Rally Cycling’s Erica Allar celebrated her first big criterium win of 2016 in Spartanburg Friday, crossing the line ahead of seasoned veterans Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) and Tina Pic (The Happy Tooth) in hotly contested bunch sprint. Jamie Gilgen (Visit Dallas/DNA Racing) and Christina Gokey-Smith (The Happy Tooth) finished in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
USA CRITS Series leader Coryn Rivera (UHC) and second in the standings, Sam Schneider (ISCorp), weren’t present at Spartanburg, leaving it wide open for Erica Allar (Rally) to scoop up valuable TUFMED USA CRITS points. Pic’s result kept her in the Speed Week overall leader’s jersey. Jessica Mundy (Fearless Femme) will wear the Bikereg.com best young rider jersey during the next race in Athens, G.A. and Sarah Tussey (Visit Dallas DNA) is in the Cyclingnews lap leader jersey.
“It was a little bit of déjà vu because at Belmont I was in the same situation, in a break of three and I finished third, so I was in the mode to redeem myself. But when we got caught, I had to switch from breakaway mode to field sprint mode,” Allar said. “Spartanburg is one of the most exciting races. The crowd and energy of this place is amazing and I can’t wait to come back.”
After a crash three laps into the 50-lap race that caused a neutralization for around 10 minutes, the 50-women field raced aggressively when the flag signaled the restart.
Gokey-Smith launched a series of attacks, as did several other riders, but nothing really stuck until 25 laps to go, when Gilgen, Allar and 20-year-old Janet Cole found themselves in move that got about 10 seconds on the peloton. Because of the danger presented by the talent in the break, Fearless Femme, who were focused on protecting Jessica Mundy’s second place overall at Speed Week, moved to the front to chase the trio down. However, it took the field 10 laps to successfully reabsorb the break with just seven laps left in the race.
From there, the field geared up to contest a bunch sprint. Allar initiated the bunch gallop from 500 meters out. Her speed was no match for Van Gilder and Pic who finished a bike length behind.
Full recap video:
Full Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erica Allar (Rally Cycling) | 0:59:40 |
| 2 | Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers p/b Van Dessel) | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
| 3 | Tina Pic (The Happy Tooth Pro Cycling) | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
| 4 | Jamie Gilgen (Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling) | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
| 5 | Christina Gokey-Smith (The Happy Tooth Pro Cycling) | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
| 6 | Jennifer Caicedo (Finish Strong Elite Cycling Team) | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
| 7 | Stephanie Nave (Finish Strong Elite Cycling Team) | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
| 8 | Jessica Mundy (Fearless Femme Racing) | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
| 9 | Laura Jorgensen (The Happy Tooth Pro Cycling) | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
| 10 | Debbie Milne (Stradalli Cycles/Papa John's) | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
| 11 | Janelle Cole | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
| 12 | Vanessa Botero (Finish Strong Elite Cycling Team) | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
| 13 | marie-Soleil Blais (Fearless Fem) | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
| 14 | Ashley Barson (Rise Racing) | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
| 15 | Alexandra Burton (The Happy Tooth Pro Cycling) | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
| 16 | BrittLee Bowman (CRCA/ Velo Classic p/b Stan's NoTubes) | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
| 17 | Venessa Drigo (Stradalli Cycles/Papa John's) | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
| 18 | Hannah Arensman (2016 RIDEBIKER) | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
| 19 | Tiffany Pezzulo (Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling) | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
| 20 | Kristen Arnold (CRCA/ Velo Classic p/b Stan's NoTubes) | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
| 21 | Megan Heath (Frazier Cycling) | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
| 22 | Julia Fresne (Stradalli - Safetti) | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
| 23 | Christina Birch (LA Sweat) | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
| 24 | Cinthia Lehner (OrthoCarolina Winston) | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
| 25 | Arden Stelly (OrthoCarolina Winston) | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
| 26 | Lauren LeClaire (CRCA/ Velo Classic p/b Stan's NoTubes) | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
| 27 | Lucy Betchtel (Fearless Fem) | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
| 28 | Christa Ghent (LA Sweat) | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
| 29 | Rachel McKinnon (Low Country Racing) | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
| 30 | Jennifer Sharp (LA Sweat) | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
| 31 | Allison Arensman (2016 RIDEBIKER) | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
| 32 | Katherine Aristizabal (Finish Strong Elite Cycling Team) | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
| 33 | Jana Luttrell (The Happy Tooth Pro Cycling) | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
| 34 | Emily Shields (OrthoCarolina) | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
| 35 | Sara Tussey (Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling) | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
| 36 | Madison Kelly (Stradalli Cycles/Papa John's) | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
| 37 | Zoe Mullins (OrthoCarolina) | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
| 38 | Tess Oliver (QCW Cycling p/b JLVelo) | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
| 39 | Elspeth Huyett (QCW Breakaway Bikes p.b. Felt Bicycles- JL Vell) | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
| 40 | Katherine Shields (OrthoCarolina) | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
| 41 | Isabella Brookshire | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
| 42 | Holly Beard (Advanced Cycles PB Topview Sports) | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
| 43 | Victoria Kanizer (OrthoCarolina) | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
| 44 | Jennifer Wakeman (RTO National) | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
| 45 | Kathryn Clark | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
| 46 | Sarah Guilbert (Uptown Cycles) | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
| 47 | Kelli Samuelson (LA Sweat) | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
| 48 | Michelle Hedrich | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
| 49 | Merrill Thiermann (American Dornier) | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
| 50 | Maria Carrelli (UHC p/b 706 project) | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
| 51 | Natalie Tapias (CRCA/ Velo Classic p/b Stan's NoTubes) | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
| 52 | Kimberly Vaughan | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Anna Grace Christiansen (Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling) | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Kate Kirkpatrick (Haymarket/Starlight Custom) | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
| DSQ | Lilly Ahrens (EvoDevo) | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
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