The Tracey Gaudry Diary 2000The Local East Coast Australian Time is
Hewlett Packard LaserJet Women's ChallengeIdaho, USA, June 8-10, 2000 Stage 1 - June 8: Boise - Idaho City Road Race, 69.6 mi/112.1 km Over the years, the Hewlett Packard Laserjet Women's Challenge has become one of the greatest women's stage races in the world. It always attracts a top class field, due to the difficult terrain, variety of courses, the excellent race organisation and of course, a very handsome prize purse. A few small changes this year have resulted in fewer pure mountain stages, the team's time trial and a short individual time trial have been omitted and the rumors of the race including a bunch of circuit races to emulate the Olympic style of course didn't eventuate. As a result the race will be considerably more tactical than in previous years with many riders of differing strengths being GC contenders. Historically, this stage ends up in a huge bunch sprint despite the 6km climb in the middle of the stage. The roads are so wide and the way is so fast after the descent that the bunch reforms. This year we expected things to be different, with gale force wind conditions. Almost as a 'send-off' the rain started to fall just as we set off down a windswept descent to start this 11-day race. The bunch was erratic for the first 20km while riders attempted to settle into a comfortable formation. The crosswinds made things tough. Attacks commenced right from the start, and I knew something was going to stick before the climb. We took turns covering, and just before a sharp left turn another attack went. Kim was straight in it. I was at the front of the group and then the 6 or so riders were just up the road, with other teams trying to get across. It was messy and then as we turned left two riders slid out completely on the slick corner. The small group in front gained a ready made gap. I dodged the crashed riders and quickly slotted into the single file train that was a chase group. As a couple of other riders attempted to get across I jumped on their wheels to stop them, and then Clara Hughes and a couple of others went across. Darn! We needed to have a helper for Kim up there too. The break now included Diana Ziliute and Jolanta Polikevicuite (Acca Due/HP) Anna Wilson and Clara Hughes (Saturn), Pam Schuster (Autotrader), Ina Teutenburg (Germany), Kim and a couple of others. The major teams were represented but there were many teams that weren't. We hoped they would chase and we could counter, they didn't. Mari and I attacked to try to get across anyhow, but were continually chased down in the ravaging winds. If we kept this up we would bring the break back, but we wanted Kim up there. We settled to keep a steady tempo for the remainder of the stage, while the HP team forcibly continued to interrupt our efforts. It was all very messy. Up in the break, all riders were working except Kim and Pam, who didn't have a teammate up there. The break finished about 3.5 minutes ahead of a depleted main field, with Anna Wilson repeating her first stage victory of last year. Stage 2 - June 9: Lowman - Stanley Road Race, 58.5 MI/94.3 km After a big shake up in the first stage of the Laserjet Women's Challenge, all eyes were on Longo to see what she would do, being one of the main GC contenders who missed the winning break. Today's stage was basically uphill for 30 miles and superfast for the 30-odd miles to the finish. The pace was blistering right from the start, with Elita riding a very fast tempo to make sure they had prime position for the first hotspot sprint. They took that out, and the peloton prepared for the 12-mile steady climb to the QOM. Timex swamped the front, keeping the tempo high to quash any attempts by others to make a break. The climb began and we got things going. First I attacked, then Kim, then Mari. This had the desired effect of splitting the group, but also having me blow up at the same time! I grovelled to the back of the dwindling bunch as Longo surged hard, taking only a few riders with her, Mari being one of them. I got to the 20-odd rider bunch, with Kim also in it and we settled into a steady tempo, as Longo, Mari, Juanita Feldhahn, and Diana Ziliute rode away in a scattered fashion. Juanita blew soon after and came back to us. We prayed that Mari was OK. As we neared the top, many of the riders in yesterday's break were still in the group. Kim and I counter attacked the group to break it up. Lyne Bessette, Clara Hughes, Pam and a few other GC contenders dropped off. We rode over the top with too many riders still making our group. We wouldn't be able to get away with only a few. The bunch regrouped and Saturn and Great Britain immediately started working to try to bring the breakaways back. Kim and I had an easy ride until we heard that Mari was in trouble. We jumped into the chasing echelon and soon had Mari back with us safely. From then it was a 10-rider time trial effort to try to bring the two breakaways back. In the end, we had brought them back to less than 40 seconds. I lead out for the sprint at 70km/hr to make sure that there was no further time lost at the end. Longo won the