Cascade Cycling Classic
July 6-10, 2005
Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team
Team: Katheryn Curi, Stefanie Graeter, Cat Malone, Kim Boester, guest rider Amber Rais

Stage One Report by Stefancie Graeter
Pacific Powers Road Race: 80 miles

The Webcor Women have just begun a stage race held in Bend Oregon. Today we raced up over Mt. Bachelor's "shoulder" and looped through a very rolly course to climb back up the shoulder again to finish. The finish climb was about 11 miles but pretty gradual, around 5%. The field is pretty small, around 60 riders, including many local and bay area teams. T-mobile decided to send an overflow team of eight riders, outnumbering us by quite a bit. The pace was pretty reasonable on the first climb, with tempo kept up by several T-mobile riders, and we had time to enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery. The descent which followed was not too technical and steep only in a few sections.

Later, as we hit some rolling sections, a very unfortunate crash took down our dear Cat Malone as well as Stefanie Graeter. Cat hit the ground hard and had to go to the hospital to check her back and rib cage (she is doing ok now but is quite roughed up with lots of road rash and bruised ribs). Stefanie fared better and landed on the most injured rider, Leah Goldstein. Unable to unclip, Stafanie was stuck on top of the poor girl, until the race promoter came over, took off her shoe, and tossed the shoe and the bike in the ditch. "Wait, I need that!" she yelled and he removed the shoe from the bike as Karen Williams, our mechanic, came over to replace a wheel, as Stefanie hopped around on one foot and checked on Cat.

Luckily, the peloton slowed and Amber and Kim did a great job getting Stefanie back on very quickly. Once things had settled for awhile, T-mobile began the attacking. With only half as many riders now, we had our work cut out for us and we all did our best to cover as many moves with the Pink Army as we could. They made it more difficult with their new crescent moon formation they liked to make at the front of the field to block us from chasing.

After a promising break with first Katheryn and then Stefanie in it with several T-mobiles, Kori Seehafer attacked as the crescent moon formed around the field. Exhausted, we just let her go to fry in the wind. To keep her in check, Kim and Amber went to the front to set tempo for the next 20 miles. They were joined by a couple of other teams, but did the majority of the work. After plenty of suffering, the two had done the job very well and Stefanie took over on the uphill to try to bring down the gap, which had grown to over two minutes. Kori was obviously getting tired as the fresh Stefanie (thanks to her teammates) began to get in her climbing groove. Lisa Magness took over after the gap had been brought down by 45 seconds or so. This was alright by us, though we didn't want to catch her too fast.

We hit the QOM 6km from the finish with Kori in sight; she was caught with 5km or so to go. Again the crescent moon took over and Katheryn and Stefanie unfortunately allowed themselves to get boxed in. Kimberley Baldwin from T-mobile attacked with her teammate Kristin Armstrong in tow followed by Kristin Johnson of Basis and Erin Mirabella of Bicycle John's. Katheryn began to bridge up but was caught by the next group including Stefanie, who attempted to chase the riders ahead as much as possible. The Kristin's were going well however, and Armstrong attacked and took the win a couple of seconds ahead of Danielson and Erin; Baldwin took fourth. Katheryn and Stefanie came in with the next group sadly 52 seconds back in 11th and 13th respectively. We did the best we could with our numbers and are all pleased with the fight we all put up. Now it's time to rest up for tomorrow, a double day TT in the morning and crit in the evening.

Stage Four
Deschutes Brewery Awbrey Butte Circuit Race
Report by Katheryn Curi

With bearly enough sleep in us, we woke early to be greeted by cloudy skies; we kept our fingers crossed that the rain would hold off. Last night's race in the rain was scary enough!

Racers would contest stage four on a hilly circuit race starting on the outskirts of Downtown Bend from Central Oregon Community College. The course travels toward the town of Tumalo and back along the shoulder of Awbrey Butte. 13.74-mile circuit with two steep climbs, 950 feet of climbing per lap. We would do four laps.

The Webcor women did not wait to see what T-Mobile would do and within the first few k's of the race, Kim Boester launched an attack that took Brooke (T-Mobile), a Subway rider, and Kele (Basis) with her. The pack responded quickly and the early break was soon absorbed back into the peloton.

