Tradewinds Racing

looking good in 2012

2012-01-26T18:54:00.002-05:00

This year's uniforms:
well constructed, sharp-looking, & comfortable from Starlight Custom Cycling Apparel and designed by Phillip Robb and Sarah Fader.

Developmental Team: BikeBeat/VA Asset Group

Elite Team: Edlow Intl p/b BikeBeat

Mallory junior state champ McNelis will be wearing this jersey!

In Motion Off the Bike, EOD#2

2011-12-29T17:45:00.001-05:00

In Motion Off the Bike,

Where we share a little bit of what the experts at

In Motion share with us...

Exercise of the Day #2:

Developmental team rider Jaime demonstrates a Pull Up. One of the best overall exercises for your back to keep you strong without spending a lot of time on upper body. You can modify the pull up by adding a band or a box to help you get up, if you need a little bit of assistance. At In Motion it's all control, no kipping up! 3 sets of 10. It's so simple, and so good for you!

In Motion Off the Bike: EOD1

2011-12-27T21:14:00.000-05:00

In Motion Off the Bike,

Where we share a little bit of what the experts at

In Motion share with us...

Exercise of the Day #1:

Elite team rider Brenna Hosang demonstrates one-leg hamstring curls on the fitness ball.

Targeting the hamstrings, a common weakness for cyclists.

Getting Excited for 2012

2011-12-26T20:14:00.000-05:00

Watch for changes, we are working on getting the site (and our fitness) ready for the 2012 season. Check out the Elite team roster, so much talent and a super nice group of women will be representing this year at all the biggest races as well as locally and regionally. Racing right along side the elite team in many races will be a really talented and dedicated developmental squad, also many new faces for 2012. Another cool new thing this coming year is our club team, and a regular women's rides from BikeBeat in Chesapeake, just a few of the ways we hope to support and promote women's cycling in Virginia. Many returning sponsors as well as a few new sponsors for 2012 will also be added to the site, so keep checking back!

DCCX: a few days late

2011-10-27T19:34:00.002-04:00

report by Avanell

Several weeks to DCCX, Chris and I had this great idea to watch a YouTube video of the race course in the years prior. THINKING that would help us in figuring out what to expect. The course looked flat and fast, with very few turns that would make for a good place to gap. I'll be honest, I was a little discouraged going into the weekend. The courses I look forward to are not power courses, but those that are technically challenging and test your bike handling ability. But walking around the course with Zuma (our 2-year old Basenji) and watching several races before mine, I decided that watching a video will not show ANYTHING very well! There were short steep climbs, false flats, tricky descents, and plenty of technically difficult sections. Everything I want in a cross race!

The start was a short, paved road which turned right onto another paved road before crossing a small bridge and hitting one of the technical sections. With a few short straights on grass with 180 degree turns, a little bit of loose dirt, the first technical section ends with a short, steep climb. At the top is a 180 to the left, a 90 to the right and a short steep descent with roots, rocks, and gravel at the bottom. A mountain bikers dream! But a quick wake up call (this is cross after all...not mountain biking!) puts us back onto another paved section. A false flat that takes us to a short, steep, grassy climb to the left. Descending into a fairly deep dip filled with a little bit of mud, the course made its way counter-clockwise around one of the two big spectator spots. A 90 degree turn to the left and over the first set of barricades. They were a little tricky to maneuver since you had to turn immediately beforehand and couldn't keep your speed going into them. After remounting, you had just enough space to build some speed, shift into the small ring, and make your way up a short steep climb to what many racers will say is the toughest part of the course. At the top of the hill is a 180 degree turn to the right and back down you go...only to get 3/4 of the way to the bottom and have to take a 180 turn to the left and go back up! This was definitely a place that would spread the field out even more and for some, determine the outcome of the race. Why? At the top of the hill, is yet another descent that drops you onto the road again and into the finishing stretch. If you gapped the person behind you during that off-camber switch-back, you could stay away until the end. But its not the end and there's still another 1/3 of the course to ride! After passing the finish line, the course moves you back onto the grass with several more 180's. The 2nd set of barricades will be on a straightaway with plenty of room to hit them at speed...and another place to open up another small gap. A few more long straights and a few more turns shoot us into the 3rd dismount, a set of short, deep stairs that can jump up and grab you if you're not careful! After remounting, ride through a few more turns, short steep climbs, and you'll find yourself back on the starting straight.

28 women lined up at the start of the DCCX Women's 1,2,3 race. Starting in the 4th and final row, I knew I would have to bump elbows with a few girls to get a good spot into the first technical section. Once we got into the technical sections though, I found it fairly easy to make a pass and snake my way through and up into the top 15. After the the 1st lap, it took the next 3 to make up 5 more spots. Grabbing 10th place came after passing a rider who slid out in loose dirt and pushing my pace through the 2nd set of barricades. Unfortunately, keeping that spot proved to be difficult as I was soon passed by Kristine Church (HumanZoom). The rest of the 4th lap I battled back and forth with Jennifer Tillman (Kelly Benefit Strategies) and was able to open up a big enough gap to hold her off for the 5th and final lap. Overall I'm extremely happy with my results...especially thinking that this course wasn't going to suit my riding style very well! It was a great venue and a well designed course. Definitely something to keep on the schedule for next year! Thanks to DCMTB for hosting the race and Dogfish Head Alehouse for being one of the title sponsors and giving the Elite Women the same payout as the Elite Men!

Next week I'll be taking the weekend off of the cross bike to race in the 24th Annual Tidewater Mountain Bike Challenge in Williamsburg, VA! Check it out at http://tidewaterchallenge.blogspot.com/. A great spectator course, lots of fun, food, and one of the best events that I've ever done!

Also, check out BikeReg for UVA Cyclocross in Earlysville, VA on Sunday, November 6th! Just added to the calendar and open to everyone (not just collegiate racers)!

Supplements, more than just sugar and electrolytes!

2011-10-15T20:32:00.000-04:00

Cycling is a demanding sport on the body, so if you want to be your best your nutrition must be the best.

The quality of our blood greatly affects our endurance. We know we need good quality meats, grains, vegetables and fruits to perform well. There are now some great nutritional companies out there, and extra supplements on top of your good diet that will increase your performance. When on the bike riding for hours the easy to use powders, pills, gels or bars are great.

Champion Nutrition provides the best pre-ride, during-the-ride, and post-ride supplements. Just look on the ingredients list and you see the quality is superior. For example Champion uses real food for carbs, like waxy corn maize, instead of just inexpensive carbs like maltodextrin. In addition to the high quality, the tast is also delicious, which is important if you want to actually use the supplement!

A few products standout as must-haves for cyclists...

Revenge Sport is the best tasting hydration drink around with all the ingredients you need during your ride. Our whole team loves it and cannot get enough, especially in the summer. It doesn't have stimulants so you can drink it at any time to stay hydrated.

Muscle Nitro comes in a pill for the pre-ride and provides electrolytes and phosphates to increase your performance on the bike.

Pure Whey Protein, awesome protein and really yummy selection of flavors. Whey protein is the most digestible form of protein that exists and is part of my post workout to help the muscles recover. Cookies and Cream is my favorite flavor.

There also are many others products that help. As a sprinter I really try to hold onto as much muscle as I can during the season. On long rides your body actually eats its own muscles for energy. There are amino acid powders I add to my drink so my muscles don’t get eaten as much. Other products like creatine may provide extra power and repeatability, but if you race in the hills the extra few pounds it puts on may negate any performance enhancing effect. If you lift weights at all in the off season Champion Nutrition also provides energy drinks with stimulants to help you lift harder and stay motivated to lift those heavy weights.

Want to try it? Look for our team at the races to get a scoop or buy some online!

sausage legs, or the lack thereof

2011-09-24T19:15:00.001-04:00

Uniform (i.e.: kit) Deal-Breakers

Tight leg-elastic (aka "sausage leg"): I have been known to cut, hem, sew, and otherwise alter my shorts to make them resemble less of a tourniquet. Even my skinniest climber teammates have experienced the tight elastic fit in the thighs that seem to ruin most team issue shorts.
The Chammois: although chammois cream does help, you just can't very comfy on a bike with a bad chamois.
Materials: quality of the material is my other big concern, not only because of comfort on rides, but also because there is almost nothing worse than riding in a pace line with someone who has a see- through panel on their backside.

How Stralight Apparel Kits Compare
Starlight shorts are amazing to ride in & the jersey is super comfy. Easily my new favorite shorts, with or without a team logo. The icing on the cake is the quality of materials & construction allows for a really good looking design.

1) The Shorts: Very impressive fit! It was like someone who rides actually had input into the design! The legs do not cut off my circulation & the design of the bib allows a lot more air flow to cool my sides and back, I actually felt as cool riding in the Starlight bibs as I did in regular shorts. After riding in the Starlight bib shorts a few times I was very pleased with the chamois, nice and comfy but not over padded. Love it!

2) The Jersey: Well fitted, nice and snug without being tight (I have the race fit), and really comfortable to wear. The jersey has a full zip front zipper that is small enough to keep from bulging akwardly like others I have raced in. Love it!

3) The Materials: They feel nice, they look great, and they keep you comfortable on a long ride. They are not limited in design by the way they are pieced together, either, so your design can look pro. Starlight offers the best design options I have seen for a competitive price, check out their work to see what I mean.

Charm City, the other way around

2011-09-19T18:33:00.001-04:00

Report by Ava

The second day of racing started out much better than yesterday. A much better night sleep and making it in time for Chris to warm up a bit before his race kept us from getting overly stressed. The course was run in reverse with the 2 sets of barricades, mud, stairs, fast section, sand pit, and then the slick, off-camber 180 degree turns dumping us onto a straight street finish. At the start of the race I found myself in the 3rd row, a little better starting position than yesterday. After the initial sprint I was hoping on settling into a rhythm fairly quickly since I didn't have to fight my way back for a good position, but it never quite seemed to happen. I found myself in the top 10 fairly quickly and was battling to pick off each rider in front for the first 2 laps. The barricades and stairs worked in my advantage and I was able to find the top 3 during the final turn of the second lap. The turn into the first set of barricades I started sliding out, unclipped my right foot to keep myself upright, and used that as the beginning of my dismount. I took the barricades at speed and was able to take 2nd place before the next set of barricades, which gave me a little more of a gap. Still not settling in, I pushed hard through the sand pit on the fourth and final lap where I finally felt I had a safe enough gap where I could relax a bit. I always wonder why there has to be an off-season for cross, but after this first weekend of racing I've realized that we have an off-season to forget how much pain this puts us in!

Thanks again to everybody for the support. Thanks to the wonderful staff at BikeBeat Newport News for covering for Chris and I while we went to the race. And thanks to Twenty20 Cycling for supporting such a great event. See everyone next time!

Ava in the number 2 spot after a greatrace

Patty was also representing VA Asset Group in the elite women's field, she made us proud (as usual) with 10th the first day and 9th the second day in a really tough race.

Charm City CX

2011-09-18T15:25:00.000-04:00

Report by Ava

Ava charging through the sand

Julie H. at Charm City CX

A late start from Newport News left Chris and I arriving to a 'not so comfortable hotel room' at 2:00am. Roughly 3 hours of sleep and it was time to head out for the race! Weather conditions for day 1 were "perfect cross conditions"...low to mid-60's, overcast, and the threat of rain. I broke out the embrocation cream, knee warmers, arm warmers, and thermal cycling cap for the first race of the season! On the start line, everybody was feeling the drastic change in temperature and were trying to shed layers at the last minute. For call-ups, the Women 3/4 lined up in rows of 8. I was in the 4th row and Julie H. was 2 rows behind me. At the whistle, there was the traditional sprint, vying for position into the first corner. Everybody typically goes straight, unfortunately 1 girl 2 rows in front decided she was going to go towards the course tape. Whether she couldn't get clipped in, or she was losing her balance, we'll never know. What we do know, she cuts in front of several girls in the 3rd row and runs directly into the girl in front of me. Five-ten yards from the start line I'm already trying to avoid a crash! Having started 26th back, I lost about 15-20 more spots. Julie H found herself about 10 wheels in front of me.

The first half of the course had slick, off-camber, 180 degree turns making maneuvering around other riders challenging. The sand pit offered a nice opportunity to out-sprint (as in dismounting and sprinting on foot) some of the riders trying to ride through (which was much easier to do later on as the sand got packed down). More slick cornering, a short fast section, mud, stair run-up, more mud, and another fast section allowed for me to jump up a few spots. The natural barricades and the man-made barricades put me in a much more comfortable position where I could settle into a rhythm before starting another lap. Julie and I stayed fairly close together for the remainder of the race until the last lap. The penultimate lap (word of the day!) I took an off-camber right turn a little too quickly and slid out. Luckily I had a big enough gap that I was able to keep my position. The last lap however, Julie took that same corner just 50 feet behind me and wasn't as lucky. She slid out the same way, but unfortunately suffered a broken collarbone in the process. Hopefully this one will heal as quickly or quicker than the last one! I finished in 7th overall out of 60 starters. And had Julie been able to finish, she probably would've finished right behind me in 8th place.

Thanks to Julie for the support during the race and I hope you're not on the injured list too long! Thanks also to Chris for cleaning my wheels and bike in the hotel courtyard this evening with a trashcan, ice bucket, and a cut-up milk carton as wash buckets! Good luck tomorrow to Erin & Patty, both of whom raced today in the Elite 1/2 category. Charm City CX Day 2 tomorrow!

Grand Cycling Classic

2011-08-22T21:45:00.002-04:00

Erin riding on LVG's wheel, photo from cyclingnews.com

Erin went out to Michigan for some NRC action this weekend and was not disappointed. Luckily the weather cleared up a bit from the crazy conditions the men faced, although the race was shortened to 40 minutes. The course had 6 corners over 1.2 km. The race was made fast by Tibco's constant attacking to try and get away from Colavita's Cliff-Ryan. Colavita had their way, what was left of the field was together at the end for a group sprint. Erin got a good position and was able to sprint into 7th place for a great finish. Watch the final sprint here!

Chesapeake, Millersburg, & PLT

2011-08-14T18:52:00.001-04:00

Report by Emily Joyner with text message assists from Erin and Ava

Chesapeake Crit is a flat course with three corners just under a mile long. This year I made the age requirement, because they only offered the age-grade option for women, and since I have always enjoyed the course I was excited about the race.

Emily at Chesapeake Crit, photo by BJ Samuel

With the flat course and small numbers the pace was predictably slow with very hard attacks every now and then. Ali (VBVK) was able to get off by herself after one hard attack and gained about 15 seconds on the group for several laps. After the group began to work together she was pulled back. After that, other attacks were launched but nothing stuck for more than half a lap. I am happy to say I got a nice prime that loosened up my legs about half way through the race, and even happier to report that we were all together at the end of the race. With one lap to go Ali attacked again, I got on her wheel and her teammate Jen got on my wheel. The three of us had a gap on the rest of the group and Ali kept her fast pace without letting up all the way around through the last corner. I jumped hard with Jen on my wheel for a long sprint, I managed to push a hard enough gear to stay in front through the line. My first win at Chesapeake Crit, and my first age-grade title.

Tour de Millersburg Stage Race is three races in two days: time trial, crit, and road race. Erin and Amanda travelled to Pennsylvania for the weekend to compete in a competitive women's field with some fun racing. The time trial was 10 miles total with an out-and-back course, Amanda described the race a nice river ride. In the tt Erin placed 5th and Amanda placed 15th. The criterium was later the same day, it was full of attacks and maintained a solid pace, although none of the breaks stuck. Amanda led Erin out for the sprint on the last lap and Erin took off from the top of the hill at the last turn for a wicked long sprint. Erin was out in front most of the way but got nipped at the line by a Kenda rider for a 2nd place finish in the crit. The road race was on Sunday, Erin and Amanda had a good time riding and racing together. Erin finished in 9th place at the road race for a spot on the GC podium with 3rd overall!

Ava looking fast, photo by Dan Gibson

PLT Time Trial is a 23 mile flat course shaped like a lollipop. The PLT TT is run several times throughout the summer and this was Avanell's second time at the PLT this year. This time around the wind was kicking and the rain was falling, but Ava's time was still close to the PR the got earlier this summer. Great race Ava!

