After racing in Gatineau, Juvéderm-Specialized-Mazda work up nice and early, hopped in the Mazda team car, found a place with free coffee and busted it to race in Hudson.
Here's how the race played out:
Anne Guzman and Val Crête attack, and break off the front with a group of girls.
Anne attacks again when she sees the girls are hurting in one of the hills.
Val re-joins the peloton, and Véronique Labonté tells me to go.
I bust it up the hill to catch up with Anne. Nobody follows. Her and I do almost two laps alone off the front. Then I look back, and see three Juvéderm-Specialized-Mazda jerseys not far behind. I get a little giddy giggle building up in my throat but I hold off because I'm a little tired from our breakaway efforts.
Joanie Caron, Véronique Labonté, and Denise Ramsden join Anne and I. We race the last laps of that puppy as a group of five.
Meanwhile, Moriah-JO MacGregor breaks off of the peloton behind us with 15km to go and rides the rest of the race between the two groups.
The five of us off the front decide to practice a lead-out for Joanie, and make sure that Anne gets her well deserved spot on the podium for her awesome efforts of the day.
Juvéderm-Specialized-Mazda gets 1st-6th. Weehooo!
May 24, 2011
Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau
This is Canada's only UCI event organized for women. There were a lot of well known athletes in the peloton this year, and the dynamics of the pack resembled those of the European peloton. Fast moving, and aggressive.
It was really hot, and sunny (for the first time this year back "at home") and it was especially important to stay hydrated with the Eload that our soigneur MC prepared for us.
There were a few crashes, one that unfortunately took out my teammate Joanie Caron. But the positive highlight of the race was Denise Ramsden's solo break that lasted over 50km. She gained almost a minute over the peloton at certain times. She rode like a champ on that Specialized S-Works Amira of hers. Good job Denise, you rock! Véro Labonté finished with an impressive 6th place. The night after the race, I took it upon myself to take a little stroll around the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau. What a gorgeous city...
It was really hot, and sunny (for the first time this year back "at home") and it was especially important to stay hydrated with the Eload that our soigneur MC prepared for us.
There were a few crashes, one that unfortunately took out my teammate Joanie Caron. But the positive highlight of the race was Denise Ramsden's solo break that lasted over 50km. She gained almost a minute over the peloton at certain times. She rode like a champ on that Specialized S-Works Amira of hers. Good job Denise, you rock! Véro Labonté finished with an impressive 6th place. The night after the race, I took it upon myself to take a little stroll around the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau. What a gorgeous city...
May 23, 2011
La Suite de Saint Raymond
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| Antoine Becotte |
May 14, 2011
De Retour au Québec! Grand Prix St. Raymond: Etape 1
C'est la première fois depuis Ste. Martine (la course qui commence la saison de vélo au Québec) que je cours au Québec. J'avais inimaginablement hâte de prendre le départ d'une course de nouveau.
Ca fait 6 jours (Bon, en fait 2 jours, car j'avais fait un critérium régional mercredi passé) que je n'ai pas couru. 6 jours, voyons, c'est pas si pire! HA! J'essayais de me convaincre d'être plus raisonable, plus patiente cette semaine, mais bon...disons que ça n'a pas marché comme j'aurais voulu.
Je vous explique comment la course s'est passée aujourd'hui.
Ma co-équpière, Véronique Labonté attaque avec 3 (sur 5) tours à faire. Virginie Gauthier (une ancienne co-équipière qui fait partie de l'équipe Atrium maintenent) et Caroline Brunet (Garneau. Triple médaillée Olympique en kayak) sont parties avec. Labonté a largué tout le monde. Puis ensuite: ROAD BLOCK.
La course à été neutralisée pour toutes les catégories (senior homme, senior femme...) par la police de St. Raymond car les gars roulaient trop souvent à gauche de la linge jaune apparament. (Dis-le pas à personne mais je me démande si c'était pas à cause que le policier était jaloux des beaux pistons, qu'il avait décidé d'arrêter et de compliquer leur course (et le notre, en fin de compte)...) En tout cas, ils ont pas arreté Labonté ni Brunet qui étaient toujours devant le peloton. Finalement, Labonté et ensuite Brunet nous ont lappés pendant qu'on attendaient après la police en plien milieu de la route. Elles ont fait un tour de plus ca veut dire!
