Tucson Bicycle Classic 2023
The team had such a good time at the Tucson Bicycle Classic last year we added it to our list of races for 2023 right away. The race offers equal payout and race length for men and women and an incredible network of host housing and support. Our team for the race consisted of returning riders: Katy and I, new riders: Leigh and Kira, and a guest rider: Stephanie.
Upon our arrival in Tucson, we met our two host families: Ron and Gif, and Norman and Tricia. Both families were extremely welcoming and offered tons of support. Stage 1 began on Friday which was a short, 3.5 mile time trial. The course started with some rolling hills and pitched upward for the last mile. Warmer weather and low winds kept the morale high and our team of five approached the race positively with no stress. We were beyond excited to learn Kira placed 2nd out of the 55 strong women who started and surprised again to learn I placed 4th.
Going into stage two with Kira and I sitting 2nd and 4th GC respectively, Katy, Leigh, and Stephanie were tasked with protecting us from the wind, keeping us near the front, and chasing down any dangerous breakaways. The team worked together like we had been riding together for years, knowing exactly what to do and when. The race was relatively uneventful because of the longer, 80 mile distance, and the long steady downhill which turned directly into a headwind. The headwind into the finishing 1 kilometer stretch and the yellow line rule kept the bunch rolling slow and compact. A touch of wheels in front of me caused half the peleton to come down. I quickly got up and put my chain back on only to pass two more crashes within the last 500 meters. At the finish we learned Stephanie did a super job keeping Kira safe, and Kira managed to take third on the stage. Unfortunately, Katy and Leigh also went down in crashes but were all okay minus some minor scrapes and bruises. The race directors decided to apply the 3k rule which keeps all GC standings in place. This meant that Kira and I would still remain in 2nd and 4th in GC.
Stage three was a short and punchy circuit race with plenty of time bonuses up for grabs. The team's plan was to get Kira as many time bonuses as possible to secure her a first place on GC. The race was active from the begining with plenty of attacks and counters. Kira got herself in a super move that then dwindled down to her and ex-world tour professional Leah Kirchmann. That breakaway enabled Kira to pick up plenty of time bonuses. Their breakaway was eventually brought back by a team going for the sprint on the last lap and Stephanie scooped up a top ten with me just behind.
In the end Kira secured the overall GC lead and I took 2nd! We couldn't have asked for a better start to the race season. We left Tucson with confidence and motivation to keep the fun, hard racing going for the rest of the year. We next reunite at team camp in Bryson City to ride together with the whole team, meet sponsors, and get some solid training in to prepare for our next big goals. Stay tuned!