Crossroads Classic race report

2011-08-07T22:23:00.051-04:00

Located in and around Salisbury, NC, this series involved 4 days of racing for the women, with fun courses, friendly riders, tough competition, and both a leaders competition and a sprinters jersey for the series. Lots of teams were represented, including Missing Link, Kenda, Hincapie, Iron City, ABRC, and Pain Pathways just to mention a few.

Thursday's Salisbury Criterium

8-corners with a short up and down over a 0.9 mile course. This was my favorite course of the weekend, it was a fast technical, but not sketchy, with enough straight away to move around without making the course slow. It was fast from the start, many attacks, many gaps, and a trimming of the field size after the first few laps. Sarah Tussey (Hincapie) showed her strength with some very hard attacks that seemed to always be times when the field was hurting the most. Eventually Tussey got away from the field with two other riders, Stephanie (Iron City) and another rider (ABRC). Tussey went on to drop both of the other two riders and solo away for the win. The other riders stayed away from the field to finish off the podium and grab up sprint points. I was in the field for the sprint and jumped first before the last corner, but not hard enough, Sarah Fader (Pain Pathways) was on my wheel and sprinted passed me like I was standing still, another rider (Hincapie) also got around me before the line. So, I finished 3rd in the sprint and 6th overall. I also snagged a few sprint competition points, but I realized pretty quickly that fierce competition was going to be between the two Sarahs.

Friday's Statesville Criterium
This course was supposed to be an "L" shape, but due to construction it was changed to a short 4-corner race with a few ups and downs. I felt pretty good on the corners until I clipped a pedal chasing Tussey on one of her monster attacks, which she was pulled back on, only to launch several more times and end up getting off solo. Fader took just about all the primes. Tussey lapped the field and then led-out the sprint, which Fader won for 2nd place. I did not ride well in the last few laps and ended up in a bad spot too far back going into the sprint, 8th place finish for me. .

Saturday's Road Race

recovery ride in the paddle boat after the road race

This was one of those courses that is just boring with a small field, 42 miles of rolling hills. Combined with the leaders points race and people marking other people it was not much of a race, group ride with a few attacks until everyone tried their luck in a sprint finish. I have been known to attack in this situation out of boredom, but this day I was actually really excited about sprinting after an easy race. With less than 500 meters to go the motor ref rolls up to our field, now moving pretty fast (and me with a good position, for a change), and tells us something no one could understand. This was followed by a flash of yellow, I assumed it was someone sprinting and the motor ref was trying to tell us we could use the whole road now. I immediately went left to get in the mystery sprinter's draft. As soon as I did this I heard a chorus of men's voices yelling at me to get out of the way and a rush of large non-female riders coming up all around me. This all happened in less than 1 second, so it was very scary and confusing and a miracle that no one was destroyed in the sprint. I backed off but then realized how close our finish was accelerated onto someone's wheel nearby to try and salvage the sprint. With 100 meters to go we were packed like sardines with mid-field men who were no longer sprinting, so we were stuck in whatever position we were in. I think the quickest minds to realize what was going on probably had an advantage in this finish. Fader won the race, and that's what I would have predicted without interference, but for this one she really had to show her quick thinking and reaction to the situation. I think I fared better than some people who really got stuck in the back, this race was just frustrating because we did not get to finish properly. I later learned that the moto ref told us our field was neutralized (with less than 500 meters to go) until the men passed... hahah!

Sunday's Salisbury Criterium

This is a nice 4-corner criterium with a small hill... well it felt small in the first half of the race... it felt a lot longer towards the end! I attacked the first prime and got it, but couldn't hold my gap for very long. Next lap an Air Force rider, Peggy, attacked and no one reacted, she immediately got 20 seconds. By the next lap she had over 40 seconds, and at one point she had over a minute. The field was not riding steady or really trying to pull her back at all, it was short hard efforts and seemed more focused on the overall points race than the day's crit. After one hard attack up the hill a group of four people got away including Tussey, Fader, Stephanie, and someone else. The group was not working together, Fader wanted a field sprint and Tussey did not want to pull everyone around, but the field was not working together either and so the break stayed away until the last few laps. With three to go I decided to try and bridge up, I was off on my own for part of the lap, but the field caught up with me right as I finished bridging up, which also happened to be at the bottom of the hill. I fell off and had to sprint back second time, this time it was bell lap and I caught up with the field about 5 seconds before the sprint started. What would have been a really hard sprint for me anyway turned into an impossible sprint. I managed to stay ahead of a few people in the field for 9th place in the race. The winner was Peggy, the early solo break, Fader won the sprint and Stephanie came in 3rd.

My overall result was a consistent, but not fabulous, 6th place finish after four day's of racing. The leader jersey went to Fader, although she was technically tied with Tussey, who took home the sprint jersey. Next up for our team is Chesapeake Crit and Tour of Millersburg.

PA State Championship and Chamois Cream

2011-07-31T18:05:00.002-04:00

PA State Road Race Championship
Great course, great weather. The course is 48 miles for the women on a challenging 12 mile loop that is located in rural Berks County in eastern PA. Patty was at the race representing team VA Asset Group by herself, she got into a quick break that got pulled back and then spent some time chasing a solo break. In the end it would be a group sprint for the women who were still in the peleton, at this point 12 -15 riders. Patty did an awesome job in the sprint and took 2nd place, even with some confusion about where the finish line actually was. Nice work Patty!

Chamois Talk
This week our team sat down to talk (over some coffee, of course) about chamois cream, and here is what our riders had to say about the topic:

Amanda- "it took me 5 years of racing to figure out where i'm supposed to apply chamois cream... now i just can't get enough!!!"

Tiffany- "Chamois cream is crucial for pregnant riders too, all that extra junk in the trunk needs some serious tlc."

Julie H.- "I started using Udderly Smooth Chamois Cream earlier this year when I became involved with the team, and I’ve never looked back. With its shea butter base, this cream has a great consistency and makes rides much more comfortable."

Leslie- "Udderly Smooth is so smooth and silky. It almost makes me wish I were a cow!"

Emily- "Even on the long hot rides Udderly Smooth goes the distance and makes me one happy cyclist "

Erika- "Udderly Smooth chamois cream with shea butter saves my behind every ride. Can't climb into the saddle without it!"

Erin- "I've even started wearing it when I'm not riding my bike..."

"Like" our page today, we have some complementary chamois cream for the 200th fan on facebook!

See you at Page Valley and Crossroads Cycling Classic next weekend!

Grandview GP and Liberty Crit, short race report

2011-07-25T15:03:00.000-04:00

Pennsylvania was the place to be this weekend, with a double race weekend and a very competitive women's field at both races. Virginia racing was not happening this weekend after Blacksburg was cancelled (and Erin was sad).

Grandview Grand Prix: Saturday, July 23

This is a great, technical 1-mile course neighborhood of Grandview, PA. The course has six turns over one mile, with a long straight finish on wide Grandview Boulevard. The course did have a lot of shade, but it didn't matter much because it was HOT! Leslie and Patty were representing team Virginia Asset Group this weekend. The women's field had good numbers and the riders were a strong group, this combined with the technical nature of the course led to a smokin' fast race. Leslie raced about 5 laps and pulled herself because she was feeling the heat. Many riders were dropped from the main field during the race for one reason or another, and by the end of the race the pack size was whittled down to about 15 riders. Position was critical for this race and Patty did a great job staying where she needed to be. In the final (very long) sprint it was Kacey Manderfield (Pure Energy) for the win, with Patty at a solid 6th place.

Liberty Criterium: Sunday, July 24

Course description: a fast 1-mile oval loop in the Great Valley Corporate Center, with one small rise in the course. So totally different from Grandview. Leslie and Patty both raced again on Sunday and Leslie felt much better and was ready the hot day. About 5 laps in Patty got off the front for 2 laps with a CAWES rider before it was pulled back, another rider managed to get off solo for a few laps but in the end it would be a large, sketchy bunch sprint. Team Kenda won the race, Patty took 19th and Leslie 23rd.

Great job to Leslie and Patty and good weekend racing. Here are some races we are looking forward to in August: Tour of Page County, Crossroads Cycling Classic, Dawg Days Crit, Tour of the Catskills, Chesapeake Criterium, and probably a few others I am forgetting!

training & massage, a winning combination

2011-07-20T20:56:00.003-04:00

Sports Performance Training Blog
by Emily Joyner

This week I got to blast my muscles and then get a massage all at one convenient location! Although the massage is not part of the standard performance training package, it is an option because In Motion has a certified massage therapist in house. Massage is a special treat for me, but I can see why many pro athletes have sport massage as part of their regular routine.

I scheduled the training session first. It happened to be an off-day for cycling so this was the only hard effort I would put in that day. I enjoy the warm-up and stretching sequence, and find it really loosens me up without taking very long, I use bands and active stretches. The plyometric section of jumps and bounding make me sort of nostalgic to my old gymnastics days because of the emphasis placed on sticking the landing and focusing on balance. I think I am improving with the bounds, too, or at least I am more aware of my actual abilities... when I first started doing the jumps from one leg to another I would try to go much farther than I could actually land and end up falling over, now I can stick them.

The strength circuit this week was pretty awesome, every time I come I learn new exercises or variations that are exciting to me. This session, he split the strength up into two circuits. Circuit 1 had a leg exercise followed by a hip/quad stretch, then pull ups followed by a shoulder/back stretch. Circuit 2 focused on strength, but took away stability rather than adding weight to make the exercise more difficult and utilize core muscles during the exercises. With my recent back injury I can see the weakness in the left side during this type of exercise because I loose balance very easily, but the exercises do not cause pain in my back. While the entire workout engages the core, the last set is directly targeting core strength. This time we did a plank series and then a variation of a crunch to finish it off. Protein shake for the road and I am done... now it's time for the massage!

What can I say, it was a one hour massage, and I loved it. The massage therapist was able to combine a relaxing massage with stretching , especially in my legs. Problem areas like my IT bands and my piriformis received attention and I know massage helps both of these areas just from using a foam roller on my own. In the end I felt very relaxed and could have fallen asleep, but my hour was up and I had to drive home. I was actually sleepy for a while and even after riding later that evening fell asleep very quickly when I went to bed (which is not always easy for me).

Overall, I really like the combination of training then massage at In Motion- it's like he icing on the cake!

Franklin Omnium: race report

2011-07-17T21:56:00.000-04:00

Race Report by Emily Joyner
The Franklin Omnium is a new race this year, and were are very thankful to the hard work of the VBVK team and Celerity Cycling for all the work that went into it. The Omnium consisted of three races, anyone who registered for all three races was entered into the omnium. The other option was to sign up for individual races, people who did this were not eligible for omnium points.

Time Trial: the course was a 10 mile route that went out and back, flat and fast with not too much wind. We had one rider who came out for the TT, Erin, so all our omnium hopes fell to rest on her shoulders.... all the sprinters had really good excuses for not being able to make it. When the dust had settled and the results were posted Erin placed 2nd in the time trial behind Ali (VBVK) and 1 second in front of Laura (VBVK).

Glad I got new tires before the corners!

Criterium: A very technical course with 5 left turns and 2 right turns, some of which were faster than others. The field was a strong but small group of women with VBVK well represented, plus Tripower, Fat Frogs, and VA Asset Group now had 3 riders present. After several attacks (including our own Leslie off the front for the first 1/4 of the race) there was a break with Ali (omnium leader), Erin (2nd in omnium), and Emily (Erin's helper) that was able to push off the front and stick. Erin and Emily tried several strategies to get Erin off by herself, but Ali kept it together for a 3-person sprint. With 2 1/2 laps to go Emily went to the front and held pace. With 1 lap to go Emily started winding up the lead out and Erin kicked it into full gear after the final corner and won the crit. Ali placed 2nd and Emily placed 3rd. Back in the field the VBVK team attacked regularly and Leslie responded, however, Jen (VBVK) eventually got away solo for 4th, and the rest of the field sprinted. Leslie showed her skill and jumped first with a strong acceleration that gave her the field sprint for 5th overall. Erin and Ali were now tied going into the last race of the omnium, the road race.

The happy team after some great team work!

Road Race: All the same faces as at the crit, plus one more from our team, Ava, who was busy all day Saturday selling people great bikes with great service with a smile on her face at BikeBeat. Laurel Larson (SynFit) was also there as a fresh face for the weekend and competitng only in the road race. We started the race late, but eventually were off and rolling on a nice Sunday pace-line for the first eight miles of lap one (14 miles/lap). Erin and Ali (VBVK) were marking one another and both teams seemed very focused on the competition for first in the omnium rather than the road race. Leslie got up the road with Laurel briefly and VBVK quickly pulled it back. Emily responded with another attack that got a big gap with no one interested in chasing except Laurel (SynFit), who bridged up. By the time Laurel and Emily received a time gap a lap and a half later the gap was up to around 10 minutes. Back in the pack the several attacks were launched to try and get Ali away, both Ava and Leslie helped cover these with Erin, but mainly the pace was casual. With a few miles to go for the leaders we were informed that the race would be shortened to 3 laps and we were to finish when we crossed the line. Laurel took the win and Emily came in second. The field sprint would determine the omnium winner, at about 1K to go Leslie got to the front and gave a killer lead-out getting Erin close enough to sprint for the win, which she did!

Omnium Results: Erin won the omnium, Ali (VBVK) placed 2nd, and Emily placed 3rd.

Ironhill Criterium

2011-07-11T10:34:00.000-04:00

Report by Emily Joyner

This race is so much fun. The crowd is fantastic from the amateur mens race through the pro women and right until the end of the pro men you will have a difficult time finding a place to watch the race along the front side of the race with out being in a crowd. The primes are typical for a USA Crit event, constant bell ringing for $50 - $250 sprints, and that really gets the race moving. I really like the course, too, it is a 1k rectangle-shaped course through the streets of downtown West Chester, PA, and while the streets are fairly narrow the turns feel fast and the course really works well. Oh, yeah, and its flat.

Although missing some of the heavy hitting pro teams, competitors were some of the top USA Crits racers like Erika Allar (Ride Clean) and Kacey Manderfield (Pure Energy) were there to push the pace, especially during prime laps. The primes seemed to be the main motivator and kept the speed consistently fast for the first half of the race. I worked on moving up every chance I could, although my teammate Leslie always seemed to be a few places ahead of me.

photo of Leslie by Todd Leister from www.cyclingnews.com

The race stayed together and strung out through the mid-race points prime until Kacey attacked and Erika went with her getting a quick 10 second gap. The gap held steady for a few laps as the group was unable to organize for a chase. When the break got a few more seconds on the field Arley (CAWES) and a Kenda rider attempted to bridge up to the break. The pack was still unorganized, but a few good efforts was enough to pull the bridge attempt back. With a lap and a half to go a Kenda rider went to the front and attacked/pushed the pace until the sprint. There was the typical jockeying for position on the last lap and a two-rider wreck coming out of turn 3. I think the wreck spaced people out a bit more for the final sprint, and my position going into corner 3 was the same place I finished in.

In the end the race winner was Erika Allar, followed by Kacey Manderfield, and in 3rd place Colleen Hayduk (Pure Energy). Team Virginia Asset Group had two riders in the top 20, Emily with 11th and Leslie with 19th. Special thanks to Leslie and family for hosting us on the farm for a great weekend!

The big 'Toona: continuing tour blog

2011-07-07T08:13:00.006-04:00

Tour de Toona has historically been a favorite race among top female racers both in the US and internationally because the promoters give women the same routes and distances as the men and offer equal prize money for women, the result is a very exciting and very competitive race. This year the women's start list is actually bigger than the men's start list with teams from Canada and New Zealand represented!

This blog will be updated as each stage is completed tracking the progress of team Virginia Asset Group p/b Artemis/Trek throughout the week. Our team for Toona includes riders from other teams in the Mid-Atlantic region who all joined together to meet the 6-rider minimum to enter the race. Erin & Patty race with this team all season, other riders on the Toona team include Lindsay and Monika from XO Communications, Ainhoa from Cardio Sports Lab, & Sarah from Sticky Fingers.

Wednesday July 6, Stage 1- the prologue time trial:
This 3 mile very technical time trial took riders through downtown Altoona with 17 turnes before the finish line. The winner of the stage was Team Tibco's Tara Whitten who will go into the road race in stage two with the yellow jersey. The riders wearing the Virginia Asset Group team jersey finished in the following places after the short time trial: 30th - Patty, 35th - Lindsay, 37th - Monika, 50th - Erin, 65th - Ainhoa, 71st - Brenna, 76th - Sarah. The race is still wide open, with two long road races and the criterium still to go. Good luck ladies!

