Janel Holcomb, Kristin McGrath, Kristin Armstrong Savola grace the first podium at Aspen Highlands
Kristin McGrath (Peanut Butter &Co TWENTY TWELVE) won the opening stage of the Aspen Women's Pro Stage Race in 29 minutes and 15 seconds. Team mate Kristin Armstrong Savola joined McGrath on the podium with a second place finish. Colavita/Forno d'Asolo's Janel Holcomb rounded out the podium in third. Just 6 seconds separate the three top spots after the first stage.
While the boys rode downhill in their prologue in Colorado Springs today, the women got serious and rode an uphill Chrono to start off the Aspen Women's Pro Stage Race. The course ran 13.5 kilometers up a scenic road from Aspen Highlands to the Maroon Bells Wilderness Area trailhead, which gained 436 meters.
Race organizer Jessica Philips (Ajax Tavern) holds 10th overall in a strong field of international women, which includes HTC-Highroad's Amanda Miller, Ally Stacher, Katie Colclough and Emilia Fahlin whose post race comments on twitter indicated the descent back to the start was more fun than the climb.
Janel Holcomb (Colavita/Forno d'Asolo)
The Colavita squad features Holcomb, climber Andrea Dvorak, Lauren Hall and Kristin Sanders. Other noteworthy particpants are crosser Amy Dombroski (Crank Bros Racing), US national road champion Robin Farina (NOW and Novartis for MS), and French road racing legend Jeannie Longo. The race marks the return of Alison Powers to the peloton, riding for TIBCO/To The Top.
Olivia Dillon (Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY TWELVE)
Tuesday's stage 2 is an 11 lap circuit race around the Snowmass Village Golf course. It promises to be one of those circuits that is never flat, always climbing or descending. Stage 3 is set up as an 11 turn criterium in Old Town Aspen. The race is the brain child of Jessica Philips a former US road national champion. Noting that there was a major mens event passing through town this week Philips decided to place the women on the map as well. The result is the Aspen Women's Professional Stage Race.
All photos copyright Christopher See