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June 15/09 10:39 am - Nature Valley GP: Women's Stage 6 and Final GC


Posted by Editoress on 06/15/09
 

Kristin Armstrong Wins Fourth Nature Valley Grand Prix Title With A Teary Goodbye At Her Last American Race

Report by Cynthia Lou

Kristin Armstrong (Cervélo Test Team) may have fiercely defended her yellow jersey at the Stillwater Criterium, leaping off the start line with determination in her eyes, but she left the Nature Valley Grand Prix well decorated and with a teary goodbye at the last American race of her career. A triumphant end to a win-filled career, Armstrong won the overall general classification, the Jelly Belly Sports Beans Best Climber Jersey and the Freewheel Most Aggressive Rider Jersey. Shelley Olds (Proman Hit Squad) and Andrea Dvorak (Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light) followed Armstrong’s attack in the second lap to take second and third for the stage, respectively.

A quickly shattered field saw mix ups in the final general classification, with Olds moving to second overall and Allison Powers of Team Type 1 moving up to take third overall.

“I had a lot of nerves today, thinking that it was my last race in America and knowing I had only 12, 11 seconds – there’s just no room for mishaps, mechanicals or anything,” said Armstrong. “I rode up that first hill at 85% to string it out. I wasn’t worried about who would work with me or who wouldn’t. I looked at it as an hour race, and knew that I didn’t want to leave it up to the last climb.”

“Those girls were there, and they really worked to stay on. I didn’t want to leave them so the peloton would catch them,” said Armstrong, ever the mentor, who bided her time patiently until the last few laps. “I thought that if I waited until the last lap they would be able to hold off the peloton that was about 45 seconds back. I really respect Andrea Dvorak from Colavita and Shelley Olds from Proman, they are both up and coming talent in America. I was happy to have them up on the podium with me.”

It seems that Armstrong’s determination and climbing abilities are widely known by everyone.

“Kristin was keeping a good tempo up the hills – she was just practicing for Worlds or something!” Olds said with a laugh. “I would have loved to have helped, but it took us the whole downhill to recover.”

Olds went home with the Wheaties Sprint Jersey and a second overall on the general classification. “I knew that if I could stay on Kristin’s wheel – which was inevitable – that I could settle in to a good pace. This is the kind of race that you have to settle in to, and everyone else is going through the same thing, so if you can settle into it with a gap, then you just have to keep reminding yourself to keep going...I had my director in my ear reminding me to chill, keep my own tempo, stick with them on the climb.”

On the famous 700 meter long Chilkoot Hill that averages a 22% grade, the role of directors play a huge role in inspiring and motivating their riders in addition to relaying messages and tactics.

“I knew to line up near Kristin,” said third place finisher and breakaway companion Dvorak. “When [Armstrong] started to go up the road with Shelley and get a little gap, my director said into my ear, ‘Close that gap, close that gap! It’ll be worth your while.’ So I put in an effort, caught them, and off we went.”

Often times it’s necessary for riders to generate their own internal inspiration, which has been the case for a teammate-free Armstrong throughout the race.

“Originally I was going to go out from the gun, but I ended up going the 85% to calm my nerves. When I saw it was strung out I felt that I had some control back and took it as hard as I could on the second lap.”

Sometimes the mental game of a race like this is to simply go for it and do your best, as was the case for APC’s Best Young Rider Jersey winner Amanda Miller (Lip Smacker).

“Today was a race of attrition. I was just riding, and I didn’t even know where the leader was,” said Miller, who wasn’t aware she had won when she crossed the finish line. “I didn’t find out until I got back down here [to the announcers stage].”

Team Tibco put in stellar performances throughout the week, winning the Team Competition by taking a stage victory and racing consistently and aggressively every day. The Nature Valley Top Amateur Jersey went to Sydney Brown (Nature Valley Cycling Team).

The Nature Valley Grand Prix is also the third stop of the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series. Allison Powers (Team Type 1) was the new Overall Leader as well as the Sprint Jersey Leader, while the Women’s Prestige Series Best Young Rider Jersey went to Rebecca Much (Webcor Builders).