Thursday July 7, Stage 2 - Richland to Blue Knob
This 73 mile road race was basically uphill the entire way with varied difficulty of climbs along the way. It was a fast race and the winner was Veronique Fortin (PK Express) with a time of 3:29:02. Our first rider in was Patty, just two and a half minutes behind the leader and in 22nd place for the day. Monika and Erin came in close together at 31st and 32nd, followed by Lindsay at 41st, Ainhoa at 44th, Sarah at 61st, and Brenna at 67. Full results available here. Team Virginia Asset Group riders all made the time cut and will continue on to stage 3, the next road race, after a rest day tomorrow. Happy resting and good luck on Saturday with 91 miles!

Saturday July 8th, Stage 3- Altoona to Blue Knob to Altoona

The rest day was well appreciated by our team, all of who lined up to start the 3rd stage of the tour. This stage reads 91 miles on the map, but that probably does not include all the extra miles from going off course... the moto took racers on the wrong route 2 times during this race, and at one point the main field had to stop and wait for the break away to get back on course because they were so far off they were behind the field. 3 miles after the group restarted was the big 6 mile climb and the group was shattered on this climb. Several groups were re-directed again, before finding their way to the finish line with 103 miles on the computer. The stage's results are posted here in full, here is how team VA Asset Group finished: Patty 25th, Lindsay 34th, Erin 45th, Monika 48th, Ainhoa 52nd, Sarah54th, Brenna 63rd

Sunday July 9th, Stage 4- Downtown Altoona Criterium
We are proud to report that we had our full team roster lined up at the start of the final stage of the tour, it was a tough week and the field size had decreased going into the the crit, so the team was really energized by having everyone still present and racing. The crit course is a one-mile downtown course that is all up and down with 6 corners and an s-turn. It proved to be an intense all-out race. Everyone seemed to get held up by a wreck at some point, and riders many riders were shelled off the back pretty quickly, with less than 30 riders finishing with the pack for a sprint finish won by Laura Van Guilder (NOW & Novartis for MS). Team Virginia Asset Group had 2 riders finish the crit, Sarah in 24th place and Erin in 32nd place. Full Crit results are here. The overall GC was effected heavily by this final stage, and the only riders who were placed in the GC were the riders who finished the crit and received a place and time in the stage. Janel Holcomb (Colavita) won the overall GC. On team VA Asset Group Erin and Sarah both received a GC placing. Erin finished the tour at 30th and Sarah 39th.

Great job to all the VA Asset Group riders during the difficult Tour de Toona: Brenna, Lindsay, Monika, Ainhoa, Sarah, Erin and Patty.

ID3: Roanoke's 3-race weekend

2011-07-05T22:09:00.000-04:00

This is the 3rd year I have traveled for this race and each year it's a good time and a weekend I always enjoy.

Day 1- the Mill Mountain TT:
This time trial is a hill climb, 1.87 miles up Roanoke's Mill Mountain for an elevation gain of 900 feet. For as much as I really dislike time trials and as much as I am really not a climber I have to admit I enjoy this race every year. My enjoyment has little to do with my result in this stage of the race, but it's more of a sense of accomplishment from just being in so much pain for 12 minutes and still pushing hard. This year was no different and my effort put me in 3rd place (my best result but 1 second off a PR).

Day 2- the first Criterium:

Getting ready for a hot race

This race is a 5-corner crit on a flat 1KM course (flat in Roanoke is unique enough), it has long fast straight sections and a tricky first 2-corner 180. It's a great course for spectators because of the shade and ability to watch the almost the entire race from one spot. I rode on the front and set pace for the first few laps to make sure the corners would not be too ugly. After the primes started I found myself testing my legs on the sprint, and then fielding attacks that began to follow. The main attacks came from the VBVK team, who sat in first and second after the hill climb. After numerous attacks and with less than 10 laps to go Jen (VBVK) launched off the front, I was able to get in her draft and the gap got smaller after a lap. As soon as the group caught up with us Brittney (VBVK) used the momentum to sling-off on her own attack. I jumped and got in her draft on the back of the course and she held her speed through the line taking a prime. We worked together for the last 6 laps gaining about half a lap on the field before our bell lap. I took the lead for most of the last lap at an easy pace until the 3rd corner where I wound it up for the sprint. I had the jump on the last corner and held it to the line for the win. Jen took the field sprint for third. After this race the overall points race was a three-way tie for first between Jen, Brittney, and I. It would all come down to the final race.

Day 3- the second Criterium:

funny jersey, cat5 = squirly

The final criterium is the more technical with an "L" shape, a short steep uphill on the back side, and a longer more gradual uphill on the front. Today I was really focused on getting the win, which would mean a win in the overall points omnium. The race had several primes which gave everyone a chance to take the last corner fast and try out the sprint. I pushed the pace after one prime with a rider from VT to see if a gap would stick but it was too early and the VBVK ladies pulled it back pretty quickly. Towards the end of the race on a prime lap I saw an opportunity to get a gap up the short steep hill and took it, Jen bridged up and we worked together to stay away for the rest of the race. We had a big enough gap on the last lap to take it slow, I went to the front on the back side of the course and started my sprint out of the last corner. Jen has a very good sprint and used the uphill to her advantage, but I jumped first and was able to hold her off by half a wheel at the line. I got the race win and the omnium win, and I was very happy.

Great race, well organized and really fun with lots of great primes at both crits. I recommend it!

In Motion, strength and rehab

2011-06-28T22:06:00.000-04:00

Sports Performance Training Blog by Emily Joyner

One awesome thing about In Motion, that I realized after my crash at BikeJam, is that they are experts in physical therapy and sports performance, kind of obvious, but since the wreck and my nagging back pain I was a little nervous about returning to training. Having experts in both therapy and sports performance has put my mind at ease and after two sessions my back actually feels a lot stronger...and my sprint feels like it might be making a comeback!

Emily working hard at In Motion

While the exercises vary from session to session the format stays the same: warm-up using bands and active stretching, plyometric exercises, strength circuit, and finishing up with a core circuit. Today we focused a lot on lateral movements, which as a cyclist I tend to neglect, but seem to help me feel stronger overall. In the final part of the training session we always work core strength, which I used to feel was something I was good at, but in the three weeks after my crash it has really turned into a weakness. I know that strengthening my core will help my back to heal properly, and I am very glad I have professionals helping me with my cycling goals in mind.

Elite Road National Championships

2011-06-26T16:42:00.001-04:00

The start line at the 2011 Elite Criterium National Championship race, from the USA Cycling website

Nationals, women's criterium:
This race was Friday and took place on a rectangular four-corner crit course in downtown Augusta, GA. With a nasty storm on the horizon the length of the race was cut from 42 laps down to 18 laps with little warning, so the lap board went from 20-something straight to 5 laps to go and things got a little crazy. In the last lap of the race Erin was pushed into the barriers and had to catch back on, making it around four crashes in the last lap to finish in 16th place among the country's best women. The winner, and new national criterium champion is Shelly Olds.

Nationals, women's road race:
This Sunday morning race was a scorcher. The total distance of the race was about 72 miles in a circuit, the loop was just under 15 miles long with about 1400 feet of climbing each lap (5 laps). The first lap had action right away with a 3 person break with 3 of the top teams represented in the break. At one point the gap was over 3 minutes, and Colavita was left to chase. The break stayed away for several laps but was brought back. The last two laps had numerous short-lived attacks, but in the end the group was set up for a sprint. The race ended with a climb to the finish line and the pack that started out at 85 was whittled down to less than 40 by the last climb. Erin rode a great race and was able to start the final climb at about 6th wheel, during the climb her legs locked up with cramps and she finished 28th. Patty was also contending the road race and raced very strong, climbing into 21st place at the end of the long, hot race. The winner and new national road racing champion is Robin Farina, a pro who lives in Charlotte, NC. A Virginia-based pro, Andrea Dvorak, placed second, it was a good day for the east coast!

We are so proud of Erin and Patty, great job this weekend! Next up for Erin and Patty is Tour de Toona, they will be racing on a composite team with five other very strong east coast riders. Other team riders will be at ID3 and Ironhill, good luck to all!

Seriously busy race weekend including: Hagerstown, Washington County, VA State TT, and Gretna Bikes Race

2011-06-20T15:06:00.001-04:00

VA State Time Trial: Avanell was the lone rider representing our team at the Virginia State Time Trial this weekend, she raced her road bike with clip on aero-bars and finished under her goal time of one hour with 59:55!

photo by Drake Wilson

Hagerstown Twilight Crit: Strong fast field, lots of efforts to get away, one corner wreck, and a group sprint at the end. Erin was in good position on the last lap and finished 3rd. I lost my position for the sprint in the first corner on the last lap and tried to make up ground before the last corner, I finished in 9th place. Leslie had a strong race and finished close behind me at 13th place.

Gretna Bikes Race Avenue Criterium: Leslie took time off from painting her house to race at a nearby crit that happened to be a fantastic, well paved, classic four corner criterium, and the same course as the historic Race Avenue Criterium which has hosted the U.S. National Criterium Championship. Leslie placed 2nd in the field sprint for 3rd place overall!

Tour of Washington County Stage Race: This was the first timed stage race I have done, and it was really well organized and a good time overall (thanks to the promoters who worked hard all weekend).

Saturday's racing consisted of a short prologue time trial and a road race. Erin placed 1st in the prologue and I placed 15th. In the road race I went all out, trying to get some time back and also help Erin out, and attacked hard in the start of the 3rd lap. Alaina Gurski (CAWES) bridged up to me and we worked really well together to try and make the 20 second gap bigger. At one point we had over 40 seconds, and the group seemed disorganized, but eventually did get caught part of the way through the last lap with several miles of racing to go before the uphill finish. Not sure of my exact place in the road race, maybe 10th, Erin jumped first and sprinted for 2nd place. After day one Erin led the GC (overall race standings), and I was in 14th.

Sunday's races included a longer time trial (10 miles) and a criterium. I worked really hard the night before to get Erin's aero bars on my bike, when I got to the race I realized I could not shift because they were clipped over my cables... so I rode without aero bars, still looking fast in my skin suit and tt helmet. The course was nice, I was not feeling super fast though and had just an ok time that did not change my position in the overall standings. The criterium was the final race of the day, and it was a really fun course. I worked hard (a little too hard) to stay in the front and with a good position, and tried to get time bonuses on the prime laps. After one prime lap an ABRT rider and a CAWES rider kept their momentum from the sprint and rolled off the front. I didn't realize how tired the rest of the field was and was surprised when it was only Monika (XO) and I who were trying to close the gap. After I tired myself out chasing two more riders bridged up and then I gave up. In the sprint for 5th I got held up on the last corner and missed out on that too. Ironically, as badly as I seemed to race that day (missed moves, bad decisions, etc) I really had a lot of fun... which is good. Overall, I finished 13th in the GC.

Good luck to Erin and Patty who will be racing next at Nationals !

New pair of shoes! Bontrager RXL Road WSD

2011-06-17T07:37:00.001-04:00

Bontrager RXL Road WSD

Why I love this shoe... gear review by Emily Joyner

When I rolled up to my very first group ride with the high hopes of one day racing my bike I was not even wearing cycling shoes. When I started racing it was in a hand-me-down pair of triathelon shoes that were a half-size too small. Along the way I tried to save my money for travel and entry fees rather than new gear. And although my finances are only somewhat improved, my attitude about gear has certainly changed, and this shoe is the perfect example why!

Good gear not only helps race results because it performes better, but also because it makes you want to ride more, and especially enjoying riding longer distances. These shoes go the extra mile because they do not pinch or rub or make my toes fall asleep on long rides, but they stay snug enough to feel efficient when peddling. Of course they are light due to the high-quality carbon soles and ventilated uppers, which is obviously important, but another cool thing about these shoes is on the inside. The footbed can be totally custom using esoles , making the fit really yours.

For me this shoe has opened up the road and allowed me to stay on the bike for longer since my feet are comfortable. I had no idea until I tried them just what a difference they would make, but for me it was huge! I am not sure how much of the comfort is due to the women specific design, but they really do fit my foot better than the men's shoes I have worn in the past. If your feet are not already happy while riding, and you are looking for a pair to try on, check this shoe out at BikeBeat!

Crystal City Report

2011-06-12T22:03:00.001-04:00

Photo by Jon Devich from cyclingnews.com, Erin is on the far right

Race Report by Erin Silliman

Today started out with numerous attacks from Colavita with Tibco following. The race usually had one rider from both Tibco and Colavita dangling off the front by 5-10 seconds the entire race but that duo changed every few laps after smaller teams went after it. After Patty and I spent enough energy in the beginning of the race trying to make something work, I realized I needed to sit back in the field and trust a sprint.

With 3 to go, I considered jumping again b/c I would have been mad if a break stuck to the finish but both colavita and tibco decided that they were ready set up a field sprint. In the last lap I positioned myself well but really got a great spot before the last turn (which left a wicked long drag to the finish).

I positioned myself smack in the middle of the two trains that were side-by-side, first I was on Kacey Manderfields wheel, then I bumped over to Kelly Benjamin's wheel and enjoyed the gust of the field just propelling me to the finish line. Unfortunately two riders bobbled and I had to hit my breaks and swung wide to avoid crashing.

I ended up a wheel length behind Kelly and millimeters behind the next 5 people putting me in 11th. It was so close to a great finish. Patty ended up 15th and for the day and I ended up 11th in the weekend points omnium.

Where will we be next weekend? Glad you asked, Tour of Washington County Stage Race, hope to see you there!

Liberty Classic, report

2011-06-05T19:20:00.004-04:00

Over 100 of the top professional female cyclists (from this country as well as racing internationally) racing one of the most prestigious and longest-runing women’s races in the country. The Philly Liberty Classic consists of a 14.4-mile circuit that the women complete 4 times for a total of 57.6 miles. The circuit takes racers through Philadelphia and up the grueling Manayunk Wall, one of four taxing climbs. This race is one of the historically longest-running races in the country and is also a great race for spectators.

Yesterday, the team arrived in town and took a ride over the course. It was exciting to see so many big teams and top pro riders doing the same thing. Today, teamVA Asset Group p/b Artemis/Trek lined up with five strong (three elite team riders and two guest riders) at the start of the race.

The first two laps were a group ride along Kelly Drive with most of the action occurring leading up to Manyunk Wall, Strawberry Hill and Lemon Hill. One wreck occured on Manyunk Wall on lap two, causing Brenna to get off her bike, sprint up the hill, then and chase for 11 miles, using up all her energy to catch back on just before the same climb. The first lap averaged almost 26 MPH and the pace picked up a bit on lap three, but lap 4 was the killer. Judy rode well but fell off the back near end and couldn't get back on.

Going into lap four Erin and Patty were still with the group and fairly well positioned going into Manyunk Wall. Once over the wall for the last time it was game time. Erin got on the Colavita train up Strawberry Hill while they drilled it. Then the group bunched up again before Lemon hill.

The sprint was crazy. People were grabbing and shoving people off their bikes, it was nuts! Erin found a few key sprinters in front of her in the final 1K but was boxed and could not squeeze through. It was a lesson on jockeying and finding the right place. Erin finished off the race in 30th and Patty in 44th.

Cycling news race report with full results

Somerville Report

2011-05-30T22:11:00.000-04:00

Although it was not on the official NRC calendar this year Somerville maintained a top-level of racing for the women's pro 1,2 criterium. The race was stacked with team Colavita as well as most of the top sprinters who race the NRC calendar regionally, including the world champion (Colavita).

Erin managed a place in the front row and stayed in great position the entire race. A few laps in, Rush-lee and Kacey Manderfield moved up the road a little on a prime lap so Erin bridged up and then attacked them to keep the momentum going, plus the prime was for $200. Just around turn 3 Erin was caught by the field and sat 3rd wheel down the home stretch. As the field slowed again, Erin launched off the front from the end of the homestretch and got a significant gap.It looked as if she had sealed the deal on the $200 prine when, a yard from the line, Ms. World Champion comes outta nowhere to snag the prime and keep rolling. Erin jumped on her wheel but she eased up and wasn't interested as the field was right there.

