2023 Snelling RR Women’s Cat 3/4, 40/50/60+ (raced together picked separately)
Race: Snelling RR
Date: February 25, 2023
AVRT racers: Cat 3/4 - Louise Thomas, Jennifer Steele, Steph Hart, Elizabeth Ordman
Masters - Chris Davis, Kristin Hepworth, Lora Maes
Top Result: (Cat 3 /4) Jennifer 3rd, Louise 4th
(40/50/60+) Lora 1st, Kristin 2nd (1st 40+)
Course + Recap: 23 mile loop done twice through central valley country roads. The only road with centerline rule was Turlock Road, the rest of the course was closed to cars. Sections of really bumpy pavement, especially the first stretch of road on Cox Ferry. The first half of the lap is fairly flat and the second half has a section of rollers. Finish is on a short uphill. It was cold, like we could see snow in the hills cold. Lucked out with no rain during the race but there were about 4 left over water puddles from the prior day’s storms covering the entire road that we had to roll through.
Race plan - Chris and I chatted a couple of days before the race and decided that we would ask the race officials to start the masters field with the Cat 3/4s. We were set to start separately. Given there were only 5 pre-reg, we wanted to be in a race with more people. The fields were much smaller possibly due to the weather forecast. The plan was for me to try to get in a break with the cat 3 / 4 field and drop the rest of the masters.
We talked to the rest of the master ladies before the start and everyone agreed to start with the 3/4 field. Almost had a wrinkle as there was a day of reg master who was having reservations about the 5’s joining our field but she finally agreed. Then one of the Fat Cake women had to change a flat before the start so we waited in the cold. We then started about 10 minutes late. Rolled out on the 6 mile promenade with the entire group, everyone trying to warm up in the cold temps. They stopped us at the start line, gave some instructions and off we went.
The first stretch of road is the worst with potholes, everyone made it through ok. Jamie Chapman from Monarch was setting some aggressive moves early on but the pace settled after turning on the Turlock Road. There was a center line rule in effect on Turlock, all other roads were closed to traffic. The group stayed together for the most part with a few attacks, Louise made a strong attack but it was pulled back. The field was starting to stretch a bit by the time we went through the chicane. I got on Jamie’s wheel for a while knowing that she was the wheel to follow. At the beginning of the rollers there was a slight lull in the pace and seeing my time at 50 minutes I decided to take a gel then Jamie attacked. I was almost choking on my gel trying to stay on but put in the hard effort knowing I could stay on if I made it. Note to self, don’t eat where a possible attack might occur. At this point I was ecstatic to know I had made the break and dropped the rest of the masters field, but we still had another lap and I didn’t want to get too comfy. Jamie pretty much led the second half of the first lap. Then the second time through Cox Ferry on the crappy pavement and through the huge puddle of water covering the entire road, Jamie pulled off with a flat. So now it was me, Steph, Jennifer, Louise with 2 Super Sprinkles, solo Eclipse, and solo Team City Rider. I also lost one of my bottles right before we turned off Cox Ferry. Since it was cold, I hadn’t drank a whole lot so I was ok.
We hadn’t really planned what we were going to do on the second lap, in retrospect we should have talked race strategy and appointed a captain. But regardless, we all worked well as a team - we were the majority with 4 riders, and we were communicating well with each other. Louise was working hard on the front then Jennifer and I would trade off taking pulls to give her a break. Then Steph was taking pulls later in the second lap. The other solo riders did not do much work off the front. The second lap pace got a bit more civil but I was paranoid that someone from the masters field would chase us back so I started taking pulls to keep the pace at tempo. Within 10 miles to go, I was feeling comfortable that I had the win for masters so I started taking longer harder pulls on the front. When the rollers came, I told Steph get to get on my wheel and I’d launch an attack but it didn’t stick. The solo riders did not do very much work and clearly had more in the tank. Then the pace got really slow a few miles to the finish, everyone conserving for the sprint. I burned my last match and pushed hard off the front up the last few rollers to see if anyone would chase, then I was gassed and let the cat 3 /4 field sprint to the finish, I had the masters win and rolled easy through the finish. But noticed Chris standing at the finish, she flatted at some point! One of many casualties of the road today. Jennifer, Louise, and Steph were all there for the final sprint.
Kristin also made a strong very effort to pass the SJBC rider right at the line for 2nd place in the masters. Elizabeth finished strong doing mostly a solo effort on the course.
I am so impressed how everyone came together as a team and faced really tough conditions together. We had extra creeks and weird noises coming from our bikes, lost water bottles, got our feet wet in the puddles, and had some flat tires. But it was the funnest day racing with my teammates!
Nutrition during race: 1 sleeve of Clif blocks, 1 bottle of Fluid