Quand notre course est repartie (il nous restait deux tours à faire), on a laissé Labonté, Brunet, et Gauthier repartir avec une avance d'une minute. J'ai "bridgé" jusqu'à eux avec un tour à faire. Labonté m'a dit de me reposer, mais d'attaquer dans la prochaine bosse. Véro Labonté fait des bons plans de course, faque je l'ai écouté, bien sûr. Finalement, Anne-Marie Morin (Atrium) et Labonté m'ont ratrappé. Myriam Goudreault (Rocky Mountain) travaillait fort afin de fermer le gap entre le peloton et nous autres. Ca n'a pas marché.
Véro m'a fait un bon lead-out et j'ai gagné ça, les mains dans les airs. Elle a pris 2e, devant Morin.
Je suis confiante que Véro aurait gagné solo s'il y aurait pas eu la drole de neutralisation, mais on a démontré notre flexibilité aujourd'hui avec une réussite malgré les circonstances. Good job girls! Deuxième, et dernière étape demain.
Ca fait 6 jours (Bon, en fait 2 jours, car j'avais fait un critérium régional mercredi passé) que je n'ai pas couru. 6 jours, voyons, c'est pas si pire! HA! J'essayais de me convaincre d'être plus raisonable, plus patiente cette semaine, mais bon...disons que ça n'a pas marché comme j'aurais voulu.
Je vous explique comment la course s'est passée aujourd'hui.
Ma co-équpière, Véronique Labonté attaque avec 3 (sur 5) tours à faire. Virginie Gauthier (une ancienne co-équipière qui fait partie de l'équipe Atrium maintenent) et Caroline Brunet (Garneau. Triple médaillée Olympique en kayak) sont parties avec. Labonté a largué tout le monde. Puis ensuite: ROAD BLOCK.
La course à été neutralisée pour toutes les catégories (senior homme, senior femme...) par la police de St. Raymond car les gars roulaient trop souvent à gauche de la linge jaune apparament. (Dis-le pas à personne mais je me démande si c'était pas à cause que le policier était jaloux des beaux pistons, qu'il avait décidé d'arrêter et de compliquer leur course (et le notre, en fin de compte)...) En tout cas, ils ont pas arreté Labonté ni Brunet qui étaient toujours devant le peloton. Finalement, Labonté et ensuite Brunet nous ont lappés pendant qu'on attendaient après la police en plien milieu de la route. Elles ont fait un tour de plus ca veut dire!
Quand notre course est repartie (il nous restait deux tours à faire), on a laissé Labonté, Brunet, et Gauthier repartir avec une avance d'une minute. J'ai "bridgé" jusqu'à eux avec un tour à faire. Labonté m'a dit de me reposer, mais d'attaquer dans la prochaine bosse. Véro Labonté fait des bons plans de course, faque je l'ai écouté, bien sûr. Finalement, Anne-Marie Morin (Atrium) et Labonté m'ont ratrappé. Myriam Goudreault (Rocky Mountain) travaillait fort afin de fermer le gap entre le peloton et nous autres. Ca n'a pas marché.
Véro m'a fait un bon lead-out et j'ai gagné ça, les mains dans les airs. Elle a pris 2e, devant Morin.
Je suis confiante que Véro aurait gagné solo s'il y aurait pas eu la drole de neutralisation, mais on a démontré notre flexibilité aujourd'hui avec une réussite malgré les circonstances. Good job girls! Deuxième, et dernière étape demain.
May 9, 2011
Stage 4 of the 34th Annual Joe Martin Stage Race.
An L-shaped criterium with a nice little hill in it. Way cool.
That was the fourth and final stage of the 34th annual Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We went into the race in 4th place Team GC, 3rd place individual GC, with one second place podium already under our belts.
With two laps done, I think the ice that M.C. had prepared in dainty pairs of pantyhose for our jersey pockets had already melted. It was pretty warm in Fayetteville on May 8th!
With three laps to go I downed a mild tangerine E-load gel. With two laps to go, Emily Kachorek of Primal-Map My Ride attacked off the front. She wasn't a danger to the GC so nobody brought her back. With one left to go, my teammate Véronique Labonté cranked up the speed and led the pack for our finish. Véro is so good at riding in the perfect place, and picking up and holding a great pace. I was up there following her, ready to torque my S-Works Amira up the hill to the finish line.