A few laps later, Cath Cheatley attacks after turn one and Erin jumped to take her wheel hoping she'd keep rolling. Nope. A few more laps go by and same thing happens only after Cath stops pedaling, Rush-Lee, who was on Erin's wheel, attacks and Erin jumps on the wheel again. This happed two more times before the end of the race. It was not a surprise that Colavita was going to dictate the race since they were the only full squad with numbers.

As it closed in on the last two laps, people start getting squirmy. After missing a couple near crashes and with one lap to go, Erin puts herself in the Colavita train--fighting TCR for LVG's wheel. Erin ended up sitting 6th wheel going into the final turn, after playing ping-pong in another near-crash she followed wheels as each colavita girl pulled off. As the line approached, no one was swarming and the few non-colavita sprinters who were in front of were smoked. Erin sprinted and managed to secure 7th on the line.

Next up for the Elite team: Liberty Classic good luck ladies!!

Bike Jam, the legacy lives on

2011-05-29T17:12:00.000-04:00

full results for womens 1,2,3

Race report by Emily Joyner

The legacy is of course that there will be blood spilled in the women's race, literally (there was a big red stain on the course from the first wreck). I have been to Bike Jam several times and have managed in the past to make it out unscathed, third time is the charm and I did go down in the second of two 6-rider pile ups, which both oddly took place on a straight section of the road for no apparent reason. Thankfully, my bike and I were well enough to finish the race and my new helmet still looks new!

Erin rode off the front at the start of the race in a good solo break-away effort and stayed off for several laps. After that it was a lot of short-lived attacks due to quick reactions from the peleton. Erin got one of the merchandise primes, and I tried for one after my getting off the pavement, but found it was a bit more difficult to sprint post-crash. Last lap, Erin went hard after the s-turn and pushed it, staying out in front up the hill, just before the line she was passed and ended up 7th overall. Julie K. got placed 12th, and I finished up 15th. Wishing quick recovery to all the other riders who went down.

Next up, Somerville on Monday.

Wilmington GP

2011-05-23T22:03:00.002-04:00

Erin in the mix, photo from Cycling News

Team Virginia Asset Group p/b Artemis/Trek was excited about this race. Why? A really fun course with fast turns and punchy short up hills, tough competition, and of course enjoying the company of great teammates.

Race report: Over 50 elite riders were on the start list ready to fight for this NRC event. Colavita had the biggest team at the race and showed their strength by riding aggressively and sending attacks up the road consistently. Tibco had several riders and worked hard to keep Colavita from getting away, with the help of several other riders with smaller teams including Virginia Asset Group via Erin and Patty who held positions at the front of the peleton for the entire race. Erin got into a break of five that looked strong towards the end of the race, but it was pulled back. In the end, Kristen Sanders (Colavita) countered and got away with 4 laps to go and held her gap for the win. The rest of the field was ready to sprint and pushed their way into position on the last lap. Laura Van Guilder took the sprint for 2nd place overall, Edita J (Colavita) placed 3rd.

Team Results
Time Trial Friday- Pouring rain and a technical course with lots of turns and steep cobbled hill to finish on, what's not to love? Patty was the only one who made it there on time, but she made us all proud with a 5th place finish!!

Grand Prix Saturday- Julie had a great start and was holding a good position, but unfortunately her chain dropped during the race and that is not the sort of mechanical problem that qualifies for a free lap. Emily had a bad start and fought the yo-yo in the back until she finished in the back. Erin and Patty did a great job the entire race and really rode strong and with good position, sadly the near-wreck in corner 7 on the last lap pushed things around a bit and positions changed, but in the end both had a solid finish with Erin 21st and Patty 23rd. Special thanks to our cheering section (Amanda, Leslie, Greg, Steve and Bruce) & to Leslie and David for their hospitality the night before the race!

This weekend
Looking forward to lots of teammates at BikeJam, some fast seriously fast racing at Somerville & some killer hills in Killington.

American Pride, Poolesville, Sprint into Spring

2011-05-15T20:56:00.000-04:00

American Pride Crit race report by Emily Joyner
The weather report called for a 40% chance of staying dry, and happily we did. It was sunny and humid and ended up being a great day for a race. The 4-corner course takes riders around Todd Stadium, a Newport News track/football field, with the finish line just under 200 meters (my estimation) after the last left turn. Bike Beat is one of the race sponsors, and to make it even better, today is Ava's birthday, and she had a very large crowd of supporters!!
Women 1,2,3

Emily, photo from American Prid

The race started off fast, with riders attacking aggressively from Tripower, VBVK, FF, and VA Asset Group. Several riders got threatening gaps only to be pulled back by a pelleton, who seemed to be working well together when the break did not suit their team. Eventually a break of five managed to get up the road, and with riders from all teams previously mentioned teams present, it stayed away. Working hard together was Avanell (VA Asset Group), Annette (Tripower), Amanda (FF), Jen (VBVK), and myself.

We all worked well together until the last lap, since we had a big enough gap and no one wanted to be on the front before the sprint. Half way around the course Avanell exploded up the road and I got on her wheel. Half way between turns 3 and 4 I went around Ava, sprinted through the corner and was able to stay in front to the line. Jen finished 2nd, Amanda 3rd, Annette 4th, and Ava placed 5th. I was proud of Ava and stoked for the awesome lead out. Thanks to the promoters for a great day.

Poolesville Road Race Report
This 42 mile road race in Poolesville, Maryland is a race not for the faint of heart. Most of the course has rolling hills on country roads, but it also includes 1.4 miles of hard packed dirt/gravel road. The condition of the dirt section depends on the recent rainfall, not to mention that the entry to the dirt and gravel comes at a right hand turn at the bottom of a hill. This section of the road has been the source of more than one wreck.
Women's 1,2,3
The gravel road was a factor in the deciding break after a wreck helped 5 women to get a gap on the rest of the field. From our team Erin and Patty together with Lindsay and Monika (XO) and Laurel (Syn Fit) stayed away for the rest of the race and sprinted for the top 5 places. In the end it was, Lindsay for the win followed by her teammate Monika, with Erin taking 3rd place and Patty placing 5th. Amanda (who was caught behind the crash) soloed in for 6th. Great job to everyone!

Sprint into Spring race report by Emily
One of the best crit courses in the area, really fun and fast with nice pavement and a gradual up and down on the Army base at Fort Lee. Thanks to Rostello for a great race with lots of supports from sponsors. The rain held off, again, so we were very happy about the weather.
Women 1,2,3
This was a small but aggressive one with all the local teams accounted for. Julie went out for an attack really early in the race (before the lap board was up) and it seemed like no one wanted to work together to bring her back. Several riders attempted to bridge up but when they saw other riders on their wheels they seemed to loose interest. I guess others must have been thinking there was plenty of race left to get her back, and her gap seemed to be holding pretty steady at about 20 seconds. After one failed bridge and the pace slowed down right before a corner Erin launched off the front and got a gap as she went into the windy section and up the small hill. In a lap she had caught up with Julie and the teammates worked together steadily gaining time on the field. Back in the pack Avanell and I worked hard to keep other attacks from getting away. After many more individuals tried to get up the road one attack did stick with Brenna (Tripower), Jen (VBVK), and I working together for the last 6 laps or so.

In the end, Julie got the win with Erin in second, looking strong and lapping the rest of the field. My group almost got lapped too, but stayed just in front, with me winning the sprint for third place overall. Prizes were WaWa gas cards, which we will be using to take us to Willmington Grand Prix this weekend (sweet).

Jefferson Cup, women

2011-05-09T22:19:00.000-04:00

Jefferson Cup is a 10 mile loop with three right turns, rolling hills, one climb, and a gradual uphill finish. It is a very popular race and always has a strong regional field for woman. Even though the March race was delayed until May this year, the weather still threatened cool weather and rain to provide the authentic Jeff Cup experience. By the time the first race went off, however, the roads were really not wet anymore, and the cool morning weather was already moving towards warm and humid. Our team had riders in the Women's 1,2 race as well as the women's 3 and the women's 4 races.

Women 1,2 (3)

Patty and Ava before the race

50 miles of road racing and 5 teammates by my side, I was pretty pumped for a good day. The first few laps saw attacks at the expected locations. Erin, Julie, Amanda, and Patty all worked at the front to follow attacks and launch a few of their own, while Avanell and I were pretty happy to sit in and conserve energy. After the first two laps the pack size was cut about in half. On lap 4 a rider got away solo, it was a well timed attack (because everyone was tired of jumping and chasing) that everyone thought it would come back easily before the finish, actually, I didn't even realize anyone had gone until people started calling out the time gap (hazard of sitting in the back), then I was trying to figure out who it was, because the people I had expected might get away were all still there. My teammates all went to to the front to help pull her back, but the time gaps just kept getting bigger.

Photo by team Traveller

On the last lap, I got myself into a better position within the last few miles of the race and as the last right turn approached I was on Patty's wheel near the front but mostly out of the wind. Erin and Amanda were pushing the pace steady fast up the last 2k to the finish. Sarah Fader (Sticky Fingers) crushed the sprint and took second overall, followed by Ainhoa Perez-Diez (NVRC). The rest of the pack was pretty clumped together, Patty finished 8th and I finished 9th overall. The entire team worked hard, it was a fun race. Avanell finished 8th for the cat 3 women, although the results had her as 14th and we missed the protest period.

As it turned out, the winner is a woman named Katie racing for a Florida team, who is now living in Maryland and moves a lot because of her position in the Army. She told me she doesn't race a lot... I think people will recognize her at the next race she decides to sign up for!

Women's Category 4

Erika rocked this race, her first Jefferson Cup ever and she stayed with the pack and even set the pace for a while. The last lap was pretty tough in the hills but she did great and had a safe sprint finish. 30 miles in the hills, go Erika!

Speed week, short report

2011-05-02T12:24:00.000-04:00

Julie and Erin are down south for speedweek, part of the USA Crits series that boasts impressive women's and men's pro fields and fast races fueled by notoriously fun races and big prize money. Here is a short report on the races so far.

Athens Twilight- Downtown race with 4 corners, 1 lap is only 1k and the race is 40 laps. Brutally fast race with multiple crashes. The biggest news I can report on Julie and Erin is that they stayed safe and avoided the chaos. The race ended in a group sprint and Colavita's Cliff-Ryan won the race (her second year in a row).

Roswell Criterium- A 60 minute race with 5 corners in Roswell, GA. Towards the end of the race Erin was feeling good and went to the front to see what she could do. With 6 laps to go Erin went with Jen R (Kenda) and Elizabeth Morse-Hill (Z-Motion) to try and bridge to a solo break that was up the road. It was a good hard effort that did not work out, because she was caught before the end of the race. Both Julie and Erin finished the race safe and are looking forward to the next race, Beaufort Crit, on Tuesday.

Middle Mountain Momma

2011-05-02T07:58:00.000-04:00

Report by Avanell

Predicted conditions: 79 and sunny
Actual conditions: 56 and misting/raining.

Riding a moutain bike in the actual mountains is much different than riding in the Williamsburg area. Rocks become a factor (big ones too), you still have roots, creek crossings, RIVER crossings, and oh the climbing! The race started with a gradual but difficult, 7 mile climb. There was about a mile of descending that broke it up but 7 miles to the top of the first mountain. Through the extremely tight singletrack, switchbacks and slick, loose rocks, I got to the ridge in what I thought was 4th (Paula Smith, Fiorelli, took a wrong turn earlier only to come back strong and pass almost everyone up again for 2nd overall). The 3 mile descent was a blast. The rain/mist had made it a little slick in sections but the short rollers allowed for some air as well. After a near and almost severe wipeout at 20 mph I came off of the first mountain in 2nd (still thinking 3rd since Paula had not yet caught back up. Max speed on the descent? 23.3mph. The 2nd mountain was not as long, about 4.5 miles, but much more brutal. Lots of very steep hike-a-bike sections (at least for me anyway) with lots more rocks. More switchbacks and much more demanding.

This second climb is where Paula caught and passed me...again. With about 1/2 mile to the top, I see 4th place expert, Donna (Niner Factory Team) about 50 yards back, just a switchback behind. This forces me to stay on the bike for the rest of the climb. The descent was slower than the first, but with Donna being so close behind and her being quite a good descender, I had to take more risks than I was intending to. This 2nd descent had a lot more switchbacks and a lot more rocks than the first. When it leveled out, there were a lot of small but fast creek crossings to tend with before the big momentum killer. The river, that all the creeks dump into, needed to be crossed. You could, A, jump off the bike, climb the small, steep steps, run/ride across and climb down similar steps, or B, go through the water. As there was a trafic jam going up the steps, I chose option B. The water level was way too high to ride so I ran in toe spikes on slick rocks in knee deep water across a 30ish foot river. With 5 feet to the bank, the bed dropped over a foot and I slipped, submerged almost up to my neck with my bike in my right hand barely keeping the headset out of the water. But I got across in much better time than everybody waiting to go across the bridge. The last 5 miles, which were perfect dry, fast, trail conditions the previous day on the pre-ride became tacky from the rain and extremely slow. Riddled with creek crossings there were 3 miles worth of climbing where bonking and calf cramping were extremely possible with my Camelbak and waterbottle drained. The last 2 miles were all downhill...although quite muddy, rocky, and slick in between the remainder of the creek crossings. The finish line was taped off in the start field where spectators, finished racers, and the race promotors/volunteers were clapping for everyone coming in and distributing necessary burgers, chili, and beverages.

Thanks to Kyle and all the mtb enthusiasts from mountainbikevirginia.com, Virginia Off-Road Series at ors.cycleva.com, and all the sponsors and volunteers that made this fun but brutal race possible! Also a personal thanks to Lester Gamboa for working for me at BikeBeat so I could leave and Robert Maye and Dave for getting me up there when my car wouldn't make it!

Jeff Cup here we come!

Training Off the Bike

2011-04-23T15:52:00.000-04:00

Training off the bike at In Motion Sports Performance

The experts at In Motion know what it takes to keep athletes strong and healthy, and anyone who races knows that staying healthy is a huge part of a successful race season. That's why when it was time to start some off-the-bike at In Motion I knew I could trust the trainers to add strength without the risk of injury. What I didn't realize is that I would also be gaining flexibility and muscle groups.

At In Motion all the staff have very up-to-date knowledge, excellent credentials, and it showed immediately. In my first training session we started with a really effective and efficient warm-up using bands before doing several active stretches. Next up was some plyometric work for my legs which involved both jumping and balancing. We finished with a circuit of strength training that worked opposing muscle groups to focus on strength while still keeping it active enough to make me out of breath. The circuit included core work, which is easy to neglect during the race season.

One thing I noticed during the workout was that my hamstrings were extremely weak compared to my quads, I guess that's typical for a cyclist who hates running. What I noticed during the week after my training was that my knees felt great, no nagging aches and pains that I often have after lifting hard. Immediately after the workout the trainer gave me a choice of protein bar or drink, perfect. Showered on site and then off to work, a very nice way to start my day!

Lower Providence Crit

2011-04-18T10:12:00.000-04:00

Lower Providence Crit

Two Tradewinds Racing Team members, Patty Buerkle and an ailing Leslie Winters, braved very windy but sunny weather on Sunday to compete in the Daniel Harwi Memorial 24th Annual Lower Providence Spring Classic Criterium in Norristown, PA.

This is Pennsylvania's oldest and largest criterium, and 45+ cat 1/2/3 women showed up to compete in the 20 mile, 20 lap race. Racing was fun and fast, with the first attack coming on lap two. After several small breaks failed to stick, Patty soloed off the front and was by herself for 4 laps before Kim Geist, Team Alliance Environmental, and Jessica Chong, Morgan Stanley (and the 2010 PA BAR winner), bridged up with her. The three worked well together and maintained their lead to finish 1-2-3, with Kim winning the sprint and Patty taking a well-earned third. Leslie finished in the pack, but worked hard chasing attacks and helping Patty's break to stick.

Roanoke Twilight Report

2011-04-17T22:16:00.002-04:00

Roanoke Twilight Women's Open

Erin pulling hard, pictures from Traveler

The fun course and good prize purse helped to make this race appeal to elite women throughout the region. The high level of competition was one of the main reasons our team was looking forward to this race, and we were not disappointed. Women traveled from throughout VA as well as NC, SC, and Ohio.

