Allar delighted after first major victory

By Greg Johnson

Team Fuji/Salamander Racing's Erica Allar is delighted after taking the first big win of her career at Monday's Komen Central Georgia Cycle for the Cure race, ran in conjunction with Tour de Georgia's opening stage. Allar, who took victory from Colavita/Sutter Home's Tina Pic, was lucky to even contest the event, with a mix-up in scheduled surgery allowing her to race.

"To be honest, I nearly missed out on the weekend of racing in it's entirety due to the discovery of stage two pre-cancerous cells in my cervix that I have to get removed," said Allar. "The initial date I was supposed to get the procedure for removal done was April 9, but there was a mix up at the doctor's office and they had to reschedule me for April 26.

"I am happy that the office made a mistake, if I didn't reschedule I would not have been able to race this weekend at all!," she added. "I am very lucky."

Allar, who is coached by Jame Carney, made the most of windy conditions at the criterium to get her first victory against some of the best American domestic riders, like Pic and Laura Van Gilder.

"This is my first big win of my cycling career against the nations best," noted Allar. "My coach said to me that sometime this year I would have the opportunity to race against and beat the best racers like Laura and Tina. I didn't expect the opportunity to present itself so early in the season!"