Race Report by Laura Ralston

Winning the collegiate criterium at 2012 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships for the second year in a row was a fantastic moment. The day before the race my team mates and I had talked in length about the race and we had decided that if we could make a break happen with at least two Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) riders in it that would be the safest way to guarantee podium spots.

We sat tight for the first two primes letting other riders do more work, and threw in some attacks immediately after the start/finish line. After about the third prime the maneuver started to break things up and with a bit of hesitation from the pack we were able to form a break of three- myself, my team mate Katie Quinn, and Mariske Strauss (the current South African cross country mountain bike champion and rider for Mars Hill College). We knew Mariske could be a strong rider, so we tried to be careful not to let have an easy ride in our break.

After a lap or so, she opened a gap on Katie’s wheel, so I let her suffer to see how tired she really was, and after another lap she was still not back on Katie’s wheel so I jumped past Mariske towards Katie. Katie managed to get my wheel and we dropped Mariske, and time trialed the rest the race.

I have to say I really loved riding my Blue AC1 in the race – the night before I reviewed the frame specs and was excited to learn to experience what an aero bike it really is. With a borrowed set of deep rim wheels, I felt like I was flying during the break, and it was an awesome ride. When it came down to the last lap Katie agreed we should both start our sprints coming out the last corner but she was generous and gave me a lead-out coming into this corner, and I think she knew how much I really wanted the win.

The Joe Martin Stage Race  video was recorded by Michael Wakeley, our team mechanic.

Laura Ralston of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) repeats as Collegiate National Criterium Champion. The MIT Cycling team earned 1st ,2nd , 3rd and 5th respectively.

Lauren De Cresenzo (Emory University) finished 12th in the same race. Complete results for the D2 women’s criterium of the 2012 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships in Ogden, Utah can be found here.

The Women’s Cycling Social is scheduled for Monday, February 27 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Heritage Bicycles, 2959 N Lincoln Chicago, IL. The event is hosted by Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder. This is a FREE event and RSVP is required.

DATE & TIME: Monday, February 27 – 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

LOCATION:  Heritage Bicycles
Address:  2959 North Lincoln Chicago, IL
Telephone: 773-245-3005

RSVP & INFORMATION BY VISITING http://bit.ly/wKdpET
(Walk-ins welcome, only women who RSVP will be eligible to raffle prizes)

PRIZES Swag to win includes messenger bag, team hats, Hoo Ha Ride Glide® and much more!

DEADLINE TO REGISTER: Sunday, February 26)

OFFICIAL HASHTAG
The official Twitter hashtag is #chibikesocial

TWITTER HANDLES
Team Kenda: @teamkendaW
Heritage Bicycle: @HeritageBicycle

PRESS COVERAGE
Roscoe View Journal: Women’s Cycling Social, No Boys Allowed

Celebrates 13th year in the women’s peloton

The Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder has finalized its 2012 roster, adding Laura Ralston, 2011 Collegiate National Criterium Champion and collegiate athlete at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Ralston looks to take her racing to a new level. “I am really looking forward to be racing with Team Kenda in 2012. They have established themselves as one of the most friendly development elite teams in the country, but also have a record of consistent competitive results and great riders. Finding support as a female cyclist can be tough at times, and so I think it’s remarkable what Team Kenda has been able to do for so many female riders over the past 13 years.”

In 2012, the team will focus on the National Criterium Championships (NCC) and National Racing Calendar (NRC) events coupled with a heavy presence at the Tour of America’s Dairyland, in which the team placed 2nd last season.

Jacqueline Denny, a returning junior rider promoted to the elite ranks, stated that she knows that racing at higher levels takes hard work, dedication and sacrifice, but hopes to bring that attitude, desire, and a joyful spirit to Kenda’s elite team this upcoming race season.

Geargrinder, an eco-friendly clothing and accessories company, will be releasing another cycling-inspired product in 2012, which will be visible on Team Kenda athletes.

“After watching Paul Forsythe’s management team shape Team Kenda and seeing how these women worked together and motivated each other this past season, Geargrinder is proud to be back in 2012, offering an even stronger level of support for this team of role model athletes,” said Paul C. Weaver, co-founder of Geargrinder Active Lifestyle Apparel and Accessories. “Geargrinder believes in doing what it can to secure the future of cycling, and Team Kenda has not only solid Elite and Regional teams but strong up-and-coming talent on the Junior and U-23 teams as well.

“It’s important that Team Kenda have the proper resources to keep the momentum building so they can be serious contenders at the NRC and NCC races, like Tour of America’s Dairyland (ToAD),” said Weaver. “Last year at ToAD, Team Kenda took the Overall Oarsman Capital Category 2 Amateur Green Jersey, and placed two racers in the Overall Pro Women Top 10…will be great to see Team Kenda atop the NCC ToAD podium next year.”

