Hamilton Criterium,
Bermuda Grand Prix

By Stacy Marple
Date: September 7, 2006
Category: Women Pro1/2, Field 48
Winner: Laura Van Gilder (Lipton) (Stacy 2nd, Brooke 5th)
Team mates: Brooke, Victoria, Eryn, & Flavia

Wow, Bermuda. Between the weekend of racing and this being the 2nd week of school it was mighty hectic getting out of town, but the minute I felt the warm air and smelled the salty sea I knew all the sacrifices were going to be worth it. I was feeling pretty good, having just received my cat 1 upgrade sticker (the sticker just makes it more real) and just coming off two good cal cup finishes. But I had no expectations of myself for this race, since short events have never been my strength and I had only done one NRC criterium previously. The thing I really cared about was the hill climb TT.

The course starts with a 400m run into a 180° right-hand turn, then about 300m to a left up a steep little climb, a right turn and the climb gradually continues then descends into two right-hand downhill corners and a slight downhill 1000m run to the line. F-U-N. As I have said before, I LOVE a crit with a hill! This race was an alarming 30 minutes short, and fast from the gun with everyone jockeying for position before the slam-on-your-brakes fest at the 180. I had an easy time getting into a top 10 position but kept losing my spot on the uphill corner. Once I figured out to take the wide line, which was longer but cleaner I was able to hold top 5. Brooke was in front of me, jumping to cover stuff. I would follow other wheels up to her. On about lap 5 or 6, Rachel Heal (Victory Brewing) attacked up the hill. At the top, Laura Van Gilder (Lipton) jumped to follow. As it flattened out I saw Felicia Gomez (Webcor) ramping up to catch and got on her wheel. We had a small separation, not really a gap, until a Biovail woman crashed on the downhill corners. I think this is what sealed the deal. Felicia and I sat on for a few laps when I looked over at the turnaround and realized 1) we had a good gap and 2) the field was shattering. A confusing moment had the Biovail girl put back in the race in the break with us. First Laura yelled that she did not belong, but when Biovail started to work, suddenly it seemed ok. Really it seemed like a tough call, but in the end she fell off the pace anyway.

Back in the field PABW/TIBCO neutralized all attempts to bridge up, as Laura continued to drill the break. We got to a 30-second gap when I asked Linda for the umpteenth time what to do, but apparently only Eryn could hear me in the radio. I heard some crackling which I decided (unwisely) said, "it's a good break-keep it," which to me meant that I could work. I hate wheel sucking, and that combined with Felicia's vocal desire for me not to work led me to the dubious decision to take some pulls on the downhill tailwind section. When they said 5 laps to go I was amazed. I was in the winning move in my 2nd NRC crit! What should I do? I felt good, so I kept asking Linda if I should attack on the hill, and she apparently kept telling me to attack on the hill, but it never came through. On the 2nd to last lap they announced an $800 prime. This got the pace up and Felicia & Biovail fell off. Then on the hill on the last lap Rachel attacked, but Laura was right on her and I was just behind. Coming into the final stretch it was just a waiting game for when Laura would throw down. Wow, what a jump! Despite all her work, I had a time of it just staying in her draft. About 150m from the line I tried to come around her, to no avail -- not that I really cared! I was SOO excited to get second that I wanted to throw my arms in the air for victory!

Brooke stomped the field sprint for 5th place and may have been more excited for my finish than I was. In all, it was a great race for PABW/TIBCO.