Team Tactics Win the Day in W A/B Crit

The seven corner criterium quickly emerged as one of the favorites among every person who rode the course.  Despite the frigid temperatures and stiff wind that haunted the course, the sun made dogged efforts and thawing the racers.  By the time A/B ladies took to the roads the temperature was bearable and the racing was exciting.

One the second lap of the race a group of three threw off the shackles of the peleton.  The group contained Kate Quinn(MIT), Maggie Sullivan (NU) and Kelly Desharnais (Bucknell).  These three made quick work of building a gap.  Although when the first prime bell was rung chaos ensued.   With the first prime of the Women’s A race being worth double points, the incentive to cross the line first was very high.  With the tangible prize of copious prime points on the line the organization of the break faltered and the pace of the main field elevated.  All of the ladies in the break hung on for the prime points, but only Kate was able to avoid being swallowed up by the field, hungry for prime points.

At that point the race situation was set for the middle of the race.  Kate Quinn was off the front tapping out a fierce solo pace that saw her build up a max advantage of nearly fifty seconds.  The second group on the road contained eight women and featured the sprint leader (Anna McLoon (Harvard)) and the series leader (Kim Zubris (Boston University)).  In this group there were also two of Quinn’s teammates, intent on shutting down any effort to chase or bridge to Quinn.

As the race would down to seven laps to go the big guns in the chase group could wait no longer.  Anna McLoon launched off the front with Laura Ralston(MIT) in tow.  With no incentive to help McLoon chase down her teammate, Ralston enjoyed a tow to the front of the race.

With three laps to go the MIT women showed off some text book tactics.  As McLoon and Ralston neared Quinn, Ralston launched an attack of her own.  Fatigued from the bridging effort McLoon had no response.  For the last couple of laps Ralston was able to expand her lead, clinching her second win of the weekend.  McLoon and Quinn took second and third respectively.

Editor’s Note:  This weekend was a first in the ECCC.  One of our former Intro racers donned the leaders Yellow jersey.  This should be a testiment of just how far hard work and dedication can take a truly talented racer.  Folks in lower categories should take hear and use Kim Zubris as an example.