Allar triumphs at Athens Terrapin Twilight Criterium
By Neil Browne
Van Gilder, Fader round out podium
Held under warm muggy weather conditions with a crowd several people deep around the one kilometer loop, the Athens Terrapin Twilight Criterium is a party where a bike race breaks out.
Under the constant thump of dance music and the constant clang of a prime bell, Erica Allar (Ride Clean) jumped out of from the bunch and took the field sprint for the win over Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom-Rose Bandit) and Sarah Fader (Pepper Palace-Spin-Tech Training).
The cash-heavy primes kept the women on the gas throughout the whole 40 lap race. It was one of these primes that motivated Sara Tussey (Veloshine Cycling) to pull away and take several primes. Fortunately for her she was riding solo so there was no splitting the cash with breakaway companions.
As expected she was eventually pulled back into the peloton - but that didn't stop the counter-attacks.
With the pace so high by the halfway point, dropped women racers were being pulled from the race for safety reasons. Those who were still in contention were strung out in single file with Van Gilder at the front.
With the multiple attacks throughout the race, the Mellow Mushroom squad took the responsibility of keeping the breaks in check.
"I thought RideClean might contribute a bit, but they had their race to run and we had ours," said Van Gilder. "We felt confident in having a field sprint, unless there was the right mix (of riders) in a break."
With the daylight completely gone and with just three final remaining laps Tussey and Whitney Schultz (Paceline Projects p/b Veloforma) went off the front. However they only had a handful of seconds lead.
On the bell lap the women's peloton was all together and as expected a field sprint awaited to determine victory.
Coming over the small rise toward the finish line two women came into sight battling for the win. With a throw to the line Allar edged out Van Gilder at the line.
Allar had won last week in the Sunny King Criterium and was gunning for the Athens win.
"Coming off my win in Sunny King I came in knowing that Laura Van Gilder and Jacquelyn Crowell (Exergy) would potentially want to get up off the front and I was fully aware of that move. But I have pretty good pack handling skills and if it came down to a field sprint I could do well there too."
Allar explained her strategy for the last lap.
"Crowell jumped on the back straight and I got on her wheel. I knew if I was patient and timed my sprint well I could win," said Allar.
Allar maintains her lead in the USA CRITS series followed by Debbie Milne (Absolute Racing) and in third Colleen Gulick (Pure Energy Cycling).
1 | Erica Allar (RideClean-PatentIt.com) | 0:56:54 |
2 | Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom-Rose Bandit Racing) | |
3 | Sarah Fader (Pepper Palace-Spin-Tech Training) | |
4 | Jacquelyn Crowell (Exergy) | 0:00:01 |
5 | Debbie Milne (Absolute Racing-MSMOC) | |
6 | Cinthia Lehner (Pepper Palace-Spin-Tech Training) | |
7 | Elizabeth Morse Hill (Zmotion) | 0:00:02 |
8 | Laura Parsons (Mellow Mushroom-Rose Bandit Racing) | |
9 | Addyson 'Addy' Albershardt (NOW-Novartis for MS) | |
10 | Alexis Ryan (TIBCO-To The Top) | |
11 | Lindsay Bayer (XO Communications p/b Cisco) | 0:00:06 |
12 | Kristen Meshberg (Spidermonkey) | 0:00:08 |
13 | Lenore Pipes (RideClean-PatentIt.com) | |
14 | Amy Phillips (Mystique Cycling Team-SCV) | 0:00:09 |
15 | Colleen Gulick (Pure Energy ProAir HFA) | |
16 | Valeria Galeano (Mellow Mushroom-Rose Bandit Racing) | |
17 | Kathryn Clark (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | |
18 | Kristin Lotito (Pure Energy ProAir HFA) | |
19 | Kat Carr (Paceline Projects p/b Veloforma) | 0:00:10 |
20 | Sara Tussey (VeloShine Cycling Team) | 0:00:11 |
21 | Ann Koehler (Modry Evergreen) | 0:00:13 |
22 | Colleen Hayduk (RideClean-PatentIt.com) | |
23 | Whitney Schultz (Paceline Projects p/b Veloforma) | |
24 | Rebecca Larson (Team Type 1-Sanofi) | 0:00:15 |
25 | Liz Gerrity (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 0:00:18 |
26 | Erica Chard (Pepper Palace-Spin-Tech Training) | 0:00:19 |
