May 13/06 8:37 am - Joe Martin Stage Race: Stage 1

Posted by Editoress on 05/13/06
 

Joe Martin Stage Race Fayetteville, Arkansas
Report by Jim Williams, Colavita/Cooking Light

Round 1 of Joe Martin goes to Colavita/ Cooking Light

The first stage of the Joe Martin Stage race was contested today in windy but sunny conditions. The Joe Martin race is a unique stage race in that the first two stages are road stages followed by the Individual time trail on stage 3. This makes for very aggressive racing as the days first winner is also the one that pulls on the leader‚s jersey.

From the gun riders attempted to get away and it was Victory Brewing's Leigh Hobson that was able to escape the grips of the peloton first. She was joined by Colavita/Cooking Light's Brooke Ourada and the two worked an advantage of over a minute into the head wind that the riders faced most of the day.

The main obstacle of the day was a 10 mile climb up Mt. Gaylor which caused the most pain to the rider‚s legs. Both Hobson and Ourada forged ahead with their break, while behind the Webcor team sent their climbing specialist on the attack. Eventually a group of 4 went clear containing, Rachel Heal of Victory, Kori Seehafer of Lipton, Erinne Wilock of Webcor and Colavita/Cooking Lights Dotsie Bausch. They crested the top of the climb ahead and were followed 30 seconds latter by a group of 25 that contained Kate Bates, of Neurenburg as well as several riders from Victory, Lipton, Cheerywine and a trio of Colavita/Cooking Light riders including Tina, Pic, Sue Plamer Komar and Brook Ourada. After a 20 mile chase by Cheerywine the 4 leaders were caught and the final 15 miles of the race saw attack after attach go. Colavita/Cooking Light did a great job keeping Tina Pic in the mix and with 1 K to go it was Sue Plamer Komar dueling with Kori Seehafer of Lipton to see who could lead their sprinter out faster. Their drag race in the last kilometer split the field and Laura VanGilder launched her sprint on the up hill drag to the finish. Tina Pic was able to come by her for the win with Dotsie Bausch right there for third. Rolling across the line, spent from their efforts but still ahead of the main field were Seehafer in 4th and Colavita/Cooking Lights Plamer Komar in 5th. Tomorrow riders face a double stage with a70 mile road race in the morning and an uphill time trial in the evening.

Stage 1 - May 12: Road race, /