“Kenda USA is proud to be the banner sponsor of Team Kenda Tire p/b Geargrinder for the 9th season. They are the one of the best and largest women’s bicycle racing teams in the country and we are confident that this is going to be their beast season yet;” stated Stefano Lumbaca, Road/Cyclocross Marketing and Product Development.

Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder Elite 2012 Roster:

Amity Elliot (Tabernash, CO)
Beth Lauer (Whitewater, WI)
Cara Gillis (Fredericton, New Brunswick – Canada)
Colleen Paine (Dahlonega, GA)
Gwen Inglis (Lakewood, CO)
Jacqueline Denny (Liberty, MO)
Jamie Dinkins (Asheville, NC)
Jane Weakley (Dayton, OH)
Jen Greenberg (Chicago, IL)
Kat Clark (Pooler, GA)
Krystal Lacy (Farmersville, OH)
Laura Rolston (Cambridge, MA)
Mitzie Goldman (Atlanta, GA)
Shailie Sanbrooks (Wellington, New Zealand)
Stacey Jensen (New York, NY)
Zayda McGuire (Portland, OR)

The Team regrets the loss of Megan Baab, who was fatally struck by a vehicle while training on December 15, 2011, near Lees McRae, where she attended college on a cycling scholarship.

Team Kenda Women’s Cycling receives support from the following: Kenda USA, Blue Competition Cycles, Plant Solutions, Verge, SRAM, Thomson, Rudy Project, Mercury Wheels, CycleOps, Terry Precision Cycling, Headsweats, Skins, Deen-Gross Eye Centers, Thule, , Sportcrafters, Cateye, Ferguson & Associates, Hoo Ha Ride Glide, and Anni Fanni.

About Team Kenda Women’s Cycling: Team Kenda began in 1999 as Team Ameritech with nine riders who excelled at bicycle racing. Over the years, the team has steadily grown in size and now boasts NRC/NCC Elite, as well as Southeast, Mid-Atlantic Elite, Midwest, and West Regional Teams. The team competes in the United States focusing on the National Race Calendars, both NRC and NCC. In 2010, the team finished 8th among 73 teams in the National Racing Calendar (NRC) Women’s Team competition and 8th in the 2011 NRC campaign.

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The college freshman from Lees-McRae College was on a training ride for her collegiate cycling team in North Carolina last week when she was struck and killed by a truck.

Megan Baab passed away on Thursday, December 15 in North Carolina. All related news about her can be found by visiting the Lees-McRae College Athletics website. Megan was to join the Elite Team in 2012. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.

Dr. David Gross, of Deen-Gross Eye Centers, has been a loyal team sponsor for many years. We have learned that Dr. Gross has been supporting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for 10 years now, raising money for their cause by securing pledges for the annual 2-day ride covering some 200 miles.

To date, Dr. Gross has raised over $265,000 for the multiple sclerosis (MS) cause. He has no family members with the disease, but he has seen its affects in his patients and wants to do what he can to see a cure for MS.

If you would like to learn more or support this great cause, please visit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Juniors Take Home the Gold

(Sunday, July 17 – New Haven, IN) Junior riders Sarah Fickel (13-14 years) and Hope Zimmerman (10-12 years) took top honors at the Indiana State Time Trial, which is part of the Lance Armstrong Junior Race Series. Hope covered the 20k course in 44’47” to take the 10-12 age division. Sarah raced in the 13-14 division with a finishing time of 43’41”.

… more to come…

Caroline Soong took a few minutes out of her recovery time for a short Q&A about her Tour Divide preparation and experience. Her answers are below:

When did you decide to enter the Tour Divide?  I finally decided to race the Tour Divide while on a backpacking trip with my boyfriend Kurt last fall. It must have been 11pm at night while we were still hiking and he asked again if I would want to race it. Kurt raced it in 2009 and was also planning on racing it in 2011 so he had brought up the idea a few times. Maybe it was because it was late or I was tired but something about that night made me excited about the race and I said, “Yes”. “Yes” to spending a month pedaling across the country, seeing country and doing something that seemed so out of reach at that time.

How did you prepare?  For such as long race I did lots of long rides. During the work week I rode between 2-4 hours a day but the weekends is where I put in the long hours. For instance during the winter months on Saturday I would ride 8-12 hours and Sunday would be 5-6 hours. The Divide has lots of climbing so my routes would include lots of climbs and preferably be on dirt. About two months out from the race I started doing bikepacking trips on the weekend that included all my race gear so I could get used to the extra weight. I kept limber by going to yoga a few times a week and ran once a week.

