2024 AVRT Application NOW OPEN!

The 2024 application for new and returning team members for both Local and Domestic Elite (travel) teams of Alto Velo Racing is now open!

<<<< https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQcvGQLhF0X8oRmqM3WfBtecL17_AXAzn5WULnQZkCSICCVA/viewform >>>>

Applicants are required to participate in one of our recruiting rides. Routes, also linked below, and ride details are now posted under Events > Event Calendar. These rides start at 9am at Summit Bicycles Palo Alto on the following dates. If you are unable to make any of these please make other arrangements to ride with the team.

• Sunday 10/1: https://www.strava.com/routes/3139270961876513154

• Saturday 10/14 (WTFNB Only): https://www.strava.com/routes/3137260913584816136

• Sunday 10/15: https://www.strava.com/routes/3138174267060363650

Applications close Friday 11/10/23.

2024 AVRT Recruiting Rides

The Alto Velo Racing Team is recruiting for the 2024 road racing season! Interested in racing your bike next year? We are recruiting at all levels, from first-time racers to those with national-level race ambitions. Come join us for a ride and get to know the team. All rides start 9am at our sponsor bike shop, Summit Bicycles in Palo Alto. Application and ride details coming soon.

• Sunday 10/1 Recruitment A ride: Typical fast A ride pace, limited regroups, mostly men. Ride leader: Cameron O’Reilly.

• Saturday 10/14 WTFNB coffee ride: Relaxed pace, no-drop, ~40 miles, finishing with a coffee/pastry stop, no men. Ride leader: Lora Maes.
  Sunday 10/15 Team Recruitment ride: Social but spirited, with regroups and/or ride splits as needed so everyone can ride hard, ~60 miles, followed by pizza party. Ride leaders: Gina Yuan and William Hakim.

Questions about the team? avrt (at) altovelo (dot) org (Cameron O’Reilly, Sue Lin Holt, Gina Yuan).

Race Report: 2023 Il Giro di San Francisco - Women's P/1/2/3

Race: 2023 Il Giro di San Francisco - Women's P/1/2/3

Date: September 4th, 2023

AVRT racers: Gina Yuan (4th/20), Sue Lin Holt (5th/20), Lora Maes, Chris Davis, Serenity Marshall (guest rider)

Course: L-shaped 6-corner course with a small bump. Pavement is bad on the backside stretch, and the second corner has tracks on the road.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/9785007541

Written By: Gina Yuan

Our plan going into the race was to set up Sue Lin for a sprint with her killer track legs, or for me to follow small late race moves. Lora and Chris competed in (and won!) their Master's Crit District championship categories earlier that day, and Serenity was guest riding with us the first time, and their roles would be to support and be more active especially in the first half of the race.

The pace was pretty fast in the first half, and there were no real lulls. Lora contributed to that as planned and I felt chill when I could see Lora and Sue Lin in good positions. I may have gotten a bit too complacent as I had fallen to the back of the group, and while I was waiting for the pace to slow down again before moving up, the move of the day went off the front.

Jamie (Monarch) had attacked with Ilan (Terun) and Jacqueline (ROXO). Chloe (Monarch) bridged up and attacked through them, going off solo for the rest of the race. I actually didn't see any of this in detail because I was still frantically trying to bridge. I was in no man's land with Kate (Terun) who wasn't particularly helpful since Ilan was up there.

I took a few pulls to try to catch Chloe. We're joined by people from behind and the other three in the break. After a few attempts, I dropped back to see what had become of the group. There were ~10 of us and none of my teammates. It was going to be a dsyfunctional chase. I thought about attacking the group but honestly I didn't have the kick in my legs after the initial chase effort. So it became a race for 2nd.

We catch a few lapped riders, including Lora ~5 laps to go! The officials tend not to pull dropped riders from these women's races, likely so people can have a chance to still race their race as long as they don't pose a significant safety risk. Kind of weird, but the rules are that lapped riders can re-join the field and even participate in race dynamics, just that they will be considered a lap down at the finish. Lora was doing pretty good as she had dropped back intentionally to rest and rejoin, so as the field was getting antsy, she took the front and kept a pace just fast enough to keep us in-line. I sat comfortably on her wheel without having to fight for position.

Then the swarm came with 2 laps to go. And woah there was Sue Lin! And a bunch of other people! Reunited teammates catching up after some time apart. The announcer did say something about the field being back together. But it just didn't cross my mind in the chaos. The field had actually become a mix of the two chase groups, lapped riders, and riders a lap down from dropped chains.

