Stage 2: Joe Martin Stage Race 2012

Stage two of the 35th annual Joe Martin Stage Race was tough, because we wanted it to be tough.

After lots of attacks, counter attacks, getting away from the peloton and being dragged back by the other teams, (even Anna Barensfeld who was sick as a dog blasted off the front and made the pack hurt several times, what a champ!) Carmen Small, Courteney Lowe, and Jade Wilcoxson got away with one rider from team Rouse.  I was in the chase group with Emma Grant who was wearing the white jersey, as the leader of the Best Young Rider Classification.

The break stayed away and we let FCS-Rouse, the Colombian National Team and Tibco do the chasing.  Emma rode strong through the last section of the course, winning the bunch sprint with me on her wheel (5th and 6th place).  Up ahead, Carmen had won the race, Jade got 3rd, and Courteney came in 4th.  Annie and Anna who sacrificed everything for the team raced in afterwards.  Textbook teamwork. 

Optum Pro Cycling now has all three leader's jerseys.  Carmen is in the Pink Leader's Jersey and has the Green Sprinter's Jersey as well, and the White Best Young Rider's Jersey was passed over from Emma to Courteney (who won it in the 2011 edition as well!)

It wasn't an easy day, and that's what made it so fun. 

Joe Martin Stage Race Prologue 2012.

Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies is in first place for team classification after the stage one prologue at the Joe Martin Stage Race.  How did we do it?  Super aero and light gear from Orbea and HED, perfect warm-up on Kinetic Trainers, fuel from Clif, and good ol' piston power.

Carmen Small is our top rider in 4th place follwed closely by Jade Wilcoxson in 5th. Anna Barensfeld is in 7th, and I just missed top 10, coming in in 11th.  There are two road races, and a criterium to come.  This is going to be fun.

The full results:

1	Amanda Miller (TIBCO - To The Top)	0:09:59.47
2	Kathryn Donovan (FCS-Rouse  p/b Mr Restore)	0:00:01.12
3	Maria Luisa (Colombian National Team)	0:00:02.41
4	Carmen Small (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)	0:00:03.49
5	Jade Wilcoxson (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)	0:00:08.35
6	Anna Sanders (FCS-Rouse  p/b Mr Restore)	0:00:16.88
7	Anna Barensfeld (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)	0:00:20.54
8	Rachel Warner (FCS-Rouse  p/b Mr Restore)	0:00:21.95
9	Lauren Hall (TIBCO - To The Top)	0:00:22.74
10	Lauren Stephens (FCS-Rouse  p/b Mr Restore)	0:00:28.52
11	Lex Albrecht (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)	0:00:36.01
12	Jennifer Wheeler (TIBCO - To The Top)	0:00:39.67
13	Emma Grant (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)	0:00:44.02
14	Katherine Williams (Team Belladium)	0:00:48.45
15	Amity Elliot (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder)	0:00:59.14
16	Cara Gillis (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder)	0:00:59.82
17	Courteney Lowe (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)	0:01:01.87
18	Joy McCulloch (Helen's Racing)	0:01:14.53
19	Scotti Wilborne (Leborne)	0:01:16.21
20	Jennifer Purcell (TIBCO - To The Top)	0:01:17.97
21	Annie Ewart (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)	0:01:19.04
22	Jerika Hutchinson (Fremont Bank Cycling Team)	0:01:21.28
23	Meredith Miller (TIBCO - To The Top)	0:01:26.30
24	Jessica Prinner (Hotter'N Hell Hundred)	0:01:34.46
25	Samantha Schneider (TIBCO - To The Top)	0:01:37.31
26	Amy McGuire (FCS-Rouse  p/b Mr Restore)	0:01:44.16
27	Kendall Ryan (TIBCO - To The Top)	0:01:48.45
28	Kim Jennings (Bicycles Outback p/b Jubilee Mitsubishi)	0:01:50.75
29	Lauren De Crescenzo (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder)	0:01:55.43
30	Jennifer Perricone (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder)	0:02:06.41
31	Mary Maroon (FCS-Rouse  p/b Mr Restore)	0:02:13.64
32	Jennifer Mix (787 Racing)	0:02:27.24
33	Krystal McNutt (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder)	0:02:32.63
34	Lindsey Durst (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder)	0:02:40.32
35	Jacqueline Denny (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder)	0:02:48.41
36	Michelle Montoya (Bicycles Outback p/b Jubilee Mitsubishi)	0:04:32.15