Teutenberg (HTC-Columbia) wins Merco Downtown Grand Prix

Posted on 07. Mar, 2010 by stephanie in race

Ina Teutenburg (HTC-Columbia) began the Merco Downtown Criterium with a huge attack in lap 5, forcing Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12 and Team TIBCO to give chase. It was obvious that HTC-Columbia came to win.

Ina Teutenberg (HTC-Columbia) lays down an attack early in the race

Several riders tried to break away through out the race. Kat Carroll (Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12), Shelley Evans (Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12), Katheryn Mattis (Webcor), Alison Starnes (Team TIBCO), Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO), Kim Anderson (HTC-Columbia) and Evelyn Stevens (HTC-Columbia) all were aggressively active taking turns up front.

With 3 laps to go, a serious crash halted the race for 15 minutes. Jerika Hutchinson (Team TIBCO) and Yukie Nakamura (Metromint) were both taken to hospital to be examined. (Both riders were later discharged from hospital with no major injuries)

The officials decided to restart the race with 6 laps to go. HTC-Columbia immediately took control of the race. “Columbia lined up with five girls on the front and TIBCO behind them lined up,” stated second place finisher Evans “I had two girls in front of me, but we were behind it all.”

Ina Teutenberg (HTC-Columbia) wins 2-up sprint over Shelley Evans (Peanut Butter & Co/TWENTY12)

“With one to go, I thought, I need to get out of here. I am too far back. I need to get back on this train,” continued Evans. “I jumped ahead and noticed that Kim Anderson had attacked. She rolled off the front and then it was chaos. Everybody started chasing. TIBCO chased. Then Kat got up front and drove me and Olivia (Dillon) to Kim. Chloe (Hosking) of HTC-Columbia attacked around the last corner. Now she is off the front. Ina and I decided we had to go. Ina jumped. I jumped. We were both going for Chloe’s wheel to get a little more draft. Ina was able to get it and slingshot around her. It was then a drag race to the finish. Ina got me at the line but I am very happy to be there.”

“I like that Kim went and almost was gone,” stated Teutenberg as she was describing the final lap. “Kat Carroll did react on the back stretch and was able to pull Kim back. My team was trying to lead me out. Another team was trying to come in from underneath. A rider pushed me out a little bit. It was a bit on the sketchy side….because you don’t want to crash…I mean, she did not do this on purpose. She took a totally different line. We were able to keep control over the situation. I just felt it was totally unnecessary for this early in the year. I know that she would not purposely try to get me off my bike. I did lose a bit of momentum there because I had to go straight and I had to use my brakes. I then had to accelerate again. It’s always a hard finish here. Shelley had a good position coming from my back. That’s what I normally try to do here. I just tried to hold her off. At the end it was a matter of going all out.”

“It was my first time racing with Ina, Kim and Evelyn,” commented Hosking. “I think we rode really well. In the last five laps we were so dominant. It was really great to set up Ina for the win and to come out with a third place was an added bonus.”

HTC-Columbia Team Director Rene Wenzel was happy with the team’s second win in two days. “It was a pleasure to see the girls in action today. They all did their job perfectly and when it finishes with a win and a third place, one can only be happy.”

Shelley Evans (Peanut Butter Co TWENTY12)

Top 10 Women Pro/1/2/3
1. Ina Teutenberg   (HTC-Columbia)
2. Shelley Evans (Peanut Butter & Co.TWENTY12)
3. Chris Hosking (HTC Columbia)
4. Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO/To The Top)
5. Coryn Rivera (Peanut Butter & Co.TWENTY12)
6. Kelly Benjamin   (Colavita/Baci)
7. Modesta Vzesniauskaite   (Colavita/Baci)
8. Rebecca Rising (Sierra Pacific Racing)
9. Mary Elizabeth Maroon   (Touchstone)
10. Lindsay Myers (Webcor)

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