The Women’s USA Pro Challenge gets underway on Friday with a 13.5km time trail in Breckenridge, Colorado. The women will ride the same route and distance as the men for stage 1, creating an interesting benchmark on the initial day of racing. Cyclingnews caught up with several of the professional women prior to Friday’s start.
“It’s really cool to ride the same course as the guys,” said Joanne Kiesanowski, who rides with Team TIBCO-SVB. “I’m sure there will be some girls who will beat some of the guys.”
The race has drawn several of the biggest American names in women’s racing, including Coryn Rivera (UnitedHealthcare), Allie Dragoo (Twenty16), Meredith Miller (Pepper Palace), Mara Abbott (Amy D Foundation) and Kristin Armstrong (Twenty16). Armstrong is using the race to prepare for the World Time Trial Championships in Richmond this September.
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The opening time trial climbs up to 3,000 metres, a rude-awakening for those riders having just arrived at altitude. The high mountains may favour Colorado natives like Miller and Abbott, but Armstrong, the current US National Time Trial Champion, will be the one to beat.
“I don’t know at 10,000 feet if we have that much of an advantage over anyone else,” Miller said. “In a way it neutralizes the people who live in altitude.”
Next for the women is a 93km road race on stage 2, starting and finishing in the same locations as the men’s race from Loveland to Fort Collins. The parcours include a category 2 climb 32km up Buckhorn Canyon before the long descent to the finish. Abbott is the heavy favourite as a multiple Giro Rosa winner and may have extra motivation racing so close to her Boulder home.
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