Canadian
National Team Member
12 time National Champion
Multiple World Cup Winner
World Championships Silver Medalist
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Tuesday, March 29, 2005Worlds Scratch Race Ends in Crash
World Track Cycling Championships
Los Angeles, California
March 24-27, 2005
As I rode to the line to begin my final event of the World Track Cycling Championships representing the Tim Hortons Canadian National Team, I had one thing on my mind - victory! After last year's silver medal performance in the Scratch Race, I was hoping to climb one step further up the Worlds podium.
The 10km (40 lap) Scratch Race started out with a some attacks from the gun, and I found myself in a few small break away groups of two to four riders throughout the first half of the race. The only rider to make any significant ground on the pack was from Belarus. With the favourites closely marking one another, she quickly gained a half lap advantage on the field. I threw in some efforts in an attempt to get the back to chase as this is just the time when an unknown rider can slip off the front and gain a lap on the field (if a rider laps the field in a scratch race, they win - in a points race they would gain 20 points). The Belarus rider was brought back with 20 laps to go.
The remainder of the race became very tactical as it was evident that it was going to come down to a group sprint. With everyone fighting for position, I stayed near the front to mark any late attacks. With 3 laps to go I got shuffled back a little further than I would have liked, but with just under 2 laps to go I started to make my move on the outside to come around the lead riders. Entering the final turn I had gone around all but one rider. I lost a little ground in the corner, as I was higher up on the track but I would have had the advantage of the transition exiting the corner to the finish line. As I was coming out of the final corner with only 50m left in the race, I was sitting in 4th or 5th position and was confident that the podium was within reach. Then within a fraction of a second, I was lying on the ground. One minute I was driving to the line, the next minute I was staring up at the ceiling with all hopes of a podium finish dashed.
Photo: Greg Descantes
According to reports from spectators and coaches, two riders behind me made contact with one another in their desperate surge for the line, hit my rear wheel and sent the three of us sprawling to the ground.
Photo: Greg Descantes
This was an unfortunate way to end my World Championships, but it is also unfortunately a part of racing that we all have to accept.
A detailed account of the Scratch Race and some photos can be found on the WomensCycling.net website.
Next on the calendar is the Pan American Championships in Argentina at the end of April, followed by an aggressive road racing schedule with Symmetrics/PowerBar.
Many thanks to all of my sponsors: Rocky Mountain Bicycles, PowerBar, Tim Hortons, Shimano, Easton Sports, TUFO North America, Rudy Project, Symmetrics Cycling, Cypress Solutions, OpenRoad Communications, Adidas, Basic Sports Nutrition, AVIS Rent A Car, Race Face Headsets, GiroPoste, See You in Athens Fund, and Emer'gen-C.
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