Face palm moment for not communicating more with Sue Lin. I was now focused on navigating the pack solo for the sprint, but I'm glad Sue Lin found her own way on my wheel for a lot of this journey. I think I generally pedaled up the side to the front when the group was spread out across the road, slotted in the front when the pace went up, and focused on keeping momentum if the pace fluctuated. Gwen started a leadout for Marcie (Revolution) on the backside of the course. The finishing stretch after the final corner was pretty long, so people burned out, and Sue Lin and I made up so many positions in the final lap! We finished 4th and 5th overall.

Race Report: 2023 Tour of America’s Dairyland - Women’s Cat 2/3

Race: Tour of America's Dairyland

Dates: June 19-24, 2023

AVRT Racers: Gina Yuan

Tour of America's Dairyland (ToAD) is an 11-day crit series in and around Milwaukee, WI. Each race showcases a different community, with local businesses setting up tents, restaurants offering tables with front-row seats to the action, and residents hosting block parties. There are many cash prizes and primes, as well as omnium prizes based on intermediate sprints and overall standings. I raced P/1/2 the first day, and then 5 out of the 6 races of the combined Cat 2/3 and 15-16/17-18 juniors omnium on the remaining days, for 6 days in a row total. I had so much fun racing these large fields and drinking all the free Kwik Trip chocolate milk.

Day 1 (June 19): De Pere P/1/2 (Strava), 10th/22

Course: Squiggly uphill on a parking lot ramp with a fast downhill corner into the start/finish.

I still get scared racing national-level P/1/2 races, so my goal for this race was to feel like I belong and assert myself in a position to sprint at the end. I actually managed to do so, inserting myself ~6th wheel on the backside of the course and keeping that position through some technical turns into the start/finish straight. However, the other women had been ripping that downhill corner all race in a beautiful and humbling way, and I didn't dare to follow in the final lap. I lost the wheel and a few people sprinted past me at the end, but considering I'm often tail-gunning, I was very happy to have accomplished my primary goal.

Day 2 (June 20): West Allis 2/3/juniors (Strava), 7th/44

Course: Flat L-shaped course with several 90-degree turns.

The morning of the race, I stopped by The Bread Pedalers, a bakery created by Sky & Sam Schneider (L39ION pros and West Allis Natives) to buy a cookie and take a picture with Sky. I'm going to channel my inner master's racer and say that the race felt sketchy with the larger field and all the juniors. But we raced the same people every day and it got better. After Kelly's epic race control at the Collegiate Nationals Crit where I really should have been parked 2nd wheel behind her, this time I wanted to be much closer to the front going into the final corner. I was looking for leadouts to follow in the final lap, and there were two teams of two ranked higher than me in Race Predictor doing just that. I haven't often participated in leadouts, but this one was fast and I can see why they work. Alas, I was unable to follow their wheel through the final corner and took a bad line, and lost a few positions at the end. However, I felt great moving around the field during the race, especially in the final lap when I almost caught my wheel in a crack and dropped back, but easily made up a lot of positions.

Day 3 (June 21): Mount Pleasant 2/3/juniors (Strava), 2nd/44

Course: Longer course around a park with some sweeping turns and hills on the backside.

I'm not a true sprinter and this course felt good for breakaways, especially in retrospect. The start of the race saw a break with two girls, from United and Twenty24, both strong riders with several teammates. I thought about trying to bridge but it was early in the race and the field was quite fast, which meant they were motivated to chase. A $100 prime came up, which really motivated the field. The announcers can be mean to the break like that. We swallowed the break and now three other riders were off the front going for the prime. The race had been fast and I was still tired, which meant everyone else was too, so I attacked.

I become that person in the breakaway, "We got a gap!" "30-second pulls!" "Nice pull!" It reminded me of my Cat 4 breakaway days. One of the riders was a junior, and the other two were District Taco teammates and sprinter-like. They all seemed quite tired. The announcer announced the sprint omnium lap for the break. Instead of resigning myself to not be a sprinter, I went for it and got it! We regrouped and the break got a $50 prime. Did the announcer have a change of heart? My break mates started reasoning about how we should all keep the paceline going and split the prime at the end. I bargained to keep the paceline going but only if I could be at the front and keep the prime. They actually agreed.

Thinking about the end-game, the District Taco girls had been sweeping up the primes in other races so they definitely seemed like sprinters, and one of them seemed to have recovered well since establishing the break. The junior seemed shy? I took a bet on a flyer on the final hill, but it was still pretty far from the finish. A District Taco girl caught me in the final 100m but I dropped the other two! This was wild. I not only placed 2nd in the race, I somehow also ended up in the pink cow leader's jersey AND the sprint omnium jersey. Not for long though haha.

Day 4 (June 22): Bay View 2/3/juniors (Strava), 18th/44

Course: Like a weird bowtie, a technical course with many corners of varying degrees.