That's what I did, almost catching up the Kachorek. Her attack had been perfectly placed, and she won the race. I crossed the line second. Modest Vzesniauskaite of Colavita wasn't far behind.
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| Photo: © Tom Ewart |
Thanks to all of the race organizers and volunteers, our host housing families, the team staff, and our generous sponsors!
May 8, 2011
Stage 3 of the 34th Annual Joe Martin Stage Race.
The time difference between first and second place in GC was 0.05 seconds.
It was a pretty hot day, and quite breezy. Nothing compared to Gila, but the wind was there regardless. I soaked my jersey with water that our soigneur, MC, prepared before the start to keep myself cool. She takes good care of us.
There were several attacks during stage 3, but no successful breakaways in the race. All of us were up at the front of the pack. Vero was there to lead me out but I didn't get on her wheel at the right moment. The finish was fast. There was a tail wind, it was slightly downhill. Nothing like the uphill hammerfest of yesterday. I only managed 8th.
Colavita won first and second place today, moving them up into first place of the GC. We still maintain 3rd , by a margin of 4 seconds from 4th place. We are 9 seconds behind 2nd, and 19 seconds behind 1st place GC, in part due to the time bonuses given to the top three finishers of each stage.
The next and final stage is an unusual crit, with a nice uphill kicker, and a fast decent in the course. I'm looking forward to this one.
As soon as the race finishes we've got to pack 'er up and fly back home. Back to my "other" reality!
It was a pretty hot day, and quite breezy. Nothing compared to Gila, but the wind was there regardless. I soaked my jersey with water that our soigneur, MC, prepared before the start to keep myself cool. She takes good care of us.
There were several attacks during stage 3, but no successful breakaways in the race. All of us were up at the front of the pack. Vero was there to lead me out but I didn't get on her wheel at the right moment. The finish was fast. There was a tail wind, it was slightly downhill. Nothing like the uphill hammerfest of yesterday. I only managed 8th.
Colavita won first and second place today, moving them up into first place of the GC. We still maintain 3rd , by a margin of 4 seconds from 4th place. We are 9 seconds behind 2nd, and 19 seconds behind 1st place GC, in part due to the time bonuses given to the top three finishers of each stage.
The next and final stage is an unusual crit, with a nice uphill kicker, and a fast decent in the course. I'm looking forward to this one.
As soon as the race finishes we've got to pack 'er up and fly back home. Back to my "other" reality!
Joe Martin Stage Race: Stage 2, Another Podium for Juvederm Specialized Mazda
I was excited about the second stage finish of the Joe Martin Stage Race. The course itself was nice. It was safe, there were some rolling hills, the scenery was nice. But, right before the finish, there were three turns, and then an uphill straightaway to the finish line.
I like those uphill finishes.
My teammates covered most of the attacks during the race. We shared bottles of Eload amongst ourselves. I tried to stay fresh, and hydrated for the end. I wanted to torque it up to that finish line with the right amount of oumpf in the legs.
Anne Guzman and Mojo (Moriah-Jo MacGregor) were up at the front of the pack on their Specialized S-Works Amiras near the end, not letting the pace get down too low. If it did, the pack would bunch up making it tougher to keep a good position. Véro Labonté was first wheel through the second and third last corners, and I was second wheel. I was set up well for the last finish where Colavita, Tibco, and Map My Ride riders were aiming to set up as well. I torqued it up to the finish line and crossed second.
Another podium for Juvéderm-Specialized-Mazda, thanks to some great teamwork!
GC:
Juvéderm Specialized Mazda GC: 4th
Lex GC: 3rd
I like those uphill finishes.
My teammates covered most of the attacks during the race. We shared bottles of Eload amongst ourselves. I tried to stay fresh, and hydrated for the end. I wanted to torque it up to that finish line with the right amount of oumpf in the legs.
Anne Guzman and Mojo (Moriah-Jo MacGregor) were up at the front of the pack on their Specialized S-Works Amiras near the end, not letting the pace get down too low. If it did, the pack would bunch up making it tougher to keep a good position. Véro Labonté was first wheel through the second and third last corners, and I was second wheel. I was set up well for the last finish where Colavita, Tibco, and Map My Ride riders were aiming to set up as well. I torqued it up to the finish line and crossed second.
Another podium for Juvéderm-Specialized-Mazda, thanks to some great teamwork!
