Coryn Labecki (Jumbo-Visma) launched her sprint early on the final lap to win the elite women's criterium crown at the USA Cycling Pro Road Championships in Knoxville on Friday evening. She made her winning move on an uphill section with 500 metres and four corners to go, and held it to the finish line.
Defending champion Kendall Ryan (L39ION of Los Angeles) could not come around Labecki and finished second. Chloe Patrick (Serious Cycling) was third and secured the U23 women’s criterium title.
“We came out of that downhill corner, and as soon as I got my momentum, I just took it. It was super long. I went all in. I didn’t really have a plan on how long and how far out I wanted to go exactly but it was all a feeling. I felt that was the right moment, and I just had to hold everybody off,” Labecki said.
After watching the field for the first half of the race, a solo Labecki went with a few attacks to test the waters and see if anything would stick.
“I thought I’d spice it up and get some attacks going and get everything lined out and a more difficult race which I prefer. Attacks kept going, and there were going pretty good and a few off the front but it was pretty clear that there wasn’t enough horsepower to go really off the front.”
“I think it just comes down to instinct, and a lot of experience too,” Labecki said of racing without teammates. “You have to go with the flow, read the race a little bit. It was clear that it was going to come down to a field sprint. Legion is only here with four [riders], it was all together by the last lap.”
How it unfolded
The women's criterium course in downtown Knoxville returned the now-familiar 1.7km (1.1 mile) route with its signature start/finish on Gay Street. The unique course forces a race for positioning on the climb to on Clinch Avenue with a right, then left, then a final left-hand turn to onto a downhill finish on Gay Street.
The DNA Pro Cycling team used their numbers as the largest team present with eight riders to set the pace and launch numerous attacks from the 72-rider field. Meanwhile, pre-race favourite L39ION of Los Angeles raced defensively to cover and shutdown every attack to deliver the final bunch sprint.
A few early short-lived attacks were tried by DNA, Cynisca, 3T/ Q+M, Denver Disruptors and Miami Nights early on but no move managed to live more than half a lap.
Almost halfway through the 70-minute race, Labecki upped the pace to string out the field, and make it hard for everyone. At the front of the field, DNA started pushing the pace every time they went up Clinch climb, and riders under pressure started falling off the back.
Activity and attacks increased at the front but everything was short lived. With 10 laps to go it was still one big pack passing through the wide streets in Knoxville, the chances for a breakaway were fading but many riders were not willing to give up.
With eight laps to go, Heidi Franz (DNA) countered an attack on the climb and managed to get a small gap. Alexis Ryan (L39ION) quickly covered the move but would not work with Frank. Labecki chased then down with the field behind her.
With six laps to go, DNA’s Heather Fischer tried to force a break but once again, L39ION closed it down. Ava Hachmann (Denver Disruptors) countered an attack by Emma Betuel (Fount) with five laps go to, and established the biggest gap of the night at around seven seconds. But she was caught by the next lap.
Down to two laps to go, the DNA and L39ION teams massed at the front to control the field, while a crash took down some riders at the back. On the final lap, the L39ION riders were at the front of the field, the white jerseys massed together with the bright yellow Jumbo-Visma kit of Labecki again tucked behind Kendall Ryan’s wheel.
Labecki went over the top of the L39ION train on the climb, forcing Kendall Ryan’s hands. on the second to final corner, Labecki was still at the front on the Gay St downhill finish straight.
Results
Full results provided by One2Go Event Services.
