Recap of Spartanburg Regional Classic – Women’s PRO

by Jean Crow

Brooke Miller Shows Power to Win Spartanburg Regional Classic
and Third USA CRITS Speed Week Race

by Daniel Carruthers

Brooke Miller rides in a victory lap with Mayor Bill Barnet and Valerie Barnet.

Team Tibco’s Brooke Miller powered her way to another comfortable USA CRITS Speed Week victory, Friday, at the Spartanburg Regional Classic, after teammate Joanne Kiesanowski attacked on final lap with Miller slotted on her wheel. They rounded the final corner with a slight gap on the field, but Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom Racing) and Tina Pic (Colavita/Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light) also attacked and were closing fast. Seeing this, Miller jumped and held all the way to the line.

How it UnfoldedSpartanburg was the 5th race on the USA CRITS Speed Week circuit, and the hard racing this week appeared to have a cumulative effect on the women’s legs. There was a 25 mph tail wind on the home stretch, but it was a battle on the back-side, with the hill and a head wind to contend with. Various riders did attack and try and get away, but no one managed to stay away due to the high winds and the apparent desire for a field sprint finish.
The first prime of the day went to Jennifer Reither (Vanderkitten) on lap two. Kiesanowski, a New Zealander, was seen driving hard on the front for several laps, including taking a prime on lap five. Her early aggressiveness had the field strung out, and she had two other riders with her trading pulls. But, the pack was breathing down their necks, and more than 10 riders had been dropped off due to the early pace.
There was a crash involving eight riders on lap 10, but all were okay and resumed racing from the pits. Van Gilder and Lauren Tamayo (Team Tibco) edged out the front for half a dozen laps or so, just after the half-way point, with Carmen McNellis (Colavita/Sutter Home). Colavita singlehandedly drove hard on the front of the peloton to bring them back. When the catch was made, the peloton moved for several laps as though the riders were out on a Sunday afternoon leisurely ride before Kori Seehafer (Team Type 1) decided to attack hard, injecting some life in what was turning into a rather sedate race. This move was followed by Team Tibco, which helped string out the field for a couple of laps.

It was prime galore near the end of the race, with one being offered on every other lap. But, despite the dollars up for grabs, no one could get away, and a field sprint followed. It was a chaotic dash for position going for the final couple of corners, with no real lead-out from any of the teams to take control. Tibco’s Kiesanowski executed a brilliant attack just before the third corner, and Brooke Miller was able to use her draft to be ‘piloted’ to the final corner. Kiesanowski, however, ran out of steam, and this prompted Miller to jump earlier than anticipated as Van Gilder and Pic were closing fast.

Miller said, “We wanted to race aggressively and try and get a break off. It was hard with the wind and nearly every one of the girls, including myself, was up the road at some point. Instead of just doing our standard lead-out, we wanted to attack late, which we did, but Lauren could not get away.” Miller added, “It was hectic, but we were ok with that. I found Jo [Kiesanowski] on the last lap and, as soon as I was on her wheel, she attacked hard into what was an amazing lead-out! She took me around the last corner with a big gap behind us. I thought and hoped she could take it to the line, but I saw LGV [Laura Van Gilder] and Tina attack and start to close, so I jumped to the line.”

The current women’s overall leader in the USA CRITS Speed Week Series is Tina Pic (Colavita), followed by Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom), Rebecca Larson (Jittery Joe’s), Kori Seehafer (Team Type 1) and Brooke Miller (Team Tibco).

The ladies get to rest on Saturday, because the Dilworth Criterium in Charlotte, NC is a men’s only pro event. The women will enter the spotlight again on Sunday for the USA CRITS Speed Week finale at the Global BMW Sandy Springs Criterium, in Sandy Springs, Ga.

For live updates on all the races, you can follow USA CRITS announcer Chad Andrews’ twitter on TotalCyclist. www.biketownspartanburg.org

Full results and series standings can be found at www.usacrits.com.