Allar triumphs at Athens Terrapin Twilight Criterium
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) | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Sarah Fader (Pepper Palace-Spin-Tech Training) | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Jacquelyn Crowell (Exergy) | 0:00:01 |
5 | Debbie Milne (Absolute Racing-MSMOC) | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Cinthia Lehner (Pepper Palace-Spin-Tech Training) | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Elizabeth Morse Hill (Zmotion) | 0:00:02 |
8 | Laura Parsons (Mellow Mushroom-Rose Bandit Racing) | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Addyson 'Addy' Albershardt (NOW-Novartis for MS) | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Alexis Ryan (TIBCO-To The Top) | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Lindsay Bayer (XO Communications p/b Cisco) | 0:00:06 |
12 | Kristen Meshberg (Spidermonkey) | 0:00:08 |
13 | Lenore Pipes (RideClean-PatentIt.com) | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Amy Phillips (Mystique Cycling Team-SCV) | 0:00:09 |
15 | Colleen Gulick (Pure Energy ProAir HFA) | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Valeria Galeano (Mellow Mushroom-Rose Bandit Racing) | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Kathryn Clark (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Kristin Lotito (Pure Energy ProAir HFA) | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
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) | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Whitney Schultz (Paceline Projects p/b Veloforma) | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
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) | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
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) | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Vanessa Drigo (Vanderkitten-Focus) | 0:00:27 |
33 | Cheryl Fuller Muller (Louis Garneau Factory Team) | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
1 | Erica Allar (RideClean/PatentIt.com) | 997 | pts |
2 | Debbie Milne (Absolute Racing) | 858 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Colleen Gulick (Pure Energy Cycling - Proairhfa) | 735 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Colleen Hayduk (RideClean/PatentIt.com) | 655 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Laura Parsons (Mellow Mushroom/Rose Bandit Racing) | 572 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Kristen Lasasso (Mellow Mushroom/Rose Bandit Racing) | 481 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom/Rose Bandit Racing) | 458 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Valeria Galeano (Mellow Mushroom/Rose Bandit Racing) | 447 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Jacquelyn Crowell (Exergy TWENTY12) | 440 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Lenore Pipes (RideClean/PatentIt.com) | 403 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Emma Grant (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 390 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Ann Koehler (Modry/Evergreen) | 386 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Courtney Lowe (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 362 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Annie Ewart (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 349 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Alexis Ryan (Team TIBCO) | 346 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Kathryn Clark (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 341 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Liz Gerrity (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 331 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Sara Tussey (VeloShine Cycling Team) | 323 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Elizabeth Morse Hill (Zmotion) | 322 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Cinthia Lehner (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 290 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Kate Ross (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 288 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Anna Barensfeld (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 288 