A Memorable Memorial Day Weekend of Racing for Team Colavita/Fine Cooking!Erica Allar takes 1st place at the Middle Earth Tour of Somerville!!
Edison, NJ - Colavita was proud to sponsor the Middle Earth Tour of Somerville and this year’s Mildred Kugler Women’s Open this past Memorial Day weekend, in Somerville, New Jersey. It was a memorable Memorial Day weekend of racing for the Colavita/Fine Cooking Pro Cycling Team at the Tour of Somerville, Team Colavita’s “home race” due to its proximity to Colavita’s US headquarters. Erica Allar picked the perfect race to finish on top as most cyclists only hope to join the list of champions in what has become one of the most prestigious cycling events in America. Allar was quick to give credit to her teammates. Allar says,
“With a full UHC team and other great talents, we knew it would be a tough battle. We entered the race with the plan to cover moves, make breaks and keep things mostly together in preparation for any trains that teams would set up. Lenore Pipes, Amy Good and guest rider Lauren Dagostino manned the race from the get go, riding at the front making sure no moves went up the road. Jen Purcell and I were able to sit towards the front, waiting for the right time to go. With about 225 meters left, I hit jumped and initiated my sprint passing the UCH train to take the win”.
For the first time in years the Women’s Pro race was put back onto the NCC calendar making it the 6th stop and an important one for the team and its goals to stand on top in both the individual and team classifications for the NCC competition. Erica Allar tightened her grip on the 1st place standing in the overall individual standings and Team Colavita/Fine Cooking/Stradalli holds the 2nd place standing in the overall team classification. Jen Purcell and Lenore Pipes took 6th and 10th place respectively.
“With a full UHC team and other great talents, we knew it would be a tough battle. We entered the race with the plan to cover moves, make breaks and keep things mostly together in preparation for any trains that teams would set up. Lenore Pipes, Amy Good and guest rider Lauren Dagostino manned the race from the get go, riding at the front making sure no moves went up the road. Jen Purcell and I were able to sit towards the front, waiting for the right time to go. With about 225 meters left, I hit jumped and initiated my sprint passing the UCH train to take the win”.
For the first time in years the Women’s Pro race was put back onto the NCC calendar making it the 6th stop and an important one for the team and its goals to stand on top in both the individual and team classifications for the NCC competition. Erica Allar tightened her grip on the 1st place standing in the overall individual standings and Team Colavita/Fine Cooking/Stradalli holds the 2nd place standing in the overall team classification. Jen Purcell and Lenore Pipes took 6th and 10th place respectively.
At the USA Pro Cycling Time Trial and Road Race Championships, in Chattanooga, TN, Colavita/Fine Cooking’s Jessi Prinner started off the weekend with an impressive 8th place finish in the Individual Time Trial. The time trial course was held adjacent to the Volkswagen Manufacturing Facility and featured rolling terrain. Prinner held the top position for the majority of the day once she crossed the line with a time of 44:43. Jessi is the current collegiate national champion in the time trial discipline, with a bright future ahead. Whitney Shultz, also put in an impressive ride finishing the day in 16th place.
The US Pro Championships finished up with the Women’s 64.7 mile road race on Monday that showcased downtown Chattanooga, along with the famed climb up Lookout Mountain and newly installed leg burner, Kent Street Wall. Colavita/Fine Cooking’s Mary Zider, Jessi Prinner, and Whitney Schultz rode the team colors with distinction in this very challenging course. Mary Zider and Jessi Prinner demonstrated their climbing prowess early on but were unable to overcome moves from teams with larger squads. Jessi and Mary were able to work together in a small group finishing the race together in 16th and 21st place respectively.
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