NEBC Elite Women's Cycling Team
The NEBC Elite Women’s Cycling Team returns after a super successful 2007 with seven racers: Rebecca Wellons, Mary Zider, Sally Annis, Tami Buhr, Susanne Delaney, Natalie Dumont, and Samantha Dery.
Yet another win at Witches Cup!
NEBC: Sally Annis (1), Rebecca Wellons (10), Mary Zider (11), Natalie Dumont (16), Clara Kelly (18), Sam Dery (19), Susanne Delaney (22), Tami Buhr (23), Katherine Snell (27)
From the gun, Susanne went to the front and pushed the pace. Being at the front with that speed, she was able to easily grab the first prime called within the first couple of laps. Tami, Mary, Natalie and Clara rotated around the front to help keep the pace up during the race. Rebecca and Sally alternated attacks that kept the rest of the field chasing. One of Rebecca’s breaks kept her off the front for about 3 laps. Then a $100 mid-race prime was called just as Rebecca was about to get caught. She kept digging in, but unfortunately she was caught right before the last corner and it came down to a drag race between Sunapee sprinter Eve McNeil and our climber Mary. Mary gave her a good sprint, but was just nipped at the line. Eve got that prime, but Rebecca and Sally napped the other two primes during the race.
For the finish, team director Brooke turned to Sally a few laps before and said she’d give her a lead-out. While the pace naturally got a little higher in the last couple of laps, it wasn’t fast enough to prevent Anna McLoon (Colavita) from jumping with one lap to go. With Sally on her wheel, Brooke pushed hard to catch back up with Anna, and coming out of the last corner, Sally jumped hard and held off Sunapee sprinters Kat Carr and Eve McNeil to take the win.
1-2 at Gate City Crit
Race Plan
Since NEBC made up one-half of the field, we knew had to have good results at this race or go home very disappointed. We planned to be active, go after every prime and if the opportunity for a break presented itself, seize it. Otherwise we would wait until the finish and set up Sally for the win, this being her home town race.
How the Race Unfolded
Along with Sunapee, who had four riders in the race, we kept the pace high from the start. Mary and Sally went after the first prime, won it, and established a gap. The rest of the team got to the front and blocked widening the gap. They stayed out there for a few laps, forcing other teams to chase. We continued to go after every prime, winning most. After another prime, a gap formed that included Sally, Mary, Rebecca, Susanne and Tami, a Sunapee rider (Eve McNeil) and a rider from Mt. Holoyoke (Emma Bast). The remaining NEBC gals in the field did a great job blocking to help solidify this break. We won several additional primes with this break. Sally and Mary started to steadily attack the break. Eventually, McNeil and Bast quit chasing and Sally and Mary got away. Rebecca and Tami blocked and what remained of the break was eventually swept up by the field. The NEBC gals then did a great job blocking and interfering with any attempt to chase down Sally and Mary, who came across the line together for first and second. With two laps to go, the NEBC gals went to the front and picked up the pace. We were still at the front with one lap to go and had our train put together, but a momentary slow down allowed us to get swarmed by the Sunapee train. At that point, it was every woman for herself. We were disappointed to lose the top two spots in the field sprint, but Natalie, Rebecca and Cathy all finished strong in the top ten.
Win at Bow Road Race
Race Plan
Our overall goal for the race, besides winning it, was to get Mary in a break or good situation to win the race. Mary was not to be at the front or leading up the climbs so she could conserve energy for when she would make her attack. The plan was to launch an attack on the hill on lap 3 in hopes of shortening the actual “race” within the race. It was the job of others to set tempo and block at the front until Mary was ready to make her move. While this was happening we also were to be aware and reactive to a situation that did not involve Mary and if need be, to reel it back in.
How the Race Unfolded
Sally and Suzanne set a nice tempo on the first trip up the climb. Once we crested the hill and began the decent, Sally soon aided by Natalie, remained at the front to drive the pace. The only events of the first lap were when Mary dropped her chain, which nearly through the entire race plan out the window! However, the team sprang into action as Sam rode to the front to inform Sally and Natalie to slow the pace. Meanwhile, Rebecca slowed and drifted to the back to wait for Mary to help her back on to the pack. Once Mary had her chain back on, Rebecca was there to help chase her back onto the group. The well executed work of the team allowed Mary to recover in time to launch a decisive move on the hill as the second lap started.
