Independent Fabrication/Kempner Elite Women's Road Racing Team

Peck can put the hurt on guys, too...

Heather Peck caught on film at her local training race, getting the boys to work a little harder.  Yeah!                                                                                                                                                                                       

Smith Takes State Championship!

Taunton, Massachusetts

Michele Smith contested this race, the Massachusetts State Criterium Championship, held on a flat, 1.8-mile course in Myles Standish Industrial Park. The small but sprinter-heavy field included riders from International Bicycle Centers, Boston Scientific, Bikeworks/Hallamore, and North Atlantic Velo. Several attacks were unsuccessful, as the wind kept the pack together. In the final two corners, the group slowed precipitously as the women all eyed each other, waiting to see who would lead it out. Shortly after the final corner, Jennifer Rhodes of IBC made a short acceleration to get the group going. In the ensuing lull, Smith used her track-honed jump to get a gap at 200 meters out. She held it to the finish for the win and the Massachusetts State Criterium Championship!

Watch her go!

Capital Region Road Race

Ravena, New York

Heather Peck and Brenda Bahnson again joined together for a hilly road race in Ravena, NY on a crisp, sunny day – one of those days hinting that fall is soon to come.  Bahnson quickly realized from the start that her mind and body needed a rest after her recent extensive racing schedule, so she wisely decided to pack it in and get home to her garden.  The course was entirely different from when Peck had done the race a few years prior, and she got surprised by the hard climbs, furious pace, and technical nature of the course at the start.  Thus some of the NRC powerhouse racers escaped at the beginning never to be seen again.  However, Peck joined a strong and motivated group for a good workout and rode in for 13 ^th.

Blistering Pace and Heat at Concord Crit

Concord, New Hampshire

Brenda Bahnson, Michele Smith, and Marianne Stover raced first in the women's 30+/45+ race, held on a challenging, hilly, six-corner course. The pace was fast and furious, despite the 95-degree heat and 1/2/3 race to come for most of the 25 racers. The field was mistakenly told "two laps to go" two different times, leading Stover to take the win, only to find out there was still one lap to go. In the ensuing confusion, Bahnson finished 11th and Smith 15th. NEBC and IBC showed up in full force for the 1/2/3 race. Bahnson, Smith, and Stover were joined by Pauline Frascone and 30 other riders on the line. Bahnson attacked over the climb a few times while Frascone and Stover kept a close eye on the big teams, covering and initiating attacks. The pace and heat greatly reduced the field, with only 20 riders left in the pack for the field sprint. Stover led from the corner, taking 9th, with Frascone following in 16th.

Memory Ride

Fort Devens, Massachusetts

    Brenda Bahnson, Pauline Frascone, Zoe Owers, Marianne Stover, and Michele Smith participated in the Memory Ride ( www.memoryride.org), a fundraiser for the Alzheimer's Association. IF raffled off a new bike, and one rider came up to the team at a rest stop to tell us he bought 40+ tickets in hopes of winning this generous prize!               The ride ended up being tougher than expected, with rain falling heavily during about 40 of the 50 miles.  Instead of the relaxed, conversational pace the team had looked forward to - with each other and fellow participants - the conditions demanded a fairly business-like tempo.The course took the riders along parts of the following race courses: the Sterling Road Race, the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic road race, the old Fitchburg Longsjo Classic time trial, and the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic criterium. The women briefly served as pit crew for one new rider who flatted – it turns out that changing a tire is something else that takes longer in the rain! All told, the IF team raised more than $4,000 for Alzheimer's research. Our friend John Berlinger from Mavic was on hand at the start/finish area to keep all the riders' bikes running smoothly, and IF employee Shawn Estes completed the 100-mile ride.

Unionvale Road Race

New York

Heather Peck and Brenda Bahnson met up for one of the favorite hilly road races of the summer in Union Vale, NY.  The group completed 4 laps on a course with 3 climbs per lap for a total of 58 miles.  Bahnson took charge from the start often dictating the pace and leading the group up the climbs.  Meanwhile, Peck rode conservatively knowing that 58 hilly miles were going to be tough on her legs with the shorter distances she usually trains.  On the third lap rising superstar Andrea Luebbe from Lehigh University escaped solo after responding to an attack by an Anthem-CCC rider.  The ensuing chase group containing Bahnson and Peck was not able to catch her but battled it out with each other up the final grueling 1.5 mile climb.  Bahnson’s final sprint was confused by some support vehicles in the road; nevertheless, she charged in for 11^th.  Peck finished in 18^th.