The women's race started straight out of the line, with strong riders in the front stringing out the pack and riders who were not able to stay with the acceleration off the back in the first lap.

strung out, picture from Traveler

The pace remained fast with riders attacking constantly until Sara Tussey (Hincapie) was able to get a small gap on the field, the gap got bigger immediately when another rider lost control in corner causing the chase group to slow up. Sara remained in sight for most of the race with riders chasing hard, but not really working together in their efforts. The gap grew, until with about 10 laps to go she had 20 seconds on the chase group, which ended up being 6 riders: Erin S., Julie K., and Emily J. (VA Asset Group p/b Artemis/Trek), and Mary C (Traveler), Jen P (VBVK), & Jane W (Secret). Julie and Erin set the pace and each of us got a prime before the final lap.

With a lap and a half to go Erin attacked and was caught, then held the pace for the last lap. Even with the strong headwind the sprint started right at the final corner. Overall, it was Sara for the solo win, Jane W took the sprint for 2nd place and Emily J got 3rd, Julie K placed 5th &Erin S took 6th. It was a strong and aggressive field, thanks to the great job the race promoters did putting on a race that would draw elite riders to Roanoke. Hope to see this race on the calendar next year! Special thanks to Mary from Traveler who was honest and honorable with the prime mix-up!

Harris-Roubaix, Hilbert, & Battenkill Reports

2011-04-11T21:47:00.001-04:00

After one busy race weekend for our team, here are the reports from the Sunday races!

Harris-Roubaix report by Julie K.
This weekend in an homage to everyone doing battenkill I head up northwest to Harrisonburg Virginia to race the Harris-roubaix. The course was a 15 mile loop of gravel descents and short punchy climbs. 100 plus people lined up for the roubaix, some to chill and some to race. I was at the front of the race to start. On the first section of gravel my bars dropped!! Agh!! Rather than stopping I managed to grab my multi tool out of my jersey pocket and adjust while still racing. Unfortunately, I got dropped from the lead group while adjusting. The rest of the race I found myself catching and dropping riders from the lead group. It was such an awesome course and the people racing and putting on were so nice. I will definitely be racing it next year. I wound up finishing first female which was awesome. After the race the Harrisonburg contingent supplied all the racers with sweets, snacks and beverages. Bonus for sure.

Camp Hilbert MTB Race report by Ava S.
Like many mountain bike races the start was a long, large graveled fire-road. With temperatures NOT in the 70's like predicted, the start of the race was in the 50s and the unpredicted rain that hit the evening before left roots extremely slick. Sprinting from the start I was 2nd into the singletrack and with a short straightaway, I took the opportunity to pass the 1st place girl. The course itself had few places to settle into a really solid rhythm - by the time you could it was time to climb again or there was a long section of roots to take away your momentum - so it was fairly high intensity the whole time. MTB races are fairly similar to time trials in that you don't know where the other people are on the course. Stress levels are high as well, constantly trying to keep an eye out for the person behind you, figuring out the quickest and easiest way to make a pass on the tight singletrack, and of course trying to focus on not slipping on the slick, off-camber roots and into the ravine that the trail ran beside for a couple miles. Starting before us were the Enduro races, Sport men, and Juniors, leaving us to pick our way through the Enduro riders that were in it for the long haul and pacing themselves, and the Juniors who weren't as quick with the bike handling. Lots of reasons to find the easiest line to pass on. Anyway, after 12 miles and 01:07:34 later, I crossed the line in 1st place with a minute between myself and 2nd place. Unlike road, mountain bikers don't have to Cat up with the local races...just the National level races. Guess I'll be racing Expert women for the next one!

Tour of the Battenkill report by Erin S.

The race started with 60+ women on the line. It was generally slow but the hills were punchy enough that the field started splintering in the first 15 miles. There was still a fairly large group together by the last dirt climbing section, somewhere around 35-40 women. Then the field shattered and the main group that finished was somewhere around 29 people. A few people tried to break away but nothing stuck. Mostly people were conserving themselves for the end since the weather was fairly warm and the group was overall very strong. Amanda put in attack near the end but unfortunately it didn't stick. Patty finished 13th and Amanda 17th in the main field and I finished 31st, 2 minutes back after falling off in the last 10K.

This weekend you will find us at Roanoke Twilight and Steel City Showdown, both are new races this year with great women's events planned.

Saturday Reports: Ashboro Crit and Canal TT

2011-04-10T21:18:00.000-04:00

How many bike races can a team do in one weekend?
Our team was racing at five separate races this weekend, in three different states, some on road and some on mountain bikes. Here is the report from the races on Saturday...

Ashboro Criterium in North Carolina, a new race on the calendar this year. The course had 4 corners on wide, mostly smooth, roads in the downtown area with one hill on the back side. The hill was not so big that a break was inevitable, but since ex-pro (and sprinter) Rebecca Larson was present, a break was certainly a goal for riders. The attempts to get away were pretty much non-stop until Sara Tussey (Hincapie) launched off solo. The rest of the women seemed pretty unmotivated to work together, and Sara got a lap on the field pretty quickly. No more serious attacks were made and the group got ready to sprint. With one lap to go several riders went to the front and tried to string it out before the final corner. Emily (VA Asset Group p/b Artemis/Trek) and Rebecca (Athens Velo) came around the final corner side-by-side and Emily jumped first. The sprint was pretty long but positions were held to the line and Emily got the sprint for 2nd overall. Rebecca got 3rd overall, & it was Sara with the solo win.

Canal Time Trial in Chesapeake, VA is a 12 mile out and back course that is closed to traffic. Erika raced category 4 and placed 4th & Leslie raced in the 40+ category. Everyone was sad that the accompanying crit at Langly Speedway was cancelled this year. Thanks to the promoters making races happen this year, it appears to be a challenge and we really appreciate your effort!

Stay Tuned: next report posted will be from Sunday races this weekend: Battenkill, Harris-Roubaix, and Camp Hilbert.

RVM Road Race

2011-04-04T21:32:00.005-04:00

Ronde van Mullica Road Race

While most of the team trained for the weekend, with a lack of local racing options in the mid-Atlantic, one teammate found a northern race and enjoyed the company of about 50 other women who also found their way to Ronde van Mullica Road Race.

The classic NJ Road Race had a filled up women's field for the 2011 race on Sunday, April 3. The course was in the pines of southern NJ and the low-traveled roads were quite scenic. The women's race did three laps on the slightly rolling circuit for a total of 30 miles. The winner was Kim Geist, who got away from the pack and maintained at least a 30 second gap through the line. The rest of the group was left to sprint. Tradewinds' rider Patty ended the day 5th overall.

Next weekend three elite team riders will head north for the Tour of the Battenkill.

Going Lactic

2011-03-26T10:25:00.000-04:00

Sports Performance Training Blog

Lactate Threshold Testing

I was apparently wrong when I called it my "lactic threshold" for all those years... shows how much I really knew about it I guess! Not surprisingly I really didn't know what the test would be like, but my coach told me it would be a really helpful tool, especially as a baseline for the start of the season to see how much my winter training has helped and how much more I need to push to be race-ready.

Officially the lactate threshold is the point during increasing intensity when the lactic acid in your blood builds up so much that your body cannot clear it out as quickly as it is produced. This point is also your body's shift from primarily aerobic energy production (with oxygen) to primarily anaerobic energy production (without oxygen... and significantly shorter supply). So basically, the better your lactic threshold, the harder you can push for longer.

The test was kind of brutal. About twice as long as the VO2 MAX test, with increased power over scheduled periods of time. The good people at In Motion monitored my heart rate, power, perceived exertion, and my blood lactate levels. The last of which was taken by pricking my fingers for blood every few minutes during the test. By the end of the test I had three pricks in each finger on my right hand, and almost fell over on the bike trying to keep up with the power on the highest level I completed. I got my baseline and I also got seriously motivated to push that sucker higher before the next time I test it!

Results, RIR Crit

2011-03-21T15:06:00.000-04:00

Race Report by Julie K
This weekend the elite and developmental squad lined up for the Richmond International raceway crit in Richmond, VA. The course was flat and fast, and with no corners it was not easy for a breakaway to stick. Several attacks were initiated by both the VB Vanderkitten squad and VA Asset Group p/b Artemis/Trek. While a break was up the road, Erica (VA Asset Group) managed to scoop up two primes.

With ten laps to go it looked as though nothing was going to stick. Ali of VK made a good dig with Leslie (VA Asset Group) glued to her wheel. When it seemed like a break that might work, one additional rider, Lindsay (PVC), managed to bridge up and the three worked together

while VBVK and Erica & Erin of VA Asset Group controlled the field. The break stuck.

With three laps to go Erin gave me a wicked lead out to pick up a $75 prime. Knowing that the

break would stick Erin pulled hard in the last lap to ensure that no one came around me. Leslie worked really hard in the break and finished strong with third. Erin helped me to pick up the field sprint for fourth.

Bottom two photos from DBG's Photos

VO2 Maxed Out?

2011-03-17T12:33:00.000-04:00

Sports Performance Training Blog

Have you ever wondered what profesional sports performance training can do for your racing? This year Bon Secours In Motion is helping the ladies of Tradewinds Racing acheive their potential. Throughout the year we will give you a peek at what we are doing and how it is helping our performance.

First on the to-do list is testing, this helps us to know were we start out at the begining of the season, and also how much room there is for improvement throughout the season.

VO2 MAX

In Motion strapped me into the oxygen mask and cranked up the power on the stationary bike in short increments. A computer next to me kept track of all the data as I worked harder and harder. The test itself was pretty short and very hard effort, it was about 100% effort right at the end.

The results provided me with VO2 Max and ventilatory threshold. The VO2 Max in a trained athlete is not a predictor of performance, but can give you an idea of your physiological potential. Ventilatory threshold was also calculated and can tell you how closely you are working to your VO2 Max, this number will change depending on training and is similar to your lactate threshold.

I learned that my VO2 Max is actually pretty good, and it motivated me to train harder and push my ventilatory threshold closer to that VO2 Max. Before, I always figured my VO2 Max was lower than other riders' (and I had some pretty good reasons for this assumption), but I was wrong and now I know I just need to train that area harder. Next up... lactate threshold!

Results, Sleepy Hole Crit

2011-03-12T13:45:00.000-05:00

Simple Story of Sleepy Hole Criterium

Leslie out in front after winning a propane tank refill prime

First, a shout out to the race promoters, VB Wheelmen, who not only put on a great race at a great location, but always do a great job promoting women's racing locally... even though they are a men's team. We really appreciated it, thanks guys!!

The women cat 4's and 40+ raced first together. The race had several primes & attacks, but stayed together for a group sprint. Leslie (VA Asset Group p/b Artemis/Trek) jumped hard and was out in front until just before the line, when Sharon (Tripower) accelerated hard to come around for the win right at the line, making for an exciting sprint finish. Leslie took 2nd place overall, and Julie H. finished 6th for cat 4 riders.

The Women's 1,2,3 race was a small but aggressive field. VB Vanderkitten started the attacks & the 2nd one ended up lasting for the entire race, with Ali (VBVK) and Emily (VA Asset Group p/b Artemis/Trek). Pretty straight forward race, after lapping the field Emily J took the win in the sprint, with Ali second. The race for 3rd was still underway. With 1st and 2nd up the road, VBVK racers Jen and Brittany took turns attacking, while VA Asset Group's Ava covered their attacks and threw in some of her own. With less than 10 laps to go Laura (VBVK) attacked a tired peleton, and got away from the field with Leslie (VA Asset Group) on her wheel. Laura got 3rd and Leslie took 4th. (Photo Above by Kevin Horvath, Ali and Emily in the break)

Sunday Mountain Bike Race

In other weekend racing news, Julie Hunter, who raced in the Sleepy Hole Crit on Saturday, decided to race in Angler's Ridge (a mountain bike race in Danville, VA) on Sunday. She took the win for her age group after a difficult 27 mile race with lots of climbing. Go Julie!!

Results, Snowball Crit #2

2011-03-07T08:25:00.000-05:00

Snowball Criterium #2

Back row = Emily, Patty, Erin, Julie K, & Julie H Front row = Avanell, Leslie, Amanda, & Erika

The elite riders from up north traveled to VB for a weekend of training and fun. After a great ride with the team on Saturday, we all went to Snowball Crit Sunday for the race. Since so many team riders were there, we were pretty excited about the race... even though it was rainy and cold. We lined up at the start line just long enough to start shivering. I was surprised by how many people were there to watch the race despite the weather.

The pace was kept fast from the start by the strength of team VA Asset Group p/b Artemis/Trek (and yes, our fans were shouting the entire name as they cheered for us). Attacks were pulled back by the three other teams represented at the race, but mostly by Jen (VBVK) and Mary (Traveler). Eventually, one of our riders, Patty, got away on her own. She was followed by Mary and shortly after by Julie (VA Asset Group). Back in the field several other attempts were made but none stuck. With 2 laps to go Erin (VA Asset Group) gave a monster lead out for her sprinters and dropped them off to watch Avanell (VA Asset Group) edge out Jen for the sprint.

Thanks to all those who supported women's racing at Snowball- East Coast Bikes, Sock Guy, In Motion, Udderly Smooth, Bike Beat, Terry Precision Cycling, and Sport-wash.

PS- The women's race had more people show up and race in the rain than the men's A race, just sayin'.

Results, Snowball Crit #1

2011-02-20T20:15:00.000-05:00

Snowball Criterium #1, 2011

pictured above: Julie, Leslie, Erika, Avanell, and Emily

17 women showed up to battle it out for the first women's race of the season (at least in Virginia). It was a nice day and we were especially happy to have so many of our own team present, a mix of the Elite and Developmental squads with a huge variety of experience ranging from 1st crit ever (Julie H.) to many years of racing.

So here is what happened... after many attempted breaks, and six primes later, the group held out and the race ended in a sprint. Taryn (Celerity) went to the front on the last lap and pushed a nice pace, Ava got right behind her, followed by Emily. Before we got to the straight away Ava jumped hard and Emily followed her. Ava won the sprint and made it look easy, Emily took second, and Amanda (FF) came in third preventing a sweep (Leslie got 4th). Taryn hung on and came in 5th overall (1st cat 4, pictured below).

Proudly, Erika won a prime and Julie H completed her first crit. Thanks to VBV for promoting the race and giving women an early season racing option!

Many thanks to the companies that also supported the race (and also the next one on March 6): East Coast Bikes, Sock Guy, Polar Bottles, Sport-Wash, Udderly Smooth Chamois Cream, In Motion, Terry Precision Cycling, and Bike Beat.

Thanks also to the women who came out to race, hope to see you again at #2 on March 6.

snowball crit women's race

2011-02-12T21:21:00.000-05:00

Last year was the first year the Snowball Criterium had a stand-alone women's race, and we had a great turn-out. We hope you will come out to keep the new tradition alive. Not only is there a trophy, cash, and great prize packages, but the weather looks sunny and its the first local race of the season. There are two races in this series, the first is February 20, the second is March 6.

Last year at Snowball Crit #2

The course is a flat and fast .6 mile circuit with two 90 degree turns and smooth pavement. You can register for the race online, or on the day of the event. The women's race is first and starts at 12:30 PM.

Here is who to thank for the great prizes at the women's race: East Coast Bikes, Sock Guy, Bike Beat, Udderly Smooth Chamois Cream, Sport-Wash, Polar Bottles, Terry, Bon Secours In Motion, and of course Virginia Beach Velo.

Meet the new NRC Elite Team

2011-01-25T21:09:00.000-05:00

Look for VA Asset Group p/b Trek on the podium at local, regional, and national races. The team has 2 squads this year, Developmental Team riders are category 3 & 4 riders based in the Hampton Roads area who focus on developing and improving racing strength/skills in local and regional races.

The NRC Elite Team is the combined forces of both Tradewinds Racing and Artemis, forming a top-notch elite womens team for 2011, Virginia Asset Group p/b Trek. The team is comprised of some of the best racers PA, DC, Northern VA, Richmond and Virginia Beach have to offer, and is very balanced with all-arounders, climbers, and a sprinter. Virginia Asset Group p/b Trek will be competing all over the country in select NRC, USA Crit, stage races, and US Nationals, plus regional and local races close to home.

