NC.Com Crit #11

Jess (4th), Sandra (2nd), Amanda (1st), me (3rd), Marsha (5th)
Photo credit: AJ

Val and I were out again for another night of racing, this time a slightly shorter 25 minutes because daylight will start to wane shortly and there are still 3 races after ours. Even still, it was one of our fastest averages. There were 11 women, and the officials called a prime for the first lap, so everyone went off the line fast and never slowed down. Well, that's not true. midway through, I was in a break with Sandra and Jess (SVMIC) and Amanda (CT). We were possibly more of the field than a break because there were 2 lapped riders with us, 3 behind us trying to catch us, and 2 off the back, but we still considered ourselves the break. For some reason, we slowed down the pace and got caught by the 3 behind us. Granted Shannon (Vantaggio) did a lot of work to catch up to us, but we still slowed.

Somewhere within 8 laps to go, maybe 6 (of our 17 total), Amanda attacked from the inside while I was on the outside. Why I wasn't on her wheel, I'm not sure, but I wasn't and was in the wrong position and thus missed her and Sandra. Jess and I got away from the rest of the field and tried to catch up to those two, but we just didn't have enough time. We'd make up ground, then they'd look back and see us, and then we'd lose ground. I thought maybe I'd get close enough on the last lap, but that just didn't happen and Amanda took the win. Jess and I got to sprint it out for 3rd place, though, and that was a fun challenge. I came in a nose ahead of her, like close enough that they probably had to check the video to make sure they knew who'd come across first. Those sprints are some of the most fun.

Stats: 9.6 miles, 25:39, 22.5 mph (27.9 max), 182 HR (196 max)

Overall podium: Amanda (2nd), Sandra (1st), me (3rd)

Photo credit: AJ