Tour of Americas Dairyland, Schlitz Park Criterium

Date 6/21
Race: Tour of Americas Dairyland, Schlitz Park Criterium
Category: Women's 1/2/3
Location: Ridon, Wisconsin
Teammates: Jane, Bec, Emily
Place: 16th, in the money!

Today was the Team's first race at the Tour of Americas Dairyland. The race was 4 days in out of 10 and we fresh off of racing Pescadero except for Holly, who is studying, and Mary, who is at Nationals.

The venue for the course was at the Schlitz brewing company. Historically it was once the largest producer of beer in the world. "The beer that made Milwaukee famous."

The criterium course consisted of a short flat leading to a hill of 200m with 100m of it being pretty steep. Then to a nice flat and a winding downhill. The downhill was slightly sketchy and there was only really one line to ride otherwise you would end up in a pothole, which at speed would send your rear wheel hopping sidewise.

20 minutes in, the race was halted since a huge thunderstorm was in the works. We waited under a parking structure by the van for maybe 30 minutes before we were re-started and had another 40 minutes to race. Coach Dan Smith wisely said before the re-start "Think of this as a whole new race." which helped with perspective on the next 40 minutes.

The remainder involved riders slowly coming off the main group on the hill or through the winding downhill until there was a group of 18 of us. With 3 to go on a prime lap, Kristen Lasasso, riding for Mellow Mushroom, went off the front and no one caught her. I tried to stay in position for the last lap, passing 2 on the downhill and sprint for 16th place.

The Merckx style TT is next.
"When you're out of Schlitz, you're out of beer!"
Haley

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