A weekend at MoPro St. Louis MO.

The kittens were in St. Louis this past weekend racing hard and successfully bringing home a WIN!

LOOP de LOOP

The Kittens opened up with a warm reception at Friday night’s Loop de Loop, making their presence known by launching attacks, contesting primes and ripping the legs off the field.  The crowd went crazy cheering and screaming GO Vanderkitten!  The litter attacks included a purrrrfect launch and time off the front from Ruth Widner.  Jasmine “Jazzy” Hurikino, hit awesome counter attacks after Captain Kitten JennX was reeled back in by the pack on a few occasions.   The fan’s passion and support paid off as the team delivered kitten Kate “Chilly” Chicott to a 3^rd place finish.

1^st Sam Schneider – Tibco

2^nd Sarah Feder – Pepper Palace

3^rd Kate Chilcott

The Grove

Saturday’s race in The Grove was another day of attacking and chasing.  The pack was a bit more aggressive as this race was part of the National Criterium Calendar and the heavy hitters were out for sprint points and a prestigious win.  Vanderkitten raced the windy 1.5 mile course as tactically as possible sending girls off the front and having other team’s reel them back in.  The wind took a toll on team VK.  Efforts being put in were taking the kick and zap out of each kitten’s legs.  We did have the extra kitty power with Maura “MK Ultra” Kinsella joining us with Fresh legs, who chased down attacks and stayed close to sprinter Emily “Mooney” Collins along with her teammate Jazzy.  On the last lap, Jazzy strung out the pack for the last 2 while  Jr. Kitten,  Ruth “1K” Widner took a nice flying and spent a few laps off  the front.   took teammate Emily “Mooney” Collins through the last corner for the 200 meter sprint, Emily took a chance to sprint the open lane to the right but it was Erica Allar who won from the left lane.  Emily held on for 4^th.

1^st Erica Allar – Ride Clean

2^nd Sam Schneider – Tibco

3^rd Laura van Gilder – Mellow Mushroom

4^th Emily Collins - Vanderkitten

   

Dutchtown Classic

Without a win on the books for the weekend, Sunday’s race in Dutchtown was the last opportunity for VK to bring it home for the team.  The plan stays the same… RACE the hell out of your bike.  Whoever wins this race will have to put in a lot of work to do so.  From the gun “MK Ultra” launches an attack, using her mad TT skill stays away for 10 minutes. Once reeled in “Chilly” hurts that pack on the climb, and then Jazzy launches with another rider on her wheel and stays away till 4 to go. When Jazzy is reeled in I  launch a vicious attack getting a 11 second gap quickly,  all the while, “1K Widner” and the rest of the kittens are protecting “Mooney” near the front of the pack.  Quick side note, while Jazzy was off the front, Ruth railed a corner, flatted, skipped her bike across the pack and STAYED UPRIGHT!!! Mad skills, glad I saw it; no one would have believed her. From here on out the details get a bit vague as I was lacking oxygen, seeing stars and bottles Michelob Ultra (Title sponsor banners).  I think people were telling me I had a gap of 20 seconds at 2 to go, but all I could hear was my mind saying, “Frack!! 2 more laps, Mooney better be ready when I get caught”.   I think to myself to push just a bit harder to make them chase me and wear out the other sprinters legs.  So put it to them I do and never look back.  I then had the finish line in sight, thinking that the pack was on my heels I gave it every effort I could to get across the line, and I did, so exhausted that I couldn’t even fist pump my victory.  I did finally looked back and wondered where the rest of the pack was, a spectator told me I had a 27 second gap, I was shocked.

The plan came together and the Vanderkittens did it as a team.  This win meant so much to me, because it meant so much to all of us, Emily, Jazzy, Kate, Maura, Ruth, Bridie, Courtney, Starla, Vanessa, Jono, Dave and the Fans to celebrate another victory for Vanderkitten. 