This was a downtown crit with big-screen TVs broadcasting the events on the backside of the course, and lots of beer. All week I had been grappling with the realization that I can still get so much better at cornering, and this course really brought it out. I also don't have that same sense of fearlessness I used to have since sliding out on a descent a few months ago. It has been interesting to think about the situations where I gain and lose positions through a corner, the most efficient way to get through a corner, where it makes sense to move up in a straightaway if a corner is just going to come up, the impact of a little gap. I finished solidly mid-pack, but I'm still learning a bunch of tactical and technical skills I can work on in every race.

Day 5 (June 23): Shorewood 2/3/juniors (Strava), 5th/45

Course: Almost a square, four-corner crit except for the little wiggle before turn 2.

ToAD is amazingly well-run. I started the day with a Women's/NB ride with ToAD-sponsored pastries from a local coffee shop. The host housing program is awesome too. Our host, Samara, was so welcoming and knowledgeable. She knew a friend who lived on the course, and they hosted a watch party on their lawn. Every time I passed their house, I'd hear dozens of people shouting my name and ringing real Wisconsin cow bells.

I tried to repeat Mount Pleasant and went for a breakaway immediately after a prime. I was off the front for 2 or 3 laps solo. A rider came up to me after the race and told me she tried to bridge to me, but then they announced a $100 prime for the field! As the field caught me for that prime they announced another $200 prime. The announcers must have fun with this.

Since pretty much all of these crits had been ending in bunch sprints, I created a formula for navigating them. Before the race, I decide when I want to move up (2 laps to go), where I will launch my sprint no matter what (typically after the last corner), and which position I want to be in then (still not sure). I flowed through the pack pretty well in the last lap, even shooting a gap between two riders that was pretty slick. I entered the final corner wide but launched a proper sprint not boxed in by the riders around me, getting 5th. I've really come to appreciate the art of the field sprint from following pro racing more closely this year. I imagine I'll look like that one day.

Day 6 (June 24): Downer 2/3/juniors (Strava), 19th/46

Course: A four-sided triangle, apparently.

My host was good friends with the owner of the Wisconsin Cheese Mart, so we made sure to stop by and buy 5 lbs of Wisconsin cheese to bring home. I was familiar with this group I'd been racing for so many days now, and became a zombie going with the flow of the crit. Close this gap here, sprint out of this corner here, oh it's a prime lap get ready for this. The rider who tried to bridge up to me yesterday proposed that we look for opportunities to get in a break today and work together. I loved that idea. Unfortunately, the corners were not as technical as expected and the edges of the triangle were long and straight, so it didn't really pan out. Racing less than an hour every day was more tiring than expected. I found myself boxed in in the final lap, called it a week, and rolled it in grateful for all the hard and safe racing in my field this week.

Race Report: 2023 Watsonville Crit - Women's P/1/2/3

Race: 2023 Watsonville Crit - Women's P/1/2/3

Date: July 8th, 2023

AVRT racers: Gina Yuan (DNF/7)

Course: 1 km loop through the neighborhoods of Watsonville, CA. The course is fairly technical with 5 turns and a slight hill up to the finish.  Additionally, there are significant gutters that run through the middle of turns 1 and 2.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/9414888370

There were only 4 people pre-registered for this race, including me and Lora, and Lora had texted me saying she wasn't feeling well. I showed up anyway because you never know who will register day-of, and lo and behold, there were 4 more riders from Terun. I went from thinking about how I'd attack the small but mighty field to wondering how to respond to whatever strategy Terun went for.

The race was essentially attack after attack from Terun. Hannah (Cal Poly rider who just upgraded to Cat 3) was also pretty strong and we were taking turns covering every move. With a small field, it was a fairly smooth if hard ride around the course. It was also fairly simple to be in whatever position I wanted to be, which was a Terun wheel. I was feeling pretty good about the race and my legs, and all of Terun's attacks had dropped a few people from the field including their own riders. The final group only had 3 people: Hannah, and Alex and Kate from Terun. Unfortunately, I got a rear flat going over a gutter 40 minutes in and that was the end of my race. This is the first race-ending mechanical I've ever experienced, so I can cross that item off my bucket list. Overall a fun course and hope to be back next year to finish the race.

Race Report: 2023 Tucson Bicycle Classic - Women’s P/1/2

Race: 2023 Tucson Bicycle Classic W P/1/2

Date: March 3-5, 2023

AVRT racers: Ari Pascarella, Robin Betz, Gina Yuan

Results:

Time Trial: Gina 20/55, Robin 40/55, Ari 44/55

Road Race: Gina 36/54, Ari 37/54, Robin 38/54

Circuit Race: Gina 24/47, Robin 43/47

Overall GC: Gina 15/43, Robin 38/43

Summary:

Tucson Bicycle Classic is a three day stage race in Tucson, Arizona. The first stage is a 3.4 mile time trial, the second stage is a 80 mile road race, and the third stage is 12 laps around a 4 mile circuit. The size and competition in the P/1/2 field was at a level we don't get to experience often in our local NCNCA races. We really took this weekend day-by-day, with the goals to LEARN A LOT (both from the pros and about each other) and to HAVE FUN!