27 | Hannah Miller (PainPathways Cycling Team) | |
28 | Shannon Parrish (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 0:00:21 |
29 | Morgan Patton (Team Type 1-Sanofi) | 0:00:23 |
30 | Colleen Paine (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 0:00:25 |
31 | Christy Keely (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | |
32 | Vanessa Drigo (Vanderkitten-Focus) | 0:00:27 |
33 | Cheryl Fuller Muller (Louis Garneau Factory Team) |
1 | Erica Allar (RideClean/PatentIt.com) | 997 | pts |
2 | Debbie Milne (Absolute Racing) | 858 | |
3 | Colleen Gulick (Pure Energy Cycling - Proairhfa) | 735 | |
4 | Colleen Hayduk (RideClean/PatentIt.com) | 655 | |
5 | Laura Parsons (Mellow Mushroom/Rose Bandit Racing) | 572 | |
6 | Kristen Lasasso (Mellow Mushroom/Rose Bandit Racing) | 481 | |
7 | Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom/Rose Bandit Racing) | 458 | |
8 | Valeria Galeano (Mellow Mushroom/Rose Bandit Racing) | 447 | |
9 | Jacquelyn Crowell (Exergy TWENTY12) | 440 | |
10 | Lenore Pipes (RideClean/PatentIt.com) | 403 | |
11 | Emma Grant (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 390 | |
12 | Ann Koehler (Modry/Evergreen) | 386 | |
13 | Courtney Lowe (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 362 | |
14 | Annie Ewart (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 349 | |
15 | Alexis Ryan (Team TIBCO) | 346 | |
16 | Kathryn Clark (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 341 | |
17 | Liz Gerrity (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 331 | |
18 | Sara Tussey (VeloShine Cycling Team) | 323 | |
19 | Elizabeth Morse Hill (Zmotion) | 322 | |
20 | Cinthia Lehner (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 290 | |
21 | Kate Ross (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 288 | |
22 | Anna Barensfeld (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 288 | |
23 | Hanan Alves-Hyde (RideClean/PatentIt.com) | 262 | |
24 | Leah Kirchmann (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 254 | |
25 | Nichole Wangsgard (Primal/MapMyRide) | 250 | |
26 | Fader Sarah (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 242 | |
27 | Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Exergy TWENTY12) | 240 | |
28 | Erica Chard (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 239 | |
29 | Jade Wilcoxson (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 228 | |
30 | Morgan Patton (Team Type 1 - Sanofi) | 226 | |
31 | Anna Lang (Velo Club LanGrange) | 225 | |
32 | Kendall Ryan (Team TIBCO) | 222 | |
33 | Elizabeth Morse Hill (Zmotion) | 220 | |
34 | Sabrina Forbes (Two-Wheel Jones Racing) | 216 | |
35 | Christina Gokey-Smith (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 215 | |
36 | Stephanie Skoreyko (Kallisto/Wheels of Oakville) | 215 | |
37 | Albershardt Addyson 'Addy' (NOW-Novartis for MS) | 210 | |
38 | Zoe Mullins (Colavita) | 204 | |
39 | Bayer Lindsay (XO Communications p/b Cisco) | 202 | |
40 | Amy McQuire | 200 | |
41 | Gwen Inglis (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 200 | |
42 | Meshberg Kristen (Spidermonkey) | 197 | |
43 | Greta Neimanas (Exergy TWENTY12) | 196 | |
44 | Tracey Perez (TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing) | 196 | |
45 | Maura Kinsella (Vanderkitten-Focus) | 195 | |
46 | Shannon Koch (GG Events Management) | 192 | |
47 | Hannah Miller (PainPathways Cycling Team) | 191 | |
48 | Amy Phillips (Mystique Cycling Team / SCV) | 189 | |
49 | Shannon Parrish (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 188 | |
50 | Amity Elliot (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 187 | |
51 | Peggy Legrand (US Military Team) | 187 | |
52 | Natalie Koch (Landis/Trek) | 183 | |
53 | Kacey Manderfield (Pure Energy Cycling ProAirHFA) | 179 | |
54 | Melanie Colavito (Landis/Trek) | 179 | |
55 | Marilyn Gullimane (FloridaVelo) | 179 | |
56 | Meghan Korol (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 173 | |
57 | Kristin Lotito (Pure Energy Proair HFA) | 173 | |
58 | Robin Farina (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 172 | |
59 | Lex Albrecht (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 171 | |
