Its origin can be traced back to a discussion at the 2003 Women’s Cycling Summit Conference, held at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Since then, more than 30 teams have participated in some of the United States’ top races from coast to coast.

“We set out to create a focused series that women’s teams could build their seasons around,” said Women’s Prestige Cycling Series co-founder Giana Roberge, who will be directing Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12 this year. “The National Racing Calendar just had too many events and had became a competition about who had the biggest travel budget. We wanted a series all women’s teams could equally take ownership of while leveling the playing field.”

The Series begins with the Redlands Bicycle Classic in California (March 30-April 3), travels to New Mexico for the SRAM Tour of the Gila (April 27-May 1), continues with the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota (June 15-19) and wraps up with the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic (July 19-24) in Oregon.

Team TIBCO To The Top Manager/Directeur Sportif Lisa Hunt said the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series adds a great deal of prominence and attention to women’s cycling.

“Having a women’s-only series does a great deal to enhance the sport, and get it out a bit from the shadow of the men’s side of the sport,” Hunt said. “I think you can see that effect in the improvement in quality of the racing here in the U.S. Just look at the recent success of U.S. women on the road in some of the biggest races internationally and you can see how the WPCS has contributed to that growth in talent, and in the talent pool.”

All four races are part of USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar (NRC). The Nature Valley Grand Prix has been a part of every Women’s Prestige Cycling Series while the Redlands Classic is in the line-up for the seventh time in eight years. The Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic has been part of the past three Series, while the SRAM Tour of the Gila returns for the second straight year.

The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series is open only to teams, but individual riders can either form a team or join one that will be participating. For more information and rules, visit www.WomenCyclists.com. Deadline for teams to submit their original rosters and be eligible to compete in the Series’ first event is March 29.

Four separate competitions comprise the Series: top overall individual, best young rider, best sprinter and top team. Special jerseys, provided by custom clothing manufacturer Champion System, will identify the leaders in the first three classifications.

Defending champions of the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series are Mara Abbott (top individual and best young rider) and Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12 (best team). The late Carla Swart won the best sprinter competition last year.

Additional information for the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series can be obtained by sending an e-mail to wpcs2011@gmail.com.

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It’s funny, isn’t it, how much you realize you love a place when you move away?  I grew up in Roseville, Minnesota, and even though I have spent the better part of the last 10 years in Cambridge, Massachusetts, first for college and then for graduate school, I love Minnesota more now than I ever did during high school.  I think that’s the reason why the Nature Valley Grand Prix is one of my favorite races in the year; it gives me a chance to combine two things I love: racing my bicycle, and going home. This will be my third year racing the Nature Valley Grand Prix (this year I’ll be racing for Team Kenda), and I can’t wait to introduce my home to my new teammates.

The day before the race starts, we’ll go for a ride to loosen up our legs from traveling, and perhaps it will be a good chance to show off the tree sculptures in the state fairgrounds and to wind our way past the conservatory and lake in Como Park.  Or perhaps later in the week we’ll ride through Roseville’s Central Park and Lake Josephine as we get our blood flowing before the Minneapolis criterium.  Or maybe on the way back from the final race in Stillwater, we’ll stop at the Dairy Queen in North St. Paul, and will give our greetings to the giant snowman.  In short, I can’t wait to introduce some of my favorite places to my teammates who may have never visited the “land of 10,000 lakes.”

At the same time, I love the opportunity to convince my family and friends in Minnesota that bike racing is super fun.  The past two years, I swear half the people at some of the stages were cheering for me: high school friends, teachers, old teammates, friend’s parents.  My mom had never seen me race my bike until the St. Paul criterium last year, and although it makes her nervous (I can see how watching your daughter lean into a 90 degree turn at 25 miles an hour with more than 100 other cyclists might make a mother nervous), she thought it was fun to watch!  I didn’t start racing bicycles until I started graduate school almost four years ago, so it’s been a great opportunity to introduce my “new” sport to friends who’ve never watched a bike race before.

Of course, there are plenty of other reasons to love the race. The courses are fun and challenging, giving me a chance to test my training and to see what I can do on the bike.  It’s a great opportunity to check in with my coach, Fiona Lockhart, who lives in Minneapolis.  Like most cyclists, I mostly communicate with her via phone and e-mail, so it’s nice for her to actually watch the races and for us to talk without the barrier of the computer or telephone.  But probably most of all, I love to go home to the best state in the country.  I can’t wait to race again in front of my family and friends.  If you come to the races and hear the person next to you shouting “Go Anna” at the passing rider dressed in green, join in.  I’m excited because I think this year’s race will be, not just a Minnesotan “pretty good” but, as I’ve learned to say out here in Massachusetts, I think this year’s race will be “wicked awesome.”

About the author

Anna McLoon is a PhD candidate at Harvard University, in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences PhD program.  She grew up in Roseville, MN, graduating from the Roseville Area High School in 2000.  In her spare time, she races bicycles, and will spend 2010 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.  (http://www.teamkenda.com)

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