Stephens surprises in Presbyterian Crit
FCS Zngine rider out-sprints big names in Charlotte
A field sprint decided both winners for the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium. In the women's race Lauren Stephens (FCS Zngine p/b Mr. Restore) out sprinted the favorites to take the win. In the men's race the UnitedHealthcare squad lead out their sprinter Hilton Clarke for the victory.
The 10th annual Presbyterian Hospital Invitational was the third stop of the USA Crits series and held in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina on a 1.1 mile loop. The women would race for 18 laps and the men for 40.
The numerous primes for both cash and points kept the field active throughout the race. The teams of Optum presented by Kelly Benefit and Tibco were constantly at the front of the field keeping the pace high.
Numerous breaks were formed, but none were able to stay away for any length of time. With three laps remaining the peloton was together and a field sprint was going to decide the winner.
A five-hundred dollar prime on the penultimate lap was won by Janel Holcomb (Optum pb Kelly Benefit).
On the final stretch to the finish line the field was spread out from the curb to the fencing that divided the road. Kicking hardest on the left hand side of the road was Lauren Stephens (FCS Zngine p/b Mr. Restore) taking the win. Behind her was Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Team Colavita) in second, and in third Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom).
“This is the biggest victory I ever had,” said a jubilant Stephens, explaining how the last laps were aggressive with riders fighting for a draft.
“I was just bouncing off sprinter's wheels out of that last turn.”
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Lauren Stephens (FCS|Zngine p/b Mr. Restore) | 0:55:09 |
2 | Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy) | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Jade Wilcoxson (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Brianna Walle (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Lauren Tamayo (Exergy TWENTY16) | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Christina Gokey-Smith (ROUSE/OOGIE RACING) | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Alison Powers (NOW and Novartis for MS) | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Jo Kiesanowski (Team Tibco) | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Jacquelyn Crowell (Exergy TWENTY16) | 0:00:01 |
11 | Sam Schneider (Team Tibco) | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Erica Allar (CARE4Cycling p/b Solomon) | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Rushlee Buchanan (Team Tibco) | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Alexis Ryan (NOW and Novartis for MS) | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Liza Rachetto (Vanderkitten Women's Cycling) | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Tina Pic (Team Colavita) | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Chantal Blaak (Team Tibco) | 0:00:02 |
18 | Tiffany Pezzulo (Primal Pro Women p/b BH) | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Kori Seehafer (Primal Pro Women p/b BH) | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Jessica Prinner (CARE4Cycling p/b Solomon) | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Starla Teddergreen (Vanderkitten Women's Cycling) | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Kimberley Wells (Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy) | 0:00:03 |
23 | Scotti Wilborne (Mellow Mushroom) | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Jennifer Purcell (Team Colavita) | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Cari Higgins (Exergy TWENTY16) | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Robin Farina (NOW and Novartis for MS) | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Maura Kinsella (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 0:00:04 |
28 | Amy McGuire (FCS|Zngine p/b Mr. Restore) | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Lindsay Bayer (Team Colavita) | 0:00:06 |
30 | Addy Albershardt (Pasta Zara - Cogeas) | 0:00:07 |
31 | Laura Parsons (Rose Bandits) | 0:00:09 |
32 | Morgan Patton (Team Novo Nordisk) | 0:00:13 |
33 | Andrea Dvorak (Exergy TWENTY16) | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Meredith Miller (Team Tibco) | 0:00:14 |
35 | Joelle Numainville (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 0:00:19 |
36 | Anna Sanders (FCS|Zngine p/b Mr. Restore) | 0:00:20 |
37 | Christy Keely (Pepper Palace Cycling Team) | 0:00:22 |
38 | Melina Bernecker (Primal Pro Women p/b BH) | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Lauren Rauck Komanski (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 0:00:23 |
40 | Sara Tussey (VeloShine Cycling Team) | 0:00:26 |
41 | Kelly Fisher-Goodwin (Fearless Femme p/b Pure Energy) | 0:00:29 |
42 | Jamie Bookwalter (Team Colavita) | 0:00:36 |
43 | Vanessa Drigo (Rose Bandits) | 0:00:37 |
44 | Joanie Caron (Primal Pro Women p/b BH) | 0:00:38 |
45 | Elizabeth Newell (NOW and Novartis for MS) | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Lenore Pipes (CARE4Cycling p/b Solomon) | 0:01:09 |
47 | Mary Zider (Team Colavita) | 0:01:10 |
48 | Cinthia Lehner (Pepper Palace Pro Cycling) | 0:05:22 |
49 | Janel Holcomb (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strateg) | 0:07:22 |
50 | Nicky Wangsgard (Primal Pro Women p/b BH) | 0:07:40 |
51 | Debbie Milne (Cleveland Clinic - Carbon Racing) | 0:10:18 |
52 | Allison Arensman (Pepper Palace Pro Cycling) | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Liz Gerrity (Rose Bandits) | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Carrie Cash (Pepper Palace Cycling Team) | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Hannah Miller (PainPathways Cycling Team) | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Marianne Holt (PainPathways Cycling Team) | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Kathryn Clark (Pain Pathways Cycling Team) | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Shannon Parrish (Team Kenda p/b RACC) | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Amanda Schaap (Team Kenda p/b RACC) | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Amy Horstmeyer (Team Kenda p/b RACC) | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Julie Kuliecza (Pepper Palace Pro Cycling) | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Samantha Brode (Cleveland Clinic - Carbon Racinf) | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Sheila Orem (Team Kenda p/b RACC) | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Stacey Jensen (Team Kenda p/b RACC) | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
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