Thursday, September 10, 2009

GMSR Stage Race Sept. 4-7 , 2009 Raddies Do it Again!


Donna's 3/4 Report

Friday: Stage 1: Prologue
I was looking forward to the Prologue but I was uncertain how the knee and elbow would feel due to the recent crash. Glad the discomfort was not bad. I was pleasantly surprised to find out I got 1st and was so psyched that we all did so well and got 1st, 2nd, and 6th!

Saturday: Stage 2 Circuit Race:
The race was not as hilly as I expected but it was a good course..... I was a bit nervous in the pack because of the recent crash and did spend a little more time than ideal on the front. I tried not to push hard when at the front most of the time but there was some wind. I knew if I finished with the pack, we'd maintain the yellow Jersey. The woman who won that race got a 15 second time bonus and ended up being only 2 seconds behind me in the GC after this Stage!!!! This made me a bit nervous because she looked like a good climber. I was so happy to have the Yellow Jersey again but nervous about the hilly 75 miler for Stage 3!

Sunday: Road Race Stage 3
After the first QOM point, there was a small breakaway but it quickly came back together when the whole field was stopped for minutes due to a crash in one of the fields that started earlier than our field. The pace most of the time was pretty comfortable. With about 3K to go, I pushed the pace a little to try to get some distance! When I saw the '500 meters to go' sign, I was so happy...I knew I won and was almost there!....and then it got REALLY STEEP! At the end of the race I could hardly breathe....it was GREAT!
Dara got 3rd in the race and was 2nd in the GC again!!!!!

Monday: Criterium Stage 4
The last day of racing was the Criterium. I have only done a few. I figured as along as I stayed with the pack, I am safe and will maintain the Yellow Jersey! At the start of the Crit, we were told we would be neutralized for the first 1/2 lap; The pack did start hard right at the start; I didn't click in correctly (totally my fault) and was already in about 20th place before the first turn....I still thought as long as I stayed with the field, I'd be fine....but there was a breakaway of 4 from the start that I didn't even see. I learned about it from the announcer. At first I was thinking "OMG, I can't lose this for the Team"....but then I heard from the announcer there were no GC threats in that breakaway other than Dara. I was relieved that I knew we had secured 1st and 2nd because the woman who was third in the overall GC was with my pack.

I am so happy that we got 1st, 2nd, and 6th overall and that Radical Media was the only team the whole race with the Yellow Jersey! It was amazing to wear it for three days! Dara and Erica raced outstanding races and we rocked the field!!!!! Go Raddies!

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