AutoTrader.com Pro Womens Cycling Report

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AutoTrader.com's Tina Mayolo took her sprinting prowess to the West Coastas
she out sprinted top riders to win the 40th Annual Manhattan Beach Grand
Prix. The AutoTrader.com Team arrived in Los Angeles armed and readyfor
the engagement.
The course was a demanding 1.4 mile criterium following a clockwise
direction. The race began on the flats and gradually increased to a 7%grade
and into a sweeping 180° U-Turn. The back stretch was a series of gentle
rollers with a slight downhill into the final U-turn to the finish. Therace
is usually won in the bottom 180° turn. The first 5 racers out of thefinal
turn are usually in podium contention following the final 300 metersprint
to the finish line!!!
The Manhattan Beach Grand Prix course is just two blocks from the beach.
Prevailing winds come in from the Southwest, meaning a head wind comingdown
the back stretch. It has been several years since anyone has successfully
taken a flyer and stayed away from the pack. This is a course that pays
premiums to team tactics.
The pre race plan was executed from the start, as the Blue and Orangecolors
of AutoTrader.com blazed through the start/finish line in single fileand
kept the pace high for several laps, before the attacks began. First,
AutoTrader.com's Katrina Berger quickly opened a 15 second gap and lookedas
though she was going execute her Time Trial mastery and ride the entirerace
alone to the finish. She was eventually reeled in by the field, but again,
an AutoTrader.com counter attack was launched. These Attacks and counter
attacks continued as the AutoTrader.com team controlled the field bykeeping
the pace extremely high for the duration of the race.

With 5 laps to go AutoTrader.com's Tina Mayolo was in perfect positionand
launched off the front, intent on a solo victory. Mayolo held the bunchat
bay for 2 laps, but was finally caught with 2.5 laps remaining. On the
counter attack was AutoTrader.com's Julie Young, who broke away fromthe
field with 2 other riders. The break of three worked well together with
Julie's coaching and almost became the winning move. But inches beforethe
final turn to the finishing stretch, the 3 breakaway riders were caughtand
the Katrina/Tina Train was in full locomotion. Into the final turn,Katrina
Berger executed a perfect lead out for Mayolo as she escorted her teammate
to the line, where Mayolo comfortably came around for the victory. Berger
finished a sensational 2nd, over a bike length in front of 3rd place
finisher, Susanne Sonye (Saturn).

Results
1. Tina Mayolo-AutoTrader.com
2. Katrina Berger-AutoTrader.com
3. Susanne Sonye-Saturn

For more information about the AutoTrader.com Cycling Team, please visitthe
website: www.cycling.autotrader.com.