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | Hanan Alves-Hyde (RideClean/PatentIt.com) | 262 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | Leah Kirchmann (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 254 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Nichole Wangsgard (Primal/MapMyRide) | 250 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Fader Sarah (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 242 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Exergy TWENTY12) | 240 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Erica Chard (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 239 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
29 | Jade Wilcoxson (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 228 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
30 | Morgan Patton (Team Type 1 - Sanofi) | 226 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
31 | Anna Lang (Velo Club LanGrange) | 225 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
32 | Kendall Ryan (Team TIBCO) | 222 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
33 | Elizabeth Morse Hill (Zmotion) | 220 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
34 | Sabrina Forbes (Two-Wheel Jones Racing) | 216 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
35 | Christina Gokey-Smith (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 215 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
36 | Stephanie Skoreyko (Kallisto/Wheels of Oakville) | 215 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
37 | Albershardt Addyson 'Addy' (NOW-Novartis for MS) | 210 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
38 | Zoe Mullins (Colavita) | 204 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
39 | Bayer Lindsay (XO Communications p/b Cisco) | 202 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
40 | Amy McQuire | 200 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
41 | Gwen Inglis (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 200 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
42 | Meshberg Kristen (Spidermonkey) | 197 | Row 41 - Cell 3 |
43 | Greta Neimanas (Exergy TWENTY12) | 196 | Row 42 - Cell 3 |
44 | Tracey Perez (TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing) | 196 | Row 43 - Cell 3 |
45 | Maura Kinsella (Vanderkitten-Focus) | 195 | Row 44 - Cell 3 |
46 | Shannon Koch (GG Events Management) | 192 | Row 45 - Cell 3 |
47 | Hannah Miller (PainPathways Cycling Team) | 191 | Row 46 - Cell 3 |
48 | Amy Phillips (Mystique Cycling Team / SCV) | 189 | Row 47 - Cell 3 |
49 | Shannon Parrish (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 188 | Row 48 - Cell 3 |
50 | Amity Elliot (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 187 | Row 49 - Cell 3 |
51 | Peggy Legrand (US Military Team) | 187 | Row 50 - Cell 3 |
52 | Natalie Koch (Landis/Trek) | 183 | Row 51 - Cell 3 |
53 | Kacey Manderfield (Pure Energy Cycling ProAirHFA) | 179 | Row 52 - Cell 3 |
54 | Melanie Colavito (Landis/Trek) | 179 | Row 53 - Cell 3 |
55 | Marilyn Gullimane (FloridaVelo) | 179 | Row 54 - Cell 3 |
56 | Meghan Korol (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 173 | Row 55 - Cell 3 |
57 | Kristin Lotito (Pure Energy Proair HFA) | 173 | Row 56 - Cell 3 |
58 | Robin Farina (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 172 | Row 57 - Cell 3 |
59 | Lex Albrecht (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 171 | Row 58 - Cell 3 |
60 | Kristin Sanders (Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 169 | Row 59 - Cell 3 |
61 | Carr Kat (Paceline Projects p/b Veloforma) | 169 | Row 60 - Cell 3 |
62 | Olivia Dillon (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 167 | Row 61 - Cell 3 |
63 | Kristy Neuenschwander (St. Pete Bike Fitness) | 167 | Row 62 - Cell 3 |
64 | Kristen Hetzel (TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing) | 166 | Row 63 - Cell 3 |
65 | Sara Fader (R2 Racing) | 159 | Row 64 - Cell 3 |
66 | Judy Jenkins (Landis/Trek) | 159 | Row 65 - Cell 3 |
67 | Chloe Black (TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing) | 156 | Row 66 - Cell 3 |
68 | Schultz Whitney (Paceline Projects p/b Veloforma) | 156 | Row 67 - Cell 3 |
69 | Anne Samplonius (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 155 | Row 68 - Cell 3 |
