(We Won) Copperopolis

By the second lap the field had been selectively reduced to a group of six with Jill and Maria (Touchstone), three Proman, including Shelley and Emily, and Sarah Ellis. Emily drove the break at warp speed hence chasing riders didn’t stand a chance of rejoining the group.

At the beginning of lap three, I inadvertently dropped the group in the hill feed zone/rest-stop. In short order the group caught back on and we arrived at the base of the climb together. At this point I decided to up the tempo. I was surprised when Emily fell off the pace as she had been flying up the climbs the previous two laps; most likely she was tired from driving the break for the past hour! At the end of the climb only Shelley and I remained.

We worked together through the valley to hold off the Sarah-led chasing pack. At the base of the last pre-finish climb I attacked. The gap obtained was enough that I was able to hold the advantage to the line for the win. Shelley took 2nd, and Maria 5th. Pat and Holly finished with the field.

Thanks to Maria for all her help on the climbs!

Jill