stage in record time, with Ziliute riding into the leader's jersey. Stage 3 - June 10: Elkhorn Circuit Race, 29.6 MI/46 km Aside from the fact that tonight's race was excruciatingly painful, there are some pleasures about tour racing. We were staying at the picturesque natural wonderland of Stanley, alongside the rapids of the fast flowing, icy river streaming down from the snowcapped peaks of the Sawtooth Mountains. Thankfully this year we were not racing over Galena Pass - snow was still falling atop the mountain range as the 'hangers' were to discover when they bravely tackled the stage we rode last year. Instead we drove to Ketchum for the circuit race. Eighteen laps of this circuit was excruciating. Normally I hurt but manage to ride in the front group. This year, I blew up completely after five strong laps, nearly stopping dead at the bottom of the steep 400m climb on the sixth laps. I had absolutely nothing in my legs, it felt like someone had pulled the plug on me, and every ounce of energy had drained away. That's the way it goes I guess. I rode tempo, gradually catching clumps of riders, who sat on for most part, cursing me as I steadily got into a faster rhythm. Do I try to minimise the time gap, so that GC isn't totally lost? Kim and Mari were still doing exceedingly well, and so I figured my energy best be saved to help them out in later stages. In the main field the rest of our team were working well. Only towards the end did Odessa and Erin drop back to help me after their work was done in the main field. Mari was going like a steam train, sprinting for the QOM and time bonus points, and Kim was riding strongly in the pack. With a couple of laps to go, Longo put on the pace and she was away with Diana and Mari. Mari just dropped off at the bottom of the last lap and the whole field virtually amalgamated again, with Longo and Ziliute only gaining five seconds in a furious two-up sprint up the climb to the finish. I had prime viewing position - they were just lapping me as they sprinted past! I was given 'lap' time, which was calculated at more than a minute slower than the time I was actually taken around the circuit. It would have been better for me to have ridden the last lap, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. I have more worthwhile things to think about for the rest of the tour, with both Kim and Mari right up there in the overall standings. Stage 4 - June 11: Rupert - Pomerelle Road Race, 56.4 MI/90.2 km After a very late dinner, and a restless night up in the loft of our condo, I still felt OK this morning as we drove the two hours to the start of the stage. The distance was somewhat shorter than last year, around 90km, but the finish would still decided the race. An 11km climb at 7-8 percent grade the whole way. This stage was marred by severe and unnecessary crashes in last year's crosswinds so there was no doubt about where we would place ourselves in the peloton. Even up the front things were sketchy, with riders cutting across the front of the bunch instead of riding past the front and moving across. Usually these are the ones that stay upright while the field crashes behind them! This happened once or twice, and so most of Timex revolved up the front to keep the pace high and out of trouble. About 30km into the race, the inevitable happened - a huge crash in the middle of the field, bringing down around 25 riders and stopping everyone behind them! Luckily only Sanna was caught behind the pileup, with none of our team injured. There were broken collarbones, broken ribs, concussion, plus every type of wound, cuts, bruises, contusions possible. The field professionally rode tempo at 40km/h because so many teams had 'damaged' riders and after 15km, most had rejoined the race. We reached the first QOM as a bunch, and then the 'race real' began. I remembered that left hand turn onto the main climb only too well from last year. Again the hammer went down right from the start. For most of us, the way to the top was purely a matter of survival and pacing oneself the best you could. While I piano-ed up the climb, losing about nine minutes, Longo attacked the whole group right at the start. She rode solo for the whole 11km up to the finish, flogging the rest of the best climbers by more than two and a half minutes. She is now only a few seconds behind Ziliute in the quest for overall GC. Kim had a stellar climb to come in with Ziliute, Jolanta Polikeviciute and a few others, finishing 4th in the stage and moving up to 3rd overall. Mari was only a few seconds behind in another small bunch, Anna Wilson and Juanita Feldhahn up there also. Tomorrow's time trial is going to be very important for many riders. Stage 5 - June 12: Burley South Individual Time Trial, 15 MI/24 km Markedly different from last year, the time trial was dead flat, out and back. Hence the only way to go was flat out, out and back! Perfect for those on form. I was relying on strength and endurance, with little energy reserves to recruit power and speed. I had a good 'rabbit' to chase, with Tina Mayolo starting one minute ahead of me. I had thought that the side tail wind was on the