Davis Criterium

Jenni Tafoya

By Jenni Tafoya
Date: July 4, 2006
Category: Women 1/2/3
Course: 0.7-mile flat L-shaped loop in downtown Davis
Teammates: Julie, Flavia, Amy
Place: 5th
Winner: Shelley Olds - Proman

After being thoroughly worked over by Proman at the District Crit championships on Sunday, I hoped we could redeem ourselves at Davis. The field had about 30 riders including 4-5 Promen, 3 McGuires, and Brenda Lyons. It was a fairly active race, probably due to all the primes, which we were often contesting and/or winning -- not really intentionally, but when trying to ride near the front as was important to do on this course with so many turns -- sometimes you just find yourself in position. It was great to see Julie finding her legs again after Nature Valley. There were a few break away attempts (I think we were in all of them), but otherwise, the pack seemed to want to keep it together. On bell lap, Helene Drumm attacked into the first turn getting a 1-2 bike length gap. Martina was chasing like mad, with Taitt and Shelley Olds on her wheel. I was a couple riders back and managed to pass a couple of people in the corners but not enough and ended up 5th. I knew I should have been farther forward sooner, but was intentionally trying to be more patient/conservative than usual (where I'm sometimes too far forward and forced to lead it out), which was a mistake on this day - oh well. Shelley passed Helene when she started to slow (she had already passed Martina) and held off everyone to win her second race of the long weekend -- great riding by her. Flavia was 7th and Julie and Amy finished in the pack.