Redlands (Ange)

Right after the San Dimas Stage Race, Ange McClure, the Aussie on the Bridge Team, jumped straight into Redlands, and finished with a fantastic 23rd place overall! Nicely done for her 2nd US race ever! Here's her race report:

Redlands Road Race

Sunset Road Race: 18th

GC: 23rd

25/3/2010 - 28/3/2010

My arrival in Redlands from my the Webcor/Alto Velo team in San Dimas which was my first taste of the American racing scene left me eager and excited to race the Redlands Stage Race.

First up on Thursday was an uphill 5k TT. It was a chance to shake out the legs after San Dimas and to get rid of some "big race" nerves. The course was tough and I finished middle of the field of 112 girls. The winner if the stage Amber Neben from the team Dare to Be- BMW Bianchi.

Friday brought about a 68 mile road race. The morning was brisk and the atmosphere was dull at the start of the stage. This quickly changed when the whistle blew and girls scrambled to the front. I went for the first KOM points however fell short, and did not succeed this was on lap 1 which was an extended loop of the 3 lap race, the last 2 loops being smaller then the first. 2nd lap I tried desperately to be in a break but nothing was sticking, mainly due to the wind managing to hold everyone together, an individual or group of riders not being string enough to break of the front. The 3rd lap left me gripping at my bars due to my efforts on lap 2, and I finished with the group, the result of the stage coming down to a bunch sprint won by Ina- Yoko Teutenburg of HTC Columbia.

Saturday's Crit saw the legs go through another tough knock out around the street of Redlands for 50 minutes. The heat was turned on after 30minutes which left the field strung out and fighting to hold wheels and positions. The action packed race resulted in a small break off the front that left team Colavita with a stage win by Theresa Cliff-Ryan.

The last day of Redlands is the penultimate stage on the Sun Set course around Redlands totalling 68miles, 9 laps of a very hilly and technical course. I did not know what I was entering myself into when I started today's main stage. I rolled off the start line with my legs suffering from the last three days I begin the jostling for position and it was only the neutral zone! As we approached the our first lap which contained a KOM first lap, the pace was on and the tone was set for a hard race, as soon as the flag went down to start racing I told myself " bring it on!" The first time up the climb was fast and positioning everything. This was the case for the next 3 laps where the selection was made and a group of 20 or so was a head of the pack, I was one of them. The race stayed heated and huge efforts were needed on the hill, and concentration was needed on the fast and technical downhill sections. On lap 7 the crunch came for me and I was dropped, before I rejoined the leaders on the bottom of lap 8 to be dropped again on the climb and to confirm I had nothing left in the legs! With the main group now splinted in two, ten up front and ten chasing, the aim for the second group was to push through the with depilated legs and body and limit the time gap. Four of us were working hard on the front for the last two laps to ensure time loss was minimal. The final outcome for the group I was in: 3minutes down behind the lead group of 10 with the winner being Evelyn Stevens, another win to HTC-Columbia.

As I sat down after the race guzzling down a coke and pouring water over my head, I knew I just got through one tough race and it will be one of many more to come. I still have a lot to learn, a lot of improving to do, for my first NRC I'm happy and looking forward to the racing ahead!



--Ange