Day 1 Time Trial (written by Ari)

Course: Uphill, 5.6k (3.5 miles)

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/8654534243

Nutrition: 1 Gu prior (more ritual than necessity); No bottles 

My aim for the weekend was to come in with realistic expectations in a stacked WP/1/2 field, practice positive self-talk, appreciate the experience of traveling and racing with the team, and have fun! 

After lounging and relaxing at the cars with Gina and Robin and a comical number of bathroom breaks, it was time to warm up. A focused warm up served the purpose of priming my legs for gradually increasing my power, so I felt ready to go. While waiting in the staging area and staring at my competition going off at the buzzer one by one, I put my affirmations to work and focused on keeping my attitude and energy high. Thanks to some guidance from team mate Grant Miller as well as wisdom from TrainerRoad, I had a few process goals to focus on such as 1) pace at subthreshold from the start (read: even though you’ll feel good, don’t go all out from the gun), push the effort past threshold on the risers, try to stay tucked and aero, push it on the second half and go for a negative split, and then give it everything you have on the final “climb.” I focused on power with a goal of 205-215 avg watts and 11:30 finish time. After joking with the start clerks about not dropping me, I settled in to my target and kept my breathing steady. As anticipated, a woman from Miami Nights passed me. Not as anticipated, I passed a racer ahead of me. Feeling confident I dug deeper and tried to keep the gas on and remain steady. In the final effort, my lungs were on fire and the finish line offered a sweet relief. My result was better than I’d expected with 220 avg watts and 10:46 finish time.

Not the fastest out there (43 of 54), but I had fun and gave it the best I had on that day! The TT race overall was short, fast, and surprisingly enjoyable (minus the post-race cough). It was a great start to the weekend. Going in with a personal goal and realistic expectations kept my spirits high heading into the next stage. It also allowed me to be present for celebrating my teammates’ (Gina and Robin 20 and 39; As well as Nathan and Cam in competitive GC positions after the TT and Alana 1st in GC !) and I tried to soak in quality time with the team to help unwind. This served as a much needed respite from the nerves for the upcoming road race.

Day 2 Road Race (written by Robin)

Course: 82 miles: 4 laps of a 20.3 mile vaguely square loop with 700ft climbing per lap. A few rollers in the first 4 miles followed by a straight downhill section that still needed a bit of pedaling, then some flats and a slight uphill climb with a headwind

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/8660794278

Nutrition: 3 bottles of Robin’s homemade drink mix (350 kcal cyclic dextrin + 120 kcal scratch guava flavor), 1.5 sleeves Clif blocks

My goal for this race was to stay with the group for as many laps as possible, with the dream of a pack finish, and help my teammates out as much as possible. Since you have to finish each stage of the race to proceed to the next one, I knew I would be finishing one way or another, but really did not want to do 60 miles solo which felt like a real possibility.

After a brief warmup we lined up on the start. I put a bottle in my jersey pocket since we weren’t sure if the men would finish in time to offer us a feed, and put a few sleeves of Clif blocks in my other pocket. I told my teammates to wear gloves since it’s a big race and you never know. I was more nervous about the possibility of a really long solo day than about any results, which took a lot of the pressure off that I usually feel. The field size in this race was 53 starters which is about five times the size of a good Norcal womens’ race, which I have had previous experience with but Ari and Gina hadn’t, so focusing on being a good teammate and mentor also helped distract me from what felt like an inevitable beatdown by the pros.

It started pretty reasonably and I found my groove in the large group. I ride a fair amount on the local group rides where I am similarly outmatched by strong riders, so have gotten pretty good at weenie-ing around to conserve energy whenever possible. I found myself pretty comfortable and hidden from the wind and able to get in the big race lizard brain of “gap? Move up. Gap? Move up.” for the next few hours. Gina and Ari were initially near the back but quickly got the hang of things and were similarly well positioned. Whenever I was nearby I made sure to pester them to eat and drink, and all of us finished the race with good nutrition and hydration.

I was most nervous about the slight climb to the finish, as I can’t hide from doing work on the uphills and that’s often where I get dropped. I made sure to be near the front and did lose a few spots the first time around, but was still well within the group and noted from my lap counter that it was about 10 minutes.

