April 16/10 11:41 am - Sea Otter: SRAM Criterium results

Posted by Editoress on 04/16/10
 

Official results from the SRAM Criterium on the Laguna Seca Raceway on April 15th

Women's race report

It’s not often that you hear Miller and criterium in the same sentence without it involving Brooke. But with Brooke off racing the classics with Team TIBCO/To the Top’s European squad, it was left to Amanda and Meredith to take care of business in the opening day criterium at the Sea Otter Classic powered by SRAM. Which they did quite well, taking the top two spots on the podium.

“Since we don’t have a pure sprinter with us here,” Amanda Miller explained, “our plan was to use our numbers to attack at break up the field.”

All six riders – Rebecca Much, Jerika Hutchinson, Kristen LaSasso and Alison Starnes are also part of the squad – executed that plan exceptionally well. Meredith Miller was a prime animator, helping establish a three-rider break along with Alison Testroete (Vera Bradley) and Team TIBCO alum Rushlee Buchanan (Colavita-Baci) the got off the front barely 20 minutes into the race.

Amanda Miller was working in a group of seven behind the front group when she attacked and successfully bridged solo to the front group. With both Millers in the now group of four, they played their numbers well.

Meredith started the attacking, which Testroete covered, but the effort led the Vera Bradley rider to get dropped. Meredith attacked again and Buchanan covered it, but Amanda Miller countered and got away solo and stayed out on her own to take the win.

Nearing the end of the race, a second Colavita rider was coming up to Meredith Miller and Buchanan. Not liking the potential odds, Meredith attacked and shed Buchanan to arrive solo for second place.

“It was a good race for the team, and a great way to start Sea Otter in front of so many of our sponsors,” Amanda Miller said.

Courtesy Team TIBCO