Stage 6 (June 14th): Stillwater Criterium, 50 min
1 Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo Test Team) 50:53
2 Shelley Olds (PROMAN Hit Squad) at s.t.
3 Andrea Dvorak (Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) 0:05
4 Amanda Miller (Lip Smacker) 0:14
5 Cath Cheatley (Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) s.t.
6 Katharine Carroll (Team TIBCO) 0:16
7 Joanne Kiesanowski (Team TIBCO) s.t.
8 Anne Samplonius (Lip Smacker) 0:20
9 Evelyn Stevens (Velo Classic Tours/Radical Media p/b Schick/Playtex)
10 Rachel Lloyd (PROMAN Hit Squad)
11 Alison Powers (Team Type 1) both s.t.
12 Ruth Corset (Jazz Apple Women's Cycling Team) 0:31
13 Lauren Tamayo (Team TIBCO) 1:42
14 Alexis Rhodes (Webcor Builders) 1:51
15 Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders) 1:56
16 Rebecca Much (Webcor Builders) 2:13
17 Edwige Pitel (Lip Smacker) 2:29
18 Laura Van Gilder (Altarum Women's Cycling Team) 2:30
19 Julie Beveridge (Team TIBCO)
20 Kristin Sanders (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team)
21 Tina Pic (Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) all s.t.
22 Ally Stacher (Team Kenda) 2:36
23 Anna Mcloon (Altarum Women's Cycling Team)
24 Veronica Leal (Team Type 1)
25 Amber Rais (Team TIBCO)
26 Katheryn Curi Mattis (Webcor Builders)
27 Tiffany Cromwell (Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) all s.t.
28 Lauren Ellis (Jazz Apple Women's Cycling Team) 2:40
29 Casey Gale (Specialized D4W/Bicycle Haus) 2:42
30 Meredith Miller (Team TIBCO) s.t.
31 Kori Seehafer (Team Type 1) 2:59
32 Kristin Wentworth (Team Kenda) 3:04
33 Patricia Bailey (Nature Valley Cycling Team) 3:10
34 Erica Allar (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) 3:48
35 Nikki Butterfield (Webcor Builders) 4:37
36 Toni Bradshaw (Lip Smacker) 5:05
37 Coryn Rivera (PROMAN Hit Squad)
38 Rachel Neylan (PROMAN Hit Squad)
39 Christina Smith (Veloforma)
40 Jessica Phillips (Lip Smacker)
41 Melissa Sanborn (Vanderkitten Racing)
42 Kirsty Broun (Riverstone CDA)
43 Melissa Dahlmann (MBRC/Flanders)
44 Robin Farina (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team)
45 Silke Wunderwald (Team Kenda)
46 Devon Haskell (Team BH USA)
47 Gina Grain (Webcor Builders)
48 Emma Rickards (Team TIBCO) all s.t.
49 Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO) 5:39
50 Kathleen Billington (Velo Classic Tours/Radical Media p/b Schick/Playtex)
51 Sally Annis (Hub Racing)
52 Sydney Brown (Nature Valley Cycling Team)
53 Nicole Evans (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) all s.t.
54 Amity Elliot (Nature Valley Cycling Team) 7:16
55 Morgan Kapp (Nature Valley Cycling Team)
56 Kate Veronneau (Altarum Women's Cycling Team)
57 Lindsey Myers (Velo Classic Tours/Radical Media p/b Schick/Playtex)
58 Karla Kingsley (MBRC/Flanders)
59 Camilla Schmitz (MBRC/Flanders)
60 Kristen Meshberg (Team BH USA)
61 Kathryn Donovan (Kahala-LaGrange)
62 Emma Bast (Ryan Collegiate Women All-Stars)
63 Rachel Heal (Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light)
64 Jacqueline Kurth (Team Kenda)
65 Starla Teddergreen (MBRC/Flanders)
66 Jennifer Gaertner (Riverstone CDA)
67 Arley Kemmerer (Hub Racing)
68 Christy Keely (Team Kenda)
69 Tammy Wildgoose (Ryan Collegiate Women All-Stars)
70 Jacquelyn Crowell (Team Type 1)
71 Rebecca Larson (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team)
72 Olivia Dillon (Nature Valley Cycling Team)
73 Jennifer Purcell (Riverstone CDA)
74 Erica Zaveta (Ryan Collegiate Women All-Stars)
75 Kathryn Clark (Team Kenda)
76 Arielle Filiberti (Ryan Collegiate Women All-Stars)
77 Kendi Thomas (Ryan Collegiate Women All-Stars)
78 Lauren Hecht (Riverstone CDA)
79 Lisa Turnbull (Velo Classic Tours/Radical Media p/b Schick/Playtex)
80 Sheba Farrin (Hub Racing)
81 Jadine Riley (Riverstone CDA)
82 Sharon Allpress (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team)
83 Cheryl Thonney (Riverstone CDA)
84 Samantha Schneider (Team Type 1)
85 Dotsie Bausch (Jazz Apple Women's Cycling Team)
86 Marina Duvnajk (Jazz Apple Women's Cycling Team)
87 Malindi Maclean (Jazz Apple Women's Cycling Team)
88 Audrey Friedrichsen Scott (Nature Valley Cycling Team) all s.t.
89 Steph Roorda (Jazz Apple Women's Cycling Team) 8:28
90 Sinead Miller (Ryan Collegiate Women All-Stars) 12:43
91 Linda Sone (MBRC/Flanders)
92 Christen King (PROMAN Hit Squad)
93 Kacey Manderfield (Lip Smacker)
94 Kelly Benjamin (Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light)
DNF Kristin Mcgrath (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team)
 