Things remained quiet up through the feedzone and past the finish line and we were just waiting until T-Mobile started lighting things up. As anticipated, Ina launched an attack and Stef responded quickly and Kele covered Stef. T-Mobile initially seemed content with the break, but as the gap grew bigger, T-Mobile got nervous and sent Brooke and Lara to the front to keep the break in check. The three seemed to roll through well together at first, but once T-Mobile gave chase, Ina's pulls lessened. Stef did a great job of convincing Kele to work and their group stayed together the second time up the finish climb. Through the finish line, Kori (T-Mobile) launched a big attack and fortunately I was in good position to cover her. Unfortunately, Kristin and Kimberly were on my wheel. The only other rider able to go with us was Megan Elliot. Realizing that Erin Mirabella (3rd in GC) was not there, T-Mobile wanted to drive the break to bring Kori into 3rd. Yes, they needed to have all the podium spots!!! We quickly caught Stef's break and with good warning, Stef was able to hang on as the T-Mobile express drove by; Ina quickly joined into the rotation as well. Stef and I were happy with the break as we had a chance to move up as well.

The six of us (Kele and Megan sat on) rolled through, with Stef and I keeping an eye on the women in pink for any attacks. Despite the fact that Stef and I would also move ahead of Mari and Katie, T-Mobile was content with helping us try and secure 4th and 5th. The final time up the finish climb, Stef attacked on the steep part but was quickly covered by Kristin, who then attacked her. I tried to bridge to Kristin, but then Kimberly countered me and I tried to cover her, but then Kori attacked me.

Needless to say, I puttered in for 4th and Stef stayed strong to finish 6th. Kim Boester and Amber Rais did a great job of patrolling the chase and making sure that any bridge attempts were covered.

One more day. The rain has started again but hopefully tomorrow's crit will be dry!!!

Stage Five
Old Mill District Criterium
Report by Katheryn Curi

The final day of the Cascade race would be a 45-minute crit contested in the Old Mill district of Bend. The course was fast, somewhat technical, with a short kicker (but not too steep) of a climb. Fortunately the weather goddess was on our side for the day and we were blessed with partly cloudy skies; the wind was a bit brisk, which made the slight uphill after the climb a bit challenging. I managed to get the hole shot off the line which prevented any T-Mobile riders from attacking from the gun. Stef did a great job of being quick off the line as well and was immediately on my wheel; but T-Mobile wasted little time as Katie Mactier attacked part way through the second lap. Having just set tempo up the climb, I had little in my legs to go with her, although the sea of pink flames around me did not help in making it very easy either! I did my best to recover and catch my breath to try and bridge the next time up the hill, but Ina managed to counter off my attempt and succeeded at making it across to Katie. This was a dangerous pair as Katie was sitting 1:30ish behind Stef and we risked loosing her 5th place GC.

Stef and I did our best to keep the pace high by attacking or driving the pace, but every time I would attack, there would be two T-Mobile riders right on me. Basis also had an incentive to keep the gap down as Kele's GC was also at risk. They did their best as well but with little results. Amber did a great job of keeping the pace high and managed to get off the front for a few laps before being absorbed again.

Ina and Katie eventually ended up lapping the field and soon after Mari attacked and got off solo. Ina, not content to "sit-in" launched herself from the group and made it up to Mari. Lara also attacked as T-Mobile was determined to get as many in the top 10 for the stage as possible. Stef, Amber, and I were just doing our best to keep the rest of the group together and make it to the finish.

Despite being way outnumbered, the Webcor women did an awesome job of still racing our bikes for four days. I ended up in 4th in GC and unfortunately Katie did bump Stef into 6th, but still a very respectable finish. Kim and Amber played exceptional workers on the bike. Our ever-dependable staff of Karen Brems, Karen Williams, and Rachel Lloyd kept us in line, with clean, well working bikes and relaxed muscles. A huge thanks also goes out to the two host familes - the Graff's and the Eberle's - who made us feel right at home.

Until next time...

ciao!

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