GC:
Juvéderm Specialized Mazda GC: 4th
Lex GC: 3rd
May 5, 2011
Première étape du Joe Martin Stage Race
Data Quarq (power meter) de la première étape du Joe Martin Stage Race
Comme j'avais pensé. J'étais bien capable de le faire. 9:57. Pas si pire. Puis, c'est un autre TT de fait. Plus que j'en fais, plus que je les aime. (J'ai fini 5ème)
Je me suis rechauffée comme il faut avant la course. J'étais prudente avec mon hydratation. Il faisait quand-même assez chaud quand je pedalais sur le trainer avant ma course, et notre soigneur nous a préparé plein de bouteilles de E-load. Elle sait bien ce que nous aimons. Et nous l'aimons bien. Merci M.C..
La montée était comme chez nous, comme j'avais déjà dit hier. J'ai roulé mille fois dans le Parc de la Mauricie au Québec. Le parcours dans le Devils Den State Park était quasiment comme si je roulais sur un chemain retiré de "mon" parc. Je vous invite de checker mon data Quarq en cliquant sur le lien "Data Quarq". C'est quand même intéressant de voir la puissance qu'on transfère au bike...j'adore mon Quarq.
Juvéderm-Specialized-Mazda est 3e au GC. Mais on veut monter... :)!
Comme j'avais pensé. J'étais bien capable de le faire. 9:57. Pas si pire. Puis, c'est un autre TT de fait. Plus que j'en fais, plus que je les aime. (J'ai fini 5ème)
Je me suis rechauffée comme il faut avant la course. J'étais prudente avec mon hydratation. Il faisait quand-même assez chaud quand je pedalais sur le trainer avant ma course, et notre soigneur nous a préparé plein de bouteilles de E-load. Elle sait bien ce que nous aimons. Et nous l'aimons bien. Merci M.C..
La montée était comme chez nous, comme j'avais déjà dit hier. J'ai roulé mille fois dans le Parc de la Mauricie au Québec. Le parcours dans le Devils Den State Park était quasiment comme si je roulais sur un chemain retiré de "mon" parc. Je vous invite de checker mon data Quarq en cliquant sur le lien "Data Quarq". C'est quand même intéressant de voir la puissance qu'on transfère au bike...j'adore mon Quarq.
Juvéderm-Specialized-Mazda est 3e au GC. Mais on veut monter... :)!
May 4, 2011
Joe Martin Stage Race: Ca commence demain!
J'ai roulé le parcours du contre la montre ce matin avec Moriah, Véro Labonté et Anne. C'est une montée d'un peu plus que 3 miles. J'ai mis mon compteur en miles pour ne pas avoir à convertir les donnés sur les parcours dans le "Race Bible". C'est moins gossant de même.
Malade. C'est comme chez nous. C'est comme le Parc de la Mauricie. "Je pense que je suis capable". En fait je sais que je suis capable de le faire, je l'ai fait 6 fois aujourd'hui afin d'apprendre les virages et les gradients de la montée comme il faut. L'affaire c'est juste que je ne sais pas encore à quelle vitesse que je serai capable de rouler le parcours demain. On vera bien!
Le peloton sera petit cette semaine. Il y a seulement un peu plus que 40 filles inscrites. J'avoue que j'étais un peu déçu de l'apprendre. Mais, c'est loin d'être la fin du monde...c'est le début d'une autre course. Yehaw! Je vais en profiter comme il faut, avant de retourner à mon autre vie que j'ai laissé à Laval il y a une semaine et demi.
J'ai le gout de manger un bon bol de gruau. Ca sera mon déjeuener. Si je veux le manger, il faut que je me couche. Bonne nuit!
Malade. C'est comme chez nous. C'est comme le Parc de la Mauricie. "Je pense que je suis capable". En fait je sais que je suis capable de le faire, je l'ai fait 6 fois aujourd'hui afin d'apprendre les virages et les gradients de la montée comme il faut. L'affaire c'est juste que je ne sais pas encore à quelle vitesse que je serai capable de rouler le parcours demain. On vera bien!
Le peloton sera petit cette semaine. Il y a seulement un peu plus que 40 filles inscrites. J'avoue que j'étais un peu déçu de l'apprendre. Mais, c'est loin d'être la fin du monde...c'est le début d'une autre course. Yehaw! Je vais en profiter comme il faut, avant de retourner à mon autre vie que j'ai laissé à Laval il y a une semaine et demi.
