August 1, 2008 – Just after we posted some photos from the recent UCI Women’s Road World Cup in Sweden we received Erinne Willock’s race report for an inside look at how the race unfolded.

On Wednesday, July 30, the Webcor Team was racing in Sweden at the Road World Cup. It was our last World Cup as a team for the year before we all start going our separate ways. Alex and I just arrived tired and sleepy in Japan for our final preparation for Beijing, after a long day of travel. The others I assume are already back home in much the same condition.

The World Cup course was relatively flat but by no means did that make it an easy race – we covered an 11km technical loop 12 times. It was a course that was easy to get out of sight from the field and therefore we expected many opportunities for breaks. Our team goal was to cover moves early on and become more active as the race played out. We had Rebecca and Janel cover the early moves. They did a great job as the first lap was really fast. After four laps or so their job was done and they graciously went to help Avery in the feed zone. It was really hot and the feed zone was fast so we needed lots of bottles. Alex and Katheryn were to cover the next moves as they had too many World Cup points and they would have a harder time being allowed in breaks. Christine and I were to save a little for the last third of the race.

At about half way through though Christine got into a break that stayed out for at least a lap. After that there was lots of action but nothing stayed off for long. With about four laps to go I started getting more involved and with 3.5 laps remaining I saw Karin Thurig attack on the right with I think Kim Anderson and Andrea Thurig on her wheel. That being three of the big teams represented I went next. After me, Kori Kelley-Seehafer and Charlotte Becker came up to complete the break of six riders. Most of the big teams were represented and everybody seemed to be relatively happy with the mix. Team DSB, Team Flexpoint, AA-Drink and Platteland missed the break and continued to try and bridge or chase. Alex, Christine and Katheryn as well other teams that were represented in the lead break shut every down.

Back up in the break during the first bit we all worked accept Kim, and then more and more people started to sit on until it was just Kori and I pulling easy into the hill. Karin attacked on the hill and at the top Kori and Kim rolled off. I had just been the one rolling through into the climb so felt I shouldn’t react first and waited but nobody else jumped. Then the four of us started rolling and Karin suggested we keep Kori and Kim at 5 seconds in order to keep Kim working.

Unfortunately that plan didn’t work as Andrea attacked, then I sat on for a kilometre before the next climb and I tried to bridge. I was caught at the top and for the next lap my group didn’t work very well together. We sometimes chased and other times we were attacking each other. On the last climb Karin attacked but again we caught her by the top. Kori and Kim were probably only 15 secs at that point but my group again didn’t work. We continued to attack and roll quite slowly to the finish. We had lots of time on the field and I think we all decided we were going to sprint for 3rd. So with a couple km to go I asked Karen what to do and she said “˜go early, and go for the podium’.

My last attack was at about 750m to go up this little underpass hill, but I got caught and went into the sprint fourth. I managed to pass Andrea and finish in 5th. Seehafer won her first World Cup by taking the two-up sprint against Kim Anderson. Charlotte Becker won our group’s sprint with Karin Thurig next and then me. The field finished 2.43 back with Katheryn, Christine and Alex.
Next up for Team Webcor is the Olympic Games and USA National Championships.