way out, but found it really hard. It was a slight uphill drag and so I was thankful on the turnaround to find it faster on the way home, so that confirmed why it hurt so much for the first half. I resolved to suffer with the continual pain in my quads and glutes all the way home with no fire power but maintaining a steady, somewhat bogged down rhythm. I caught Tina with just over 5km to go and continued to drive hard to finish in a time of 33 minutes 27 seconds. I finished 14th overall. I was happy that I had put in the best effort that I could, given the complete lack of fire power I have right now. Meanwhile the real race was going on behind me, with fast times by the Top 10 GC riders being crucial to their overall positions. Longo won by only seconds from Mari, at a time of around 31 minutes 50 seconds (not confirmed). Longo's time has put her in the overall lead, overtaking Diana Ziliute. Anna Wilson also had a great ride and was able to put some time into Kim to move up into 3rd overall. Kim had a great ride, having improved so much this year and we're wrapt that she has a comfortable hold on 4th overall on GC, while Mari has moved up to 5th overall. Stage 6 - June 13: Burley - Buhl Road Race, 84.2 MI/135 km We expected strong cross-head winds on this day, but nowhere near as bad as that which confronted us on our way out from Burley. Things were strung out in the left gutter and it was hard. Hard at the front, harder in the middle, a waste of time down the back. Hence, I rotated up the front for the first half hour covering moves, using up more energy than I would like. After one particular attack I sunk back through the line trying to recover, but realising that halfway back was further than I wanted to be. The front of the line was 100m ahead. Then the inevitable happened. Bianca Netzler, who was front of me overlapped the wheel ahead of her,`and came crashing down. I was already in the gutter trying to get the smallest of a windbreak, and had nowhere to go but in the ditch - nothing like a bit of cross-country riding to sharpen up your skills. I navigated into a grassy bank without injury and scrambled frantically back up onto the road to a very dismaying sight, a small group of riders breaking off the front of the group. I couldn't see Timex in it, ouch!!!! I got back on my bike, no damage done, and drove furiously straight up the outside of the shattering, single-file field and started chasing with Kim, Mari and the others. The break was dangerous to Kim's position - Diana Ziliute, Anna Wilson, Sarah Ulmer, Ina Teutenberg. We had to bring it back. Longo was back with us, but she had no fresh horses in her stable to work with. We turned and the wind blew completely across the road, the chase bunch headed by us shattered, I blew up, and took 20 minutes to get the girls I was dropped with to work in a smooth echelon to bring us back to the front of the chasers. Mari had tried to go across with a few others. Nothing was working. The break had two minutes. We worked, chased. They worked, escaping, riding on the adrenaline of a great move. We suffered for 110km. Everyone did as much as they could but our strength and numbers was less than the driving group ahead of us. I used every last ounce until the bottom of the last climb and sat up, to ride in with the laughing bunch - except I was the only one not laughing. It was the toughest day in the office for us to date, but the main saving grace was that Kim still held 4th on GC and Mari was in 7th. In the break, a very strong move from Ziliute had her attack her working companions to take the win on top of stealing the overall lead from Longo. Stage 7 - June 14: Twin Falls - Glenns Ferry Road Race, 76.7 MI/125 km Another windy day, the conditions becoming the hallmark of this tour. We were in slight damage control, but also expected that the top overall contenders would be looking for a 'rest day' if this could ever be possible with 135km into crosshead winds. It was a good chance for an alternate break to go. Odessa, Sanna, Erin and I rode aggressively, and eventually I broke away with another rider. We gained 40 seconds very quickly, though it was so hard into a headwind and I was doing 80% of the work. If there was no serious chasing I figured the stage win was worth the damage the ride would do to my energy in later day. Things looked good for around 15km until I got notice that Charles Schwab had begun a serious chase. They had Nicole Freedman in the Sprinter's jersey by a very narrow margin and wanted maximum points in the sprint up ahead. I was pretty bummed, knowing that as I was no threat to the overall classification most of the field was content to leave us out there. That's the way the cookie crumbles. In the final 50km I continued to try to make, or go with moves determined to have something stick. No go. With a few km to go I still had enough left to go with a dangerous move up the last drag before the finish. Sarah Ulmer had jumped away, then Diana went across, then I went with her. With 1km to go we had an extreme headwind into the slight downhill stretch. I didn't have the strength to hold the pace and the strung