We are proud to have such a talented and dedicated roster of developmental and elite riders this year. To follow the team's success "like" us on Facebook by searching "Tradewinds Racing", and follow our blog to get full race reports.

Lastly, in these tight times for womens cycling we are extremely thankful for the sponsors who have the same vision and goal of developing top-level female racers. Without their support this team would not be possible.

Spinning at Bike Beat

2010-12-27T22:08:00.000-05:00

Starting in January we will be spinning at Bike Beat on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 5 - 7, and we would love it if you would join us!

Come around to the back of the shop and bring your trainer and a towel. You can join in a workout we have planned or you can do your own workout and spin with us for company. Last year we had a TV for videos and a pretty good selection of cycling races or training videos to choose from, so I expect that will be the same this year. Riders are welcome at anytime from 5- 7, so no worries about being late or leaving before 7. Hope to see you there!

TWR t-shirts

2010-12-22T21:59:00.001-05:00

Tiffany models the latest Tradewinds Racing team gear. Get yours today at Bike Beat (Hilltop location), 100% of proceeds support the development of women's cycling. Great stocking-stuffers, or just treat yourself!

Ready for the 2011 race season yet? Check out the calendar on our site to see what there is to look forward to this spring!

Charlottesville CX, short report

2010-12-07T20:43:00.001-05:00

Darden Towe CX was this past weekend in Charlottesville, VA. I was not there, but Avanell traveled to the last race on the VA CX calendar. The long drive was well worth it, Ava placed first for category 4 riders and 2nd overall for the series CX competition. Go Ava!

Virginia State Champ CX

2010-11-29T12:44:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Tripower for another great race. I was especially excited about the coupons to Skinny Dip they gave away to participants, although maybe this is why I had trouble on the hill...

The new VA womens 1,2,3 state champion is Deidre Winfield. She got a gap early and it grew throughout the race. The rest of the race was similarly spread out, and after 3 laps the race was decided. Julie K (Fruit 66) took second, and Jen P (FF) came in third. About as exciting to watch as a time trial, but the very talented Deidre did put on a good show of how fast women's cx can be. (photo by Alyssa Beda, please note the pain in my face at the top of this hill)

The category 4 women's race was where the real action was Sunday. It was close the entire time with three women fighting it out until the very end. Avanell (TWR) and Valarie N. (OBX) battled for the lead throughout the race with Meaghann M. (Tripower) close behind during most of the half hour race. The brutal grassy hills wore people out and on the last lap Meaghann came from behind to take the win in the sprint. Valarie placed second and Avanell placed 3rd. (photo by BJ Samuel, Ava gaining ground through the only set of barriers in the race)

We are so proud of Ava and look forward to hear her report from Charlottesville in the last VA cross race of the season this coming Saturday.

Bennett's Creek CX

2010-11-20T15:15:00.000-05:00

60's and sunny. A great start to the day and it only got better. The course was fun and the company excellent. The Suffolk CX race had a good turn out, with 20 or so women in the cat 4 race ready to get their feet muddy.

Category 1,2,3 Women

In the cat 1,2,3 race the top 2 women, Jen P. (FF) and Sally M. (Tripower) got their gaps in the first lap and held it to the end. 3rd place was more of a struggle and changed several times throughout the 45 minute race. I (Emily) had a pretty slow first lap and struggled to close the gaps for the rest of the race. The other women pulled away through the woods, tight turns, and mud while I pushed hard in the grass to catch back up. This went on back and forth for a few laps until it finally seemed like I was close enough to re

ally catch up. With a few laps to go I got into the 3rd place and held it. Very close behind were Liz S (Tripower) in 4th, and Leslie (TWR) in 5th.

Category 4 Women

The start of the category 4 women's race was pretty crowded, with everyone trying to get to the front before the woods and turns. TWR's Ava got to the mud in about 10th and went outside and around, taking a great line and pushing up to the front through the barriers & run up. Ava showed off her skills through the woods and tight turns, and kept the push through the long road and grass straights. Ava quickly caught up to the 1,2,3 race that started a few minutes ahead. 2nd and 3rd also caught the back of the

1,2,3 race, Brittany M (FF) & Valarie N. (OBX).

Thanks as always to the promoters for such a great race. We are happy to support you! (photo of Ava from Tami Cole's album)

Chuckatuck CX

2010-10-17T16:09:00.001-04:00

Sunny beautiful day, fun course and friends. Chuckatuck CX had a women's 1,2,3 race that started 15 seconds before the women cat 4 racers (15+ women). I have limited cross racing experience so I might not be that good at describing the course, but there was a lot of grass and many turns through the field and trees, two sets of barriers, and a steep run-up followed by a short switchback climb.

1,2,3 women: Jen(FF) got an early gap and held it to win the 1,2,3 race followed by Sally (Tripower), and I was 3rd. Tradewinds' newest team rider, Leslie Winters, finished in 5th.

cat 4 women: Another nice size field for the cat 4 women. The first few laps three leaders pulled ahead of the rest of the pack and proceeded to swap gaps through various sections of the course. Eventually Brittany (FF) pulled ahead and took the first place spot, Valerie (OBX) got 2nd and Avanell (TWR) was 3rd.

Super fun race, thanks for All About Bikes for the good time!

Bay Days Crit

2010-09-12T15:49:00.000-04:00

A great new 4-corner crit course, featuring smooth pavement and friendly crossing gaurds, thanks to Hilton for their hard work promoting it! It is late season for me and this race ended up being the icing on the cake. I decided to race the night before, but it ended up a good decision. Since there were sepperate events for category 4, category 1,2,3, and 40+ women, the numbers in the race were small, but it proved to be competitive group.

Women's 4
Avanell had to pull some strings to get off work for the morning to race, and she was glad it worked out! After a few laps all together, Michele (Bike Stop) went early for the first prime and got a gap that sent the field chasing. Amanda (Hilton) and Avanell (Tradewinds) were able to close the gap together and the field was split. The 3 ladies increased the gap the entire race, and it came down to a close 3-way sprint for the line. Michele went early on the back side, Avanell chased, and ended up 3rd through the final corner. Showing her speed, Avanell stood up and managed to pass the other two ladies right after the corner and held it to the line in an exciting finish. What makes it even more exciting is the fact that it's her first win on the road... go Avanell!

Women 1,2,3
Our race was fast paced from the start, with Ali (VKVB) on the front pushing. After taking a quick rest Ali launched a clissic hard attack but got stuck with me in tow. After staying away for a few laps the group came back together. Jen (FF) also had several well-timed attackes that briefly split the field up, but a break was not in the cards. I sprinted for all 4 primes, and won all of them, but I don't think anyone else seemed very interested. Saving up for the final sprint? We were all together at the end when Ali tried to get away again with two to go. No luck. I jumped first for the sprint after corner 3 and sailed through wide corner 4 without loosing much speed., stood up, and held it to the line. Sally (Tripower) came in right behind me, and Ali finished 3rd.

A good day overall for the ladies of Tradewinds Racing!

New Riders for 2011

2010-08-28T13:15:00.000-04:00

Tradewinds racing is currently taking rider aplications for the 2011 season. We are looking for female cyclists of all categories who are interested in goal setting, training and racing consistantly, and working as a team when possible.

If you would like to be a part of a small and highly competitive women's cycling team, please send the team manager an email.

We look forward to hearing from you and gearing up for the 2011 season!

Emily Joyner
Tradewinds Racing Team Manager

emilyjoyner@gmail.com

season ending race

2010-08-22T13:32:00.000-04:00

Tradewinds Racing travelled to Stony Creek for the Virginia State Time Trial Championship and feasted on delicious taste of victory (literally, part of the prize was meat from Fiorucci).

The time trial was a flat and fast 40 k. Emily won 1st place for the elite 1,2 category with a PR of almost 3 minutes faster than her previous PR. The win also makes Emily the Virginia State Omnium Champion for category 1,2 women, and the Virginia State BAR (Best All Around Rider) champion for cateogry 1,2 women. Tiffany was ready to contend for the Cat. 4 race but had an unfortunate flat not to far into the race.

It was a long season and we are looking forward to some time off the bike, resting the legs and maybe some waves (come on Danielle).

Chesapeake Race Weekend

2010-08-15T14:57:00.000-04:00

Chesapeake Criterium and PLT time trial made it a double race weekend right in our back yard, we like good races, but we love good races that are close to home!

At the Chesapeake Crit a women's open field of close to 20 lined up bright and early. It took a while for everyone to wake up, but once the pace picked up attacks were made by Vanderkitten VB and Jen R from Kenda. Mid-race Jen R launched an attack that stayed away for four laps or so before VKVB and Fat Frogs pulled it back.

The next serious effort was made with about two laps to, and caused a small break of four riders. Laura and Jen R worked for a lap to keep it away while Emily (Tradewinds) and Sally T (Tripower) sat in. With a little more than half a lap to go Jen R attacked the group & Emily J followed her wheel. The sprint for the line was hard fought with Jen taking the win and Emily taking second.

Close behind was the sprint for 3rd, with Sally out sprinting Laura. The rest of the field sprinted for 5th and I was told Ali I (VKVB) was the bunch sprint winner. Tradewinds rider Tiffany R was looking very comfortable in the pack and finished 9th overall.

PLT Time Trial on Sunday was a nice event, Avanell, Tiffany and Emily were on site with Champion Nutrition MET Endurance for anyone in need of a post race recovery drink. The course was around 23 miles and flat. The heat and wind factor were really not too bad, considering the location. In the end, Tiffany R. placed 3rd in category 4. Emily J raced on her road bike, so she won the Mercx division (which was make-believe :) and got a personal course best by over 3 minutes.

Recovery drinks on us!

2010-08-13T14:15:00.000-04:00

If you are time trialing on Sunday at the PLT, please stop by the Tradewinds Racing tent after your ride and try some delicious recovery drinks from Champion Nutrition.

We will be giving out our three favorite products: Pure Whey protein drink (chocolate), Revenge Sport electrolyte drink (lemon venom), and MET Endurance recovery formula (orange smoothie).

The Tradewinds Team has been using (and loving) these products all season and we look forward to sharing some of them with you on Sunday, hope to see you there!

Page Valley (mountain) women's race

2010-08-09T08:54:00.000-04:00

Page Valley Road Race is a really unique race on the VA calendar, here are some ways it is different: there are 2 serious climbs complete with QOM points, you can get over 50 MPH on the biggest descent, the race is over 50 miles long, and no one is thinking about the sprinters at the end this course! In fact on the flyer for the race weekend next year they could put "Sprinters: enter at your own risk" Or "Sprinters beware". Now I know how Robbie McEwen feels... at least on the climbs. I know people get pretty pumped about Jefferson Cup, but I think this race would be way more prestigious to win. A really challenging women's field showed up for the race, many of them the best from their respective districts, and just about everyone is faster at this time of the year than Jefferson Cup. Also, the course is way harder.

My race basically went like this: get to the front at the bottom of the hill, try and stay on until the top of the hill, close the gap on the downhill. Repeat 5 times. I did enjoy the challenge of it and the fast downhills. By the final lap there was a group of four riders on the front and a group of 5 riders chasing. I was in the chase group, but was told it came down to a slow up hill sprint for the line between Amanda W (fruit 66) and Ainhoa (Cardio Sports Lab), with the later taking the better line and the win. Heidi (Kenda) took 3rd... and I came in 5th for 1,2 women.

Luray Criterium
This race was like hill repeats, for an hour, with the finish line at the top of the hill. Ouch. Add to the difficult terrain the fact that riders on their way back from prestigious races such as masters nationals and the Charlotte Criterium stopped in to race, and it was a very challenging race!
Erin Silliman (Fruit 66) broke away at the beginning of the race and stayed away (actually lapping the field close to the end). Jen R (Kenda) chased and soloed in for second, and Amanda (fruit 66) took the field sprint for 3rd place and the overall omnium title. I came in 7th.

Bryan Park and burritos

2010-07-12T08:02:00.000-04:00

Bryan Park in Richmond, the race Sunday was filled with Burrito Primes from Chipolte... so it was a good day! Although we did not have a huge number of riders show up everyone was ready to race fast and the pace was pushed by Julie K (Fruit 66) straight from the start. In the middle of the race Ali (Vanderkitten) launched one of her monster attackes, well timed and well executed, but the break was not to be. The race stayed together until the end. On the last lap on the back of the course the FF riders made everyone chase and scramble for positions. I was on Julie K's wheel into the last corner when everyone jumped for the uphill sprint. It was a hard faught battle all the way to the line with Julie taking the win, Ali getting 2nd and myself with 3rd.

The women in category 4 raced with us but were scored sepperately. We had one cat 4 in the race, Tiffany Russell. In the 4 race Amanda (Hilton) took the sprint with a very strong push up the hill, Brittany (FF) came in 2nd, and TWR's Tiffany came in 3rd.

Next on the calendar? We will be at ODU on August 1st! Note to promotors: we will sprint for burritos!

Roanoke ID3, IB2

2010-07-05T16:54:00.000-04:00

Three days of racing for an overall points omnium... starting with a monster hill climb and throw state crit championship into the mix and you have one interesting race weekend. I know it takes a lot of work to put on this kind of all weekend event, so thanks to the promoters and officials for a job well done!

The Mill Mountain Hill climb is short but steep with 1.87 miles of road and almost 900 feet of climbing. I was able to get a personal PR on the hill climb by about one minute, but even this effort put me in 5th overall for the start of the omnium. The queen of the mountain was Kenda rider Amity E., followed by team CARD rider Cora O., then Fat Frogs Brittany M. and Jen P.

The first criterium of the weekend was a flat, down-town course with some awkward corners after the line, and some really fast corners right before the finishing straight away. The group stayed pretty much together in this race even though there were numerous attacks from many riders throughout the peleton. At the end, Cora (CARD) went hard with one lap to go and continued to stretch out the field for the entire lap. I sat 3rd wheel behind Amity (Kenda) and we rounded the last corner taking a wide line and starting the sprint immediately out of the corner. I passed Amity just before the line for the win, Amity took second, and FF Brittany took 3rd place.

Photo from the Roanoke Times

The final race of the omnium was only four blocks away, but totally different. An L shape with six corners and and two up hill sections, one was gradual and one was shorter and steeper. This race also happened to be the state crit championship for Virginia, so the field included riders aiming for the title and others who were focused on the omnium. There was some GC strategies and tactics that came into play and proved to benefit a Syn Fit rider who took advantage and broke away with a strong attack and solo win. Going into the last lap the front group (vying for 2nd) included Cora (CARD) who pushed the pace up the gradual hill, then taking the front was Syn Fit rider (who had just lapped the field). I rode 2nd wheel behind the Syn Fit rider through the last corner, then jumped immediately for the sprint. I was able to stay in front through the line and got 2nd overall, 1st for the category 1,2 state criterium (because the Syn Fit rider was a cat 3).

Overall, I ended up with 2nd for the points Omnium, behind (omnium winner) Amity E. and taking 3rd place in the omnium was Brittany M. The points omnium and the state crit definitely added some drama and excitement to the weekend racing.

Tradewinds blew into Reston!!

2010-06-27T19:32:00.000-04:00

The long drive from VB was worth it today. This is my favorite race of the year. It has been a goal of mine to win this race since I first raced it in 08 and I am excited to have accomplished that goal. It has everything, a great course with hills, turns, speed, big crowds, announcer, nice prize list, smooth pavement and always really good competition. And oh yeah, a Ben and Jerry's right by the finish line along with a kids race for Bruce. And yes, I went straight to the ice cream shop with Bruce after my victory lap. It was really hot out ok.

It seems like there are a ton of variables in this race so anything can happen. The first half of the race was just attack after attack from various riders. About half way through the race I saw a break combination I thought would stick and briged up to it. The break was comprised of 6 of us. Our small gap was steady for a few laps until it started increasing. With ten to go it was clear we would stay away.
There were a couple of small attacks within our group but nothing was getting away at that point. With 2 laps left the 2 Kenda riders moved to the front and pushed the pace hard to control the front. Jen for Kenda pushed the pace on the bell lap with her teamate right behind and me 3rd wheel. Right before the 2nd to last corner I saw LJ out of the corner of my eye behind me start to jump so on impulse I jumped in front of her and got in front going into the 2nd to last corner, got a gap and held it through the last corner and up the finishing stretch across the line.

