Team Kenda Tire

Women’s Prestige Series

Imelda March — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:45:40 +0000

The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series concluded with the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational in Charlotte, NC on August 2. As the grand finale, the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational was the deciding factor in a series that also included the Redlands Bicycle Classic, the Nature Valley Grand Prix and the International Tour de ‘Toona.

Team Kenda Tire finished 6th among a stellar lineup of America’s finest women’s cycling teams:

1. Aaron’s Women’s Pro Cycling
2. Cheerwine Cycling
3. Colavita/Sutter Home
4. Team TIBCO
5. Advil-ChapStick
6. Team Kenda Tire

U.S. Elite, U-23, and Junior National Road Championship

Imelda March — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:02:36 +0000

The Junior National Road Championship was held in Irvine, Anaheim, and Santiago Canyon, CA the week of August 6 to the 8. Junior Racer Jackie Kurth enjoyed a great week of national level competition in the women’s junior 17 to18 years of age by achieving the following:

Day One (Time Trial): 4th place in 33:44.20
Day Two (Criterium): 6th place
Day Three (Road Race): 2nd place

Catch a glimse of Jackie in the pack of the start of the women’s road race by clicking here.

Wilson earns championship jersey at the TN State Championship Road Race

Imelda March — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:39:23 +0000

In the over 90 degrees Fahrenheit heat of Tennessee, a number of regional and state women residents assembled to contest the TN Road Race Championships.

Andrea Wilson, shares a brief race report by reporting that “Debbie got away from the field about half way through the first two road race laps. I was chasing with a couple of other girls who didn’t seem too concerned with catching Debbie Milne (ProBikeCycling) since she wasn’t from TN and did not pose a threat to the championship jersey. The race was up the road, so I threw in a little attack on a little hill and got away from them. The course was tough, with extreme heat; however, I managed to stay away for the remainder of the race although I never caught Debbie and I finished 2nd and achieved the championship jersey.”

Photo by Bart Nave

Chicago Criterium

Imelda March — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:34:16 +0000

The inaugural Chicago Criterium found our five participating members pitted against Team TIBCO. Team Kenda Tire raced well against Team Tibco by winning multiple preems within fast moving 37 woman Pro/1/2/3 field. Several breakaways were manifested finding Kristin Wentworth in those breakaways on several occasions. As the laps, wound down Team TIBCO neutralized the field by sending all their guards to the front, as seen in this photograph; however, Team Kenda Tire was positioned well within the group. In the end, Kristin Wentworth placed18th while Debbie Dust finished 20th. Full results can be found by clicking here.

In the early laps, Kristin Wentworth in a break with Tibco (Photo by Paul Forsythe)

Crowell 3rd at the International Tour de ‘Toona

Imelda March — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:11:12 +0000

Jackie Crowell raced well at Toona and rounded out the podium in 3rd place against a stellar field of women professional racers.

The Tour de Toona, a race well known for offering equal prize money between the Pro men and Pro women did so again in this year’s installment. With this in place the team was honored to have representation. Full results can be viewed by clicking here.

Tennessee State TT Championship

Imelda March — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:00:12 +0000

Team Kenda Tire earned a silver medal and fourth place finish at the recent TN State TT Championship. Lori Jug, a recent state transplant snagged the silver medal for the 40 km TT in 1:03:03 while Andrea Wilson covered the same distance in 1:05:30.

Superweek: Dust Top Chicagoan at Evanston

Imelda March — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:21:28 +0000

Team Kenda Tire enjoyed a “Super Sunday” at the Evanston Northwestern Grand Prix with Debbie Dust finishing 5th and keeping the record as top Chicagoan for the second year in a row. The remaining teammates of Catherine Walberg, Anne Guzman, Amy McGuire, Kristin Wentworth and Krystal Lacy-McNutt took turns drilling it in the front and not allowing any breaks to get away.

Superweek: Richton Park Criterium

Imelda March — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:08:58 +0000

Day four of Superweek saw the women take the mantle in earnest. Team Kenda Tire sent four women to the Southside to the newly created 55K criterium course in Richton Park, IL. A super fast pace ensued with over fifty women hitting the gas. In the end, Amy McGuire, 13th, Debbie Dust ,16th and Kristin Wentworth ,19th finished in the top twenty while sharing the $1,000 purse offered to the women Pro/1/2/3 categories.

Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic Wrap Up

Imelda March — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:50:14 +0000

Impressions by Anne Guzman and Amy McGuire

It was a great weekend for Team Kenda Tire at the 49th Annual Fitchburg Longsjo Classic held July 3rd to 6th. The race weekend began with 3 teammates in the top 20 after the completion of the time trial. It was a nice day with some winds and the road was a little bumpy and a gradual uphill with flat and downhill sections. With teammates in 9th, 12th, and 19th going into Stage 2 we wanted to make sure we held those spots and we gave it a go at earning the point’s jersey.

With personal goals and team goals at stake it was time to work the engines to have some our secured spots stick. In addition, to working for the team, Amy’s goal was to land in the top 10 in both the circuit and criterium races.

While driving to the starting line of Stage 2, we suggested that our guest rider Carla Swart give it a go. She can climb and sprint – well did she ever. Battling each time with Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine) she ended up with the Green Jersey at the end of the stage! So impressive and what a way to wind it up with the sprint! Wait till she gets another year in her legs. She is aggressive, and we loved her! We were all happy with the jersey since it is gained the team the much deserved respect in the peloton. It gave us great pleasure that our teammate was mixing it up with top riders and being able to out-sprint a top contender like Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine).

Kristin W. had a great finish getting 8th on the stage and getting away with a select group of the top women. She is riding great and we hope to keep her GC spot as the week progresses. This moved her up to 11th GC.

Kathryn Clark was amazing today going back twice to help both Jackie’s with their flats, sacrificing her own position and eventually chasing back on for the majority of the day. Her team work did not go unnoticed! Thanks Kat!

Jacqui C and Jackie K fought hard to keep there spots. Both getting flats made things tough. Both fought till the last moment and raced with everything they had. Neither of them had been feeling well the night before this RR and that is a tough stage to not be feeling good for. Great job.

Amy McGuire sat in good position all day and had a great day. I think she was happy with her finish and looks forward to the next two days with the power like courses that suit her very well.

I was a bit disappointed to get gapped in the feed zone and not make the split, but being off the bike for a few weeks and getting back with this race, I reflect that I am taking it one day at time. I did the best I could with the legs and they are coming back so that is good.

For the circuit race we had a goal of keeping the jersey. This is great for Kenda. Again Jacqui C and Kat were superb teammates helping Carla Swart to the front and back on when she would gap after the sprints. Jacqui C and I were always trying to encourage Carla to move up and find Kelly’s wheel and she was doing a great job. Kat even pushed her up the hill after one of the laps…Kat…again, what a great teammate!

For the most part the race was not very active…unless you were going for points.

At the end of the day some great teamwork and Carla is still sitting in 3rd with points. Tomorrow our goal remains the same –earn points!

The criterium was not as fast as the usual NRC criteriums and had a really slow start. It was pretty much a point’s race with lulls and sprints…not my style! I like it fast all the time…but I think teams were keeping their GC spots and not as aggressive as usual. KW and I kept GC and rolled in with the pack. KW gave Carla a sweet lead-out for points and Jacqui Crowell was great at bringing her up to the front. Amy had a good finish and sat in the good position all race and we kept 3rd in the points at the end of the day.

I think we learned a lot as a key component that would have made communicating with each other an easier task was left behind. In the future we will use the “don’t leave home without it method” with the radios.

Kathryn Clark rode an unselfish race by sacrificing to get Carla back into the pack when needed.

Racing at the 49th Annual Fitchburg Longsjo Classic was a great learning experience in the dynamics and we executed well. In the end, we finished with two in the top 20 general classification (GC), Kristin ended up 12th and I ended up 17th after competing with an amazing ensemble of top women racers.

2008 USA Cycling Masters Road Nationals

Imelda March — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:27:58 +0000

(Monday, June 30 2008) - The 2008 USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships began today in Louisville, KY with cyclists age 30 and up contesting the 38 kilometers flat to rolling course time trial event.

Both Debbie Dust (Chicago, IL) and Lori Jug (Johnson City, TN) scored silver medals. Debbie clocked 57:52.40 in the women’s 35 to 39 while Lori clocked 58:18.70 in the 40 to 44 age divisions.

In the Elite women’s tandem, Liz Merritt (Mesa, AZ) and Jacquelyn Lockwood (Chandler, AZ) earned gold by clocking 59:01.20.

Mary Downing clocked 1:04:39.19 to finish 11th in the 35-39 age group.

A complete list of results for the time trial can be found by clicking here.