Lap two was pretty chill. Some of the other riders complained about it being coffee pace, which I always think is funny, because if you’re complaining, get to the front and make it interesting! Given that we were still over 20mph average, I was pretty happy to go “coffee pace”. An increasing headwind on the hill section meant I was doing z2 in the bunch, which was great! I changed my goal from “try to finish in the bunch” to “you can and will finish in the bunch.”

On the roller section at the beginning of lap three some attacks flew and it got a bit spicier. I found myself shredded off the back along with a few other riders. Not to worry, I knew the course by this point and knew I could get back on as at the bottom of each roller the group would bunch up and brake, and by taking a smooth pace and punching it there I could avoid big watt expenditures and make up time. I pick up Ari and Ilan (from Terun, gotta look out for my Norcal homies) and we make it back to the group without issue. This made me feel great as I am working on developing my domestique skills.

I was a bit nervous about attacks on the climb on lap three so wanted to be near the front on the corner before it, so I plan on moving up as much as possible on the flats. At the end of the prior downhill section I take a wide line on the corner and end up passing the entire field and going from the very back to on the front. I don’t really know what to do on the front so I just pedal z3ish until the group swarms around me and hides me again. The headwind intensified and we went pretty slow up the hill so it ultimately didn’t matter, but I’m trying to build my pack skills so was happy with the execution of moving up 50 spots for free.

In lap four, Jack and Shane areis at the feedzone, and I want to throw an empty bottle at Jackhim since it’s hard to put bottles in my pocket while riding in a group. No one lets me move over to the feed side which is kind of annoying, but all I have to do is throw the empty bottle hard enough to clear the group. I get Jack’s attention and give it a good throw, and it sails through the air, over the group, heading toward a random dude who is NOT paying attention whatsoever…. Well, it’s empty, so I hope it doesn’t hit him in the head, but it shouldn’t be that bad….. It loses altitude and misses his head, beaning him right in the balls instead. I yell “sorry!!!” and retreat to the anonymity of the bunch.

Lap four is chill until we get down the descent, and then everyone starts to think about position. I find myself in the back with Ari, and tell her “we gotta get to the front.” She gets on my wheel and I move up along the side and end up approaching the final corner on the back of the Miami Nights train with Ari and Gina right behind me, which is totally ideal. As small fry, I didn’t want to get in the way of actual leadout trains (it’s kind of rude and dangerous), but still wanted to be positioned as well as possible.

The course was narrow for the group size, with only a single lane available and a moto ref who was watching like a hawk for centerline violations, which would be an immediate disqualification as we approached the finish. No one wanted to go into a headwind, so we’re going about 17mph and I’m doing low z2 watts.

I’m at max focus since I am the LEADOUT MAN taking my teammates to VICTORY and everyone is jittery and nervous and packed like sardines, and right as I think “hmmm someone is definitely going to crash. I hope it’s not in front of me,” someone goes down about 2 riders in front of me and all three of us are caught in the pileup.

I land on top of another rider who completely cushions me. The palm of my hand hits the pavement but that’s it, and since I always wear full finger gloves to races I get a tiny bruise and that’s it. I pop up to my feet immediately and officials help untangle all the bikes and riders. Ari and Gina are fine and their bikes are extricated.

I yell “go go go!” and they get back on the road. I put my chain back on and catch up to them and get to fulfill my dream of blowing up giving a leadout. The “3k rule” is in effect for this race, meaning despite our mishap in the last 1k, we will be awarded the same finishing time as the group. This probably is better than the result I would have gotten otherwise, so I’ll take it!

The only real casualties were the guy at the feedzone and my rear wheel which had a pretty decent hop in it, and wouldn't clear the brake pads anymore (rim brake gang). Fortunately I was able to borrow a loaner for the circuit race, and since it’s aluminum I can just bend it back into shape and true it at home.

Day 3 Circuit Race (written by Gina)

Course: 12 laps of a 4.2 mile 127 ft circuit

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/8666589966

Nutrition: sooo much pasta, peanut butter, and veggies at the airbnb

I was feeling more confident moving around a clogged road compared to yesterday, and had more of an idea what was going on at the front. But still not that much of an idea. Breaks were forming from the start and there was one with ~7 riders that was otf for a while. I was getting the hang of moving around the amoeba, while the large, organized teams reeled stuff back.

Then there was a crash behind me going into 4 laps to go and the lead car neutralized us to a stop halfway up the climb. I was quite worried because neither Robin nor Ari were there with me until Robin rolled up and told me she saw Ari on the ground. I was glad I was carrying my phone (I don't usually) and was able to text my teammates not in this race to check up on the situation.

