March 4/12 11:08 am - MERCO Cycling Classic Stage Race: Women Stage 2
Posted by Editoress on 03/4/12
MERCO Cycling Classic Stage Race: Stage 2 report and results
The sun was blazing and so was the pace at the McDonalds Downtown Grand Prix, the women raced for 32 laps on the one mile technical downtown Merced course. Typically this race is used as an opener for the spring European races and attracts the top U.S based women's teams, this year was certainly no different. A strong field which included additional women entered for single day racing pulled up to the start.
From the gun the battle ensued. As Dave Towle remarked this was 'old school fury in Pain City, USA' with attack after attack. Exergy TWENTY12, Armstrong, Tamayo, Wiles, McGrath, Schnider, Rivera and Neimanas covered every move, Lululemon and Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies were extremely active trying to overthrow the Exergy armada. Although Kristin won yesterdays time trial by 55 seconds there was only one point separating each placing, so different tactics are employed when racing an omnium and final positioning was critical. After non stop breaks, attacks and chases, the field came into the final laps together. Ina Teutenberg won the sprint with two Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies riders in 2nd and 3rd, Exergy TWENTY12 Coryn Rivera was 4th and Kristin Armstrong 5th, leaving her in yellow but only separating her from 2nd place by one point.
"After we collectively controlled the fast paced crit well, I sprinted to 4th" commented Rivera, "and Kristin is still in the yellow jersey. It was an absolute brilliant day all around. Fancy that!"
This is not a typical year in the women's peloton, with the London Olympics on the horizon and Exergy Development Group paving the way for equality for women's racing, the female athletes are motivated, fired up and making noise on and off the bikes, today's race was an aggressive race and people are talking.
Sunday's deciding stage the picturesque Hill Top Ranch Road Race will be a full on Central Valley battle.
Report courtesy Exergy 2012
| Stage 2 (March 3rd): McDonalds Down Town Grand Prix, 32 laps/64.36 km | |
| 1 Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Specialized-lululemon) | 1:09:10 |
| 2 Joelle Numainville (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | |
| 3 Leah Kirchmann (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | |
| 4 Coryn Rivera (Exergy 2012) | all s.t. |
| 5 Kristin Armstrong (Exergy 2012) | 0:01 |
| 6 Lauren Tamayo (Exergy 2012) | |
| 7 Janel Holcomb (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 0:03 |
| 8 Flavia Oliveira (Kovarus / Wells Fargo Racing Team) | |
| 9 Clara Hughes (Specialized-lululemon) | |
| 10 Beatriz Rodriguez (SC Velo/ Empower Coaching Syste) | |
| 11 Anna Barensfeld (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | all s.t. |
| 12 Stacey Jensen (Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 0:04 |
| 13 Leah Guloien (Colavita-espnW Pro Cycling) | 0:05 |
| 14 Rikke Preisler (Metromint Cycling) | s.t. |
| 15 Kristin Drumm (Cycles FANATIC Factory Racing) | 0:06 |
| 16 Amy Chandos (Stevens Bikes p/b Pactimo) | |
| 17 Denise Ramsden (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | |
| 18 Moriah Macgregor (Colavita-espnW Pro Cycling) | |
| 19 Annie Ewart (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | |
| 20 Olivia Dillon (NOW and Novartis for MS) | |
| 21 Juliette Olson (RED Racing) | |
| 22 Amy McGuire (Wheelworks Racing) | |
| 23 Amber Gaffney (SC VELO/Empower Coaching) | all s.t. |
| 24 Jenna Kowalski (Cynergy Cycles - Missing Link) | 0:07 |
| 25 Holly Breck (SC Velo/empower coaching) | |
| 26 Ally Stacher (Specialized-lululemon) | |
| 27 Evelyn Stevens (Specialized-lululemon) | all s.t. |
| 28 Joy Mcculloch (Helen's Racing) | 0:08 |
| 29 Loren Rowney (Specialized-lululemon) | |
