sCruzian twist
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The Santa Cruz Criterium spins back a few dozen years, but i’ll bet burritos to brewskis there’s not been many editions finer in climate or disposition than this year’s classic.
Sun speckled the day as riders wrenched themselves hernia deep for more speed and power up endless hills … only to torque-screw themselves right back down some pock-marked crazy-shadey lane, again and again.
The Men’s Pro race was nothing but Daniel Holloway showing he’s the baddest man on the planet right now. As his dad Ruggy said before the event, “Santa Cruz … it’s an honest race.” And true dat.
Holloway would drive pace like a 15-round boxer ~ covering when he had to, and swinging big every chance he could.
Watching Holloway work that race was like watching a tree fall … you know eventually that massive piece of wood is gonna smack some damage into something.
And, of course, we have the superb OTBPhoto’verage of Daniel unveiling his big branch.
Of course there were many NorCalSupersonics out enjoying Santa Cruz on a Sunday turned vicious. The hometown classics, Andy and Ben$amins Jacques-Maynes had fans cracking the whip for them all day long (not to mention random locals in Seabright Brewery going howler at the sight of their ride-bys).
WEbcor’s crew had FDubost crushing nutz up in the leading elite, benefitting from a ton of RANDMILLER being unleashed upon the pack during the first half of that race. Always one step on the accelerator but just missing the move, was VinnyOwens of the new spidey-white Lombardi’s team. Vinny is thrashing wattage in races right now. He’s a barracuda unleashed amongst bleeding tuna.
And of course MikeSayers was up there in both the Pros and Geezers races … giving lessons on how to slap the table and time your flatyres right.
But it was the Women …
After a brawling hammerfest of opening laps, the women’s field looked to be just punch drunk enough that a well-formed, highly motivated move could get the gap and hope to hold smooth for the finish. Winning off the front at Santa Cruz is, indeed, a notch in the belt of anyone’s garter.
And so, when Mattis and Carroll teamed up off the front late in the Women’s Pro event ~ it was as if a denoument was finally looking to play out between these two NorCal icons, these decorated champions, these quiet smiling valkyries who’ve been dancing spears off the front of seemingly every race thus far in ‘09.
But the field chased on.
Vanderkitten’s Mel Metger and Liz Hatch looked strong in the elite chase, and look to be getting stronger each week they race. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Metzger pedaling with this much power before.
Despas was doing her predictable big-diesal action, but also noteworthy was PROMAN getting Rachel LalaLloyd up in the lead group in what’s gotta be her first bit of training for next year’s cross season!
(Not to mention Hanan Alves, Christina Yglesias, and Nikka VanDenDries ALL improving huge every time they race. What futures …).
In any case, it was great racing. An incredibly talented field, with every stripe of NorCal showing up to join in the party.
With a handful of laps to go, SugarCRM’s Liza Rachetto pulled out the hunter’s knife and cut away from the pack cleanly to launch across solo to the leading duo. Rachetto is one of those racers you love to watch - she’s sharp like a blade, she’s not afraid to taste wind, and she seems to know how to smile at the suffering of it all.
And so, with 3 teams represented off the front ~ it seemed this was the move destined to settle things. It was three big champions from dominant teams out in front with only a couple dozen remaining in the elite chasing field.
… but, one more burst of speed from the pack brought it all back together with 6 to go.
TIBCO’s Alison Starnes launches
The chase was hard enough to bring back Carroll, Mattis, and Rachetto … and it was just far enough from the finish for the pack to think they had time … and that’s when Alison Starnes went.
Perfect.
But then you’ve got to actually do it. And Starnes did it. It was a heroic 5 laps off the front - ringing clear that she’s finding her future fast on the bike. If she keeps learning, she’ll keep winning.
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April 7th, 2009 at
holeycrapballs i need to spend a few minutes editing.
meh.
April 7th, 2009 at
my favorite part of the race was when you, Larry Nolan, and Keith deFiebre went at each other trying to bridge across with 3 laps to go. That was rad, and seeing you attack and then re attack reminds me why you are so great on a bike.
April 7th, 2009 at
Finally an update!
The showboating is a turn-off, don’t care how much he wins.
April 9th, 2009 at
Sayers certainly flew across that gap.
April 9th, 2009 at
more like appeared across the gap, like “poof” magic… “look who’s here”
April 14th, 2009 at
Awesome report Hernando.
Definitely was a great day to be in Norcal!!