Posted by Editoress on 03/25/12
In an exciting final day of racing, Team TIBCO worked heroically to keep Megan Guarnier in the lead and delivered her to an overall win at the Redlands Classic. Guarnier won the four-day stage race with a 3-second lead over general classification rival Alison Powers; enough to clinch the win.
“We had one goal for today,” said Team TIBCO European directeur sportif Angela van Smoorenburg. “Keep the yellow jersey.”
In a race notorious for leader’s losing their yellow jersey on the final day of racing, it was essential for Team TIBCO to stay organized and patrol the field. The strategy for today’s technical and hilly 68-mile Sunset Road Race was similar to their effort on Friday: Stay in control of the race, push the pace, and prevent any GC riders from escaping. Their plan played out perfectly.
“The Team really came together every day and everybody stepped up their game to protect and retain the yellow jersey,” said Olympic long team member Guarnier. “Today was a really hard climbing race, but the Team stuck to the plan, had faith, and kept me at the front.”
Guarnier counted on teammates Lindsay Myers, fellow Olympic long team member Amanda Miller, and Canadian National Champion Veronique Fortin to set a furious pace up the climbs, neutralizing the possibility of any potential attacks.
During yesterday’s criterium, sprinting specialists Samantha Schneider, Lauren Hall and Kendall Ryan protected their leader by pushing the pace, shutting down countless attacks, and then leading out Guarnier for a second place finish. Throughout the four-day Classic, Guarnier was backed by exceptional team cohesion and prowess from the 8-rider squad.
“This is how you get results,” said van Smoorenburg. “It’s not just Megan who did an outstanding job; it’s the Team as a whole. Every day, each rider played a key role in keeping Megan in the lead and through impressive teamwork they succeeded.”
Guarnier established her lead on day one, taking first place at the Prologue time trial. This put her in position to contend for the overall general classification, and her teammates were committed to supporting their GC rider.
After yesterday’s 60-minute criterium, Guarnier was able to put more time into her GC rivals with a second place finish. Guarnier extended her lead by 6 seconds, putting her ahead of GC competitors Alison Powers and Amber Neben by 14 and 16 seconds, respectively. Today, she held onto her lead and secured the overall win.
“I am incredibly proud of what our Team has accomplished,” said Team TIBCO Founder and Director Linda Jackson. “This is a great start to the Olympic season for Megan, and winning the first NRC race of the year is a wonderful way for the team to start their season.”
The team effort and victory bodes well for the upcoming European block of racing. Team TIBCO will return to the States in time to contest the Joe Martin stage race -- the second NRC race of the season.
Report courtesy Team TIBCO
Note: Lex Albrecht crashed on the final stage which led to a damaged shoulder and road rash (see photo). She wasn't worried about it at all, but wanted to tell our photographer that the police gave her a ride down to the medical tent, and she got to ride in the back of the car. They offered her the front, but she said, no, when would she ever get to ride in the back of a cop car.....
