by Cynthia Lou

Alison Starnes of Team TIBCO won the St. Paul Riverfront Time Trial, exemplifying what the Nature Valley Grand Prix is all about – growing young talent from their first professional race experience to winning this year’s opening stage in her first NRC win. The podium was rounded out by two HTC Columbia riders, Linda Villumsen and Evelyn Stevens in second and third place respectively.

Just two years ago Starnes had her first taste of professional cycling as part of the Nature Valley Pro Ride team.

“This was my first pro race,” shared Starnes. “I’d just upgraded from a Cat-4 earlier that year, and the experience was a little traumatic – I just remember it was hard!”

One notable difference of this year on the technical side was the ban of aero equipment. Though most riders wishes they could race in full time trial gear, Starnes noted, “It’s the same race, it’s you against the clock.”

Previous years’ champion Kristin Armstrong, who announced her retirement from the sport at this stage last year, returns as the director of Peanut Butter & Co Twenty12.

“I still can’t sleep before a time trial, I get nervous for my girls!” said a radiantly pregnant Armstrong. “I’ve won this race the last four years and I’m back with my team to with for a fifth straight year.”

When asked which is harder, being a cyclist or being director, Armstrong laughs, “I think it’s easier to hop on your bike and ride! It’s been a lot of work, a lot of fun, and I’m looking forward to this week. I want the girls to be able to have great races and have the kinds of experiences that I’ve had here at Nature Valley.”

Armstrong coaches many of the girls in the peloton, including winner Starnes.

“Time trialing is all in the head. It takes time to become mentally strong. Once you do that, you’ve done your homework, your fitness is there, you just have to go as hard as you can on a bike. It’s just 15 minute time trial. There’s no pacing, there’s no holding back. When you cross that line, I always tell people, no regrets because you were in control those 15 minutes.”

“We are here support women’s cycling”, says HTC Columbia team director René Wenzel, who brought a mixed squad of experienced and younger riders.

Last year’s champion Alison Powers (Team Vera Bradley Foundation) came in just shy of the podium in 4th place at 14’ 45“.

The action continues tonight at the St. Paul Downtown Criterium, with four opportunities for time bonuses of up to 15 seconds that is sure to shuffle around the general classification.