out field swarmed around me with Petra taking out the stage in her superb sprinting fashion. Stage 8 - June 15: Payette Valley - Firebird Raceway Road Race, 79.4 MI/127 km Today was a day we were looking forward to more, with a change in the style of the course. While still being stuck out in the dry, dusty hills and plains, the race was a series of three 30km circuits, with 35km to the finish on a racing car strip. The circuits were hard, with variable wind directions, a significant climb each lap and several drags and dips. We planned to make a move on the 3rd circuit but to be ready for danger in the early stages. It happened early indeed. The first climb started at only 9km into the race and it shattered already. Mari made the front group but dropped off near the top. I chased to get back to her, but we didn't have Kim. We rested and waited, driving back to the small break bringing things back under control. My, these girls were going day after day! We got back just in time as another attack was launched, with about six girls. It looked strong with Ina Teutenberg, Dede Demet, Sarah Ulmer, Vera Hohlfeld and others. This is one to be in. I jumped away from the field and chased frantically, trying to latch onto Juanita Feldhahn's wheel as she also tried to bridge across. We both got there and immediately started working to establish the break. I rode through a couple of times until I assessed the make-up of the group. Petra, Clara Hughes, Pam Schuster and a couple of others also make it across. That was the end of the work for me - there were too many riders here who could take valuable time away from Kim. Vera and I sat on the break of 14 riders for the next 60km, but it was still hard in the cross-winds. Sarah Ulmer and Ceris (Britain), alternated working and resting, obviously making the most of this prime GC opportunity. The group gained three and a half minutes after 50km, and then we received word that another break had launched from the main field, with Ziliute, Anna and Longo in it. They were doing some serious damage. Ziliute and one of her teammates drove their break to the finish, but didn't make up any time on us. With 30km to go, I had decided to attack up the last climb on the way to the dragstrip, and started to fuel up. Next thing, our director was motioning me to go now. It was a gamble but it could work. I attacked down the other side of the road and flew in the tailwind. The group reacted but didn't launch a serious chase for a while. At the bottom of the climb I had 35 seconds. Not as much as I wanted. At the top of the climb I had 35 seconds, and I was feeling good. Somebody must be doing some work back there. 10km to go - undulating, cross-tail wind. It would be tough as a group with momentum could ride much faster than a solo rider. At 50+km/hr I drove so hard - would it work? With 5km to go, I looked back to see the group rotating, coerced by Petra to bring me back. With three Saturn riders in the break, they wanted a stage win. I was absorbed my the group with 4km to go. C'mon now, recover, you still have time. I willed my legs and lungs to find just a little extra. The attacks started as we entered the raceway. We would do 1.5 laps, tailwind, headwind, tailwind. Juanita went. She was covered. Kurreck went, she was covered. Dede went, she was away. We were in the backstraight. I jumped and buried myself in the wind to get to her. I reached her on the turn into the tailwind, but lost contact again. Ina was coming across. She got to me, I got to Dede, it was down to the three of us. 400m to go. Dede and I were stuffed. Ina jumped, Dede and I had a drag race. Ina first, me second, Dede third. I was bummed not to win, but glad to have shown some glimmer of strength and form. Nearly four minutes later, the 'GC' chase group arrived, and a few minutes later came bits of the shattered field with a very dejected Kim and Mari - coughing badly, who had both lost valuable time today. Several riders in the break caused a total upheaval in rankings, completely re-shuffling the placings from 4th to 10th overall on general classification. Stage 9 - June 16: Mountain Home Air Force Base Road Race, 71.5 MI/114.4 km It is the first time in several days that the 30 mph winds appear to have run out of puff. We faced only a breezy day on the open plains of Mountain Home. It was a fast race, and now that Timex are in the unenviable position of being out of the Top GC placings, we went all out to form a break away. Mari did not start this morning after being quite ill during and after yesterday's stage so it was down to five riders. Everyone was extremely active and really got things moving. The lack of crosswinds and mountains meant that the typically 'shattered' field remained together, and all riders wanted to be in every move. Several times a break nearly got away, but this was foiled when 'just one more rider' wanted to get across, and then the whole peloton. came swarming back. The girls rode really strongly and when we reached the Air Force Base for 4 laps of the finishing circuit, up and down two runways, all were in great position. After a series of attacks and counters, a