| 30 Pascale Schnider (Exergy 2012) | |
| 31 Marissa Axell (Touchstone Climbing) | |
| 32 Heather Nielson (Touchstone Climbing) | all s.t. |
| 33 Heather Ross (Team TIBCO II) | 0:09 |
| 34 Kristin Mcgrath (Exergy 2012) | 0:11 |
| 35 Lisa Mueller (Metromint Cycling) | 0:13 |
| 36 Johanna Trueblood (RED Racing) | 0:14 |
| 37 Devon Gorry (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 0:15 |
| 38 Lauren Liscinski (Cynergy Cycles P/B Mission Link) | |
| 39 Kristina Seley (Cynergy - Missing Link) | |
| 40 Jenny Rios (SC Velo/Empower coaching) | all s.t. |
| 41 Tayler Wiles (Exergy 2012) | 0:19 |
| 42 Nicole Brandt (Velo Club LaGrange) | s.t. |
| 43 Belinda Eschenwald (Velo Club LaGrange) | 0:41 |
| 44 Mary Ellen Ash (Stevens Bikes p/b Pactimo) | |
| 45 Julie Cutts (Velo Club LaGrange) | |
| 46 Ruste Sasser (cycles FANATIC factory racing team) | |
| 47 Heather Lipana (Stevens Bikes p/b Pactimo) | |
| 48 Carol Irving (Touchstone Climbing) | |
| 49 Amanda Seigle (metromint cycling) | |
| 50 Josie Morgan (Touchstone Climbing) | |
| 51 Julie Berllerose (Metromint Cycling) | |
| 52 Mary Elizabeth Maroon (FCS|ROUSE: p/b Mr. Restore) | |
| 53 Priscilla Calderon (Sc velo p/b empower coaching) | |
| 54 Greta Neimanas (Exergy 2012) | |
| 55 Fiona Strouts (Stevens Bikes p/b Pactimo) | |
| 56 Christine Sodaro (Cycles FANATIC Factory Racing) | |
| 57 Jennifer App (Ind) | |
| 58 Cybil Silberman (Earlybird Women's Developmental) | |
| 59 Shannon Bhatia (Team TIBCO II) | |
| 60 Adrienne Belliveau (Team TIBCO II) | |
| 61 Emily Foxman (Cycles FANATIC) | |
| 62 Emma Grant (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | |
| 63 Rita Szeto (Touchstone Climbing) | |
| 64 April Hamlin (Los Gatos) | |
| 65 Misha Scovill (Cycles FANATIC Factory Racing) | |
| 66 Maya Anne Bacon (Early Bird Women's Developmental) | all s.t. |
| DNF Jane Despas (Ind) | |
| DNF Michelle Melka (RED Racing) | |
| GC (Omnium) | |
| 1 Kristin Armstrong (Exergy Twenty12) | 46 Pts |
| 2 Joelle Numainville (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 45 |
| 3 Clara Hughes (Specialized-Lululemon) | 41 |
| 4 Leah Kirchmann (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 39 |
| 5 Janel Holcomb (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 39 |
| 6 Jade Wilcoxson (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 33 |
| 7 Lauren Tamayo (Exergy Twenty12) | 31 |
| 8 Coryn Rivera (Exergy Twenty12) | 30 |
| 9 Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Specialized-Lululemon) | 29 |
| 10 Evelyn Stevens (Specialized-Lululemon) | 23 |
| 11 Denise Ramsden (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 22 |
| 12 Alison Tetrick (Exergy Twenty12) | 22 |
| 13 Molly Van Houweling (Metromint) | 19 |
| 14 Flavia Oliveira (Wells Fargo/Kovarus) | 18 |
| 15 Kristin Mcgrath (Exergy Twenty12) | 17 |
| 16 Beatriz Rodriguez (SC Velo/ Empower Coaching Syste) | 16 |
| 17 Olivia Dillon (Now and Novartis) | 16 |
| 18 Pascale Schnider (Exergy Twenty12) | 15 |
| 19 Stacey Jensen (Kenda p/b) | 14 |
| 20 Ally Stacher (Specialized-Lululemon) | 14 |
| 21 Leah Guloien (Colavita-espnW Pro Cycling) | 13 |
| 22 Rikke Preisler (Metromint) | 13 |
| 23 Tayler Wiles (Exergy Twenty12) | 12 |
| 24 Carol Irving (Touchstone Climbing) | 11 |
| 25 Amy Chandos (Stevens Pactimo) | 10 |
| 26 Annie Ewart (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 10 |
| 27 Amber Gaffney (SC Velo p/b Empower Coaching) | 9 |
| 28 Devon Gorry (Now and Novartis) | 9 |
| 29 Moriah MacGregor (Colavita-espnW Pro Cycling) | 8 |
| 30 Julie Cutts (Velo Club) | 7 |
| 31 Juliette Olson (RED Racing) | 5 |
| 32 Loren Rowney (Specialized-Lululemon) | 5 |
| 33 Amy McGuire (Wheelworks) | 4 |
| 34 Jenna Kowalski (Cynergy Cycles - Missing Link) | 2 |
| 35 Emma Grant (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 2 |
| 36 Holly Breck (SC Velo p/b Empower Coaching) | 1 |
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