J'ai le gout de manger un bon bol de gruau. Ca sera mon déjeuener. Si je veux le manger, il faut que je me couche. Bonne nuit!
May 3, 2011
Quarq Power Data From the 5th Stage of the SRAM Tour of The Gila (25th edition!)
Click here to check out my Quarq data!
This is the power data from my Quarq power meter for the 5th stage of the SRAM Tour of The Gila. Seven of us broke away and worked together from around 40km into the race. I rode solo from about 85.5km, to the end of the race.
This is the power data from my Quarq power meter for the 5th stage of the SRAM Tour of The Gila. Seven of us broke away and worked together from around 40km into the race. I rode solo from about 85.5km, to the end of the race.
Stage 5 SRAM Tour of The Gila: Gila Monster Road Race
I ate my waffle and oatmeal like every morning. The TREK-Livestrong U23 team guys had already scored all of the seats in the dining area, so I just brought the goods back up to my room and ate in bed. (By the way, congratulations to them for their outstanding week at the Tour of The Gila!).
It was cold. Everyone was shivering at the start line. Pat Gauthier, our mechanic, rubbed my arms with the speed of an industrial floor polisher so I wouldn't freeze. My teammate Anne Guzman broke away for a couple of minutes right from the start. She was caught, and Diadora started pushing the pace hard. A few gaps were made in the peloton, but eventually most of us got back together.
Heather Logan from Colavita, and a girl from Primal-Map My Ride launched an attack. My teammate Véro Labonté told me to go and I followed. Eventually 4 other riders caught up to us. We worked together until the bottom of the final climb and gained almost 10 minutes over the peloton. The remaining 6 didn't respond when Kathryn Donovan rode away hard at the beginning of the long final climb...and I wasn't sure why. Then I decided to go too. Then they were 5.
Laura Charameda (our DS, or "directeur sportif") caught up to me in the team car. She and Pat followed me up the hill, making sure I didn't need any more Eload drink or gels. I took a bottle. They honked at me, and yelled "go, go, go, 'hup-up-up" for about 15 miles. Yeah, I asked if I looked strong for a confidence booster. They answered "correctly". It always works.
I finished second in the stage, and I found myself in the Best Young Rider's jersey. Andrea Dvorak, Heather Logan-Sprenger, and Clara Hughes were up on the podium with me. Final GC (general classification) result for me: 9th.
My teammate, Denise Ramsden finishes second in the BYR classification, maintains her Best Young Rider status for the Prestigue Series. She's headed to the PanAm Cycling Championships. Go get 'em girl!
A big thank you to all of our sponsors (check out the right hand column of my blog) for helping us make this all happen.
It was cold. Everyone was shivering at the start line. Pat Gauthier, our mechanic, rubbed my arms with the speed of an industrial floor polisher so I wouldn't freeze. My teammate Anne Guzman broke away for a couple of minutes right from the start. She was caught, and Diadora started pushing the pace hard. A few gaps were made in the peloton, but eventually most of us got back together.
Heather Logan from Colavita, and a girl from Primal-Map My Ride launched an attack. My teammate Véro Labonté told me to go and I followed. Eventually 4 other riders caught up to us. We worked together until the bottom of the final climb and gained almost 10 minutes over the peloton. The remaining 6 didn't respond when Kathryn Donovan rode away hard at the beginning of the long final climb...and I wasn't sure why. Then I decided to go too. Then they were 5.
Laura Charameda (our DS, or "directeur sportif") caught up to me in the team car. She and Pat followed me up the hill, making sure I didn't need any more Eload drink or gels. I took a bottle. They honked at me, and yelled "go, go, go, 'hup-up-up" for about 15 miles. Yeah, I asked if I looked strong for a confidence booster. They answered "correctly". It always works.
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| Photos Courtesy of Gila Wilderness dot.com Photography | Rob Narvaez |
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| Photos Courtesy of Gila Wilderness dot.com Photography | Rob Narvaez |
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| Photos Courtesy of Gila Wilderness dot.com Photography | Rob Narvaez |
My teammate, Denise Ramsden finishes second in the BYR classification, maintains her Best Young Rider status for the Prestigue Series. She's headed to the PanAm Cycling Championships. Go get 'em girl!
May 1, 2011
Tour of the Gila 2011 Stage 4 Criterium Quarq Data
Tour of the Gila 2011 Stage 4 Criterium Quarq Data
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