Kat 2nd Gateway Day 1

Kat finishes 2nd day 1 Gateway Cup

Day one is complete and, boy, Paceline Projects p/b Veloforma is off to a great start! After stressful, delayed flights for both Kat and I that resulted in missing bike boxes for both of us (mine ended up on Chicago, despite my flight being direct), we got our bikes together just in time to race during the aftermath of tropical storm Isaac. Read: an incredible downpour of a crit on Lafayette Park at 8:15pm. About 40 of us lined up looking like wet cats, hopeful of our tires sticking well through the turns. Luckily this square course had pretty wide and smooth turns and the water was draining well, so it was as safe as it gets while racing in a downpour. The race was super aggressive throughout. Attack after attack was launched with Vanderkitten initiating many of them as one of the few teams.

After one such attack was being brought back, I snuck up the right side in the dark and launched an attack with 11 to go and one other lady bridging to me. We worked together but after a few laps, the fields decided nope, no breakaways today and brought us back with 8 to go. The pace stayed super high those last laps. Kat was able to sprint for a few of the very generous primes, barely coming up short in 2nd...nipped at the line. The last lap, I tried to get Kat up as far as possible. The second to last turn, a Vanderkitten lady crashed out in the corner sending the field out like fireworks trying to not crash on the slick ground with me right behind. Luckily Kat snuck by on the right and went for the finish before the last turn...a super smart move with how wet things were. She held her own and finished second behind Laura Van Gilder!! Woohoo! I ended up eeking out a 19th.

We were very happy with the day hand have great hopes for the rest of the weekend! The race in Francis Park this afternoon is also supposed to be quite rainy as well. Keep your fingers crossed and wish us luck!