Final GC
1 Kristin Armstrong (Cervelo Test Team) 9:26:03
2 Shelley Olds (PROMAN Hit Squad) at 0:30
3 Alison Powers (Team Type 1) 0:32
4 Katharine Carroll (Team TIBCO) 1:04
5 Anne Samplonius (Lip Smacker) 1:11
6 Andrea Dvorak (Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) 1:19
7 Joanne Kiesanowski (Team TIBCO) 1:20
8 Cath Cheatley (Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) 1:36
9 Amanda Miller (Lip Smacker) 1:57
10 Alexis Rhodes (Webcor Builders) 2:02
11 Ruth Corset (Jazz Apple Women's Cycling Team) 2:09
12 Evelyn Stevens (Velo Classic Tours/Radical Media p/b Schick/Playtex) 2:20
13 Lauren Tamayo (Team TIBCO) 3:35
14 Edwige Pitel (Lip Smacker) 4:43
15 Laura Van Gilder (Altarum Women's Cycling Team) 5:01
16 Anna Mcloon (Altarum Women's Cycling Team) 5:04
17 Veronica Leal (Team Type 1) 5:12
18 Kristin Sanders (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) 5:34
19 Tiffany Cromwell (Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) 5:59
20 Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO) 6:11
21 Nikki Butterfield (Webcor Builders) 6:14
22 Patricia Bailey (Nature Valley Cycling Team) 6:25
23 Kristin Wentworth (Team Kenda) 6:32
24 Robin Farina (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) 6:38
25 Amber Rais (Team TIBCO) 7:00
26 Devon Haskell (Team BH USA) 7:06
27 Kori Seehafer (Team Type 1) 7:17
28 Nicole Evans (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) 7:19
29 Tina Pic (Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) 7:36
30 Kirsty Broun (Riverstone CDA) 7:47
31 Sydney Brown (Nature Valley Cycling Team) 7:59
32 Toni Bradshaw (Lip Smacker) 8:04
33 Casey Gale (Specialized D4W/Bicycle Haus) 8:09
34 Ally Stacher (Team Kenda) 8:19
35 Christina Smith (Veloforma) 8:26
36 Erica Allar (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) 8:36
37 Kate Veronneau (Altarum Women's Cycling Team) 9:30
38 Rachel Neylan (PROMAN Hit Squad) 9:46
39 Emma Rickards (Team TIBCO) 9:54
40 Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders) 10:25
41 Jessica Phillips (Lip Smacker) 10:34
42 Kathleen Billington (Velo Classic Tours/Radical Media p/b Schick/Playtex) 10:36
43 Lauren Ellis (Jazz Apple Women's Cycling Team) 10:37
44 Rebecca Much (Webcor Builders) 10:55
45 Rachel Lloyd (PROMAN Hit Squad) 11:08
46 Julie Beveridge (Team TIBCO) 11:09
47 Silke Wunderwald (Team Kenda) 11:25