group of 8 or so was away, driving hard. Sanna was safely in it along with Ziliute and Anna Wilson. We thought it would stick, they were going full pelt. So was the field - it was mad, trying to dodge the oranged cones down the middle of the runway which marked huge potholes, while attempting to hold the wheels in front of you. The break was reeled in with just over a lap to go, and I saw a group of 2 who had managed to escape (or were they being lapped, I didn't know). I went for it 200% and got a gap. The circuit was too long and it was too windy to hold it and the bunch swarmed around me as they set up for the frenzied sprint, fanned completely across the runway. Ina won in convincing style to take her second win in successive days, confirming her all-round fitness. Stage 10 - June 17: Statehouse Criterium, 34.7 MI/55.5 km Well, this is a very difficult report to write and I am completely exhausted, but the scribing must go on. In my completed racing history, there is absolutely no other criterium event that hurts as excruciatingly as the State House Criterium in the HP Women's Challenge. One would think that prior experience would help prepare you for the complete pummelling your legs and lungs were about to get, but no, it never does. Last year, I made life easier by getting into a small break group, that worked smoothly lapping the field. I knew that the hammer was going to go down even before the gun and the resolve was to be in the move right from the start. Things were nervous before the gun, and after a false start, Ina Teutenberg bolted from the line with Anna and a few others in tow. Odessa had made it onto the back of this group and for a few laps, I couldn't even breathe trying to maintain good position up near the front. Ziliute and her girls chased them furiously and as this group was being brought back I hunted for Petra's wheel in anticipation of her making the next move to drag Anna away from the clutches of Ziliute. The attack went. It was Ina again, with Anna, Dede and Sarah! I was on Petra's wheel who jumped to cover Ziliute. At 50km/hr I was gasping at 3rd wheel, about 2m behind Petra, sucking in every ounce of draft I could get. I knew I had to get across now or never. I could see the break 50 metres up the road, but the gap between me and Petra already seemed impossible to bridge. I got to her and Ziliute but could not go again. Arrrgh!!! It was so close, but so far across the gap. I couldn't jump away without dragging the field, and Ziliute up and blowing up in the process. The opportunity of this stage was slipping from my grasp, and it hurt, especially because I so much wanted to gain another strong result for the team. The break gradually drew away despite the chasing efforts of Lithuania/HP. I sunk back into the raging mass of riders and grovelled even worse than before. Fighting for wheels is harder than maintaining a smooth position up the front. Sanna and Kim found their legs and were rotating further up, but there was nothing we could do. As the break latched onto the back of us, taking a complete lap, things settled for a moment and I took a flyer gaining a gap quickly. Things were looking good until Elita put on a huge chase as the final sprint prime was coming up, worth sprint and time bonuses. They caught me just before the line and I slotted back in to wait for another opportunity. Lithuania were still going ballistic but to no avail. The last lap was a sprint for the win with the breakaway group and a sprint for 6th. Anna, and Diana won these respectively, with Anna taking lap time, plus the stage bonus to assume the leader's jersey, on the second last stage of the tour! A perfectly orchestrated plan from Saturn and a few helpers had paid huge dividends for the girls. Stage 11 - June 18: Middleton - Boise Hyde Park Road Race, 55.2 MI/88.3 km The grand finale had at last arrived. After the huge upset in overall GC yesterday, it would take a mammoth effort from Ziliute and her team to snatch the Leader's Jersey from the back of Anna Wilson. We were expecting an active day, and were not disappointed! It was on, right from the gun as Ina attacked out of the starting blocks, continuing on in her great form. I went with everything that moved for the first 10km with my legs screaming the whole time, but I wouldn't give up unless I saw another of our riders already up there. With 40km before the last categorised climb for the tour, it seemed that many moves 'nearly' got away. Despite my total muscle fatigue I determined to make sure that we would get into something, or at least make sure that nothing else went without us. Kim, Sanna and Odessa were also very active but by a few km from the bottom, it had all come back together and Lithuania/HP were leading Diana out furiously at the bottom of the climb. I was totally stuffed, my legs felt as if they had been hammered and I couldn't even maintain a steady tempo up the climb, the same one that I drove up solo only a few days ago. As Longo and Ziliute attacked the front group, causing a massive chase from Anna, Sarah Ulmer (Elita) and ?, I dropped off the back of the front bunch and grovelled to the