The officials cleared the course and they released 2 riders off the front who had a 55s gap. Then they let the field go. I wouldn't have known any of this if not for the neutralization. I asked someone if she knew who was in the break and she was like idk but doesn't matter they're gonna get caught. Amazing intuition. Miami Nights organized a fast chase effort and I was right on their wheels. Then it slowed down and Primeau Velo in particular took over to start the leadouts. My goal was survival, and it takes more confidence and mental stamina than I had that weekend to stay in good position. I shuffled backwards to finish at the back of the field (which at this point had definitely reduced in size!), not before a rider flipped over a cone beside me, and well the field did catch the break.

Unlike the road race, the final lap was carnage-free and the field sprint was an amazing sight. The teamwork and pack skills at this level of racing was so crazy and exciting. I felt inspired every day by the toughness and encouragement from my teammates Ari and Robin. And by the stellar performances of our cat 3 women and cat 2 men. With 2 bunch finishes, I kept my GC standing from the TT (sans some riders who crashed out or otherwise withdrew). Expectations exceeded! I have what it takes to hang with the pros, and know where I want to improve.

Race Report: 2023 Cherry Pie Crit - Women's P/1/2/3

Race: 2023 Cherry Pie Crit - Women's P/1/2/3

Date: February 20th, 2023

AVRT racers: Ari Pascarella, Gina Yuan, Jennifer Steele, Lindsey Raven, Sharon Marucut, Skyler Espinoza

Top Results: Gina 3rd, Skyler 4th

Course: https://www.strava.com/routes/3062575108007079228 ~16 corners, 60 minutes. Two technical sections which I call the squiggles (top) and loop (bottom), connected by a 300m straightaway on the left and a 700m straightaway on the right. The finish is about 500m into the right straightaway.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/8594731161

Nutrition: Bottle with SIS and clif bloks on stand-by.

The night before the race, Ari with all the intel from having raced Cherry Pie gathered us for a Zoom call where we shared our thoughts and feelings. This was going to be a stacked field including four strong riders on Monarch Racing and some day-of registrations including two pro crit racers Dani Morshead and Melanie Wong. We made a plan knowing that previous years had been won in breaks instigated (by Dani) near the start of the race, and had each of us mark a rider we deemed a threat with similar strengths.

I figured out all the best lines during the previous race and was ready to rip it. At the end of the first lap I moved up along the right straightaway and flowed through the squiggles. The first few laps are chaos because people don't know the course yet. Coming out of them with me were Dani, Melanie, and Skyler. The field was not together. Dani and Melanie put in some hard pulls (attacks?) and when we reached the right straightaway Melanie yelled at AV to do more work. The break was in our favor with me and Skyler, and we had to strike the right balance between keeping everyone happy and setting up the end game. I put a dig in through the right side and squiggles. We all worked to various degrees, but I was happy to work to establish this break without Monarch and other non-pros. The first 10 minutes were really hard.

Monarch needed to chase. Some tried to attack and bridge, or make up time in the corners which forced their less technical teammates to surge, and otherwise tow all of AV through the straightaways. Ari, Jen, and Lindsey were amazing at staying near the front, communicating with each other, marking riders, and shutting everything down. Must be frustrating to do an epic attack just to see AV on your wheel. Sharon fell off the pack in this chaos, but still finished the race strong. I could use the loop turnaround to gauge the gap, which the announcers called to be 20 seconds. The gap grew to a minute and more.

30 minutes into the race with enough of a gap, Dani and Melanie had no desire to bring two AV to the line. Dani attacked on the left straightaway. It was hard. Every time we entered the straightaways I anticipated another attack. Skyler dropped. Dani and Melanie rotated in front of me knowing the situation. Then they would be quite mean and yell at me to work, "at least the corners". They were so persuasive I led the squiggles once (I couldn't see Skyler anymore), but then Dani attacked from behind and I could not trust again. I passed Skyler at the loop turnaround and she yelled at me NOT to work. I needed that reminder!

The pros did not know who I was, so they were maybe a little concerned I'd be a threat at the end, but still more concerned about each other. Apparently they had entered the race with a plan to work together, and when that was done then they could work against each other. A few more attacks flew and since I was at the back I could see them coming and tell the other person to chase... I didn't really have an end game. I was pretty settled for 3rd since I can't outsprint Dani's 1100W and Melanie's 800W. Maybe I was hoping they would attack each other enough to be tired? Actually I should've convinced each one to drop the other with me and I could've instead gotten 2nd in a sprint. That could've been fun.

Anyways, after the race (Dani won for the 3rd year in a row), they complimented my cornering and told me I did the right thing in ignoring them and they aren't actually that mean. It was really cool to ride in a break with these two pros. I'll try to beat them next time. We all congratulated each other, then I celebrated with the team and took some pictures with pie.

Notes about cornering on this course:

• I almost never pedalled through the corners, preferring to go into them with speed and lean hard.

