Annis narrowly bested Anthony (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
The Women (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
The Women get things going (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
Van Gilder leads the group up the stairs (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
Van Gilder and Smith were wheel to wheel on the climb (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
Smith gets ready to dive back onto the track (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
Van Gilder leads Anderson up the lower stairs (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
Crystal Anthony shows off her new fork (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
Always a savvy tactician, Van Gilder never left the first two wheels of the group (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
Anthony was looking for revenge (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
Van Gilder doubled up on the weekend (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Muschroom Pizza) seals her victory with a last lap attack. (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Laura Van Gilder (C3/Mellow Mushroom Pizza) had her hand bandaged after the race due to a collision with the same fence that took down Smith (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Rebecca Wellons (Quad Cycles) has been coming onto form lately (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Sally Annis (Crossresults.com) was able to sit in a bit as it was up to the Ladies First Team to work over Van Gilder (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Elle Anderson (Ladies Firsat Racing) on the steps ahead of Smith and Anthony (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Andrea Smith and two of her Ladies First team-mates try to keep pace with Van Gilder (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Laura Van Gilder (C3/Mellow Mushroom Pizza) leading over the barriers (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Laura Van Gilder (C3/Mellow Mushroom Pizza) is the pre-race favorite (Image credit: Epic Rides)
There could be no mistake as to where the start was (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Ladies First Racing Team was all smiles before the race (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Sally Annis (Crossresults.com) is one of the riders who can challenge Van Gilder (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Former USA Cyclocross (Image credit: Epic Rides)
The lead group running a ridge on the course (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Sally Annis (Crossresults.com) takes second place over Crystal Anthony (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Elle Anderson (Ladies First Racing) had a late race bobble that took her out of contention (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Laura Van Gilder (C3/Mellow Mushroom Pizza) leading Sally Annis into the stairs (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) tangled with the chain link fence and went down (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Laura Van Gilder (C3/Mellow Mushroom Pizza) pacing the lead group around the cinder track (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Rebecca Wellons (Quad Cycles) leading the chasers on the track (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Laura Van Gilder (C3/Mellow Mushroom Pizza) leading the gang of six to the steepest climb (Image credit: Epic Rides)
A Northeast Cycling racer riding with a bandaged leg (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Rebecca Wellons (Quad Cycles) riding in sixth position (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Carolyn Popovic (Team CF) riding in the chase group (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) pushing the pace early in the race (Image credit: Epic Rides)
The leaders re-mount on an off-camber section of the course (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Laura Van Gilder (C3/Mellow Mushroom Pizza) leading up one of the sets of steps (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Laura Van Gilder and Andrea Smith leading out the women at the start (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/ www.trailwatch.net)
Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) on the run-up (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Women’s Podium (L to R) Sally Annis (Crossresults.com) 2nd, Laura Van Gilder (C3/Mellow Mushroom Pizza) 1st, Crystal Anthony (Ladies First Racing) 3rd (Image credit: Epic Rides)
Laura Van Gilder (C3 p/b Mellow Mushroom) made a final lap attack to distance Sally Annis (crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles) and claim the second race of the Baystate series, making it two from two for the American.
How it unfolded
The women’s race started with an extremely fast pace, headed immediately by Van Gilder. Knowing that the first few course features would be decisive, she took to the front and led the field up the first set of stairs.
Thanks to a pileup on the off-camber, the selection came very early in the day. At the front, the group was Van Gilder, Sally Annis (crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles) and the trio from LadiesFirst, Andrea Smith, Crystal Anthony and Elle Anderson.
The group of five worked well together, with Van Gilder either driving the pace or sitting second wheel, to ensure that she was not taken by any team action from the LadiesFirst racers. Crystal Anthony spent a good portion of the race on the front, trying for payback from Saturday’s intense disappointment where a broken fork cost her a chance at the podium.
At the back of the group, it seemed like Sally Annis was in constant trouble, yo-yoing off the back, often sitting three or four bike lengths off the end.
The decision came in two parts, first, Smith missed a technical remount with a lap and a half left and was hung up on a fence for a moment, at which point, the pace picked up and Annis rejoined – sitting directly behind Van Gilder. Anthony launched an attack that was quickly covered and countered by Van Gilder, with a half lap to go. Van Gilder put together a few seconds advantage and was able to raise her hands alone in victory.
Behind, Annis outsprinted Anthony for second. Smith crossed the line fourth after recovering and passing Anderson, who came fifth.
