Upcoming Races for the "A-Team"

The "A-Team" will send a team of riders to contest the Montreal World Cup and Grand Tour of Montreal as well as send a small but strong squad to the CSC Invitational in Arlington, VA this coming weekend.

Both Felicia Gomez and Julie Beveridge will be looking for a top placing in the Montreal WC in hopes of landing a spot on the Canadian Olympic Team. If Mt. Hood is any indication of the form these two riders are carrying into this tough selection race I would say they have a lot going for them. A strong supporting team of Meredith Miller, Kristin Sanders, Alison Testroete and Carmen McNellis will be heading to Montreal as well.

At the CSC Invitational it will be Erica Allar, who recently finished 3rd in Sommerville, Anna Lang and team veteran Catherine Powers who will look to bring home some cash in Arlington, VA before being joined by Athens Twilight winner, Rebecca Larson and heading up to race in the Triple Crowne of races that begins in Allentown at the Lehigh Valley Classic. Reading will be spot two of the Triple Crowne followed by the Liberty Classic in Philadelphia, PA.

For the Liberty Classic, the "A-Team" will see the return of Kat Carroll from her recent european racing where she claimed 2nd place in a stage at the Tour de L' Aude. Joining her will be Meredith Miller, Rebecca Larson, Carmen McNellis, Kristin Sanders, and Erica Allar who finished 8th place in last years race.

Erica Allar 3rd at Sommerville

Erica Allar

Photo by Kurt Jambretz

Kellie Benjamin, Tina Pic, and Erica Allar a top the podium at Sommerville

Flying solo at Sommerville, Aaron's, Erica Allar went up against some tough competition form the Colavita and Cheerwine squads. By putting her super sprint and race savy to work she finished third place in a tough drag race with some of the countries very best sprinters.

Rock on Erica!!!

Mt. Hood a HUGE Success!

Overall G.C. Podium - Julie Beveridge Wins at Hood!

The "A-Team" has been knocking on the door since Redlands for it's first big stage race win and we finally got it! Kat and the team came close in Redlands, Felicia and our small team of 4 came close in Gila, and Julie and the team "mission accomplished" in Mt. Hood.

Team G. C. Rebecca Larson, Meredith Miller, Julie Beveridge, Felicia Gomez, and Alison Testroete

The team started off strong with 5 of our 6 riders in the top 15 after the prologue. With her 5th place finish, Julie would pull on the Best Young Rider Jersey that she would continue to hold on to for the remainder of the race.




Best Young Rider from Day 1 to the end

On Stage 1 Meredith once again showed her strength at the front of the race and assisted Alison in claiming a $500 preem. With two laps to go, Felicia crashed but lady luck was on her side with the 3km rule already in effect giving her the pack time at the finish. At the finish it was Meredith and Alison who set Julie up for a tough uphill finish...luckily when a little voice whispered in Julie's ear she took off and finished a strong third behind two of the best sprinters in the world.



Stage 1 Podium - Jo Kiesanowski, Tina Pic, Julie Beveridge

Stage 2 the Cooper Spur Circuit Race had it's ups and downs. With Kristin Sanders trying her hand the QOM intermediate sprints she was the unfortunate victim of a hard crash that left her with a mild concussion, stitches in her elbow and a dislocated shoulder. Eyes wide when I got to her laying on the ground I could tell she wanted to get up and continue but it wasn't the thing to do...in the trusted hands of Judy Richardson, M.D I jumped back in the car and tore down the hill to gain contact with my other riders. Felicia also had her battle of the day on that same lap...after getting dropped on the descent she finally found that her rear brake had been rubbing causing her to get dropped on the downhill. Up the final climb of the day and in a tight sprint to the line it was Felicia coming 3rd in a photo finish at the line. Another day for Aaron's on the podium!

Stage 2 Podium - Jeanne Longo, Joanne Kiesanowski, Felicia Gomez

Stage 3 the Individual Time Trial would prove to be a decisive day for the overall G.C. With the UCI officials checking legality of each riders time trial bike (must meet weight and measurement standards) and it being each riders responsibility to arrive at bike check prior to their start time, Jeanne Longo possibly cost herself the overall win when her bike didn't pass but her start time did as she made adjustments to her bars. Who knows in the end what the final outcome would have been...Julie wasn't without difficultly either and lost valuable time when she dropped her chain and had to dismount to put it back on...maybe she would have won the time trial, who knows. In the end Julie finished 2nd on the day but gained enough time to put her into the yellow leaders jersey which the team would defend.


Stage 4 the Wy East Road Race, which was the stage last year, that Aaron's tried to rock race leader, Leah Goldsteins world, would prove much different this time around. The team was prepared for the other teams to come out to hammer us but it never materialized. A huge group of riders would arrive at the final climb together and the final time gaps would be minimal. Meredith Miller covered an important attack at the end of the race that would give her a head start up the climb and allow her to give Julie one last effort as she came by close to the finish. Felicia did a fabulous job staying with Julie and helping to minimize the efforts that Julie had to put out covering key attacks at the end of the race. At the end of the day Mara Abbott was able to pull herself a little closer by winning the stage but with no time bonus available for this mountain top finish she only gained back 25 of the 50 seconds she needed on Julie. Julie would climb with legend Longo and finish 3rd on the stage to keep the yellow jersey.

Stage 3 - Julie Beveridge and the Aaron's Team Still in Yellow on the Mountain


Stage 5 the riders would take to the streets of downtown Hood River. Again the team would focus on defending the jersey and that they did! Everyone on the team rode a strong race and in the end would come away with the yellow jersey and the overall team G.C. to show the depth and teamwork that make the Aaron's team one of the top teams in the country. The celebration was a bit suppressed as Julie hit the deck in the last corner of the last lap sliding like a professional base ball player across the pavement. Once again it would be the 3km rule that would award her pack time and thus she would win the overall by a mere 11 seconds over Jeanne Longo.

Overall G.C. Podium - Jeanne Longo, Julie Beveridge, Leah Goldstein

Support Crew and Host Family - Leslie, Chris, me and Jim

MUCH thanks to our host family, Leslie and Jim and to my husband Chris for all their additional support!!! Thanks also to our mechanic Brian Muck and massage therapist, Sky Robbins for their great attitude, good energy and hard work! Teamwork rocks!!!

Aaron's Nailed the ITT in Gila

Felicia Gomez WINS ITT at Gila!!!

Julie Beveridge 3rd in ITT at Gila...looking good!