Merco Cycling Classic - NE

United States of America, March 1-2, 2008

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Stage 4 - March 2: Foothills Road Race - Elite Women, 72 mi

Fahlin doubles up in Merced

By Kirsten Robbins in Merced, California

Morning winds played a factor in the Foothills Elite Women's Road Race, blowing back any attempt at a breakaway and putting the race solidly in the hands of the sprinters. For the second day in a row, Team High Road's young speedster Emilia Fahlin was delivered to the win perfectly by her team ahead of Rushlee Buchanan (Tibco) and Virginia Perkins (ProMan).

After the second consecutive win the USA, Fahlin attributes her successes to her team's tactical expertise. "I have a lot of thanks for my team because they did such a great lead out for me today," said race winner Emilia Fahlin. "It was a tricky situation with corners and an uphill so you never know if another team will try to attack in that section. It was perfect to have my team pushing the tempo so that no one could attack. The teams Tibco and ProMan were up there fighting a little bit. But I had good help in the front so it was not a problem."

High Road's German powerhouse Anke Wichmann attributed the lack of break away to the high winds, forcing the peloton to stay in a close bunch. "I think it was too windy on the course for a break to stay away or for a rider to be alone," said Wichmann. "We thought we would try our strengths on the last part of the race because it is easier to stay away if there is only five kilometers to go. We couldn't get anyone away so we just did a lead out for Emilia and it worked out very well."

The American peloton has seen a familiar face in the recent California events with the return of former Team Saturn director Gianna Roberge, racing for the ProMan women's team. According to Roberge she has not touched her bike in three years but decided to direct the ProMan women after a last season offer in 2007.

"I was speaking at the Bay Area Women's Award Ceremony last year when the ProMan team offered me a good opportunity to direct and race for them," said Roberge. "Directing from the bike is really fun for me and this is a really talented group of athletes. I'm just really excited to be back into the racing scene and with this team who remind me of the kick-ass women's Saturn team in 2002." Roberge lead her team into a series of attacks to match High Road but, like the other teams, fell short due to the forceful winds. According to third placed Virginia Perkins, the squad recognized a break was not in the cards for the event and they had to adjust their plans for a sprint finish. "Once we knew it was going to stay together they set me up for a final sprint, kept the pace good for me on the final rollers," said Perkins. "High Road and Tibco had a train so I jumped on that and went for it.

Results

Women - Pro/Cat 1/2

1 Emilia Fahlin (Team High Road - Women)
2 Rushlee Buchanan (TEAM TIBCO)
3 Virginia Perkins (PROMAN Racing)
4 Laura Charameda (Dewars Racing Team)
5 Taitt Sato (ValueAct Capital)
6 Amanda Seigle (code 3 racing)
7 Ginger Hsieh (Team Rock)
8 Ashley Dymond (Team Rock)
9 Morgan Kapp (South Bay Wheelman)
10 Heather Sborz (Vanderkitten)
11 Anke Wichmann (Team High Road - Women)
12 Karla Kingsley (Easton/SugarCRM/Specialized)
13 Amy Mcguire (Team Kenda Tire)
14 Alison Rosenthal (Team TIBCO)
15 Megan Elliott (Unattached)
16 Kimberley Cunningham (Morgan Stanley/24hr Fitness/Specialized)
17 Flavia Oliveira (Vanderkitten)
18 Anna Davenport (Village Peddler)
19 Emily Zell (PROMAN Racing)
20 Jane Despas (Vanderkitten)
21 Rae Brownsberger (Stanford Cycling)
22 Liza Rachetto (Team TIBCO)
23 Mary Ellen Ash (Easton/SugarCRM/Specialized)
24 Michelle Beltran (Bicycle John's)
25 Natasha Perry (Velo Bella-Kona)
26 Brianne Burgess (Easton/SugarCRM/Specialized)
27 Anna Drakulich (Bicycle Johns Serious Cycling)
28 Claire House (NorCal Velo Women's Cycling Te)
29 Amber Rais (Team TIBCO)
30 Kimberly Anderson (Team High Road - Women)
31 Priscilla Calderon (Team Rock)
32 Janeen Thorpe (Touchstone Climbing)
33 Olivia Dillon (Touchstone Climbing)
34 Patricia Bell (Morgan Stanley/24hr Fitness/Specialized)
35 Unknown Rider
36 Arwen Bradley (Stanford)
37 Jerika Hutchinson (TEAM TIBCO)
38 Laurel Green (Dolce Vita Cycling)
39 Laura Hines (Southern California Velo)
40 Betina Hold (PROMAN Racing)
41 Kristina Seley (PROMAN Racing)
42 Maria Monica (Touchstone Climbing)
43 Kate Ligler (PROMAN Racing)
44 Victoria Bastide (Team TIBCO)
45 Unknown Rider
46 Abby Cooper (PROMAN Racing)
47 Jennifer Van Muckey (Easton/SugarCRM/Specialized)
48 Unknown Rider
49 Megan Guarnier (PROMAN Racing)
50 Erin Dunn (Easton/SugarCRM/Specialized)
51 Elis Bradshaw (Metromint Cycling on Marin Bik)
DNS  Lana Atchley (Team Rock)
DNS  Coryn Rivera (Kahala-La Grange)
DNF  Mara Abbott (Team High Road - Women)
DNF  Giana Roberge (PROMAN Racing)
DNF  Courtney Hammond (Team Rock)
DNF  Rachel Herring (Team Rock)
DNF  Yukie Nakamura (Team Kenda Tire)
DNF  Holly Roberts (Easton/SugarCRM/Specialized)
DNF  Sarah Lightfoot (Metromint Cycling on Marin Bik)
DNF  Elizabeth Hatch (Vanderkitten)
DNF  Rebecca Much (Webcor Builders)
DNF  Eric Barlevav (TIME Pro Cycling)
DNF  Hannah Banks (ValueAct Capital) 