1. 48 266806 * Alison Starnes Team TIBCO .14’38″
2. 65 NZL19850409 * Linda Melanie Villumsen HTC Columbia .14’42″ 4″
3. 64 272861 Evelyn Stevens HTC Columbia .14’43″ 5″
4. 14 98704 Alison Powers Team Vera Bradley Foundation .14’45″ 7″
5. 41 AUS19770509 Ruth Corset Team TIBCO .14’47″ 9″
6. 22 212327 Katharine Carroll Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12 .14’54″ 16″
7. 15 CAN02111968 Anne Samplonius Team Vera Bradley Foundation .14’59″ 21″
8. 24 226087 Shelley Evans Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12 .15’01″ 23″
9. 62 SWE19881024 * Emilia Fahlin HTC Columbia .15’01″ 23″
10. 37 229709 Carmen Small Colavita/Baci Pro Cycling Team .15’02″ 24″
11. 36 142591 Jessica Phillips Colavita/Baci Pro Cycling Team .15’04″ 26″
12. 32 NZL19830406 Catherine Cheatley Colavita/Baci Pro Cycling Team .15’05″ 27″
13. 51 161894 Katheryn Curi Mattis Webcor Builders .15’08″ 30″
14. 46 143575 Meredith Miller Team TIBCO .15’09″ 31″
15. 21 198735 * Mara Abbott Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12 .15’11″ 33″
16. 54 116712 Amber Neben Webcor Builders .15’12″ 34″
17. 27 103456 Lauren Tamayo Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12 .15’15″ 37″
18. 17 232757 * Carla Swart Team Vera Bradley Foundation .15’16″ 38″
19. 93 264024 Kate Veronneau BMW-Bianchi .15’20″ 42″
20. 23 232172 Olivia Dillon Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12 .15’20″ 42″
21. 12 205968 Robin Farina Team Vera Bradley Foundation .15’23″ 45″
22. 16 193955 Kristin Sanders Team Vera Bradley Foundation .15’23″ 45″
23. 57 CAN19811016 Erinne Willock Webcor Builders .15’23″ 45″
24. 86 CAN19901121 * Denise Ramsden Team Kenda .15’25″ 47″
25. 45 0228513 * Amanda Miller Team TIBCO .15’28″ 50″
26. 55 CAN19871120 * Joelle Numainville Webcor Builders .15’31″ 53″
27. 188 AUS19800082 Bron Ryan Team Freewheel Bike .15’32″ 54″
28. 38 LTU19831017 Modesta Vzesniauskaite Colavita/Baci Pro Cycling Team .15’36″ 58″
29. 47 0192744 * Rebecca Much Team TIBCO .15’38″ 1’00″
30. 61 33201 Kim Anderson HTC Columbia .15’39″ 1’01″
31. 35 CAN19820514 Heather Logan-Sprenger Colavita/Baci Pro Cycling Team .15’39″ 1’01″
32. 42 NZL19790523 Joanne Kiesanowski Team TIBCO .15’40″ 1’02″
33. 34 190817 Andrea Dvorak Colavita/Baci Pro Cycling Team .15’41″ 1’03″
34. 33 231296 Theresa Cliff-Ryan Colavita/Baci Pro Cycling Team .15’42″ 1’04″
35. 122 214920 *#Chloe Forsman Specialized D4W/Bicycle Haus .15’43″ 1’05″
36. 115 CAN19800915 Veronique Labonte Team Nanoblur-Gears .15’44″ 1’06″
37. 144 265917 #Melissa Dahlmann Bianchi-Grand Performance .15’45″ 1’07″
38. 186 295914 Jennifer Wheeler Team Freewheel Bike .15’46″ 1’08″
39. 175 219555 Mary Elizabeth Maroon Nature Valley Pro Ride .15’47″ 1’09″
40. 26 207432 *#Coryn Rivera Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12 .15’49″ 1’11″
41. 111 CAN19840427 Joanie Caron Team Nanoblur-Gears .15’49″ 1’11″
42. 13 262479 #Lauren Hall Team Vera Bradley Foundation .15’51″ 1’13″
43. 28 276369 Alisha Welsh Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12 .15’53″ 1’15″
44. 44 196453 Brooke Miller Team TIBCO .15’53″ 1’15″
45. 172 211472 #Sue Butler Nature Valley Pro Ride .15’54″ 1’16″
46. 85 258368 Anna Mcloon Team Kenda .15’55″ 1’17″
47. 88 236023 Silke Wunderwald Team Kenda .15’55″ 1’17″
48. 81 222471 Amity Elliot Team Kenda .15’56″ 1’18″
49. 146 312874 #Leah Prudhomme Bianchi-Grand Performance .15’57″ 1’19″