 

Smith takes Podium Spot at Attleboro

Attleboro Criterium                           Attleboro, Massachusetts

Michele Smith represented the team at the Attleboro Criterium, held on a four-corner residential course. This was Smith's first masters race. The NEBC and IBC teams were both well-represented, and Smith also kept an eye on several strong, solo masters women. Attacks went repeatedly up the small hill after the start-finish line, but none stayed away. With one lap to go, Smith jumped on the IBC train and rode it in for third place in the masters women.

Smith on Podium in 3 Events!

New Hampshire State Games           Londenderry, New Hampshire

Michele Smith is at it again and has been sharpening her racing prowess on the track again this summer at the New England Velodrome ( http://www.leadcycling.com). The track is approximately 318m with 14-degree banking (it is also used for go-kart racing). At the New Hampshire State Games, Smith competed in four events and medaled in three! Her top result came in the match sprint. In the final, Smith was paired with reigning New England criterium champion Eve McNeill. McNeill managed to get on Smith's wheel at the beginning of the two-lap race, so Smith stayed high on the track to keep an eye on her. With half a lap to go, the pair both jumped. Smith stayed at the front and managed to win by half a wheel! Smith also won a silver medal in the women's kilo and a bronze in the Olympic sprint, a mixed gender team event.   Consider yourself warned!

A Little Too Hot at New Britain Crit

New Britain Criterium – New Britain, CT

Pauline Frascone, Heather Peck, and Michele Smith joined a field of 35 riders at this swoopy course, designed specifically for bike racing, in New Britain's Walnut Hill Park. Frascone was coming back from a hard crash at the Coupe des Ameriques, while Peck and Smith were getting back into the swing of things after mid-season breaks. Other teams sweating it out in the 95-degree heat included CCCC-Anthem, CRCA/Comedy Central, Target Training, and North Atlantic Velo. Many talented solo riders also took the line. Several breakaway attempts were unsuccessful, with the last being chased down by former IF rider Katrina Davis with two laps to go. Frascone pulled off 15th place in the chaotic, windy sprint with Smith and Peck in 28th and 29th.

Coupes des Ameriques

Sutton, Quebec

Marianne Stover, Pauline Frascone and Brenda Bahnson grabbed their passports and headed north through Vermont over the Canadian border to participate in Coupes Des Ameriques masters stage race in Sutton Canada.

Stage 1 was a 19k, 1400 ft hill climb.  With the first 10k rolling terrain, stover decided to jump and get things started.  she soloed for about 8k before getting caught on the 2nd pitch of the climb.  Bahnson and Frascone took over at that point with Bahnson locking in 4th in the 40+ field, and Frascone 3rd in the 30+ field.

Stage 2 - Individual time trial 6/30  this was a rolling 12.6k course with very little recovery.  An 8:oo am start made for a tough beginning to the day, but that didn't stop Frascone from taking the GOLD in her age group which also allowed her to take over the YELLOW JERSEY.  Bahnson finished a strong 7th and Stover 7th in her age group.

Stage 3 - Criterium 6/30  the criterium was a non-technical, but VERY windy and exposed course making it more difficult than originally thought to be.  The finish line was situated after a short climb right out of two corners making the final sprint a little tricky.  The race was hot from the gun with Stover making early attacks.  An initial solo effort was followed by a 4 person break that stayed away for several laps.  Frascone counter attacked and managed a lap on her own, but the field was hard to chase with the yellow jersey on her back.  Bahnson moved to the front of the field on the final back stretch and had it strung out single file for half a lap discouraging the field from moving up the sides.  She pulled off just in time for the 2nd to the last corner and Stover jumped with Frascone on her wheel.  The two bolted in for the final sprint and snagged the GOLD and SILVER in that stage.  Bahnson after a long, hard last lap effort still managed to come in 4th in her field.

Stage 4 - Road Race 7/1  The final stage was a 85k, hilly road race.  There was no mercy on this course as it started with a very difficult 5 step climb.  The field split after the first climb with Frascone in the front group protecting her yellow jersey, and Bahson and Stover in the 2nd group.  Frascone managed to claw her way up the final climb with the leaders and find herself in a position to win the sprint, take another stage, and overall GC.  Going through a sweeping descent Frascone fell victim to some inexperienced riders and was taken out in the final corner.  Although she was fine, race officials and medics would not allow her to walk her bike across the line, and she was not given a same time finish as the leaders.  Unfortunately she was unable to finish the race but gave a superb effort overall at Sutton and made the team proud.  Bahnson and Stover were not far behind to come in 6th and 6th in their respective fields.

Final GC was Bahnson 6th and Stover 6th.