48 Jennifer Purcell (Riverstone CDA) 11:35
49 Rebecca Larson (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) 12:10
50 Melissa Sanborn (Vanderkitten Racing) 12:15
51 Coryn Rivera (PROMAN Hit Squad) 12:21
52 Lindsey Myers (Velo Classic Tours/Radical Media p/b Schick/Playtex) 12:47
53 Gina Grain (Webcor Builders) 12:54
54 Dotsie Bausch (Jazz Apple Women's Cycling Team) 12:59
55 Katheryn Curi Mattis (Webcor Builders) 13:03
56 Jacquelyn Crowell (Team Type 1) 13:33
57 Samantha Schneider (Team Type 1) 13:43
58 Melissa Dahlmann (MBRC/Flanders) 14:59
59 Sheba Farrin (Hub Racing) 15:05
60 Meredith Miller (Team TIBCO) s.t.
61 Sally Annis (Hub Racing) 15:29
62 Jacqueline Kurth (Team Kenda) 15:56
63 Kendi Thomas (Ryan Collegiate Women All-Stars) 16:06
64 Marina Duvnajk (Jazz Apple Women's Cycling Team) 16:07
65 Olivia Dillon (Nature Valley Cycling Team) 16:30
66 Erica Zaveta (Ryan Collegiate Women All-Stars) 16:59
67 Amity Elliot (Nature Valley Cycling Team) 17:24
68 Starla Teddergreen (MBRC/Flanders) 17:35
69 Kathryn Clark (Team Kenda) 18:46
70 Kelly Benjamin (Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) 19:39
71 Steph Roorda (Jazz Apple Women's Cycling Team) 19:50
72 Arley Kemmerer (Hub Racing) 20:08
73 Emma Bast (Ryan Collegiate Women All-Stars) 20:24
74 Jadine Riley (Riverstone CDA) 20:25
75 Rachel Heal (Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) s.t.
76 Karla Kingsley (MBRC/Flanders) 20:29
77 Tammy Wildgoose (Ryan Collegiate Women All-Stars) 21:06
78 Cheryl Thonney (Riverstone CDA) s.t.
79 Linda Sone (MBRC/Flanders) 22:26
80 Christy Keely (Team Kenda) 23:07
81 Morgan Kapp (Nature Valley Cycling Team) 23:15
82 Kathryn Donovan (Kahala-LaGrange) 23:30
83 Kristen Meshberg (Team BH USA) 23:48
84 Camilla Schmitz (MBRC/Flanders) 24:59
85 Sinead Miller (Ryan Collegiate Women All-Stars) 27:14
86 Lisa Turnbull (Velo Classic Tours/Radical Media p/b Schick/Playtex) 27:15
87 Sharon Allpress (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) 27:44
88 Christen King (PROMAN Hit Squad) 31:32
89 Malindi Maclean (Jazz Apple Women's Cycling Team) 31:39
90 Kacey Manderfield (Lip Smacker) 38:48
91 Arielle Filiberti (Ryan Collegiate Women All-Stars) 44:02
92 Audrey Friedrichsen Scott (Nature Valley Cycling Team) 44:57
93 Jennifer Gaertner (Riverstone CDA) 45:23
94 Lauren Hecht (Riverstone CDA 48:53

 

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