60 | Kristin Sanders (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 169 | |
61 | Carr Kat (Paceline Projects p/b Veloforma) | 169 | |
62 | Olivia Dillon (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 167 | |
63 | Kristy Neuenschwander (St. Pete Bike Fitness) | 167 | |
64 | Kristen Hetzel (TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing) | 166 | |
65 | Sara Fader (R2 Racing) | 159 | |
66 | Judy Jenkins (Landis/Trek) | 159 | |
67 | Chloe Black (TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing) | 156 | |
68 | Schultz Whitney (Paceline Projects p/b Veloforma) | 156 | |
69 | Anne Samplonius (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 155 | |
70 | Sheila Cousins (Morgan Stanley Specialized) | 155 | |
71 | Heather Dunphy (TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing) | 154 | |
72 | Lauren De Crescenzo (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 152 | |
73 | Larson Rebecca (Team Type 1 - Sanofi) | 152 | |
74 | Lindsay Myers (Team TIBCO) | 151 | |
75 | Merideth Miller (Team TIBCO) | 144 | |
76 | Lauren Tamayo (Exergy TWENTY12) | 134 | |
77 | Paine Colleen (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 132 | |
78 | Elizabeth 'Beth' Newell (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 131 | |
79 | Alison Powers (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 131 | |
80 | Keely Christy (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 129 | |
81 | Drigo Vanessa (Vanderkitten-Focus) | 127 | |
82 | Fuller Muller Cheryl (Louis Garneau Factory Team) | 123 | |
83 | Marianne Holt (PainPathways Cycling Team) | 116 | |
84 | Yesica Mendoza | 110 | |
85 | Emily Shields (PainPathways Cycling Team) | 107 | |
86 | Krystal McNutt (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 104 | |
87 | Bergen Watterson (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 101 | |
88 | Allison Arensman (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 98 | |
89 | Stephanie Swan (Pro Bikes - Pittsburgh Racing Team) | 77 | |
90 | Jennifer Greenberg (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 74 | |
91 | Katherine Shields (PainPathways Cycling Team) | 68 | |
92 | Carrie Cash (Pedal the Cause) | 62 | |
93 | Setter Jocelyn (Stranamanti Cycling) | 61 | |
94 | Brostrom Valerie (RideClean/PatentIt.com) | 60 | |
95 | Marquardt Mandy (Team Type 1 - Sanofi) | 60 | |
96 | May Jennie (Louis Garneau Factory Team) | 60 | |
97 | Rice Sarah (Spidermonkey cycling) | 60 | |
98 | Ross Melissa (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 60 | |
99 | Schepps Rebecca (Team Type 1 - Sanofi) | 60 | |
100 | Stephanie Bunnett (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 60 | |
101 | Stephanie Cucaz (Frazier Cycling) | 60 | |
102 | Frazier Zoe (Frazier Cycling) | 60 | |
103 | Komanski Lauren (PainPathways Cycling Team) | 60 | |
104 | Rossouw Klara (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 60 | |
105 | Shore Dominiqiue (Frazier Cycling) | 60 | |
106 | Stacey Jensen (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 60 | |
107 | Debbie Praity | 60 | |
108 | Amy Horstmeyer (352 Racing pb Bikes & More) | 60 | |
109 | Skylar Schneider (Team TIBCO) | 60 | |
110 | Christine Roettger (Pedal the Cause) | 60 | |
111 | Jennifer Schuble (US Paralympics) | 60 | |
112 | Marilyn Cullinane (Florida Velo) | 60 | |
113 | Arigail Aldridge (Frazier Cycling) | 60 | |
114 | Dana Walton (Chester County Cycling Foundation) | 50 | |
115 | Emily Weinert (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 50 | |
116 | Lauren Rigby (VeloShine Cycling Team) | 50 | |
117 | Tamyra Barnard (Alligator's Cycling Club) | 50 | |
118 | Michelle Blake (Colavita) | 50 | |
119 | Daniela Garcia (Park Place Dealerships/sun & ski cycling team) | 50 | |
120 | Hannah Hayduk (Team Alliance Environmental / Chester County Cycling Foundation) | 50 | |
121 | Crystal Little (Mellow Mushroom/Rose Bandit Racing) | 50 | |
122 | Corinne Schmid (Alligator's Cycling Club) | 50 | |
123 | Savannah Sill (Florida State University) | 50 | |
124 | Kimberly Truitt (TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing) | 50 |
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