This weekend was really a fun weekend, a nice way to start the end of the road racing season! The weather was HOT, but no rain this year!! Saturday was theCherry Roubaix Old Town Crit Race in downtown Traverse City! I had a feeling that the race wouldn’t be easy because I knew that the Hagerty girls would do everything they could to win. I knew I was strong enough to win, but I knew it wouldn’t be easy! I knew that the Hagerty girls, and all of the other strong teams would be hard to beat, since I was the only one on my team there. I didn’t really have much of a plan going into the race, I was just going to watch everyone and go from there.
I had a really bad start and once I finally was clipped in the race was already in full swing. The field broke in half and I was luckily still in the lead group. I knew that I would have to stay up towards the front if I wanted to do well. Nobody really threw any attacks during the race. With 3 laps to go I started to look around me to see what kind of competition that I had left. All of the girls are all very talented, and very hard to beat. Everyone started to form leadouts for the sprint finish.
Luckily Kim Thomas helped me out and told me to hop on her wheel and she would lead me out, with 1 lap to go on the finish stretch I decided that I would just try something for the heck of it. There was a tailwind and I was feeling great! I threw my attack and ended up making a risky first turn in turn 1 of the course. I was going 28mph thru the turn, and I started to pedal once I thought I had enough ground clearance but my pedal ended up touching the ground. I was able to stay up and I gave everything I had left. Going into the last turn I started looking around me and I couldn’t see anyone yet. I couldn’t believe that I was actually winning the CAT 4 race!! I was so happy!!
After I did a nice little cool down lap from the race I had to go race the Junior race. I was so tired but yet so energetic from the race before, I thought I would just take the Junior race easier, and not do much, so I would have enough energy for the next day. I ended up winning the Jr Girls race also!
The next day was the Cherry Roubaix 42 mile road race. I knew that today would be extremely hard! 3 laps of pain! The group was very large! Everyone stayed together until the King of the Mountain (KOM). Then the group of more than 20 girls ended up as a group of 10. The 10 of us stayed together until the last climb of the first lap going into our 2nd lap. It ended up being 2 Hagerty girls and me in the break. The girls wanted me to do just as much or more of the pulling job. I told them I wasn’t going to do a whole lot and that there was only one of me and two of them. We kept the pace high, but I ended up falling off the group, I was just too tired from the day before. I was out on my own for a while until Jill, Kim Thomas’ teammate, bridged up to me, we worked together for about a lap, then I ended up running out of water and getting just more tired from the day before. Jill ended up in 4th and I ended up in 5th.
I was pretty happy with my result of the day and I was very happy that the race was over with! I am very happy with my results from the races, and of the whole road season! With everything from NRC races, to Michigan Races, to Nationals. It was a great year and I got to know everyone a lot better, and made a lot more friends! I want to thank everyone who has helped me this year! There is still much racing going on here in Michigan that I am looking forward to ! Next year’s road season should hopefully be another great one for everyone!
Cherry-Roubaix Race Report From Zoe
This weekend was really a fun weekend, a nice way to start the end of the road racing season! The weather was HOT, but no rain this year!! Saturday was the Cherry Roubaix Old Town Crit Race in downtown Traverse City! I had a feeling that the race wouldn’t be easy because I knew that the Hagerty girls would do everything they could to win. I knew I was strong enough to win, but I knew it wouldn’t be easy! I knew that the Hagerty girls, and all of the other strong teams would be hard to beat, since I was the only one on my team there. I didn’t really have much of a plan going into the race, I was just going to watch everyone and go from there.
I had a really bad start and once I finally was clipped in the race was already in full swing. The field broke in half and I was luckily still in the lead group. I knew that I would have to stay up towards the front if I wanted to do well. Nobody really threw any attacks during the race. With 3 laps to go I started to look around me to see what kind of competition that I had left. All of the girls are all very talented, and very hard to beat. Everyone started to form leadouts for the sprint finish.
Luckily Kim Thomas helped me out and told me to hop on her wheel and she would lead me out, with 1 lap to go on the finish stretch I decided that I would just try something for the heck of it. There was a tailwind and I was feeling great! I threw my attack and ended up making a risky first turn in turn 1 of the course. I was going 28mph thru the turn, and I started to pedal once I thought I had enough ground clearance but my pedal ended up touching the ground. I was able to stay up and I gave everything I had left. Going into the last turn I started looking around me and I couldn’t see anyone yet. I couldn’t believe that I was actually winning the CAT 4 race!! I was so happy!!
After I did a nice little cool down lap from the race I had to go race the Junior race. I was so tired but yet so energetic from the race before, I thought I would just take the Junior race easier, and not do much, so I would have enough energy for the next day. I ended up winning the Jr Girls race also!
The next day was the Cherry Roubaix 42 mile road race. I knew that today would be extremely hard! 3 laps of pain! The group was very large! Everyone stayed together until the King of the Mountain (KOM). Then the group of more than 20 girls ended up as a group of 10. The 10 of us stayed together until the last climb of the first lap going into our 2nd lap. It ended up being 2 Hagerty girls and me in the break. The girls wanted me to do just as much or more of the pulling job. I told them I wasn’t going to do a whole lot and that there was only one of me and two of them. We kept the pace high, but I ended up falling off the group, I was just too tired from the day before. I was out on my own for a while until Jill, Kim Thomas’ teammate, bridged up to me, we worked together for about a lap, then I ended up running out of water and getting just more tired from the day before. Jill ended up in 4th and I ended up in 5th.
I was pretty happy with my result of the day and I was very happy that the race was over with! I am very happy with my results from the races, and of the whole road season! With everything from NRC races, to Michigan Races, to Nationals. It was a great year and I got to know everyone a lot better, and made a lot more friends! I want to thank everyone who has helped me this year! There is still much racing going on here in Michigan that I am looking forward to ! Next year’s road season should hopefully be another great one for everyone!
Zoe