Mara Abbott (Webcor) also took(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
The Wheaties Sprint Champion Rebecca Larson (Aaron's).(Image credit: Matthew Moses)
Standings in the Women's Prestige Cycling Series were announced this week following the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota (June 20-24). Mara Abbot (Webcor Builders) tops the individual and Best Young Rider standings while Rebecca Larson (Aaron's Pro Cycling Team) is in the lead of the Sprinter competitions. Abbot's Webcor Builders team leads the Teams competition.
At Nature Valley, the speedsters came into their own as Rebecca Larson and last year's Series sprint winner Brooke Miller (TIBCO) battled it out for the lead in the Sprinter competition. When the dust settled, Larson had claimed the Wheaties jersey, vaulting herself from sixth to first in the standings while Miller moved from fifth to second. Kori Seehafer (TEAm Lipton) fell from first to a close third, followed by Laura Van Gilder (Team Cheerwine) and Martina Patella (ValueAct Capital).
"Rebecca really stepped up to the challenge to go all out for the Wheaties Sprint Jersey and her teammates were by her side the entire week," said Aaron's Corporate Furnishings team director, Carmen D'Aluisio. "With the overall Sprint series competition being as close as it is the battle will be really exciting to watch."
"The 2006 Nature Valley GP's Cannon Falls Road Race was Brooke's first big win, and it was great to see her repeat at that stage this year," said TIBCO team manager Linda Jackson. "She's within striking distance of the Series sprint lead and I'm expecting her to claim it at the Tour de 'Toona later this month."
There were no surprises in the other Series competitions. Mara Abbott (Webcor Builders) kept the Series individual lead with an impressive second place finish at the Nature Valley GP, despite the win by TEAm Lipton's Kristin Armstrong, who had missed the Series opener at Redlands with a knee injury. Abbot continues to dominate among young riders, claiming the Boost Best Young Rider competition at Nature Valley and likely locking in her win for the Series for that classification. And Webcor stretched their team lead, with a point total that is almost double second-placed TEAm Lipton.
The Women's Prestige Cycling Series continues at the International Tour de 'Toona (July 23 - 29) and then finishes at the CD&P Bermuda Grand Prix (September 20 - 23).
Women's Prestige Cycling Series standings:
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Individual
1 - Mara Abbott - Webcor Builders, 330 points 2 - Felicia Gomez - Aaron's Pro Cycling Team 3 - Kristin Armstrong - TEAm Lipton 4 - Leigh Hobson - Team Cheerwine 5 - Katheryn Curi - Webcor Builders
Best Young Rider
1 - Mara Abbott - Webcor Builders, 440 points 2 - Lauren Franges - TEAm Lipton 3 - Alex Wrubleski - Colavita-Sutter Home 4 - Laura Bowles - Advil/Chapstick 5 - Joelle Numainville - Team Expresscopy.com
Sprinter
1 - Rebecca Larson - Aaron's Pro Cycling Team, 308 points 2 - Brooke Miller - Team TIBCO 3 - Kori Seehafer - TEAm Lipton 4 - Laura Van Gilder - Team Cheerwine 5 - Martina Patella - ValueAct Capital Cycling Team
Team
1 - Webcor Builders Cycling Team, 1,042 points 2 - TEAm Lipton 3 - Colavita/Sutter Home pb Cooking Light 4 - Team Cheerwine 5 - Aaron's Pro Cycling Team