Can you talk a little about the equipment you used to get through the Tour Divide?  The Tour Divide is a self supported bike race so you have to carry all your own sleeping gear, clothes, tools, food and water. Gear selection is important because it needs to last 2,700 plus miles. My bike of choice was the Blue Competition XC2 that handled perfectly on the varied terrain encountered during the race. I ran the Kenda Small Block Eight tires because they are fast and good for a variety of riding conditions. I had a new rear Small Block Eight tire put on in Salida, CO at Absolute Bikes. The route was a mix of gravel, dirt, mud, rain, snow and paved road. We had perfect weather in Banff , Alberta Canada which is where the race started. However most of Montana consisted of rain off and on, a 7 mile snow hike-a-bike and a few muddy stretches that clogged the bike up. Wyoming and Idaho had rain and some mud. Colorado was relatively dry expect for the 5 mile snow hike-a-bike before Steamboat Springs. Throughout the race I encountered lots of horribly grated gravel roads but the worst was in the Gila section in New Mexico .

What mental tricks did you use to keep you going when you felt that the tough got going?  The Divide is such a long race that many mental tricks had to be used throughout the race depending on where I was. If it was cold outside getting something warm to drink could have been a huge motivator in constant forward motion. The same for when it was 95 degrees outside, just getting to the next town for a cold drink was a huge reward. A fellow divide racer who finished the race a few years ago just published a book about the race called, “Be Brave, Be Strong”. For the later part of the race I would keep chanting “Be Brave, Be Strong” in my head like a mantra. Her book title is so true for divide racing for all the many times I was out of my comfort zone. I also knew that Kurt was waiting in Silver City , NM for me to finish and I wanted to get done as soon as possible to see him.

What is next for you as far a MTB is concerned?, what does the remainder of the schedule looks like?  Right now I am just trying to recover from the 3 week long race. I have been sleeping a lot and going on easy bike rides and runs. The Tour Divide was my only planned raced for the year so the remainder of the year is open.

Will we see you on a cyclocross bike sometime in the future? I currently do not have a cross bike and have yet to enter a cross race, though it may be entertaining racing it on my mountain bike. It would be interesting to see if I could transition from ultra endurance cycling to short, hard effort cycling in a season.

Anything else?  I am still trying to figure out what my next big adventure will be but in the mean time I’m just enjoying the Colorado summer.

WI State Road Race Podium: Lindsey Durst (IS Corp), (center) Kelley Hess (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) and Holly Mathews (IS Corp)

Wisconsin resident and rider Kelley Hess wins the Wisconsin State Championships road race.  She battled 39 miles, a 8.5% climb/369 feet per lap and a finishing straight of 18% climb.

Her most recent accolades include top finishes at the recent 2011 USA Cycling Collegiate Road Championships representing the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She finished 7th in the Women Division 1 criterium, 20th in the road race and her team snagged 8th place in the 2011 Omnium among 57 teams.

Race report by Kelley Hess

The Wisconsin State Road Race Championship was 6 laps of a 6.5 mile course in Spring Prairie. It was a four corner course with flats or rolling hills except for just before the start/finish. The deciding climb was a ~45 second power climb which reached 18% grade and then leveled slightly into a 200 meter false flat to the finish. The women’s categroy 1-2-3 race featured approximately 20 racers, including a number of strong riders from the Chicago area.

Half way through the first lap an ISCorp rider attacked and was off the front solo, but the peloton slowly closed the gap until it caught her on the first start/finish climb. A mile later, Stacy Applewick (ABD/IL) attacked. Lindsey Durst (ISCorp) was quickly on her wheel. The peloton let them go as both teams were well represented to control the pace of the rest of the race. Recognizing a strong pair, Kelley Hess (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder), bridged to the lead group, followed by Holly Mathews (ISCorp). The four riders pace-lined for the next lap and a half while putting space while increasing the gap between them and the peloton. Halfway through lap three Mathews dropped a chain. The remaining three kept rolling at a good, but not overly “solid” pace. Mathews bridged back up 1/4 lap later.

Halfway through the race, the breakaway group had minutes on the field and it became less friendly, with Applewick and Hess attacking each other and the two ISCorp riders. It wasn’t until four and half laps that something finally stuck. Applewick rolled off the front and got a gap; Mathews accelerated to catch her and created another gap. Hess attacked off the front of Durst’s wheel and by the time she passed the Mathews and Applewick, she had too much speed for them to grab her wheel. Hess maintained her lead and the gap grew over the course of the next lap and a half at approximately 10 miles! Hess time trialed it to the finish and won in a dominating matter, putting Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder on the top step of the podium, and successfully defending her title as Wisconsin State Road Race Champion. Mathews battled Applewick for second and third place, respectively, more than a minute later. Durst rode across the line in fourth, and rounded out the Wisconsin podium.