Stage 3: Beaver Medical Group Sunset Road Race, 109.6 km | |
1 Alison Powers (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 3:10:11 |
2 Joelle Numainville (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | |
3 Loren Rowney (Specialized-lululemon) | |
4 Jade Wilcoxson (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | |
5 Megan Guarnier (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | |
6 Olivia Dillon (NOW and Novartis for MS) | |
7 Kristin McGrath (Exergy TWENTY12) | |
8 Kristen LaSasso (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | |
9 Amber Neben (Specialized-lululemon) | |
10 Anne Samplonius (NOW and Novartis for MS) | all s.t. |
11 Kathryn Donovan (FCS/Rouse p/b Mr. Restore) | 0:05 |
12 Andrea Dvorak (Exergy TWENTY12) | |
13 Lindsay Myers (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | |
14 Ally Stacher (Specialized-lululemon) | |
15 Beth Newell (NOW and Novartis for MS) | |
16 Emily Kachorek (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | |
17 Veronique Fortin (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | |
18 Lea Davidson (Cynergy Cycles / Missing Link) | |
19 Courtney Lowe (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | all s.t. |
20 Denise Ramsden (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 2:45 |
21 Rhae Shaw (Exergy TWENTY12) | s.t. |
22 Amanda Miller (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 28:27 |
23 Leah Kirchmann (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 32:37 |
24 Katie Colclough (Specialized-lululemon) | s.t. |
25 Samantha Schneider (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 36:28 |
26 Lauren Hall (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | |
27 Kendal Ryan (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | |
28 Pascale Schider (Exergy TWENTY12) | |
29 Cara Gillis (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinders) | |
30 Hilary Billington (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinders) | |
31 Kristin Sanders (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | |
32 Joy Duerkson (SC Velo/Empower Coaching) | |
33 Lisa Campbell (SC Velo/Empower Coaching) | |
34 Jenny Rios (SC Velo/Empower Coaching) | |
35 Liza Rachetto (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | |
36 Jackie Kurth (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | |
37 Alisha Welsh (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | |
38 Christi Gokey-smith (NOW and Novartis for MS) | |
39 Addy Albershardt (NOW and Novartis for MS) | |
40 Ashley James (NOW and Novartis for MS) | |
41 Rebecca Werner (Metromint Cycling) | |
42 Peggy Sue LeGrand (Metromint Cycling) | |
43 Rikk Kvist-Preisler (Metromint Cycling) | |
44 Anna Sanders (FCS/Rouse p/b Mr. Restore) | |
45 Bridie O'Donnell (Vanderkitten - Focus) | |
46 Kathleen Billington (Vanderkitten - Focus) | |
47 Kristina Seley (Cynergy Cycles / Missing Link) | |
48 Joanie Caron (Cynergy Cycles / Missing Link) | all s.t. |
49 Anna Barensfeld (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 40:24 |
50 Amber Gaffney (SC Velo/Empower Coaching) | 44:09 |
51 Hilary Crowley (Specialized-lululemon) | 48:25 |
52 Lisa Mueller (Metromint Cycling) | 51:15 |
53 Jennifer Reitner (Vanderkitten - Focus) | 57:33 |
54 Julia LaFranchise (Cynergy Cycles / Missing Link) | s.t. |
55 Devon Gorry (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 1:03:16 |
56 Amy McGuire (FCS/Rouse p/b Mr. Restore) | 1:05:36 |
57 Jazzy Hurikino (Vanderkitten - Focus) | s.t. |
DNF Jacquelyn Crowell (Exergy TWENTY12) | |
DNF Kori Seehafer (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | |
DNF Leah Guloien (Cynergy Cycles / Missing Link) | |
DNF Lex Albrecht (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | |
DNF Nicky Wangsgard (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | |
Final GC | |
1 Megan Guarnier (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 7:25:04 |
2 Alison Powers (NOW and Novartis for MS) | at 0:03 |
3 Joelle Numainville (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 0:12 |
4 Amber Neben (Specialized-lululemon) | 0:18 |
5 Kathryn Donovan (FCS/Rouse p/b Mr. Restore) | 0:28 |
6 Jade Wilcoxson (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 0:29 |
7 Andrea Dvorak (Exergy TWENTY12) | s.t. |
8 Loren Rowney (Specialized-lululemon) | 0:31 |
9 Kristin McGrath (Exergy TWENTY12) | s.t. |
10 Lindsay Myers (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 0:40 |
11 Kristen LaSasso (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | 0:49 |
12 Olivia Dillon (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 0:50 |
