Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) sweeps the weekend at New Gloucester(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) executing a team time trial(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Andrea Smith (LadiesFirst Racing) leads through the barrier section(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
LadiesFirst on the front(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Sally Annis (Crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles) had a tough ride today(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Andrea Smith leads her LadiesFirst Racing teammates Crystal Anthony and Elle Anderson(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Sara Bresnick (Embrocationcycling.com) fought hard(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Most of the course was dried out, but not all(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Frances Morrison (J.A.M. Fund-NCC)(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Britlee Bowman (Crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles)(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Molly Hurford (Signature Cycles-Rockstar Games)(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Andrea Smith (LadiesFirst Racing) picks up another big win(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Women's podium (L to R): Elle Anderson, Andrea Smith, Crystal Anthony(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Winner’s pie!(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Ladies First Racing Podium (L to R) Elle Anderson 3rd, Andrea Smith 1st , Crystal Anthony 2nd(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Nancy Labbe-Giguere (Ladies First Racing) with one lap to go(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) exits the barn with one lap to go(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
The Ladies First Racing squad had plenty to celebrate today(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
One of the many barns at Pinehill Farm(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Crystal Anthony baked vegan cookies for the Ladies First Team today.(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Crystal Anthony (Ladies First Racing) had one of her best races ever today(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) plowing through the mud(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Elle Anderson (Ladies First Racing) riding what many of the men had to walk(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Sally Annis (Crossresults.com) looked great early but faded(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Evelyne Blouin en route to a top-10 finish(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) descending at high speed(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Linnea Koons (Embrocation Cycling Journal) having a good race(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Rebeccca Wellons (Quad Cycles) descending(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Frances Morrison (JAM Fund) running uphill in the mud(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Sheila Vibert (Sunapee Racing) in front of the calf barn(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Sally Annis (Crossresults) seemed to be having an off day(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Perfect New England autumn weather and scenery at Pineland Farm(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Sally Annis (Crossresults.com) takes the hole-shot(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) was on the gas early today(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Catherine Sterling (Bikeman) on lap one(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Elle Anderson (Ladies First Racing) was having the ride of her life(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) deep in the woods(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Ladies First Racing Team on the longest climb(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) leads her team-mates through the mud(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Rebeccca Wellons (Quad Cycles) racing in 5th place(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Evelyne Blouin having a brilliant race until she had a mechanical(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Libby White (Blue Steel Cyclery) running over the barriers(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Rebeccca Wellons (Quad Cycles) lifting her bike over the barriers(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) is awarded a fresh baked pie in addition to her medal(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Andrea Smith leads the Ladies First Cycling Team to a 1,2,3 finish(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
In what must have seemed like a dream race, the LadiesFirst Racing Team put on a dominating clinic today finishing one, two, three on the day.
Andrea Smith was the strongest of the three. She broke away on the last lap to complete the sweep of the weekend. Crystal Anthony who was frequently seen at the front of the three-person train finished second. Elle Anderson notched her first ever UCI podium with a first place finish.
The course at Pineland Farm was drenched with rain overnight. Conditions were muddy and many off-camber sections of grass were treacherous. It was apparent that the pits would play an important role in today’s race.
Everyone was expecting a repeat of the Sally Annis (Crossresults.com) and Andrea Smith battle that they had seen on Saturday. Annis took the hole-shot as expected but then seemed to fall back. Smith credited her team-mate. “Crystal was taking some really good lines. She rode when Sally had to run and that’s where we got the gap.”
It was impressive to see the three work together lap after lap. “Crystal was riding strong and Elle was riding equally strong” remarked Smith. “We were just trying to ride steady and not crash each other out. At times it appeared they were doing a team time trial as they drafted up the pavement sections of the course.
Behind the leaders, positions changed often and were up for grabs. Sara Bresnick-Zocci told Cyclingnews before the race that not only was she was unsure what her fitness was, but that she was also racing with a respiratory problem. Neither seemed to bother her much as she rode consistently in fourth place.
Rebecca Wellons, who had a miserable day on Saturday, came in with new-found determination. She rode to a fifth place finish. She ran well, plus was able to stay on her bike in a couple places where others were forced off.
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Evelyne Blouin was riding in the top six when a mechanical forced her to run a long distance to the pits. Her triathlon training served her well, as she was able to run nearly as fast as others rode to the pits. She lost a few positions and finished tenth on the day.
Many of the top riders will now head to either Beacon Cross in New Jersey, or to the Colorado Cross Classic in Boulder, Colorado.
