After a successful showing at Redlands, the team finished off their California block at Sea Otter in Monterey. This is more than a race, the four day event is a massive industry festival with countless vendors and races across different disciplines. Both the men's and women's teams took on the road race. The field may not have been as big as the Redlands Bicycle Classic, but it was still a surprisingly challenging day of racing.
The day before the race, the team experienced the vendor side of the festival. They were overwhelmed by the energy and the number of booths as they walked through collecting samples from a number of industry brands. The women’s team also met up with two Red Truck Racing sponsors: 3T, the women's bike sponsor, and Shimano. It was great to meet the sponsors in person and have the opportunity to thank them and talk about the season ahead.
The girls raced well together and executed the beginning of the race as planned. Throwing and hopping on attacks right off the start of the circuit made for a hard first lap. Mara Rolden was leading the team at the front group. Brenna Pauly, Katelyn Walcroft, Sidney Berry, Astrid Wuerr, and Emma Dressler were close behind in the chase group, trying to fight their way back. The day ended with some bad luck, Mara got a flat, and with no neutral service, was unable to chase back on. All of the women fought hard right to the end and crossed the finish line.
Everyone is back home now resting up after a long and fun block in California. The team hopes to return next year to this awesome cycling festival, and hopefully show up to some other disciplines! Next up: Tour de Bloom!