• I really trust my bike and its tires to just roll over things like metal plates, bad pavement, gutters, and flecks of gravel. This helps me corner with confidence through more adverse road conditions. I think this comes from drafting fast people and doing my intervals on a variety of terrain.

• You don't really get line choice in a blobby group so technical skills are more beneficial in a break, and if your breakmates have similar technical skills.

Race Report: 2023 Cherry Pie Crit - Women's Cat 3/Master's

Race: 2023 Cherry Pie Crit - Women's Cat 3/Master's

Date: February 20th, 2023

AVRT racers: Gina Yuan, Lindsey Raven

Top Results: Gina (3rd overall), Lindsey (5th overall, 4th Cat 3)

Course: https://www.strava.com/routes/3062575108007079228 ~16 corners, 40 minutes. Two technical sections which I call the squiggles (top) and loop (bottom), connected by a 300m straightaway on the left and a 700m straightaway on the right. The finish is about 500m into the right straightaway.

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/8593714669/

Nutrition: Bottle with SIS and clif bloks on stand-by.

This course is a technical ~16 corner crit. The Strava elevation on the course map is pretty accurate for a bunch of weird lines in a parking lot. Lindsey and I congratulated each other for simply showing up this early after a weekend of racing in Fresno. We were both so mentally fried from all the race-analyzing this weekend that we agreed on the simple strategy of not working against each other.

Lindsey wanted to warm up and can go fast through the technical parts of the course, so she flew through the first part of the race and I sat on her wheel. There was all sorts of skidding and pedal striking going on in the field, but no crashes fortunately. Even though gaps were opening up, I didn't want us to pull super hard on the straightaways since they were long and it seemed the field could always close the gap.

At one point, Ilan (Terun) had a gap on the field, and I tried to form a break with her. But it was just not a good match since she couldn't follow my wheel through the technical sections and I didn't want to wait up every time. I guess I could've tried to hammer solo for 30 minutes but I was not feeling that, so we all rejoined the group and chilled for the second half. Everyone knew the course better now so we made our way through the chicanes together with no fuss. People tried attacking on the straightaways but they were so long and all attacks were quickly shut down.

One to go, I asked Lindsey to go to the front and set a sustainable pace because I thought it might be hard to move up otherwise. She did a great job all weekend setting a hard, steady tempo at the front when it mattered. As we entered the loop, I let her wheel go and yelled at her to GO since it would be hard for the pack to move up in the technical section. It kind of worked, but Lindsey was tired from pulling so much and that finishing straightaway is just so long. Two people came around me as we exited the loop and I tried to use them as a leadout, but I was not able to catch on. We caught Lindsey right before the line. I finished just ahead of a strong rider who had beat me in the sprint at Cantua Creek, so I was happy about that. Now that Lindsey and I were experts in the course, we got ready for our second race.

Race Report: 2023 Cal Aggie Criterium - Women’s Cat 3/Masters

Race: 2023 Cal Aggie Criterium - Women's Cat 3/Master's
Date: January 28th, 2023
AVRT racers: Chris Davis, Skyler Espinoza, Kristin Hepworth, Sue Lin Holt, Lora Maes, Sharon Marucut, Jennifer Steele, Gina Yuan
Top Result: Gina (2nd Cat 3, overall), Sue Lin (1st 40+), Jenn (3rd 40+), Lora (2nd 50+), Chris (3rd 50+)
Course: 40 minutes, 1.09mi loop (Strava). Two corners at the top of the course including a sharp left, one corner on the right, and a bit of a drag to the finish.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/8467830683

Cal Aggie is the first crit of the year, and I was excited to finally shake off the racing cobwebs with the AVRT women in all categories that day. Sharon's cobwebs were from 2020, so it was great to see her out. Also, it was Kristin's second crit that day, and ever! The 8 of us went into the race with a plan to attack and tire out some marked riders, then organize a leadout for our sprinters. Since it's common for nothing to go to plan, we agreed that it would be important to communicate during the race.

Jenn and Lora set a fast, powerful pace at the start, discouraging any attacks while keeping it smooth. Eventually, the pace slowed down, and I attacked into the technical chicane. Four riders followed, including Jenn who covered. One of these riders was the best (non-AV) sprinter in the field, so while she was trying to establish the break, Jenn and I sat in until the field caught us.

I attacked again at the same location and ended up in a break with two other riders. The same Terun sprinter did 90% of the work to stay away and the other rider did the rest. I sat in just hoping to get caught, since I am not very confident in my sprint, but it seems my teammates are really good at blocking as the rest of the field just wouldn't catch us! Two laps to go, Skyler and Sue Lin made an effort to bridge to a group of 3 ahead...but it was just a group of lapped riders. They were able to see the break at that point, but it was too late. The break of 3 had just rounded the last corner and we had to start our sprints. Despite my feeble sprint, I was feeling pretty fresh, and managed to narrowly beat one of the other riders for 2nd! Skyler launched ahead, almost closing the entire gap, for 4th. Sue Lin followed close behind, taking the win in the 40+ category. Jenn, Lora, and Chris, despite racing for the team's overall result, still managed to round out the remaining podium spots in the master's categories.

