L39ION of Los Angeles rider sprints to first leader's jersey
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Rylee McMullen (Instafund LaPrima) and Shana Powless (L39ION of Los Angeles) round out the podium for the women.(Image credit: Snowy Mountain Photography)
L39ION of Los Angeles and DNA Pro Cycling had to work hard in the last 20 miles of the race to bring back a strong break loaded with EF Education First Tibco SVB riders to set Skyler Schnider up for the win (on her sister Sam's bike).(Image credit: Snowy Mountain Photography)
Ngaire Barraclough (The Cyclery Racing) in the White Best U23 rider, Skyler Schnider (L39ION of Los Angeles) in the Green Sprint and Pink Overall leaders Jerseys, and Austin Killips (ATX Wolfpack p/b Probikekit) in the polka dots climber jersey.(Image credit: Snowy Mountain Photography)
Skyler Schnider, 2021's overall GC winner for the women, gives a pre-race interview.(Image credit: Snowy Mountain Photography)
Despite the new course, the women's raced played out similar to past years. The field stayed mostly together until the first major climb and then all bets were off.(Image credit: Snowy Mountain Photography)
Font Cycling Guild, EF Education Tibco SVB, Instafund, and DNA Pro cycling all worked at the front to keep the race together.(Image credit: Snowy Mountain Photography)
The strong crosswinds and short punchy climbs in the first half of the race still created some separation between the main field and chase groups.(Image credit: Snowy Mountain Photography)
Samantha Schneider (#3), L39ION of Los Angeles, ended up well off the back of the main group riding a bike that didn't fit her after swapping bikes with her sister Skyler (#1), who picked up a shard of metal in her tire right before the drop into Devil's Den.(Image credit: Snowy Mountain Photography)
Defending champion Skylar Schneider (L39ION of Los Angeles) won the opening day for pro women at the 2022 Walmart Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In the bunch sprint, Rylee McMullen (InstaFundRacing) trailed for second and Shayna Powless (L39ION of Los Angeles) secured third.
The pro women’s event covered 111 kilometres (69 miles) on the Devil’s Den Road Race, with 1,301 metres (4,270 feet) of elevation gain. The peloton of 89 riders started mid-day with winds blowing 20-35 mph.
"It was a really tough race," defending champion Schneider said. "I think normally when it's such a strong headwind, you expect to be able to be calm and just hang out at the back. But it was pretty full gas from the start today."
"I think everyone wanted to try and make or break away except us who wanted a sprint so we just had to cover the moves and be patient."
The peloton was all together as the race rolled through Devil’s Den State Park and hit the main climb of the day, a three-mile twisting ascent with an average gradient of 8% located 43km into the ride.
From a front group of 15 riders on the climb, four riders formed a solid breakaway: Heidi Franz (InstaFund), Emma Langley (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB), Austin Killips (ATX Wolfpack) and Emily Marcolini (3T/Q+M Team). They used a massive tailwind and passed through Winslow to build a gap of over one minute.
At the intermediate sprint in Brentwood, just north of Winslow, Franz took maximum points, trailed by Langley in second place and Killips in third, and the gap was down to 35 seconds.
The leaders were caught with just under 40km to go, 23 riders making up the reduced peloton at the front.
With 25km to go, the wind began to fade while the pace at the front picked up with EF Education-TIBCO-SVB in the lead and L39ION of Los Angeles looking to move in the mix. The road narrowed to one lane due to construction just 6km from the finish line, but the pack was undeterred to set up the favourites for a sprint finish.
"I actually had to change bikes with my sister at the base of Devil's Den climb. I had a flat at the worst time and we're different sizes, so I had to finish this stage on a really small bike but I'm just grateful that we made that decision when we did and I could finish it off," said Skylar Scheider.
"I'm still at a loss for words. And I'm excited to now try and defend the jersey these coming days."
The four-day stage race continues on Friday with the women’s Mount Sequoyah Road Race, a 107-kilometre (67-mile) trek back through Devil’s Den State Park, but in a clockwise direction, a loop opposite of what was done on Thursday.
Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. She has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast). Her favorite road and gravel rides are around horse farms in north Georgia (USA) and around lavender fields in Provence (France), and some mtb rides in Park City, Utah (USA).
