The Move

Dave says: This Easter weekend was the Tour of the Depot stage race in Tooele, Utah. There was some good competition with 25 in the 1-2-3 women's including some national pros and 45 in the Men's Cat 3. After a mostly downhill TT, I was sitting in 10th. Without a lot of climbing and with some downhill finishes, I knew that the next two races would require busting a move on whatever little hills the course had.

In the circuit race, I spent six laps on the back before moving to the front on the final lap. Spence (Ski Utah) was drilling it on a hill and riding people off his wheel and when I attacked and yelled at him to come with me, we got a gap on the field and held off the charging field by five seconds. In the sprint he led out and I won. However, it was only enough of a bonus to move us up a couple spots.

In the road race, I talked to Spence before and told him that we should do "the move" on the last hill of the day. I gambled that the whole peloton would be together on the last climb and sat at the back eating cliff blocks for the first 70 miles. On the last hill, riders were driving the pace and things were getting spread out pretty good. Spence was right on my wheel and I gave him the look and we attacked off the front with 5 km to go and got it by 25 seconds. I told him it was his turn to win and didn't sprint him. Maybe I should have. If I had won I would have won the GC, instead I finished second in the RR and 4th in the GC. Oh well, it was still a sweet weekend of racing. We also hung out with my teammate Tyler who worked hard through all 3 stages and took 3rd in the GC.

Alisha says: The womens field of 25 was a bit intimidating with several big names showing up. I was happy with my 7th place finish in the time trial considering about six of the nine miles was descending. It was fun to have my Dad and Mom there to watch the circuit race as Dave and I both had great results. In my race the group stayed together and played games for the first four laps.

When we came around starting our fourth lap I think I was in last place and Dave commented to my parents that I needed to move up. Starting the last lap I had moved up in the group and with half a lap to go there was an attack and once we closed the gap I decided to attack and drilled it. I checked behind me and Nicole Evans was right there but we had gapped the field. We then worked together until the last 1K where she dropped me but I sooo excited to have been able to hang on for 2nd!!

The 50 mile road race was mainly flat so the group stayed together. I somehow ended up in the dirt twice and was super lucky to have stayed on my bike. 5K from the finish there was a little hill and I knew if I had any chance that I had to go for it. Once again when I looked back it was Nicole Evans who was on my wheel. She is super nice and strong, we worked together until about 2K from the finish when I couldn't stay with her anymore.

That was the longest 2K of my life as I kept checking over my shoulder and seeing the charging chase group of Nikki Wangsgard, Tiffany Peluzzo, and Kris Walker getting closer and closer. I passed the 1K sign, then 500m, 200m, I could hear them coming but luckily the finish line came just in time as I was able to snag another 2nd place by only inches. I ended up finishing 5th in the GC. It was a great weekend hanging out with the PCIM gals and all of the other women racers!!