Emily J

First place "family" at TTT; happy anniversary!

2010-06-27T10:42:00.000-04:00

I'm pleased to report a first place victory in the family division and second place co-ed division for "Team Russell" aka Tiffany (Tradewinds Racing) and my husband Derek (racing for brother team VB Velo)at this weekend's TTT in Smithfield. VB Wheelmen offered a fantastic course for Derek and I to celebrate our 4 yr. wedding anniversary - challenging short hills, fast straightaways, false flats, wind, heat and distance.

Cyclists play to their strengths during competition. In this case, Derek was the "strength" and my job was to (1) hang on for dear life and (2) climb like a billy goat. We all know drafting saves you 23-25% energy... except when your partner is hammering incredibly faster than you could ever sustain by yourself- you simply don't take pulls. Derek told me at mile 16 I could keep the prize money if I could just hang on. VERY effective motivation.

Congratulations to Laura and Gene for winning the co-ed division. Finishing second to the top woman time trialer in Virginia gives me hope that my fitness is improving.

Now to spend that prize money on a new bike I have on layaway...stay tuned for details!

(Photo courtesy of Kevin Horvath)

Crystal City and Clerendon

2010-06-15T10:18:00.000-04:00

I think I learn a little and gain confidence at every big race I go to, and this weekend was no exception. I just wish I was a faster learner or that there were more big races in the region, so I could have a few more chances this season!

Clerendon was fun while it lasted, all the big teams were represented (Tibco, Colavita, Mellow Mushroom, Vera Bradley, Peanut Butter & Co) as well as many strong elite regional teams. I found myself in the back at the start, but to my relief a few really experienced riders were back there too and I was able to follow wheels to the front in a lap and a half with little effort. This was the highlight of my day, to experience first hand how gracefully someone can move though the pack. Sadly, I was not able to keep my self exactly where I wanted and it became an up and back effort. It was somewhere around the halfway point when I was in the back of the pack and a rider wrecked. I had to slow down to get between her and her bike, I jumped to try and get back on but was unable to. I rode with a few other riders until we were pulled. The rest of the race was enjoyed from the sideline, the sprint was awesome, with Miller and Cliff-Ryan elbow to elbow (until Cliff-Ryan hit a bump and slid head first for 10 feet on pavement). Miller won.

Crystal City is a more open course with more room to move up on the outside, and it is twice as long at 2k. The corners were fast and most of the same riders were racing, but Tibco and Mellow Mushroom were not there. Again I started in the back, but my goal in this race was to keep working on placement and efficiently moving around in the peleton. My efforts paid off, and when the primes started coming, and the attacks started going, I was able to stay with the group because I was not so far back. I even got a prime. When it came time to get ready for the sprint the pace got slow because a break of three was up the road (Farina, Cheatley, and Silliman). I got to the front with 2 laps to go getting ready for the pace to pick up. I was not aggressive enough, though and lost the position by the time the pace got fast and started the sprint from the back. Sarah Caravella took the sprint for 4th.

Photo from Kevin

Field Day gets a taste of bike racing!

2010-06-09T18:40:00.000-04:00

TWR recently volunteered to help out with a local elementary school field day. We brought bikes, thanks to the support of BikeBeat, and set up a race for the kids as a part of many events the kids were able to try out during the day. When they came outside it was a mad dash for the bike race, the kids were clearly very excited. We were able to teach kids about bike safety and the importance of helmets through conversations about why helmets were required for the race. The students raced their friends and the clock, and at the end of the day the fastest time was awarded a new helmet and a horn. We hope to go back next year and get more kids excited about bike racing!

Amphib and Langley, women's races

2010-06-06T20:04:00.000-04:00

It was a good weekend for TWR. Two local races, and two local wins. Plus a killer performance in the Langley women's category 4 race by Ava with 2nd place (looking forward to her full report). Thanks to BJ Samuel (and family) for some nice pictures.

Amphibious Assault Crit Saturday, our race was a combined women's field at 8 AM and it was already super hot. The first attack early on was from local legend BJ Samuel (VBVK), who put her camera down for long enough to show the young riders how it is done. She raced aggressively and got herself in a break that stayed away. Also in the break was Leslie Winters, an experienced cat 1 racer who we hope to see more regularly at races! Bridging up, with a little extra motivation from a prime, was VBVK Ali Ingram and me (Emily). In the end I jumped first for the sprint and was able to stay in front to the line. Ali was 2nd, Leslie 3rd, and BJ 4th.

Langley Criterium
A low turnout in the 1,2,3 race and a hot day led to a pretty uneventful race. BJ (VBVK), Jen Pope (FF) and I got away and lapped the other riders. Then, after all my water was gone, Jen and I got away and lapped the other riders. Unfortunently the big excitement was the timing, because we lapped the riders on the bell lap it was a confusing finish for the rest of the field because they expected another lap but they were on their bell lap at that point, too. I won the sprint.

Looking forward to continuing the winning streak at Clarendon/Crystal next weekend... um, positive thinking, right?

Casey Criterium, women's race

2010-05-31T13:22:00.000-04:00

Casey Criterium- Flat and fast, with a combined field of women racers ranging from beginner to category 1. It ran counter closkwise, like last year, very nice. After of couple small attacks early on in the race VBVK's Ingram launched a massive attack that blew the field apart.

I was able to stay with Ingram we stayed away for a few laps until VBVK's Cook and Tripower's Enser bridged tha gap, and struck the final blow to the struggling chase group. After Enser took a turn on the front VBVK pushed the pace hard enough to put Enser off the back. At this point I was left to fight off attacks in the two-on-one situation. We were all together for the sprint when Cook put the pressure on to lead Ingram out for the sprint, happily I was able get around her before the line and win the race. Thanks to JRVS for a great race!

Bruce also raced at the Casey Crit, in the kids race. It is so nice when a race has a kids race, it has become something Bruce really looks forward to. The little ones had to go an entire lap, which was tough for Bruce (I think he is a sprinter), but was worth it for the Rita's Ice cupon which we used immediately after the race. He decided on Orange, "like my bike".

Thank you BJ Samuel for the great photos!

Wilmington, Bike Jam, & Sleepy Hole

2010-05-24T18:01:00.000-04:00

Wilmington was a crazy course, coming from flat VB I particularly liked the turns at the bottom of the short steep hills, especially the one with the construction fence and narrow road... ok not so much. This race definently favored the experienced (and the less cautious) riders. It turned out to be a race of attrition, starting with about 70 riders and ending with about 30. I was among the 40 category 1,2 riders to get dropped along the way. I did enjoy the end of the race from the sidelines, with the drama of a 5 preson break (and mechanical issues) adding to the drama.

Bike Jam, we got luck and had dry roads. About 50 riders lined up to start the race. Van Guilder was present, but many of the other big names from Wilmington were absent. Riders from Vanderkitten, Verducci, and Fruit 66 kept the pressure on but no one was able to get away. I was happy to escape two wrecks unscathed, at one point crossing between a fallen rider and her runaway wheel. In the end it was a fight for position and a sprint from the s turn that decided the order. I did not end up with a good position coming into the sprint and finished 16th place.

Sleepyhole Smackdown, Ava was present for the category 4 women's race Sunday, which ended up being a nice day for a race. The women stayed together for another sprint finish. TWR's Ava surprised the field with an early jump. She had a great jump and was in the lead before being passed by 3 riders at the line. 4th place for Ava, nice job!

SIS women's race report, oh toddlers, too!

2010-05-16T17:28:00.000-04:00

Sprint into Spring was awesome, the thrill of the day for me was watching our youngest team member (honorary) in his first bike race. He has clearly seen a few races in his 3 years of life because he looked back and saw that he was ahead of a little girl, then threw his fist in the air to celebrate his victory.

After Bruce's race I rode in the women's 1,2,3 race. The course was new this year and very nice, smooth and fast. The field was small but ready to race, and after the first prime a break of 5 riders got away with Fruit 66, Nature's Path, Fat Frogs, Tripower, and TWR/VA Asset Group represented. The 4 primes kept the pace fast and for the most part, the break worked together until the race was getting towards the end. The last lap was fast and the finishing stretch was into the wind. Joyner from TWR/VA Asset group jumped at the 200 meter mark and stayed in front through the line. Jen Pope (Fat Frogs) placed 2nd overall. Not sure about the rest of the places for the overall.

I took a break and then rode with the masters men, thanks to all the guys who raced safe and hard and were very encouraging to me and my effort!

Fastest bike split at SML

2010-05-04T14:06:00.000-04:00

I'm pleased to report that at last weekend's Smith Mountain Lake sprint triathlon I finished with the fastest bike split time (00:35:43) out of 120 female competitors, which boosted me to a podium finish of 3rd place overall female. The bike course was extremely hilly, so my training in the north Georgia mountains the week prior certainly paid off (Thanks to Rick at Bike Beat for lending me the compact crankset for the training!). I would post race photos but regretfully I'm not "Miss Photogenic" when time trialing, so here's a beautiful photo of SML. -- Tiffany

Check out TWR in Tidewater Women Magazine

2010-04-26T18:39:00.000-04:00

Check out TWR in the news again, this time it is an article in Tidewater Women. The story talks about different local cyclists and features Emily Joyner for the competitive cycling section (excerpt below).

THE THRILL OF COMPETITION
Some cyclists love the thrill of competition and the satisfaction of winning. One of racing cyclist Emily Joyner’s favorite moments on a bike happened on a steep hill not far from her family’s home in Gettysburg, Pa. Her two sisters got in the habit of stopping halfway up, but Emily had a plan.
“I would always ride as far as I could,” she explained. “It was this incredible goal for me to get to the top. And I remember the time I got there. I never wanted to get off my bike.”
In her college days, Emily says she was “one of the only girls on a bike at Radford,” where she challenged herself, timing her routes to and from classes. She enjoyed seeing how fast she could get around.
These days, 29-year old Emily—married, the mother of a 3-year-old boy, and a full-time math teacher in Northampton County—pushes herself in a different way with a brand new team of racing women cyclists, sponsored by Virginia Asset Group. The weekend after Easter, she came in first in a 350-meter street sprint in a race known as “The Rock Hill Omnium” in Rock Hill, South Carolina. On April 3, Emily came in 2nd in her group in the Downtown Smithfield Hammer Fest, and she’s gaining speed and confidence with every race.
“I started riding with [bicycle] shop groups after college, and I’d ride a little further and faster each time,” she said. “Then one Tuesday night, I went to watch a women’s race, and I thought, ‘I could do that.’”
At the time she started racing, there were very few women in Tidewater to mentor her, so Emily joined an elite club in Richmond led by Emily Helmboldt, a strong cyclist who helped her discover what she could do on a bike.
“I would have never thought to push myself as hard as I did without seeing where she was and having her show me the ropes,” she said.
Last fall, Emily decided to create a team here in Virginia Beach, supported by Bike Beat, a bike shop with locations at Hilltop and Kempsville in Va. Beach.
“My goal is to do that for women in this area—to set goals, promote cycling, and meet those goals with other women,” she said. “Eventually, I want to have at least six riders in the developmental program and six in the elite program.”
Emily mentioned the importance of eye protection for racers, along with essential gear. “One time when I was riding without sun glasses, I was hit in the eye, and I couldn’t see out of it for the next ten miles,” Emily said. “And the gloves are important, not only for your grip, but if you do take a spill, they protect your hands from road rash.”
Emily has great support from her husband, Steven, who’s a U.S.A. Cycling Certified coach for her team. Their 3-year-old son, Bruce Joyner, newly empowered by his ability to manage a bicycle with training wheels, says proudly, “I’m a racer, Mama!”
Emily’s forward motion as a racing cyclist draws her family and fans to races and brings more attention to professional women’s cycling in Tidewater.
At the turn of the last century, when women were seeking the right to vote, riding a bicycle was synonymous with being daring and bold, like bobbing your hair. Maybe as this new century rolls on, getting back on a bike could be the best new habit to add to your life. n

For more info:
• Bike and Build - bikeandbuild.org
• Bike Virginia - bikevirginia.org
• Tidewater Bicycle Association - tbarides.org
• To see Jacki and Ashley’s film, go to vimeo.com and search for Bike and Build: Be the Change.
• To follow Emily Joyner’s team, visit tradewindsracing.blogspot.com

Kathleen Fogarty is a frequent contributor to Tidewater Women. She lives on a farm in Virginia Beach.

Her goal: Develop a local women's elite cycling team

2010-04-20T09:13:00.000-04:00

Tradewinds Racing team manager and sponsors highlighted in Virginia Beach Beacon newspaper:

Emily Joyner created Tradewinds Racing Women's Cycling Team last November to support local elite women cyclists. (John Streit | Special to The Virginian-Pilot)

The Virginian-Pilot
© April 20, 2010
By John Streit Correspondent

Her goal: Develop a local women's elite cycling team

As an up-and-coming cyclist based out of Richmond, Emily Joyner looked to her more accomplished teammates as inspiration for her cycling goals.

That exposure paid dividends. She began traveling with her elite team to various races. She was rated as a category 3 cyclist when she joined and sprinted through category 2 before reaching category 1 last year.

But back in Virginia Beach, Joyner saw a great need for women cyclists to receive the same tutoring and encouragement she received in Richmond.

So, Joyner created Tradewinds Racing Women's Cycling Team last November. Her goal is to develop a team of women committed to ascending to elite competitive status.

"This is a real lacking area - there are a lot of men's teams and women's clubs, but no other women's elite teams," said Joyner, who most recently won the street sprint portion of the Rock Hill Omnium in South Carolina. "I wanted to be able to do for women locally what that team in Richmond did for me."

While Joyner said the team accepts novice cyclists, Tradewinds' purpose is to develop and sustain a competition-centered team. That central goal differentiates the team from recreation-based women's cycling clubs and makes it the area's only elite women's cycling team, according to Joyner.

"My goal, eventually, is to pull riders up through a developmental team to an elite team that is competitive on a national level," said Joyner, whose club currently has four other members.

Tradewinds membership includes USA Cycling-certified coaching through Stephen Joyner, Emily Joyner's husband and dedicated cyclist in his own right.

Through title sponsorship with Virginia Asset Group, Tradewinds also assists members with equipment costs and racing fees.

The team gathers for group workouts, rides and community service events.

For example, team member Sharon Oakley, who works at Bike Beat bike shop, is planning a children's bike safety rodeo at the Hilltop location.

"Cycling is kind of like a counter-culture sport - it's kind of hidden in that you don't really know what's going on unless you're into it," Joyner said. "So we just want to stay connected to the community and promote women's cycling through things like cycling safety."

Rock Hill Omnium womens race report

2010-04-11T20:10:00.000-04:00

TWR team VA Asset Group travelled to South Carolina this weekend for the Rock Hill Omnium, including Friday night street sprints, Saturday Road Race and Sunday Criterium. The race was packed with talent from all over the region, including BMW-Bianchi, Team Type One, Vera Bradley and Specialized.

During the omnium we were able to pull off one win, with Emily Joyner showing her power during the street sprints. The road race, billed the "Hell of the South", was a hilly 47 mile race with a QOM climb, Joyner was pleased to come in 6th over the top. The race came down to a sprint finish, Joyner jumped way to early and misjudged the finish line by 150 meters. The criterium on Sunday was fast and aggressive race from the start with riders constantly attacking and counter-attacking. The pack was all together when a 100$ prime was announced. Joyner got into position and took the prime, causing a huge gap on the field with only a couple other riders. Robin Farina of Team Vera Bradley then attacked up the hill with 5 other riders able to go with her. That group worked together until Farina attacked the break and soloed to victory.

The omnium was was promoted by Rock Hill Cycling Club and was one of the most organized non NRC races we have seen. We'll be back. We loved it.

Chiropractic for cyclists? The truth here.

2010-04-08T11:06:00.000-04:00

Submitted by Dr. Derek D. Russell, Chiropractor and Team Sponsor

All cyclists want to be faster, stronger, and more efficient. Chiropractic can help. Lance Armstrong, arguably the best known cyclist in the world, has a chiropractor travel with him, so he doesn't miss out on expert care. Luckily, you don't have to be Lance to also enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care. Whether utilizing care for rehab, maintenance, and/or wellness; you can maximize your health through consistent chiropractic adjustments. Additionally, your chiropractor can and should offer advice on numerous lifestyle modifications you might make to further enhance your well-being. From stretching to nutrition, chiropractors are well trained to address a myriad of health related topics.