Women - Cat 3/4

1 Kristy Gough (Third Pillar)
2 Rebecca Rising (Central Valley Cycling)
3 Francesca Barsamian (Alto Velo Racing CLub)
4 Starla Teddergreen (Dolce Vita)
5 Sue Lovecchio (Velo Bella-Kona)
6 Susannah Breen (wells fargo racing team)
7 Amy Encalada (Davis Bike Club)
8 Janelle Kellman (Dolce Vita)
9 Alison Starnes (Dolce Vita)
10 Shawn Chapler (California Road Club)
11 Aimee Baker (Protech Racing)
12 Heather Ireland (Unattached)
13 Darci Page (Reno Wheelmen)
14 Emily Church (CRC/Poggio)
15 Bergen Watterson (Roaring Mouse Cycles)
16 Lindsay Myers (Dewar's Racing Team)
17 Vanessa Drigo (Village Peddler)
18 Jennie Phillips (Wells Fargo Racing Team)
19 Mara Rieden (Wells Fargo)
20 Emily Matheu (Roaring Mouse Cycles)
21 Lisa Stefke (Left Coast Racing Team)
22 Lucia Mokres (Easton/SugarCRM/Specialized)
23 Soni Andreini Poulsen (Velo Bella)
24 Thea Rusthoven (Velo Bella-Kona)
25 Vanessa Degier (Touchstone Climbing)
26 Amy Padula (Touchstone Climbing)
27 Angela Dybdahl (NOW-MS Society)
28 Daniela Becker (Roaring Mouse Cycles)
29 Jamii North (WEBCOR/Alto Velo)
30 Kathryn Donovan (NOW-MS)
31 Kristin Schmelz (Dolce Vita Cycling)
32 Anne Taupier (Touchstone)
33 Sarah Kayfetz (Dolce Vita)
34 Kim Ladd (Velo Girls)
35 Cynthia Lou (Team Rock)
36 Monique Quandt (Metromint Cycling on Marin Bik)
37 Haze Thompson (Code 3 Racing)
38 Marissa Axell (Roaring Mouse Cycles)
39 Lauren Hecht (Alto Velo Racing Club)
40 Anny Henry (CRC/ Hill & Co)
41 Ann Stuart (Sacramento Golden Wheelmen)
42 Laura Sanchez (Velo Bella-Kona)
43 Margaret Winder (Metromint Cycling on Marin Bik)
44 Daniele Rossdeutscher (Left Coast Racing Team)
45 Kelly Snow (Dolce Vita)
46 Allison Krasnow (Metromint Cycling on Marin BIk)
47 Lesley Field (Norcal Velo)
48 Kathleen Pauls
49 Mary Magnani (Dolce Vita)
50 Penny Elliott (norcal velo)
51 Sherri Lehman (Velo Bella-Kona)
52 Jessica De Jesus (Touchstone Climbing)
53 Jennifer Ornellas (UC-Santa Cruz Cycling)
54 Meg Ornellas (UCSC Cycling)
55 Patricia Holloway
56 Linsey Weitzenberg (Metromint Cycling on Marin Bik)
DNS  Alicia Halpern (Tieni Duro)
DNS  Katie Norton (Velo Bella)
DNS  Margaret Shanafield (Reno Wheelmen)
DNP  Jessica Conner (Dolce Vita Cycling)
DNF  Brandi Bergstrom (Dolce Vita Cycling)
DNF  Jennifer Barlow (Eagle Cycling Club)
DNF  Cody Clark (Wells Fargo)
DNF  Andrea Laue (Metromint Cycling on Marin Bik)
DNF  Meegan Massagli (Dolce Vita Cycling)
DNF  Sarah Miller (Dolce Vita Cycling)
DNF  Katherine Niemer Johnson (Stanford Cycling)
DNF  Marja Nousiainen (Roaring Mouse Cycles)
DNF  Susan Sall (Dolce Vita)