I've definitely come a long way from my first crit race, exactly one year ago on this course, when I hated cornering. After the race, I couldn't stop thinking about all the different ways a team of 8 could play a race. I have never raced with so many teammates before, but I learned a lot and am excited to explore this aspect of bike racing more!

2023 Alto Velo Racing Team Application

Thanks to everyone who came out to the women's recruiting rides this weekend. We had a blast enjoying the views on top of Mora, suffering on Skyline, and eating delicious pizza from our sponsor Terún. An announcement about men's recruiting rides is coming soon.

Applications for both the men's and women's teams in 2023 are now open here: https://forms.gle/JJHiLKQgkZERNtoQ7. Complete the application and we'll be in touch shortly. Questions? avrt@altovelo.org

AVRT Women's Recruiting Rides - Sat 10/8/22 and Sun 10/9/22

Our women’s race team is recruiting! Interested in racing your bike next year? Come join us for a ride and get to know the team!

We will be hosting rides on the weekend of October 8th and 9th, starting 9am at Summit Bicycles Palo Alto both days. All are welcome - invite your friends, everyone who loves to ride their bike, and come join us! Saturday's ride will be conversational pace, ~40 miles, finishing with a coffee/pastry stop. Sunday's ride will be a women-led A ride with the men's team, steady but fast, ~55 miles, with pizza at the end.

If you have any questions let me know. Hope to see you there!

Start: Summit Bicycles, Palo Alto

Time: 9am, Leave ~9:15am

Sat 10/8/22: Women's Coffee Ride (https://www.altovelo.org/events/womens-coffee-ride)

Sun 10/9/22: Women's A Ride (https://www.altovelo.org/events/womens-a-ride)

Ride etiquette: https://www.altovelo.org/ride-rules

To stay updated on Alto Velo Racing Team follow us on Instagram (@altoveloracing) and Facebook (Alto Velo Racing Team)

Race Report: [2022 La Verne Grand Prix - Women's P123]

Race: 2022 La Verne Grand Prix - Women's P123

Date: August 14th, 2022

AVRT racers: Gina Yuan

Top Results: Gina Yuan (6/15 Overall, 4/8 Cat 3)

Course: 50 minutes on a 3-4 minute loop. 7 non-technical corners on a wide road with good pavement. 2-3% uphill on the left side through T1/2. Consecutive T3/4/5—accelerating out of each corner was taxing over time. T6 and T7 dip through a chain-rattling gutter. Finish line ~150m after T7. Start/finishing stretch had a slight headwind but the rest of the course didn't feel as exposed. Hot (90°F/32°C).

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/7639324296

Nutrition: FROZEN WATER BOTTLE.

This was a very lively and exciting race dominated by the 4 Incycle Mamis riders and the former Romanian national road champion. An Incycle rider attacks on the second lap and I join a break with a L39ION rider and someone with a California state champion jersey. We rotate well, except the Incycle rider just waves us through. Two more join us, causing further disorganization. 10 minutes in, the field comes back together and an Incycle rider counterattacks hard, going solo. In the field, the remaining Incycle riders are all near the front—marking attacks, hanging out 2nd wheel, and disrupting the chase really well.

The Romanian champion tries to create a sense of urgency and is clearly disappointed that no one will chase, but I trust she will not lose a race like this. She proceeds to single-handedly close the gap, making us work for it by attacking and setting a ballistic pace on the uphills. 30 minutes in, one of those attacks splits the field and I'm on the wrong side. I do not want to lose like this, so I attack and attempt a solo bridge, hitting 195bpm during this painful lap but successfully catching up. The gap to the solo rider continues to fluctuate around 30 seconds. 4 laps to go, we finally see her. 2 laps to go, the field catches her and there's a counterattack with two riders including one from Incycle. Final lap, I'm digging deep to get in front of riders who might get dropped and trying to make up position before the final corner. Leaving T7, the field just about catches the two riders, and I sprint across the line for 6th overall.

It was super cool to watch the Romanian rider and the Incycle team dictate the race. They were not only so strong, but employed their power with intention to make everyone else hurt. Next time I race, I want to play the game with teammates! I'm happy with my result and for not giving up when it got hard. Thanks to Majestic Cycling for putting on the event and our Alto Velo sponsors for the continued support.

If you are interested in racing with AVWRT next year (all levels welcome), reach out to me or any other AVWRT member, and keep an eye out for our women's recruitment rides in late October.