top. Over the summit I quickly picked up a few riders and we started working in the cross-wind to try to regain contact up ahead. The main group was also chasing, as was Anna's trio. We waited for a small bunch behind to get on, and with Odessa's help a group of around a dozen or so worked hard for the next 20km eventually gaining contact with the convoy and throwing ourselves back into the main field which now included Longo, Ziliute and Anna's group. To my delight another small group of five had gone off the front with Sanna Lehtimaki in it. With 10km to go, they had two minutes on the field with only the Aussies chasing to try to hold Juanita Feldhahn's Top 10 position on GC. As we neared the finishing circuit, a flurry of attacks went with Ziliute making a last ditched effort to gap Anna. Too late, Anna had earned her leader's jersey and nobody wanted to let Ziliute go anywhere. We sprinted across the line a short while after Karen Kurreck had won the stage in the break of five riders, from Margaret Hemsley (Australia), Andrea Ratkovic (Autotrader) and Sanna. A podium finish for Timex was a pleasing way to end the tour. And what a momentous tour it was. Most of the field had considered that the 2000 edition wouldn't be as difficult as in previous years due to slightly more gentle terrain and having no double stages. Who would have thought that the gale force winds that howled unseasonally across the plains and in the valleys would play such a role in the overall standings, right from the very first day. Saturn had worked in complete synergy, enabling Anna to repeat her victory from 1996 when we were both part of the Australian National Team. Timex learnt a great deal in the past two weeks and despite ill-health and some ill-fortune we maintained 4th on the Team Classification. My health is steadily improving and this solid racing block will certainly help my racing campaign later in the season. Until, the next time the starting gun goes off, it's R&R for this tired bike-racer! BMC Criterium Series - Round 3San Jose, USA, June 24, 2000 This certainly isn't the way to recover from the hardest HP Women's Challenge ever. A criterium in downtown San Jose - the heart of Silicon Valley - only a few days later! Of course, my hate-hate relationship with US air travel continued with another late arrival into San Francisco, and a midnight car transfer to our hotel. Just the way to arrive refreshed for a race the next day. Still I felt alright, and figured that Odessa and I would hold up OK, given that half of the field had also just come out of the recent tour. All eyes and pressure were on Saturn, with Nicole Reinhart currently leading the BMC series, and looking to a $US 250,000 bonus if she could win the two remaining races. She was accompanied by Anna, Suzy Pryde and a couple of fresh horses to help the assault. Odessa and I were severely outnumbered in comparison to the rest of the teams but resolved to give it everything. The 35-lap course was flat and technical, but still fast. Right from the gun all teams were active, with Saturn playing the defensive role, their riders taking turns to cover attacks and breaks, with Nicole waiting in the wings unless things looked dangerous. With 15 laps to go, I saw a great opportunity and attacked solo. I gained a huge gap immediately, hoping that someone would come across. No-one did. OK, what could I do. Saturn watched to see if they could latch onto other counter-attacks, but nobody went. It was up to them. They had to chase furiously for a couple of laps to get me, and just as they did Odessa countered my move causing them to bury themselves even farther. Now it would be up to the field to continue the onslaught. A few laps later, Annie Gariepy went away, with Anna Wilson in tow. They had a huge gap, which was becoming extremely dangerous for Saturn. Anna dropped back to help work to bring the group back up. They were in a little trouble. I went again, with Karen Kurreck. Nicole and Karen Dunne were with us. They sat up. Why? We had better numbers to play with if Nicole was without her teammates. Unruly as it may seem, Nicole was the rider to beat, and the field had to make the most of the tactical opportunities. With four laps to go, the bunch was back intact, and I was hoping to see the better represented teams churn it up for the finish. It was the only way they could win. I wished so much that Odessa and I had just one more pair of legs today. With just over a lap to go, Odessa attacked hard, and Saturn chased hard to bring her back. Somebody else needed to go now to upset the Saturn train. I knew a solo move wouldn't make it to the end. I jumped in on the train, as Anna wound up to lead Nicole out. Tina Mayolo, Nicole Freedman and Karen Dunne (Autotrader, Charles Schwab and Elita sprinters) were on their heels. It was gapping quickly. I went around Karen. Anna drove into the last corner and swung out as Nicole launched off her wheel to win the sprint easily from Tina Mayolo and come one step closer to that huge cash bonus. I finished fourth, after having an aggressive ride along with Odessa, having done what we could as a two-woman team. |
