Teamwork brings out the best in Nature Valley GP

Nature Valley Pro Ride teaches the women valuable lessons

Nature Valley Pro Ride women's team with mechanic Tyson Meyer and Matt Anderson

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We had the fantastic opportunity to race the Nature Valley Grand Prix with the Nature Valley Cycling Team. Each of the 6 women and 6 men had to meet requirements and qualify in one of six races across the country.

On the women's team, we had Amity Elliot from Virginia, Sydney Brown, from Nebraska, Olivia Dillon from Northern California, Morgan Kapp from Southern California, Audrey Scott from New York, and Tricia Bailey from Washington.

Sydney, Olivia, Tricia and Morgan had raced Nature Valley before. Amity had raced other NRC races, but Audrey was experiencing her first NRC race. Even though we were from across the country and had varying NRC experience, each rider understood the meaning of teammates and naturally fell into that mode.

Matt Anderson, from the Nature Valley Cycling team, brought us together, coordinated all logistics, and covered all the details. Michael Engleman, from the US Women's Cycling Development Program, volunteered to direct us. This gave us a fantastic opportunity to get to know one of the greatest contributors to women's racing and helped each of us learn not only how to be better individual racers, but how we might help each other and the sport as a whole.

Tyson Meyer and the Penn Cycles team made sure we had everything we needed playing the role of both soigner and mechanic to make sure our every need was met and our bikes worked beautifully throughout the race. We all stayed with fantastic host families that were there daily to cheer us on. With all of this put together, we had the makings of a great team.

The printed results truly cannot reflect the ups and downs that occur during 6 races in 5 days. To be at the top of the GC list, everything has to go well. Personal, physical and mental performance have to occur simultaneously with perfect mechanical performance and avoidance of pack shattering mishaps.

There are moments, not recorded in results, that we shared with everyone like watching Kristin Armstrong accept the Yellow (and most aggressive red, and climber's Jelly Belly) Jersey for her last NVGP, while we hope for a football/basketball/baseball type retirement that will result in her returning to racing next year.

For some of us, it is still pretty memorable and exciting to be sitting in a pack surrounded by National Champions and Olympians or going through a corner in a criterium on the wheel of someone you know has won many famous races. I still fight the urge to ask for autographs on the back of my race number from the women I am racing. I should give into that urge before I stop racing and regret it.

In addition to the moments we shared, there were a few that tell the story of our Nature Valley team and our experience.

Rushing from a pretend warm-up, with the city in the background for FOX morning news, to a real warm-up for the Time Trial while hiding from the rain under the tent.

Audrey - "2 minutes!? How am I going to make up 2 minutes?" when comparing her 57th place TT time, accomplished on a road bike with clip-ons, to Kristin Armstrong's time. Never mind the 60ish people she beat with full time trial gear.

Olivia's response when the medic checked her hand after the Canon Falls Road Race finding a fractured swollen finger and torn thumb ligaments and suggested that her race was over. Her look of pain changed to shock and then settled into determination. "How about I see how it feels in the morning, ride around a little and go from there?" She went on to race the Uptown Criterium and bridge to a break to take 4th in the Mankato Road Race. Done racing? I don't think so. I wonder if the judges for Most Aggressive Rider had any idea? I bet not.

Michael - "As a team, we need to figure out how to take care of Sydney and obtain a top 10 GC spot without sacrificing individual performance." regarding Sydney's 11th GC as a result of great finishes in the TT and Cannon Falls RR. An extremely difficult although team solidifying task, even with Sydney's solid pack positioning skills and contributions from every member of the team during Mankato. Stillwater would be our demise for top 10 GC, but would reward Sydney with the Top Amateur Jersey instead.

Sydney - "Lipstick." Her response when asked how she repeatedly holds great position and stays with the front group. Four of us were wishing for some of that lipstick when we couldn't quite stay attached at Mankato.

Amity - "How does this car feeding thing work?" Then after a brief verbal description, executing the feed beautifully and even chasing back on with a shirt full of extra bottles as an attack was occurring in the front of the field during the Mankato RR.

Morgan - "What is my assignment?" always knowing where she needed to be to help the team.

Sitting around for hours after a pretend warm-up on the Stillwater hill for FOX morning news to actually warm-up and race Stillwater.

Tricia - "Digging out every piece of match and anything that burned." when Amity asked how she was able to finish 13 laps at Stillwater without getting pulled.

All of these shared and individual moments added up to a truly great experience for all of us. As we return home to compete in our local races we will do so with added knowledge and confidence gained while in Minnesota. And when we head to bigger races we will look forward to seeing our new friends again. Thanks again to all of those who made the Nature Valley Pro Ride possible.
 

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