As Mary approached the second trip up the hill, still being pulled by Sally at this point, she decided to make her move on this lap rather than wait for the 3rd trip. This move proved to be the right one as it seemed to catch the pack off guard. Mary was able to separate herself from the field rather quickly and hold the lead until after the descent. Silke Wunderwald (IF) and Audrey Friedrichsen-Scott (Bikeway) responded to Mary’s attack so Mary decided to sit up and allow for Silke and Audrey to join the break. As Mary made her move on the hill, Sally and Rebecca remained at the front to block the rest of the pack. As the trio worked up the road, the tempo of the remaining pack was controlled by the rest of the NEBC squad. Silke and Mary soon proved to be too strong for Audrey Friedrichsen-Scott as the two gained separation on her as well. The race remained a two rider break for the remainder of the way. As Mary and Silke approached the final 1K, Mary finished her pull with the hopes of Silke taking the lead heading into the last 500m. However, Silke never came around to the front, which forced Mary to take control from the front. As she rounded the corner, the NEBC/Cycle Loft tent came into sight. At this point she lowered her head and drove for the line. Silke did the same and both riders plowed, elbow to elbow toward the line. Natalie and Suzanne were there to cheer, yell and jump up and down. This bit of cheerleading proved to provide a jolt of energy for Mary and she was able to take her sprint to another gear and beat Silke by a bike length for the WIN! After controlling tempo on the front of the pack for a good portion of the day, Sally received a world class lead out from Tami and was able to find the one more match to win the field sprint for a 4th place finish, followed by Rebecca for a 6th place finish.
The NEBC win was truly a team effort. Everyone played a key role and helped contribute to the win. Overall, it was a very successful day on our bikes.
1-2 at Yarmouth Clam Festival
As told by Sally…
NEBC had the most team members in the field and as a result we set the lofty goals of winning every prime and getting 1st and 2nd in the race. It was a 6 lap circuit race and every lap was a prime lap.
NEBC team members took turns at the front, launched some mini-attacks and then worked on leading each other out for the primes. On a few of the leadouts, the person doing the leadout had enough of a lead that they would take the prime and the person they were leading out, did not need to come around. At one point, one of the other racers said “you all certainly have “stage race” legs” as she was getting tired of us going for every prime, and generally pushing the pace.
the finishing stretch was a short uphill followed by a fast, downhill straight-away to the line. At the top of the last uphill climb to the finish, I found myself on rebecca’s wheel and told her I had her wheel. She then proceeded to give me a sweet leadout… she was going so well, i thought she could win it so i yelled at her to “go, go, go”... rebecca, thinking she had to go faster for the leadout proceeded to completely bury herself and motored toward the line at 39mph thinking I was going to come around her… however, i saw she could win the race, so i sat on her wheel making sure no-one came around her and crossed the line in 2nd place. With that finish, we completed our goals of winning every prime and finishing 1-2.
overall, a nice team effort.
UCI ranked Tour of PEI
The NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devonshire Dental Elite women are moving up in the world of bike racing by competing in the Tour of Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is a UCI level race with women competing from North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. NEBC is only one of two American teams in attendance. The race dates were June 8-12.
The first stage was a 99km circuit race in which we had 3 riders finish with the main pack, with the other 3 finishing just behind.
Riders competing during this stage race:
Sally Annis
Sam Dery
Natalie Dumont
Rebecca Wellons
Mary Zider
Leda Cox – guest rider
Race site links, results and photos:
http://www.tourdepei.com/Eng/index.php http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2008/jun08/tourdepei08/default
Stage 2 TT (14.54km) update….
Extremely windy as the day/TT progressed. Conditions went from overcast to sunny skies, but it’s still a whole lot cooler in Canada than it is here in Mass today (in the 60s).
- Sally’s 3rd in the TT today has put her in 5th in the GC. (Podium picture – http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos.php?id=/photos/2008/jun08/tourdepei08/tourdepei082/0542_Top3_MFPh)
- Rebecca Wellons got 7th in the TT today, which moved her into 9th in the GC.
- Guest rider Leda Cox also in the top 20 with a 17th in GC.
- NEBC is 2nd in team GC after the TT
Stage 3, 120K road race (As told by Rebecca…)
This road stage felt flatter than the previous day with its relentless rollers. There were 3 intermediate sprints and 3 QOM sprints during the race. An early break went with 3 riders who were no threat to GC, and that kept the race pretty tame actually until almost the last 20 km! There were a few crashes, the first being just approaching the feed zone, and that’s where Sam and Nat and Mary got crashed. Luckily, Sam and Nat both got back in. Mary was feeling good but had a mechanical problem after that and had to pack it in for the day and the race. Things sped up once we caught the break, and we crested a hill onto an exposed windy section that was just brutal. I’m not sure who was killing it at the front, maybe Menikini?, but we were strung out in the gutter, tongues dangling, just fighting to stay on a wheel for several kilometers. When I couldn’t pedal any harder and I felt myself slipping away, I looked back and saw a huge gap, and knew it was now or never: I had to stay with the field. With a little help from a small chase that immediately formed, I got back on. I really couldn’t believe the wind and how hard those kms were. Girls were shoving each other into the gutter and off the road to stay on wheels with the direction the wind was coming from. We came into the last km, and I grabbed the lead-out train of the Cuban riders (one of whom by the way, actually PUNCHED Natalie during the race!) but Rochelle Gilmore came up alongside me and elbowed me. They were the wheels to be on. I was in the gutter on the right, the road bent to the right and I had no idea what was ahead or where the finish line was. I lost the wheel and rolled in with the pack. The Cubans crossed the line 1 &2 ahead of Rochelle, but one of them was relegated to the back of the pack for not holding her line in the sprint. Leda also finished in the pack after riding strong at the front all day.