70 | Sheila Cousins (Morgan Stanley Specialized) | 155 | Row 69 - Cell 3 |
71 | Heather Dunphy (TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing) | 154 | Row 70 - Cell 3 |
72 | Lauren De Crescenzo (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 152 | Row 71 - Cell 3 |
73 | Larson Rebecca (Team Type 1 - Sanofi) | 152 | Row 72 - Cell 3 |
74 | Lindsay Myers (Team TIBCO) | 151 | Row 73 - Cell 3 |
75 | Merideth Miller (Team TIBCO) | 144 | Row 74 - Cell 3 |
76 | Lauren Tamayo (Exergy TWENTY12) | 134 | Row 75 - Cell 3 |
77 | Paine Colleen (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 132 | Row 76 - Cell 3 |
78 | Elizabeth 'Beth' Newell (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 131 | Row 77 - Cell 3 |
79 | Alison Powers (NOW and Novartis for MS) | 131 | Row 78 - Cell 3 |
80 | Keely Christy (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 129 | Row 79 - Cell 3 |
81 | Drigo Vanessa (Vanderkitten-Focus) | 127 | Row 80 - Cell 3 |
82 | Fuller Muller Cheryl (Louis Garneau Factory Team) | 123 | Row 81 - Cell 3 |
83 | Marianne Holt (PainPathways Cycling Team) | 116 | Row 82 - Cell 3 |
84 | Yesica Mendoza | 110 | Row 83 - Cell 3 |
85 | Emily Shields (PainPathways Cycling Team) | 107 | Row 84 - Cell 3 |
86 | Krystal McNutt (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 104 | Row 85 - Cell 3 |
87 | Bergen Watterson (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 101 | Row 86 - Cell 3 |
88 | Allison Arensman (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 98 | Row 87 - Cell 3 |
89 | Stephanie Swan (Pro Bikes - Pittsburgh Racing Team) | 77 | Row 88 - Cell 3 |
90 | Jennifer Greenberg (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 74 | Row 89 - Cell 3 |
91 | Katherine Shields (PainPathways Cycling Team) | 68 | Row 90 - Cell 3 |
92 | Carrie Cash (Pedal the Cause) | 62 | Row 91 - Cell 3 |
93 | Setter Jocelyn (Stranamanti Cycling) | 61 | Row 92 - Cell 3 |
94 | Brostrom Valerie (RideClean/PatentIt.com) | 60 | Row 93 - Cell 3 |
95 | Marquardt Mandy (Team Type 1 - Sanofi) | 60 | Row 94 - Cell 3 |
96 | May Jennie (Louis Garneau Factory Team) | 60 | Row 95 - Cell 3 |
97 | Rice Sarah (Spidermonkey cycling) | 60 | Row 96 - Cell 3 |
98 | Ross Melissa (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 60 | Row 97 - Cell 3 |
99 | Schepps Rebecca (Team Type 1 - Sanofi) | 60 | Row 98 - Cell 3 |
100 | Stephanie Bunnett (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 60 | Row 99 - Cell 3 |
101 | Stephanie Cucaz (Frazier Cycling) | 60 | Row 100 - Cell 3 |
102 | Frazier Zoe (Frazier Cycling) | 60 | Row 101 - Cell 3 |
103 | Komanski Lauren (PainPathways Cycling Team) | 60 | Row 102 - Cell 3 |
104 | Rossouw Klara (Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training p/b ABRC) | 60 | Row 103 - Cell 3 |
105 | Shore Dominiqiue (Frazier Cycling) | 60 | Row 104 - Cell 3 |
106 | Stacey Jensen (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 60 | Row 105 - Cell 3 |
107 | Debbie Praity | 60 | Row 106 - Cell 3 |
108 | Amy Horstmeyer (352 Racing pb Bikes & More) | 60 | Row 107 - Cell 3 |
109 | Skylar Schneider (Team TIBCO) | 60 | Row 108 - Cell 3 |
110 | Christine Roettger (Pedal the Cause) | 60 | Row 109 - Cell 3 |
111 | Jennifer Schuble (US Paralympics) | 60 | Row 110 - Cell 3 |
112 | Marilyn Cullinane (Florida Velo) | 60 | Row 111 - Cell 3 |
113 | Arigail Aldridge (Frazier Cycling) | 60 | Row 112 - Cell 3 |
114 | Dana Walton (Chester County Cycling Foundation) | 50 | Row 113 - Cell 3 |
115 | Emily Weinert (Team Kenda p/b Geargrinder) | 50 | Row 114 - Cell 3 |
116 | Lauren Rigby (VeloShine Cycling Team) | 50 | Row 115 - Cell 3 |
117 | Tamyra Barnard (Alligator's Cycling Club) | 50 | Row 116 - Cell 3 |
118 | Michelle Blake (Colavita) | 50 | Row 117 - Cell 3 |
119 | Daniela Garcia (Park Place Dealerships/sun & ski cycling team) | 50 | Row 118 - Cell 3 |
120 | Hannah Hayduk (Team Alliance Environmental / Chester County Cycling Foundation) | 50 | Row 119 - Cell 3 |
121 | Crystal Little (Mellow Mushroom/Rose Bandit Racing) | 50 | Row 120 - Cell 3 |
122 | Corinne Schmid (Alligator's Cycling Club) | 50 | Row 121 - Cell 3 |
123 | Savannah Sill (Florida State University) | 50 | Row 122 - Cell 3 |
124 | Kimberly Truitt (TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing) | 50 | Row 123 - Cell 3 |
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