After the San Dimas Stage Race, we packed up and made a quick transfer to Redlands, CA.  The race started on Wednesday so there wasn’t much time for relax and recovery, but that was ok because I was excited to keep racing.

Highlands Circuit: The first day was really hot and a delay at the start made sitting on our bikes in the sun a bit more of a strain.  But once the race started the tough circuit settled in quickly and made me remember the difficulty of this race.  I felt good until the last couple laps when I started feeling overheated and my mind wasn’t as clear.  I finished just at the back of the front pack as it came single file to the finish line.

Oak Glenn Road Race: The morning was cool and cloudy but luckily no rain.  I stayed comfortable in the pack and near the front so didn’t get caught up or even notice any of the couple crashes that happened.  After 3 long loops the course turned left and up a 10km climb to the finish.  I was with the front group, but about 4km in started to struggle with the hard pace.  It was at that point that the pack split up anyway and riders went up at their own pace.  I didn’t have any wonderful result or high expectation with this hilly stage, but was satisfied with a solid finish.

Greenspot TT:  Not such a great day.  The 7 mile course was fun, and without rain the right hand downhill turn was fun and not dangerous, but my legs just weren’t there.  I couldn’t get the power I needed on the uphill and turning the big gears just felt like going backwards.  I put in a good effort though and pushed.

Downtown Crit:  Probably my favorite stage.  It was fast, technical and my best result.  After multiple crashes and near crashes on the course I stayed in good position and felt good throughout.  Going into the last couple laps I had great positioning and worked to keep it into the final.  In the last couple corners though I didn’t maintain top 10 and that was the deciding factor for placement.  So I could have done better, but 13th was a great result for this tough race.

Sunset Loop:  This was a day I could have a really great result.  I was ready and excited going into it.  Through the not so neutral start I positioned myself well and worked to stay near the front.  Once the technical part and hill started I dug to stay in.  I was with the front group for 2 laps, but then the fatigue of the suffering sunk in and I had trouble staying on.  In retrospect I was really stupid and made the big mistake of not eating or taking a gel during those first 20 miles.  So that fatigue was lack of sugar and my muscles were having enough of the strain.  I dropped back, but was still with a couple riders (that ended up making back to the front group).  Unfortunately at this point it is hard to come back from bonking and I worked to stay up.  Ive learned with this race though that anything can happen and to keep working, because not too long after it began to pour rain and the group I was with got split up very quickly.  At the top of the hill I noticed my tired was dragging and it tended up being a flat.  So I kept riding and knew I had to get to the feed zone or I would be stuck, out, and without a new wheel.  Once I made it however I was pretty far back and not much I could do to get back on.  So I kept riding with a few other riders that had gotten dropped way before me, and sure enough on the next lap we got pulled from the race.  Not the finish or result I wanted at this race, but I learned a lot and had a great experience with my team.

Even though we had a small team at Redlands it was a fun group and our director worked really hard to help us have the best race we possibly could.  3 of the 5 of us made it to the last stage.  Lindsey was 3rd for Amatuer Rider’s Jersey.  And Audrey finished solid all around.

After the race it was a very fast pack up and fly out to Montreal, Canada.  I am now here for the week and we have already had a team photo shoot, sponsor party/event where the team was presented, and then this morning a bike fit for my TT bike.  It has been a lot, but I am so excited to be a part of this and the team has been really great.  I fly out on Monday for Arkansas where I’ll compete next week in the Joe Martin Stage Race.

Some pictures from Montreal

the photo shoot and having fun with my teammates heels 🙂Getting my TT bike fitted and dialed in