Stage 5:
A fast 1km rectangle crit with a gradual incline on two sides into a flat finish. Short finish straight, barely 200m to the line from the last corner. The first 10 laps were brutal and all about position. It strung out right away and gaps opened and that was the end for many riders. I started at the back but made massive efforts to move up as much as I could and just made it with the pack. A break of 3 got away and that kept the pace a bit slower for the middle of the race, but Menikini brought it back, and we caught them with 2 to go. I played the game of having to hit my brakes into the corners and close gaps at the back and every time I tried so hard to move up, I spent so much energy that I couldn’t hold my position, and I’d slip back again. Given my massive stomach problems the night before and that I had no food all day before the race, I was incredibly happy to finish! Leda rode great, but just didn’t have positioning for the sprint and got blocked in.
Memorial Weekend of NRC races
The NEBC women headed south to the mid-atlantic region to compete in 3 national calendar level races (NRC). These are big name crits against the top (aka professional) women in the US.
On Saturday, the Kelly Cup/BikeJam Crit took place in Baltimore, MD. The course curves through Patterson Park on a slight hill with sharp corners through a couple of traffic circles. After almost everyone safely making it through a mid-race crash that took down a dozen women (including Natalie) and temporarily stopped the race, Sally grabbed a beauty gift certificate prime. Mary grabs a top 20 in 19 place and the rest of the girls hung tough for pack finishes.
On Sunday, the RFK Crit in RFK Stadium in Washington, DC took place under 90+ degree temperatures, which feels more like 100 degrees while racing through a parking lot. the girls were extremely active attacking and going with breaks. In the very fast race, on the 2nd to last lap, Sam and Tami were caught in a crash with no significant injuries. Rebecca sprinted in for 11th with Susanne right behind in 18th.
On Monday, the king of the crits was the Tour of Somerville in NJ. The pace was kept high with all the pro teams in full force. Rebecca snuck past the pro teams and grabbed a cash prime during the race and got some good air time from announcer Richard Fries. With another fast finish, all the girls finished safely in the pack.
After experiencing the 2nd year of racing the NRC crits, the NEBC women feel more comfortable with the speed and didn’t think those races were all so fast this year. :-) Let’s see them unlease their own speed locally this year.
Win at Lake Sunapee
The race began with a slow pace for the first 3 miles or so. Susanne and Cathy took turns up front leading the pack. No one else from the field was willing to get out front and lead so Susanne continued to do most of the work keeping Mary out of the wind and fresh for the assaults that were to come ahead! As we approached the two long gradual climbs Silke (IF) made her first assault. Mary went with Silke and was able to stick her wheel. This first assault was not great enough to loose the pack. Legs of the pack were still too fresh. After the downhill descent came the second long gradual climb and Silke made her second assault. Mary again went with her and was able to stick her wheel. Mary and Silke continued to push it up the hill and create a big enough gap to begin their break. The break soon was out of site and out of mind. Mary and Silke from here on out were able to hold their gap for a lap and a half. Mary had great position going into the final finish on Silke’s wheel. Silke lead around the rotary but then dropped her pace significantly waiting for Mary to come around and jump the gun. This finish requires patience and Mary decided she did not have any patience and went for the line taking a wheel in the pro men’s race! Very chaotic finish.
Susanne’s remarks from the pack standpoint!
The Pro Women’s field was going so slowly in the first few miles that the Cat 4 women’s field caught up to us. Granted the Cat 4 field started only 3 minutes after us, they still caught us. So our field was neutralized. As Mary said, Susanne was pushing the pace at the front, especially after being caught by the Cat 4 women. Susanne pushed it as much as she could without passing the pace vehicle. But as we approached the climb, that is when the attack took place that shattered both fields. When Silke (IF) attacked from behind in the Pro Women’s Field, we were right on the Cat 4 women’s field so there were riders scattered everywhere making it tough to figure out who was who. Mary and Silke wouldn’t have noticed this as they had successfully broken apart from everyone else. Susanne was pretty spent at this point so couldn’t get up to the other strong riders who were at this point trailing Mary and Silke: Zoe, Karin Turner, Nicole Kellogg, Jennifer Stebbins. Susanne caught up to Lizette Bolanos-Naut (IBRC) and Kristin Gohr (Colavita) and the four of us worked together picking up Kat Carr. We formed a pace line and kept it up the remaining lap and a half. At the very end, just before entering the rotary, we caught up to the group of 4-6 riders who were between Mary and Silke and the four of us. Susanne’s legs had started to cramp on the second lap – due to a bike fit the afternoon before – had been able to work hard on rollers and flats; but was hurting on the climbs. After the final climb Susanne knew her legs were bad and that she didn’t have anything left for the finish. Susanne pulled the group of four through the rotary and up to the start of the access and then Lizette, Kristin and Kat took off to the finish.
