News
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Newsletter June 2009
The racing's getting tougher and the wins and podiums just keep stacking up for Team Ultralink. As both the Pro Women and Masters Men prepare for their major goals of the season, [...]
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Newsletter May 2009
Team Ultralink has kicked off its season with a bang this past month, collecting victories and podiums all over Ontario. As the team prepares for its bigger goals thru the [...]
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2009 NEWSLETTER 1
Newsletter 1 includes reports from the team launch, our training camp, and releases the 2009 race schedule.
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Training Camp in South Carolina
TEAM ULTRALINK RACKS UP ITS SECOND STRAIGHT OCUP VICTORY
Team Ultralink Pro Women deliver another WIN in style... read on for details!
On a brisk and beautiful sunny day in April, Ultralink Products teamed up with CycleLogik Racing to put on an impeccable Ontario Cup race on the Calabogie Race Track, not much more than an hour west of Ottawa. As the race hosts, and on our "home" course, the pressure was on for a podium, with top step preferred!
A review of the course, the competition and the strategy before the race prepped the team for the challenge.
The Calabogie race track is a 5km track with many turns, mostly banked, some small hills, and lots of flow. It is not a race course that naturally separates the strong from the weak over time. As such, it is up to the racers themselves to create opportunities.
The competition were the top elite women from all over Ontario (and some from Québec). All were considered strong and fit for the race season.
The team approached the start line (in style, with our now recognizable Green and White Apogee clothing, white Cervélo R3s and white Challenge tubulars) with a quiet confidence.
About 2km into the race of 75, Ultralink fired the first round as Carrie ("I'm going to attack today!") put in a fiery attack up the road. Ready to go, the peloton reacted fully and pulled her back, only to see round two fire off on the left and establish a lead. Joined by one other rider, Katie Spittlehouse, Allison's breakaway lasted almost 3 laps, pushing out a lead on the women's peloton before being caught in the confusion of a passing men's pack.
Immediately, Ultralink (a full team of 7 that day) fired off our next attack. This time the peloton would let no more breakaways go and caught it immediately. One after another, attacks from Julia- Emma-Allison-Shanie-Emma-Julia-Allison, short getaways, and chases. Other teams' riders answered every move. The peloton was chasing and tiring but no one would get away until finally, about half way through the race, Krystal Jeffs "took a flyer" up the hill on the left and into a very strong head wind. Two riders (Julia Bradley and Christiane Knobbe) followed. With both big teams represented, it was left to the rest of the fatiguing peloton to pull them back. Even with a fairly coordinated effort of riders at the front, Krystal's courageous breakaway remained up the road and out of sight.
With about 6 laps to go, a move from a rider off the front caught Julia's attention. Immediately she reacted, followed by another rider-Sophie Matte. Before too long, there were two bridging the gap to Krystal's group, the initial rider unable to keep the pace.
Up the road, Krystal and her two companions set a tough pace. Julia and Sophie gave their all and eventually, with less than 4 laps to go, the five came together. According to Julia: "We worked so hard to get there.". Now there were two riders from each big team in the front group. The group of 5 rode well together and further away to over a minute lead. Back in the peloton, the rest of the team policed the group.
Julia, recovering from her effort, thought only of victory. In the final sprint, Julia uncorked an acceleration that could not be matched and won with conviction Ontario Cup #2- the team's 2nd win of 2 starts.
After two races, Julia Farell (Team Ultralink) leads the Ontario Cup Series.
In the Master 1 race, the team fielded a strong team that looked to repeat last season's victory with a similar strategy - attack at every chance, force the race into breaks, and try to get someone alone or into a small group at the finish. The first 5 laps were extremely quick, despite the wind, and although many tried, nothing was getting away early. About a third of the way thru, a large group of 15-17 riders sort of sleepily slipped off the front. Team Ultralink had 3 men in the move including Andrew Lees, Alistair and Dan. Another few laps go by, and with David and Tom riding watch at the front of the peloton, Jon Gee (RWR) attacked hard and David went after him. Almost immediately, Craig Hawkes joined, and the 3 worked together to go across. The peloton's day was essentially done at that point, and while the break shed a few riders as the pace increased in the last few laps, the 15 or so riders left were destined to a small bunch sprint. Showing off an up-till-now hidden finishing kick, Andrew Lees took the last step on the podium to ensure the Team was represented in the pictures, and the rest of the team finished up with a good hard race under their belts in this early season classic.
