Samantha Schneider wins ASWB Twilight Criterium

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Samantha Schneider (ISCORP p/b Smart Choice MRI) claimed top honors in Boise, Idaho in the penultimate race of the TUFMED USA CRITS Series. Mindy McCutcheon (Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling) took second and Christina Gokey-Smith (The Happy Tooth Pro Cycling) was third out of a break while the peloton loomed.

"The last lap was nerve wracking, it sounded like the peloton was pretty close behind us, so luckily we held on," Schneider said.

The absence of Erica Allar (Rally Cycling) meant TUFMED USA CRITS leader changed hands to Tina Pic (The Happy Tooth) who finished in ninth place.

It was an aggressive race that saw leadership change hands constantly between powerhouse teams Twenty16-Ridebiker, Visit Dallas-DNA Racing and Hagens Bermans Supermint during the 60-minute criterium in downtown Boise that saw over 50 riders start the penultimate race of the TUFMED USA CRITS series.

The first serious move came 25 minutes into the race with Australian National Criterium Champion Sophie Mackay (Hagens Bermans Supermint), Mandy Heintz (Visit Dallas-DNA Racing) Kaitlin Antonneau (Twenty 16-Ridebiker) and Christa Ghent (LA Sweat) getting a gap but were eventually reabsorbed.

Allie Dragoo (Twenty16-Ridebiker) tried to counter, but as last year's race winner, she was heavily marked.

In the closing laps, the move that stuck consisted of Kristen Armstrong (Twenty16 Ridebiker) prepping for the Olympic Games took to the front and pushed the pace while Mindy McCutcheon, Liza Rachetto (Hagen Bermans Supermint), Schneider Caitlin Laroche (LA Sweat) Christina Gokey-Smith (The Happy Tooth Pro Cycling) followed.

"We were very aggressive at the beginning to drive a breakaway, but we put our effort in and it was fun," Armstrong said.

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