Numainville scores Gold at the Pan Am Championships (Photo by Matthew Knight/Canadian Cycling Association)

The Chicago Criterium was greeted with sunny skies and a brisk north wind with thirty five women lined up for the 50-minute plus 2-laps criterium on a 1.1 mile rectangular course.    They were there to battle for a piece of the $7,000 purse in the Women 1/2/3 race segment. 

Numainville outsprints Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) to win the Chicago Criterium.   The win comes in the heels of scoring gold at the Pan Am Championships in Tlaxcala, Mexico.

Here is how it all unfolded…

 5:00 minutes:  Team Kenda is leading in the initial laps of the race with a chasing peloton. Kristin Wentworth (Team Kenda) takes first prime of race on second lap.

12 minutes: Off the front is Team Kenda’s (Ashley James and Kristin Wentworth) with Kristin Meshberg (BH USA) in tow followed by Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) and a charging field.

14:??: four women in the next move, Ashley James (Team Kenda) Debbie Dust (PACT/Dishnetwork), Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) and Kristin Meshberg (BH USA). This break will be quickly absorbed as the peloton is not far behind.

18:05: The women all together now. We shall see what the next move will be.

20:46: the pack is all together, with Numainville, (Team Kenda) in the front followed by Catherine Walberg (Team Kenda) and a close on looking peloton checking out everyone.

23:29: gruppo compacto, a prime has been announced so the scramble begins.

26:22: Numainville wins the second prime with a close but spread out peloton.

28:42: gruppo compacto, Kristin Wentworth (Team Kenda) up front with Catherine Walberg (Team Kenda) getting squeezed on the outside east side of the course. A prime has been announced.

31:39: The charging peloton with Numainville taking the third prime of $100 merchandise prize

34:00: an attack by Team Kenda (Kristin Wentworth) covered by a rider from Sugar CRM, the peloton reacts with Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom), Debbie Dust (PACT/Dishnetwork), followed by Alberto’s (Francine Haas). The three women attempting to go with an alert peloton following right behind.

??:??: another prime announcement, Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) wins …

gruppo compact with a prime to rattle up the peloton: Numainville wins another prime followed by Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) with an edgy peloton

42:00: gruppo compacto again, everyone sits up awaiting the next move. Another prime has been announced with Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) winning it.

Off the front a Black Mountain Rider.

3 laps to go:  everyone watching with a keen eye as to what the next move will be an by whom.

2-laps to go: A gamblers prime has been announced and Kate Ross (Lipsmacker) heads into turn one.

The PR announced that Jen Greenberg (Vanderkitten) scopes up the $400 dollar gamblers.

For the win: this is for the “whole enchilada”, I see the charging peloton coming around the last turn with $1500 for the first arrival, 100meters, 50 meters to go and Joelle Numainville out sprints Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) for the win.

While on the podium, Numainville jolts the crowd with a spray of bubble at the Chicago Criterium (Photo: Paul Forsythe)