Fiona's OSU race report

Our weekend was just fantastic! It didn’t rain as much as Eugene, and I felt so much better. Most people that I talked to remarked that they did too. The road race was a rolling course with 4 or 5 moderate hills not including the finish. The Women’s B voted at the start line to reduce the race from 42 miles to around 32, due to the fact that the C’s were combined with the B’s at the beginning of the season, and it would have been a stretch for many in the peloton. I was just fine with that decision! The race itself turned out to be one with few attacks. The group split at the first hill and stayed apart for the rest of the race, and though at times it seemed as though the lead group might splinter, the attacks were never sustained and we reeled them back in shortly. One crash occurred, and though we had to divide our pack suddenly down the middle to avoid the rider, no one else went down and the woman was alright. The final climb, a 2-mile long hill not included in the previous loops, was the only other truly eventful part of the race. Luckily, I was sitting in the back of the leading group with Becca, and she was telling me that I could do it, that I was a climber, that I had it. Those words were what I needed to hear. A little way into the climb, the group started to shuffle and I was able to dart in through the center of the crowd towards the front. I was sitting seventh wheel at that point, and that was the position I would end up crossing the line in! Then Dessie attacked, and I yelled as loud as I could for her to go for it, and go for it she did. The pack strung out, and I was surprised to ride away from the girls behind me. We all finished strong, expending considerable effort, and I was overjoyed! The race was capped off by a swift descent back down the hill, with the Oregon Cascades visible in the distance. I yelled encouragements to the other Women’s B riders making their way up, as well as the men finishing in the mix. Teamwork goes a lot farther than one realizes, especially the mental kind, and I am excited to see what next weekend will bring!

Fiona