Smith makes it two for two in Warwick

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Andrea Smith (LadiesFirst Racing) made a clean sweep of the NEPCX series finale in Warwick, Rhode Island, claiming a hard fought win over Sally Annis (Crossresults.com/JRA Cycles) and Laura Van Gilder (C3).

While Smith was the day's winner, third was enough to give Van Gilder the overall Shimano NEPCX series title. "I'm so happy to have won this," said Van Gilder. "Shimano has done so much and the Series is such a fantastic event. I wanted to support it and am so proud of winning."

Smith took second place in the lucrative series, which has a total prize purse of $10,000 and is split evenly between the men and women. Annis took third overall.

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The final round proved to the most closely fought, with a large group of riders staying together early in the race. Smith and her teammate Crystal Anthony, Annis, Van Gilder and Maureen Bruno Roy (Bob's Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles) all made the lead group which splintered and reformed under the high pace.

In the final lap, first Bruno Roy lost touch and then Anthony dropped off in the sand. Meanwhile, Smith was first out of the sand pit and when Van Gilder slipped in a corner and crashed, it was Smith seized the opportunity to gain her winning margin.

Van Gilder pushed hard to chase, but used up too much energy to hold off the surge from Annis who took second place just a few seconds behind Smith.

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