50. 164 193628 Jennifer Purcell Fiber One Collegiate All-Stars .16’02″ 1’24″
51. 124 196731 * Melanie Meyers Specialized D4W/Bicycle Haus .16’04″ 1’26″
52. 152 175271 * Shannon Koch GG Events Management .16’04″ 1’26″
53. 52 AUT19791113 Andrea Graus Webcor Builders .16’06″ 1’28″
54. 101 217750 Christina Gokey-Smith Veloforma .16’10″ 1’32″
55. 71 289951 *#Maura Kinsella Roosters p/b Edge Composite Wheels .16’11″ 1’33″
56. 94 200801 * Rachel Warner BMW-Bianchi .16’12″ 1’34″
57. 102 252835 * Whitney Schultz Veloforma .16’13″ 1’35″
58. 187 AUS19911205 *Alex Carle Team Freewheel Bike .16’14″ 1’36″
59. 43 AUS19840909 Emma Mackie Team TIBCO .16’16″ 1’38″
60. 83 219841 *#Ashley James Team Kenda .16’17″ 1’39″
61. 91 172658 Kathleen Billington BMW-Bianchi .16’17″ 1’39″
62. 123 0225855 Cara Gillis Specialized D4W/Bicycle Haus .16’20″ 1’42″
63. 162 292029 *#Flora Duffy Fiber One Collegiate All-Stars .16’21″ 1’43″
64. 125 160568 Jenna Rinehart Specialized D4W/Bicycle Haus .16’23″ 1’45″
65. 145 270986 #Karey Miles Bianchi-Grand Performance .16’23″ 1’45″
66. 151 GER19791112 Stephanie Doering GG Events Management .16’24″ 1’46″
67. 166 288408 *#Leia Tyrrell Fiber One Collegiate All-Stars .16’27″ 1’49″
68. 133 272022 * Tammy Wildgoose Herbalife LaGrange .16’28″ 1’50″
69. 95 165493 Rebecca Wellons BMW-Bianchi .16’29″ 1’51″
70. 121 214757 *#Arielle Filiberti Specialized D4W/Bicycle Haus .16’29″ 1’51″
71. 84 182253 * Jacqueline Kurth Team Kenda .16’30″ 1’52″
72. 174 167636 Emily Kachorek Nature Valley Pro Ride .16’31″ 1’53″
73. 141 261361 *#Emma Bast Bianchi-Grand Performance .16’33″ 1’55″
74. 185 292211 #Jennifer Tetrick Team Freewheel Bike .16’35″ 1’57″
75. 87 212478 * Melissa Ross Team Kenda .16’36″ 1’58″
76. 184 260287 Erin Silliman Team Freewheel Bike .16’36″ 1’58″
77. 143 295070 Cara Bussell Bianchi-Grand Performance .16’36″ 1’58″
78. 182 AUS19910202 * Jazzy Hurikino Team Freewheel Bike .16’36″ 1’58″
79. 31 AUS19820518 Kate Bates Colavita/Baci Pro Cycling Team .16’38″ 2’00″
80. 116 CAN19850509 * Audrey Lemieux Team Nanoblur-Gears .16’38″ 2’00″
81. 63 AUS19901001 *Chloe Hosking HTC Columbia .16’38″ 2’00″
82. 163 269149 *#Rita Klofta Fiber One Collegiate All-Stars .16’42″ 2’04″
83. 112 CAN19790314 Carrie Cartnill Team Nanoblur-Gears .16’44″ 2’06″
84. 176 167518 Kristen Meshberg Nature Valley Pro Ride .16’45″ 2’07″
85. 161 275441 *#Elle Anderson Fiber One Collegiate All-Stars .16’47″ 2’09″
86. 171 234148 Anna Barensfeld Nature Valley Pro Ride .16’51″ 2’13″
87. 73 100972 Nichole Wangsgard Roosters p/b Edge Composite Wheels .16’51″ 2’13″
88. 72 187804 Jadine Rolcik Roosters p/b Edge Composite Wheels .16’52″ 2’14″
89. 142 281786 *#Bianca Bergman Bianchi-Grand Performance .16’57″ 2’19″
90. 92 272896 *#Cinthia Lehner BMW-Bianchi .16’59″ 2’21″
91. 53 272063 * Lindsay Myers Webcor Builders .16’59″ 2’21″
92. 132 89620 #Laura Hines Herbalife LaGrange .17’03″ 2’25″
93. 181 261693 * Lauren Hecht Team Freewheel Bike .17’03″ 2’25″
94. 131 211183 Anna Drakulich Herbalife LaGrange .17’11″ 2’33″
95. 56 258102 * Ally Stacher Webcor Builders .17’12″ 2’34″
96. 82 231027 * Jennifer Greenberg Team Kenda .17’12″ 2’34″
97. 183 275626 #Clara Kelly Team Freewheel Bike .17’41″ 3’03″
98. 173 273590 #Nancy Jones Nature Valley Pro Ride .17’49″ 3’11″
99. 165 260140 *#Kimberley Turner Fiber One Collegiate All-Stars .17’57″ 3’19″