Theresa Cliff-Ryan wins USA cycling professional criterium National Championships 2011
Colavita-Forno D'Asolo team’s Theresa Cliff-Ryan took the field sprint of the National Racing Championships 2011 in Grand Rapids on Saturday, August 20.
Cliff-Ryan showed a brilliant effort and managed to take first place and easily beat Laura Van Gilder of Mellow Mushroom.
Kelly Benjamin of Colavita Forno d-Asolo Pro Cycling was in third place and Carmen Small finished fourth spot ahead of Samantha Schneider.
Colavita-Forno DS Heal said, "As a team we always go into a race wanting one of us to win and usually it doesn't make a difference who it is. We really wanted the race to come down to a sprint for Theresa because it was the third time she's done the race
and it was the first time that she won it."
The total of 25 cyclists peloton lined up to contest in the Pro-Cat 1,2 and 1.2 kilometres course is summarized 40 minutes criterium with six corners per lap. The USA cycling professional criterium National Championships is quiet valuable for the women’s
division.
The five teams and along with regional riders took part in the race including, Tibco-To the Top, Colavita-Forno D'Asolo, Athletes By Design, Team Kenda, Wheelworks.
Tibco-To the Top was one of the most aggressive team and tried to take a lead from breakaway cyclists. They launched several attacks but at the end they failed to take a lead.
Tibco-To the Top DS Lisa Hunt said, "We were really lucky with the weather, the men's race was crazy. The girls were warming up and the wind, clouds and rain was very scary. The weather did get better for our race."
Hunt further added that the girls rode aggressively and Tibco team plan to get a break off and it was working but the small teams and single cyclist trying to pull the break, however, she really like the way the girls rode.
The group of four cyclists made a breakaway lead in the final kilometres including, Theresa Cliff-Ryan, Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom), Kelly Benjamin (Colavita Forno d-Asolo Pro Cycling) and Carmen Small. All of them gain a few seconds while Benjamin
and Carmen Small were caught by the peloton.
Laura Van Gilder tried her best to take a lead and jumped onto Cliff-Ryan wheel out in the last corner but Theresa held her pace and crossed the finish line ahead of the other cyclists.
The two cyclists including, Amy Kneale (Farm Team Elite Women's Cycling) and Antonia Musto (Priority Health) did not start the race while other two cyclists Kendall Ryan (TIBCO to The Top) and Krystal McNutt (Secret Cycling) were disqualified.
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