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Smith tops Van Gilder in Warwick

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Annis on the podium on day 1

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The Women get started

The Women get started (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
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Smith and her teammates put together a great race

Smith and her teammates put together a great race (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
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Andrea Smith shocks the crowd by outsprinting Van Gilder

Andrea Smith shocks the crowd by outsprinting Van Gilder (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
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Bruno Roy came very close to making the lead group

Bruno Roy came very close to making the lead group (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
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Anthony has some very fast barrier speed

Anthony has some very fast barrier speed (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
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Smith remounted early

Smith remounted early (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
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The leaders get back on

The leaders get back on (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
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Annis leads out of the sand

Annis leads out of the sand (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
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Annis leads Van Gilder and Smith

Annis leads Van Gilder and Smith (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
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Anthony attacks, covered by Annis

Anthony attacks, covered by Annis (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
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Laura Van Gilder drives the pace

Laura Van Gilder drives the pace (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
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Maureen Bruno Roy leads through the sand

Maureen Bruno Roy leads through the sand (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)
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The Women’s Podium (L to R): Annis, Smith, Van Gilder

The Women’s Podium (L to R): Annis, Smith, Van Gilder (Image credit: Natalia Boltukhova/Pedal Power Photography)

Andrea Smith (LadiesFirst Racing) capped an exciting women's race with a close sprint finish in Warwick, Rhode Island, beating Laura Van Gilder (C3 p/b Mellow Mushroom) and Sally Annis (crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles) to the line.

This season’s racing in New England has seen a battle pitted between Laura Van Gilder (C3 p/b Mellow Mushroom), Sally Annis (crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles) and the trio from LadiesFirst Racing, Andrea Smith, Crystal Anthony and Elle Anderson. Van Gilder has been dominant this season and holds a sizeable lead in the Shimano Series coming into the final weekend. She picked up a pair of victories last week at Bay State Cross and hoped to do the same at NBX. Annis and the women of LadiesFirst had other plans.

Maureen Bruno Roy (Bob’s Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles) took the holeshot and was the first out of the sand, driving the initial group of eight women.

The pace was taken over and lifted by Van Gilder and the selection was made quickly. At the front, it was Van Gilder, Annis, Anthony, Anderson and Smith. For the first time this season, the women of LadiesFirst worked coherently as a group to put Annis and Van Gilder under pressure.

First, it was Anderson launching an attack, which was closed by Van Gilder, then Anthony went, putting the pressure on Annis. Smith was, all the time, sitting safely in the group, clearly biding her time. As the race went on, Anderson launched a final attack and, once reeled in, fell off the back of the group. With the group reduced to four, it was Anthony’s turn to take off. Her attack came very late in the game, with little more than half a lap to go, and put Van Gilder and Annis under pressure once again.

When Anthony was reeled in, Van Gilder stayed on the front, hoping to undo her luck from last year by leading out the sprint. Van Gilder was the first to the pavement, but Smith came in hard and shot through, outfoxing Van Gilder and picking up a great victory. Van Gilder held off Annis for second with Anthony ahead of Anderson for fourth.

Provisional Results

#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Andrea Smith (USA) LadiesFirst Racing0:37:05
2Laura Van Gilder (USA) C3 Athletes Serving Athletes0:00:01
3Sally Annis (USA) Crossresults.com p/b JRA cycles
4Crystal Anthony (USA) LadiesFirst Racing0:00:06
5Elle Anderson (USA) LadiesFirst Racing0:00:24
6Nicole Thiemann (USA) Team CF0:00:28
7Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill pb Seven Cycles
8Catherine Sterling (USA) Bikeman.com0:00:54
9Carolyn Popovic (USA) Team CF
10Cassandra Maximenko (USA) silverbull centralwheel0:00:55
11Linnea Koons (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal0:01:22
12Rebecca Wellons (USA) Quad Cycles0:01:49
13Frances Morrison (USA) J.A.M. Fund/NCC0:02:06
14Julie Lafreniere (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery0:02:10
15Laura Ralston (GBr) MIT Cycling-FXDD0:02:16
16Kathleen Lysakowski (USA) Cycle Lodge0:02:19
17Christina Birch (USA) MIT0:02:20
18Elizabeth Lukowski (USA) Nycross.com0:02:54
19Molly Hurford (USA) Team Rockstar Games / Signature Cycles0:02:57
20Stacey Barbossa (USA) Elite Endurance Training Systems0:03:02
21Marian Jamison (USA) Ladies First Racing0:03:32
22Nancy Labbe-Giguere (Can) LadiesFirst Racing0:03:49
23Bryna Blanchard (USA) North American Velo0:03:52
24Brittlee Bowman (USA) crossresults.com p/b JRA cycles0:04:07
25Kathleen Wulfkuhle (USA) C3-Athletes Serving Athletes0:06:32
DNFArley Kemmerer (USA) Charm City Cycling LLC
DNFJena Greaser (USA) NorEast Cycling
DNFChristina Tamilio (USA) LadiesFirst Racing

 

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