Win at Tour of Wantaugh (NY)
As told by Brooke: Stopped by a local crit on Long Island on the way home from Wilmington, Delaware. For the Long Island race, Rebecca gave me a great lead-out for the only prime at the halfway mark. At about 2/3 the way through the race, Sam attacked, then I countered, and then Rebecca countered again and took 2 strong women with her. Sam and I brought back a few ladies who tried to bridge to Rebecca’s trio. In the end, Rebecca outsprinted her breakaway companions. In the last 2 laps, Sam and I let the Radical Media and Comedy Central girls try to chase the break and ramp up the speed for a lead-out. I followed the speedier girls in the final 400 meters, but my gears didn’t quite click in right in the final straightaway and by the time they did, I had to settle for 2nd in the pack (5th overall) by less than a wheel.
Wilmington (DE) Grand Prix Race Report (NRC) - 6th!
As told by Brooke: In the Wilmington race, the pack splintered with the wind and speed and a 3 person breakaway (Laura Van Gilder, Jen McRae (Sam’s coach) and an Aussie track rider). Loads of people were lapped making for a weird finish where there was about 10 of us in the lead chase group and then all of a sudden a few laps before the finish, there were about 30 of us (included lapped riders). I was sprinting up the middle at the finish when I came upon Anna Milkowski fading after giving a lead-out and had to jog to the right where Rebecca came flying up my side. She got 3rd in the pack sprint (for 6th overall) and I was 6th in the pack, for 9th overall. I’m still working on getting my top end speed back. But warm, sunny weather and some great fun.
Win at Turtle Pond Circuit Race
As told by Tami: We went hard from the gun as planned. After a hard charge up the hill at the start and a hard push on the descent, Sally attacked and got a nice gap. Ann Hansgate (Terry) bridged up a short time later. The field was mainly made up of single riders from a variety of teams so most were reluctant to chase. This left NEBC to ride tempo at the front. We covered some attacks and launched an occasional attempt to bridge but things remained calm until we hit the climb again when we once again set a good hard pace to try to whittle the field down. Sally and Ann stayed away for over a lap and then Sally slowed knowing that we had other plans for the day. As they got closer on the back side, Tami bridged up and had Sally to shut it down so we could let the field catch and we’d go again.
Sally was anxious to get more work in so was instructed to hang in until the hill and then lead a hard charge. Unfortunately, she was out of water but went so hard before the corner into the hill that no one could go with her. It was such an effective attack that she put a huge gap into the field up the hill. Sally was away again with 2 laps to go. Once again there were various attacks and attempts to bridge up by other players. The team did a good job covering them all. Rebecca launced her own attack on the back side and stayed away until shortly before the fourth time up the climb. Having both Sally and Rebecca down the road created a greater sense of urgency among the field.
Heading towards the hill for the 4th time, Brooke took the climbers to the front and then set a hard pace. Tami was marking Ann Hansgate’s wheel ready to follow if she went hard. Sally’s tenderizing of Ann worked as Ann completely popped heading into the climb trying to hold Brooke’s pace. Tami was caught sleeping and got gapped big time on the hill and had to chase hard with another rider to catch back on. Brooke and Sam also got detached at that time with Sam suffering quad cramps. Brooke and Sam eventually joined up and had the field within view but couldn’t close the last gap. Meanwhile, the action in what remained of the pack heated up with more frequent attacks followed by NEBC counter attacks. Natalie launched a huge counter that got her down the road. Rebecca followed suit and bridged. With Sally still out there and now Natalie and Rebecca too, the others started working much harder to bring them back. Nat and Rebecca were caught and the pace kept high to try to reel in Sally. The pack was closing the gap as we approached the final corner. Mary took to the front and charged hard from corner and simply rode the competitors off her wheel. She eventually passed Sally with 200 yards to the finish and crossed the line in first. Rebecca also charged hard up the climb and took fifth. Sally crossed behind her in sixth and the rest of the NEBC gals followed with Tami and Natalie also in the top ten.