13 Emily Kachorek (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | 0:51 |
14 Ally Stacher (Specialized-lululemon) | 0:52 |
15 Lea Davidson (Cynergy Cycles / Missing Link) | 1:03 |
16 Beth Newell (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 1:18 |
17 Courtney Lowe (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 1:21 |
18 Anne Samplonius (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 2:16 |
19 Veronique Fortin (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 2:40 |
20 Denise Ramsden (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 3:45 |
21 Rhae Shaw (Exergy TWENTY12) | s.t. |
22 Amanda Miller (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 29:04 |
23 Katie Colclough (Specialized-lululemon) | 33:27 |
24 Leah Kirchmann (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 35:30 |
25 Alisha Welsh (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | 36:56 |
26 Ashley James (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 37:15 |
27 Anna Sanders (FCS/Rouse p/b Mr. Restore) | 37:33 |
28 Joanie Caron (Cynergy Cycles / Missing Link) | 38:02 |
29 Kathleen Billington (Vanderkitten - Focus) | 40:01 |
30 Rikk Kvist-Preisler (Metromint Cycling) | s.t. |
31 Jackie Kurth (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | 40:12 |
32 Joy Duerkson (SC Velo/Empower Coaching) | 40:22 |
33 Pascale Schider (Exergy TWENTY12) | s.t. |
34 Amber Gaffney (SC Velo/Empower Coaching) | 46:38 |
35 Rebecca Werner (Metromint Cycling) | 48:17 |
36 Peggy Sue LeGrand (Metromint Cycling) | 48:33 |
37 Christi Gokey-smith (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 50:01 |
38 Kristin Sanders (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 50:09 |
39 Hilary Billington (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinders) | 51:00 |
40 Liza Rachetto (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | 51:09 |
41 Bridie O'Donnell (Vanderkitten - Focus) | 51:31 |
42 Jenny Rios (SC Velo/Empower Coaching) | 51:44 |
43 Kendal Ryan (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 51:45 |
44 Addy Albershardt (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 52:52 |
45 Lauren Hall (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 52:58 |
46 Samantha Schneider (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 53:18 |
47 Lisa Campbell (SC Velo/Empower Coaching) | 53:52 |
48 Cara Gillis (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinders) | 54:19 |
49 Anna Barensfeld (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 54:30 |
50 Kristina Seley (Cynergy Cycles / Missing Link) | 54:36 |
51 Hilary Crowley (Specialized-lululemon) | 1:03:22 |
52 Jazzy Hurikino (Vanderkitten - Focus) | 1:07:24 |
53 Lisa Mueller (Metromint Cycling) | 1:09:49 |
54 Julia LaFranchise (Cynergy Cycles / Missing Link) | 1:13:14 |
55 Jennifer Reitner (Vanderkitten - Focus) | 1:15:22 |
56 Devon Gorry (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 1:19:00 |
57 Amy McGuire (FCS/Rouse p/b Mr. Restore) | 1:21:07 |
Points GC | |
1 Joelle Numainville (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 35 pts |
2 Loren Rowney (Specialized-lululemon) | 23 |
3 Alison Powers (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 22 |
4 Megan Guarnier (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 19 |
5 Kristen LaSasso (Primal/Mapmyride Womens Racing) | 7 |
6 Denise Ramsden (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 7 |
7 Olivia Dillon (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 5 |
8 Leah Kirchmann (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 5 |
9 Christi Gokey-smith (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 5 |
10 Jade Wilcoxson (Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly Benefits) | 4 |
11 Joanie Caron (Cynergy Cycles / Missing Link) | 3 |
12 Samantha Schneider (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 3 |
13 Kristin McGrath (Exergy TWENTY12) | 2 |
14 Lindsay Myers (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 1 |
15 Rhae Shaw (Exergy TWENTY12) | 1 |
16 Pascale Schider (Exergy TWENTY12) | 1 |
17 Kendal Ryan (Team TIBCO / To the Top) | 1 |
Team GC | |
1 NOW and Novartis for MS | 9:30:33 |
2 Optum Pro Cycling / Kelly | at 0:05 |
3 Specialized-lululemon | s.t. |
4 Team TIBCO / To the Top | 0:10 |
5 Exergy TWENTY12 | 24:17 |
6 Primal/Mapmyride Womens R | 36:33 |
7 Cynergy Cycles / Missing | 1:13:01 |
8 FCS/Rouse p/b Mr. Restore | 1:42:09 |
9 SC Velo/Empower Coaching | 1:49:24 |
10 Metromint Cycling | s.t. |
11 Vanderkitten - Focus | 2:10:29 |
Redlands Classic Stage Race March 22/12 - March 25/12, Redlands, California
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