1^st Jennifer Reither - Vanderkitten

2^nd Sarah Feder – Pepper Palace

3^rd Laura Van Gilder – Mellow Mushroom

Enjoy the photos,

Enjoy the Ride

Captain JennX Fairy Princess

Vanderkitten hits Aptos High

So much momentum to this years team, it's a full time job to keep up.  The girls are off racing in San Dimas right now in the pissing rain, while I sit here remotely biting my nails dying for race details.  The rain must be affecting Twitter.  The team in 30 mins into the race and its crickets. So what better way to kill the time? Blogging and cooking.  As there are homemade from scratch blueberry muffins in the oven, I just received this news from Google Alerts.  VK in the news again.  This time reaching out to Aptos High inspiring kids to ride.
Take a look yourself: http://www.tpgonlinedaily.com/index.php/96-sports/amateur/167-vanderkitten-focus-racing-team-visits-aptos-hs

Press Release Podium Cafe

Great write up for VK.  2012 will rock!
 http://www.podiumcafe.com/2012/3/6/2850282/vanderkitten-focus-spring-camp
!!!!

Team Camp March 1-7 2012

The kittens have been playing around the Santa Cruz mountains for the past week and having a blast.  We've had some great bonding these past few days and more to come.  We have amazing sponsors with, Focus, Kask, Chamois Butter, Jelly Belly, Blackburn and Defeet to name a few.  We've had a presentation in Los Altos, interviews with several cycling magazines and local papers, photo shoots that just don't stop, pie at Gizdich ranch, coffee at Verve and PCR, dinner at Charlie Hong Kongs, Mobo's, and that was just day one...... kidding!
This years team is amazing.  When you think that nothing could top last's year great team, you toss in another Brit, Ozzie, Kiwi and a East Coaster and BOOM!!! You make miracles happen.  Every lady is a true Vanderkitten inside and out.  The team commitment and bond is the strongest I have ever been part of in 14 years of racing.  Even KCM (Katherine Curi Matthis) agrees, this is the strongest bond she's ever been part of.
In case you haven't seen the full roster:
Katherine Curi Mattis (USA)
ME (planet X)
Emily Collins (NZ)
Kate Chilcott (NZ)
Jazzie Hurikino (AU)
Starla Teddergreen (USA)
Maura Kinsella (USA)
Kathleen Billington (USA)
Ruth Widner (USA/UK)
Bridie O'Donnell
Courtney Dimpel (USA)
Vandessa Drigo (CH)

Hangin' out at Gizdich Ranch
















Always in proper attire.....

Racing At Night

A common question racers and spectators ask me.... How can you race in the twilight.  It can be scary but with the right equipment and state of mind, it's a thrill I was recently interviewed by Lynn Lamoureux with Podium Insight with this question.   She has posted the interview at Podium Insight  http://www.podiuminsight.com/2011/07/09/racing-at-night/

TEAM VK wins Pleasanton Fast and Furious

Team work did it.  We succeed as a team.  Here is the team on the podium at the

Pleasanton Fast and Furious Crit last night.  Puuuurfection!

TEAM!

A successful Saturday for the kittens at the 1st annual Watsonville Criterium yesterday afternoon.  The podium was great with Jazzy 3rd and me 5th, but I am most proud of the comment extended to us by announcer Dave Towle.  Dave said to me "It great to see your team come together.  I've seen other teams come and go but your team cares for each other.  You can see that in the racing."
Dave travels all of the world announcing races and seen a lot of teams come and go throughout the years, that was a huge compliment coming from him.  Team VK succeeds by the team we have created.  We work hard for the results needed to make the sponsors proud but we also succeed in the journey it takes to get us there. Our team is well rounded and grounded.  We race hard and play hard, enjoy dinners and post race celebrations with sponsors, give a young girl encouragement and a high five when needed.  VK gives to race communities throughout the US with bike and helmet safety presentations and just good fun.

Thanks to all of our frienda, family and fans who continue to support VK!