April 2, 2006 — The Colavita Cooking Light Team took to the streets of downtown Ojai for an NRC race today. The course is a very difficult 1-mile circuit with a steep climb on the back stretch of the course that softens up the freshest of legs. Many attacks were launched but nothing was able to get away as the wind was a discouraging factor for riders that tried to brave the protection of the peloton.

Colavita Cooking Light policed the front of the field and made sure that any rider that did try to breakaway was covered, as the team had super sprinter Tina Pic ready to launch her famous sprint. Sima Trapp, Sarah Tillotson, Brooke Ourada and Audrey Lemieux did the lions share of the early work and with two laps to go the Victory Brewing train came blazing to the front in hopes of setting up their fast finisher Laura Yoisten.

Victory drove the pace until the final time up the back stretch climb when Colavita Cooking Light’s climber Dotsie Bausch made an acceleration that derailed the Victory train. Bausch blasted over the climb with Laura Vangilder of Lipton, Colavita Cooking Light’s Pic, and Victory Brewing’s Yoisten who had switched tracks, in tow.

When Bausch pulled off it left VanGilder in front leading out, and both Pic and Yoisten launched their sprints from opposite sides. In the end Pic crossed the line first with a few bike lengths to spare with Laura Yoisten second and Laura Vangilder in third.

Garrett Lemire Memorial Grand Prix — NRC #5

1. Tina Pic (Colavita Cooking Light)
2. Laura Yoisten (Victory Brewing)
3. Laura Van Gilder (Lipton)