At Nimmo Wellness, we combine expert chiropractic care with deep tissue sports massage to ensure our client/patients are optimally prepared to grind out a time trial or hammer away in a crit or road race. We do take care of recreational cyclists too, everyone on a bike should have their spine maintained. There is always the unfortunate bike wreck and we are well suited to help get those hurting folks back in the saddle. Dr. Russell is a competitive cyclist and elite triathlete. We know what your body needs so that you get the most of out of your cycling. So instead of spending thousands on equipment that probably is not the ultimate answer, give chiropractic a try and you'll find that you, the "engine", will get stronger and healthier.

Derek D. Russell, DC
Nimmo Wellness
2125 Mccomas Way 101
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
757-427-7690
757-427-7692(f)
757-270-7001(c)

Women's races at HAMmerfest

2010-04-03T19:23:00.001-04:00

Thanks to the VBW for all the work that goes into a race (and especially a new course), it was a really fun course and turned out to be a safe day for the women. We especially loved the short steep hill on the course, it made the race different and exciting.

Women's 1,2,3
There were only a few break attempts early on before the winning break, by VBVK's Ingram, stuck. There were some individual efforts to pull her back, but the field seemed to have trouble working together. Attempts were made to bridge up, but they were unsuccessful, and Ingram soloed in for the win. The field sprint was for 2nd. FF's Pope went early on the back of the course after turn 2 and held a small gap through the bottom of the hill. The sprint began up the short, steep hill with Emily powering ahead and holding the gap to the line for 2nd place. Sally (Tripower) sprinted in for 3rd with a safe gap on the competition behind her.

Women's 4
This race was exciting to see since there are not a lot of races in this area with a sepperate race for category 4 women and we were happy for this racing opportunity. The field rode a conservative race, with few attacks. Several riders were unable to stay with the field up the short steep hill, but other than that the field was intact with 1 lap to go. On the bell lap the pace picked up and riders pushed the pace. Up the hill and into turn 4 the pack was led by FF's Brittany, who held her lead to the line. Tripower's Sharon came in 2nd, a Hilton's rider picked up 3rd (sorry I forget her name), and TWR's Avanell finished strong with 4th place.

Look forward to racing here next year and maybe coming home with the ham next time :)

Tips for Avoiding Tan Lines

2010-04-01T16:26:00.000-04:00

Now that it is warm and sunny, cycling tan lines are becoming an issue. Contrary to many beliefs these tan lines are not cool or attractive. Maybe it is because we live at the beach and spend much time on the beach in swimsuits. Whatever the reason we seem to care more than most cyclist about not looking like two-toned tourist. Here are some tips to help you out as you are training for your next big race:

1. On not as long rides when you don't need pockets and riding by yourself girls can feel free to ride in sports bras. Guys you can wear no shirt at all. (Think ladies man Mario Cippo) It feels good riding this way as well.

2. On longer rides when wearing a jersey, roll the sleeves up and then down.

3. Use different length shorts on your rides. You can roll up your shorts. Girls can cut the elastic off the bottom and hem them. They can then become much shorter. Doing this can help avoid a distinct tan line and you can have more of a fade from tan to pale.

4. On rest days surf, or spend some quality recovery time out by the pool or the beach.

Women Cat 4 Jeff Cup- Faster or Smarter?

2010-03-29T17:31:00.000-04:00

In women's racing, which is better- to race fast or race smart (I'll get to this in a minute)....

Congratulations to the Cat 4 ladies at Jeff Cup for (1) racing despite rain/cold and (2) for staying safe on the course, no wrecks for us (that I know of)! The Syn-Fit Race Team was strong and stayed consistently towards the front. A shout out to my friend NCVC/UnitedHealth Group racer Rebecca Lowe (former VaBeach gal) for pushing the pace on lap two to keep things interesting. There is a strong Cat 4 group this year, so the race was unpredictable at the start- nobody knowing who the new hotness would be this year, would it be a new Mabra girl or a beach girl?

This was my second year at Jeff Cup and that mother of a hill on lap 3 still hurts. I think a lot of Cat 4s struggled then too b/c the determining breakaway happened there and it was a chase to the finish line- I never caught the top 5. Finished 11th place. Again.

So- is it better to race fast or smart at Jeff Cup? I've tried both now and it still gave me 11th place, two years in a row. ha

Congrats to our own Va Asset Gp/ TWR racer Kim Cardenas for finishing top 10 and Avanell for finishing strong. Looking forward to Tyson's Corner in a few weeks!

Jeff Cup Women Predictions

2010-03-24T17:28:00.000-04:00

Since I am unable to attend the women's open at Jefferson Cup (too early for a day trip, 2nd year in a row), I will share my predictions about the race based on the current start list.

From MABRA the CAWES team has 7 (out of 17 1,2's ), but missing from the start list is their stand out rider from last year, Leslie Jennings. With these numbers and thier traditionally strong team you can expect to see two riders break into the top 5.

Richmond's powerhouse Fruit 66/Artemis has 5 strong riders registered in the 1,2 category. Although the riders are very strong individually they have not yet raced as a team. I predict one rider from this team will place top 5.

Virginia Beach also has a team in the competition, VB Vanderkitten. Although the numbers are not as big the 2 riders have much experience working together, and the engines to pull off a win. My prediction is for Laura Cook to bring the Jefferson Cup to Virginia Beach. She has the best time trial around matched with the power/weight ratio to suceed in the hills (aka, she's skinny). She has already proved herself at this race (placing 2nd in 2008) and has shown herself to be fit this season with a 1st and two 2nds already this year. In addition she was picked up by the Vanderkitten national squad.

Who knows what will really happen, anything is possible in a race, but that is my prediction!

Attention Ladies: Top 10 Reasons to Motor Pace

2010-03-15T11:54:00.000-04:00

What did our new women's cycling team Tradewinds Racing put on its wish list for the 2010 season?

A scooter for motorpacing, of course.

The fine folks at RK Auto have handed over a brand new 2010 Piaggio Fly 50 scooter which will be used to fine tune the fast femmes of Tradewinds Racing team.

"I would like to thank RK Auto for their support," said team manager Emily Joyner. "We will be training very hard, and the Piaggio Fly 50 will be covering ground all over southeastern Virginia in pace training. We required a reliable scooter to get the job done. The Piaggio Fly 50 fits that bill perfectly."

So, after a day of fabulous motor pacing in Pungo yesterday afternoon, here are my top 10 reasons why motor pacing rocks for female cyclists:

1. If your work & family schedule keeps you from participating in a morning group ride, the scooter is ready whenever you are. Just add driver!
2. Vehicle drivers in Virginia Beach may not respect cyclists taking up road space, but they are very respectful of motorized scooters and give you plenty of room.
3. There is so much storage for extra water bottles, snacks, that vest, arm warmers...no need to carry all that weight on your bike when you have a scooter as your musette bag!
4. For new female riders, having someone you trust(coach, spouse, friend) next to you on a scooter instructing and practicing with you is great quality time. And they don't even have to be a cyclist to practice with you. Practice makes perfect!
5. Intervals make you strong, motor pacing makes you fast!
6. There is nothing better than attacking at 30+, stay out there for a minute or so, and then get back in when it comes past you again. You really find out where the bottom of your tank is. (ok, so maybe 10 seconds was more like it).
7. It's the closest thing to feeling and looking like a European cyclist. Post-ride espresso anyone?
8. For endurance riders, you can basically do a consistent, paced century ride before you need to fill up the gas tank (110-115 mpg, gas tank 1.9 gallons) - that's like $4.
9. Scooters never drop you to make themselves look good.
10. The cool factor. It's there. Scooter colors can match your bike and outfit too.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

1st WIN for our new team

2010-03-07T20:24:00.000-05:00

Snowball Crit #2 happened on a 60 degree sunny day. The day was almost identical to the first snowball crit in terms of weather. We have been blessed with these early races with good weather. The womens open field was almost the identical field of riders as the first snowball with a few extra racers thrown in. This race had many different attacks by many riders. Many primes were thrown in making for an exciting race to be in as well as watch. 3/4 of the way through Brittany from Fat Frogs got a huge gap during a prime and it got bigger and bigger as the laps were counting down. The peleton was deciding who would make the move to go after her. Eventually Vanderkitten attacked which led to a 5 person breakaway that caught Brittany with a few laps to go. With 3 laps to go Laura Cook (VK) bridged up to the breakaway group to join her teammate Ali, bringing Jen Pope with her (FF). Ali gave a fast lead out for Laura on the final lap. Emily Joyner (TWR) went around in the final 200 and barely held off Laura at the line for a photo finish. That's how Tradewinds got their first win of the season and ever as a new team. Also congrats to Jen Pope and Fat Frogs for breaking onto the podium.

Thanks to BJ Samuels for a great shot at the line:
top 5 results:
1st Emily Joyner(TWR)
2nd Laura Cook (VKVB)
3rd Jen Pope (FF)
4th Ali Ingram (VKVB)
5th Brenna Hosang (TP)

Like nascar, but on bikes!

2010-02-28T19:55:00.000-05:00

It was pretty fun to be on such a cool track, racing at the Richmond International Raceway on Saturday during the women's open. In the VCA there has already been 2 races and 3 if you count wolfpack. It is still february. The weather was February weather this weekend (cold and really windy). The attacks started after a few laps and never let up, with VKVB off the front launching all of them. In the end VKVB was able to get away and go 1,2 showing their strength in the monster wind.

One last note. In all the men's divisions the races were full with over 100 riders in some fields. People came from all over, north south and everywhere else. We were expecting this to be true for the womens race as well seeing as how Richmond is in on I95. We thought there would be an invasion of MARA riders in particular who would take the quick drive down. Thanks to Artemis who supplied one rider. But that was it. Our field had a healthy 20 plus riders from the Hampton Roads and Richmond. Hopefully we will see more MABRA racers in the future. VCA has some of the strongest girls seen in a very long time this year. The competition is good, come join us!

Sunny Snowball

2010-02-22T14:10:00.000-05:00

Lots of sunshine and new faces at Snowball Criterium. The race was pretty mellow for the first 15 minutes, but after that the action picked up. After several failed attacks by various people, Ali (VKVB) launched a killer before turn 1 and continued into the headwind. The peleton scrambled to react with Brenna in lead pursuit (Tripower) when Emily (VA Asset Group/TWR) powered up and bridged the gap. Ali showed her strength and continued to push the break with little help from Emily while the chase group began to reel them back in (Fat Frogs' Jen and Bridget with Tripower's Brenna). Laura (VKVB) sat in the chase group and bridged to the break after the gap had been shortened by others. Once in the break the two VKVB riders began to attack Emily until Laura broke away solo. The chase group then pulled Ali and Emily back in and continued to chase Laura for the last 4 or 5 laps... well they tried, but Laura's teammate Ali threw them off their pace line by taking slow turns and the chasers could not quite get into their rhythm. Laura came in first, then the group sprint came in with Emily taking the sprint for 2nd and Ali coming across for 3rd.

Wolfpack Race Report

2010-02-15T15:10:00.000-05:00

Three of us made the trip south for the Wolfpack Cycling Classic this past weekend, after a lot of discussion about the weather we decided to go Friday as planned. The snow ended up cancelling the Saturday race but we enjoyed the time eating waffles, spinning inside, riding the Sunday course, window shopping in Chapel Hill, and watching the Olympics. It was fun getting to know my teammates better and planning for Sunday's race.

Sunday was Kim's very first road race and every one's first race of the season. After several flat tires before the start of the race, a broken helmet, and a broken trainer we lined up at the start and were impressed by the large number of college racers. The roads were full of pot-holes, so more excitement and more flats (none on our bikes). The attacks began immediately after the roll out and continued until the inevitable break made. I tried to get in on the action but quickly discovered that it is not July, and I need to race a bit more conservatively in February. More excitement at the start of the last lap with a wreck that took up most of the two-lane road. I was very thankful to get around it (and more thankful that my team was all still rolling, too). I was not able to get into the post-wreck break and so worked with Kim (teammate) and Katie (RCWR) for the last lap. Kim, in her first race ever, was a huge help to keep me fresh enough to make it up the last hill with a gap on our small group that I held through the finish line for 5th place in the women's open. What better motivation to keep on the trainer and to get out in the cold than an early season race? Looking forward to a great season and an awesome team!

Prize list is Snowballing

2010-02-09T15:15:00.001-05:00

We are still getting more prizes, so this list is not complete, but check out who is donating prizes to the womens race... and sign up today for the Snowball Criterium!
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=10242

Snowball Criterium

2010-01-31T12:20:00.000-05:00

Our friends from VBV have added a stand-alone womens race to the line up at the Snowball Criterium this year. Mark your calendar and come out to support and participate in some great local racing. And don't forget to check back for details on the prizes, in addition to the cash on the flyer we will have products from sponsors as well. Looks like some great sponsors are stepping up, so check back for details!
http://www.usacycling.org/events/getflyer.php?permit=2010-532

Tradewinds Racing Team Uniform Design

2010-01-27T10:24:00.000-05:00

Wolfpack Cycling Classic

2010-01-20T11:32:00.000-05:00

Registration is up for a very early season weekend of road races in North Carolina, the Wolfpack Cycling Classic. Two days of racing, and options for category 4 riders to ride in a cat 4 race or with the open women's race. Looks like fun!

http://www.pre-reg.com/Users/RacerMain.aspx?Type=1&EventID=438

Tiffany's off-season fun

2010-01-19T14:20:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to team rider Tiffany who just completed her first marathon, and enjoyed some sunshine, in Arizona on Sunday. She did amazing, too, her time was 3:23:31 giving her 11th place in her division out of 502 runners!! I am super impressed with her dedication and training... and also looking forward to seing her more now that its over :)

Stay Tuned

2010-01-08T16:02:00.000-05:00

We are getting pretty close to announceing the team, kit and sponsors, so stay tuned!!

cycling news from down under

2010-01-06T15:54:00.000-05:00

In Australia the Open Road Championships are underway. Lucky them, it looks like nice weather! The women's field was the biggest ever this year. A good sign for women's cycling...

Photo of Irene Digenis from Victoria in action during the Women's Time Trial Championship in Buninyong, from cyclingnews.com

Spinning at Bike Beat

2009-12-09T13:31:00.000-05:00

Bike Beat at the Hilltop shopping center is allowing cyclist to do stationary bike training in the back of the Bike Beat store. Cycling workout instructors are available to assist beginning - elite cyclist.

Rick Young (manager) is allowing cyclist use of the facility free of charge on the following days:

Tuesday 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. (Erika Peck, spinning instructor)
Wednesday 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. (tentative)
Saturday 7:30 a.m. -9:30 a.m. (if weather is rainy or 35 degree and below)
Sunday 7:30 a.m. -9:30 a.m. (if weather is rainy or 35 degree and below)

All you need is: biketrainer, towel, water bottle, cycling cloths, small fan (optional) & Bike Beat will provide: private changing room, large screen TV, DVD, and training videos.

Park in the parking lot behind Bike Beat and enter store from the rear. Please come 15 minutes early to setup your trainer and prepare for the cycling workout. If you have any questions please contact Rick Young at Bike Beat @491-6151 or Steve Simet @ 589-2752.
Cheers,
Steve Simet

Time to step it up!

2009-12-05T16:59:00.000-05:00

There really is not off season, as a cyclist it is difficult to take any significant amount of time off and remain in top form. It is easy to get motivated this time of the year because the 2010 race calendars are being formed. Just looking at all the races on the schedule for next year makes me want to train harder...

New for 2010

2009-10-18T12:24:00.000-04:00

Tradewinds Racing is a women's cycling team dedicated to the promotion of competitive cycling through community support and team development. We are a small team who will make a big impact in the region with consistent results and valuable community involvement.

Community plans for 2010 include partnering with VA Beach City Public schools for bike safety and an introduction to racing and co-promoting the Snowball Crits and providing a women's prize at these events.

Team riders will set goals that push their limits and improve their racing, evaluate goals throughout the season, and work together as a team as much as possible. As a team and individuals we will continually strive for success and learn from our mistakes!