Race Report: Belleville VeloForce Criterium

This race was a lot of fun.  It's a course I really love, six turn crit with a small descent with two quick turns immediately following and a little climb.  It was sunny, breezy and about 60 at race time.  Nine ladies were in my field.  Of the nine of us, four were Big Shark ladies!  We had agreed to take it easy the first lap or two because it was Amy's first race back following knee surgery.  As we crossed the start/finish at the end of lap 2, the prime bell rang and all agreements were off.  A little manuvering went on on the backside of the course but it was calm until we hit the hill.  Vanessa and Emily took off.  Britta and Ashley were right on them.  I moved to the front and controlled the rest of the field to let Vanessa get away.  The break stuck.  The five of us left all had riders in the break.  Three laps later, our field got another prime bell.  I decided to repeat Vanessa's move and go on the hill.  I had about three hundred yards on the field when I took the prime.  I got within visual distance of the break on the backside, but they were working together well and I couldn't gain anymore ground.  Two laps later, Alice caught me.  The next lap Amy and Soli rejoined us.  Somewhere in there we lost Teresa.  The four of us traded work, but didn't work to close down the gap.  At five to go, the break lapped us.  I jumped in with them and made sure to answer any attacks so that I could stay with them.  The final two laps had a lot of action.  We came around the corner to the finishing straight and the sprint was on.  I went hard, but did my best not to interfere with the sprint for 1/2/3/4.  I took 5th.   

Just after the field prime.  *Photo credit:  Mike Dawson

 My legs and aerobic fitness felt great.  Never did I feel like I was distressed.  I like racing the Open field because it's much more about tactic than the 4s races.  I am still questioning my decision of slowing down the pack versus trying to make the jump with Vanessa.  I feel like I would have been able to go with them, but I had two girls on my wheel who I probably would have brought along.  I'll never know what could have been, but it gives me experience to take with me into my next race.