<p>The Monster Energy Specialized team had a banner weekend in Mont Ste Anne Canada this weekend as Sam Hill (AUS) and Troy Brosnan (AUS) took hombit higher, said Team Directeur Sportif Lisa Hunt. It was a great race. Things basically went according to plan.</p><p>
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The plan had to be adjusted pre-race due to the absence of Team TIBCOs Alison Powers, who was crashed out of the criterium Saturday and was unable to start today.</p><p>
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It was a hard day with out having Alison with us, Small said. She is a huge asset to the team and she was missed.</p><p>
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It didnt take long for a lead group to form, with the peloton shatterin g the first time up the climb on lap one. </p><p>
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We went after the time bonus trying to move Erinne up, Hunt said. She got second and a group of 14 including all the top riders on GC stayed away for most of the race.</p><p>
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The main field eventually caught the front group with three of the nine laps remaining, but it kept splitting, Hunt said. </p><p>
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Things regrouped over the next two laps, but on the final lap, the field broke apart for good, with a group of nine riders, including Willock and Small, along with overall leader Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad), as well as most of the top overall riders staying away to the finish.</p><p>
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At that point, we knew that taking the overall wasnt likely, so we really wanted to get the stage win, Hunt said. Cath (Cheatley, Colavita) jumped really hard at the end and Carmen just couldnt close the gap. We really went for it today though. Im h appy. They rode a great race.</p><p>
</p><p>
Instead, Small settle for 2nd on the stage, holding onto her 4th overall, with Willock finishing with the front group and maintaining 2nd overall. Willock was satisfied with the results, and happy with the way the Team worked. </p><p>
</p><p>
Redlands was great, she said. We had great teamwork and were happy with how things turned out. We got several stage podiums and 2nd and 4th overall. Were already looking forward to our next stage race at Gila.</p>
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</p><p>
The plan had to be adjusted pre-race due to the absence of Team TIBCOs Alison Powers, who was crashed out of the criterium Saturday and was unable to start today.</p><p>
</p><p>
It was a hard day with out having Alison with us, Small said. She is a huge asset to the team and she was missed.</p><p>
</p><p>
It didnt take long for a lead group to form, with the peloton shatterin g the first time up the climb on lap one. </p><p>
</p><p>
We went after the time bonus trying to move Erinne up, Hunt said. She got second and a group of 14 including all the top riders on GC stayed away for most of the race.</p><p>
</p><p>
The main field eventually caught the front group with three of the nine laps remaining, but it kept splitting, Hunt said. </p><p>
</p><p>
Things regrouped over the next two laps, but on the final lap, the field broke apart for good, with a group of nine riders, including Willock and Small, along with overall leader Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad), as well as most of the top overall riders staying away to the finish.</p><p>
</p><p>
At that point, we knew that taking the overall wasnt likely, so we really wanted to get the stage win, Hunt said. Cath (Cheatley, Colavita) jumped really hard at the end and Carmen just couldnt close the gap. We really went for it today though. Im h appy. They rode a great race.</p><p>
</p><p>
Instead, Small settle for 2nd on the stage, holding onto her 4th overall, with Willock finishing with the front group and maintaining 2nd overall. Willock was satisfied with the results, and happy with the way the Team worked. </p><p>
</p><p>
Redlands was great, she said. We had great teamwork and were happy with how things turned out. We got several stage podiums and 2nd and 4th overall. Were already looking forward to our next stage race at Gila.</p>
More...