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Nature Valley Grand Prix 2009

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Kirsty Broun (Riverfront CDA) sprinted to victory in the Saint Paul criterium ahead of Joanne Kiesanowski (Team Tibco) and Gina Grain (Webcor). Broun took an early jump into the last corner of the fast 40 lap criterium to secured a win at stage two of the Nature Valley Grand Prix, the Saint Paul Downtown Criterium.

The circuit was a wide-open course with a gentle incline to the finish line. Everyone had eyes on Kristen Armstrong (Cervelo Test Team) who executed her plan to stay near the front, not only to stay out of harm’s way but also to keep the pace high and use her excellent time trialing abilities to keep herself at the front for many laps. Despite her efforts she was unable to break away, due in main to the control posed on the race by Team Tibco, Team Type, Webcor and Colavita/Sutter Home.

The continued high race pace and control meant no one was able to get a significant break, A number of riders tried but they were just dangled off the front of the controlled peloton.

The majority of the race was single-file, high speed bunch from start to finish. The top contenders kept each other in check: Armstrong and Allison Powers (Team Type 1), only 13 seconds behind, stayed close to each other, while Tibco, Webcor and Colavita/Sutter Home alternately held the front.

Armstrong, remained in the leaders jersey while the Sprint Jersey shifted from Allison Powers to Kirsty Broun, who also holds the Freewheel Most Aggressive Rider Jersey. Alexis Rhodes (Webcor Builders) won the APC Best Young Rider Jersey, while Kate Veronneau (Altarum Women’s Cycling) won the Top Amateur Jersey.

Kirsty Broun (Ricerfront CDA) reflected on the race, “I knew Kristin [Armstrong] was going to drive the race and try to get away, and we had a really strong team so we just stayed near her,” explains Kirsty. “I stuck to Webcor and Colavita. We all tried to work together to keep Kristin under wraps. I just tested my legs out in a couple of the intermediate sprints, and...I knew I had to go before the last corner.The strategy was to be patient and to try to suck some final air before the final sprint,” Kirsty notes.  

Gina Grain (Webcor Builders) could not get round Kiesanowski and Broun in the sprint. “It was my job to work for every time bonus sprint to keep them from the other teams,” said Gina Grain (Webcor), who took third in the Wednesday night race and won one sprint bonus. “We had riders in the top 10 of the GC,” she explained, “and we knew others’ teams would be going for those time bonuses too. I tested out my legs [in the time bonus sprints], and felt good. When I saw people jumping around our lead-out between the second and third corner I knew I had to go for it.”

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