Cycling Pro Road & Mtb

Cycling Women: Wheeler delivers her first Team TIBCO podium in Sea Otter time trial

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Parent Category: Cycling Pro Road & Mtb

Category: News Cycling Pro Road & Mtb 2011

Published on Sunday, 17 April 2011 21:23

Written by Luca Salvatelli

Jennifer Wheeler earned her first podium as a member of Team TIBCO/To the Top when she took 3rd place in the Stage 3 time trial at the Sea Otter Classic Saturday. Wheeler posted a time of 20:09 on the hilly, 7.8 mile course, a little more than a minute behind stage winner and former world time trial champion Kristin Armstrong.

"I rode the course beforehand, so I was relaxed," Wheeler said. "I knew where I needed to shift, and where I could possibly try to conserve a little. I thought I’d go out there and give it my best effort, and I did. I mean, it’s a TT. No tactics or strategy, you just go all out."

"I remember catching my minute girl and thinking "Man, that Shiv is fast!" she said.

Wheeler noted that it was more of a power course rather than a climber’s course.

"The course really suited Jen," said Team Directeur Sportif Lisa Hunt. "It’s a relentless course. There’s no easing off, and you have to concentrate because there’s lots of corners, up and down."

The course also suited Meredith Miller, who finished 5th on the day. “For someone who is climbing well, they could do well on this course,” she said. “There was so much descending, too, and it was windy was out there today. I didn’t feel like I was in my aero bars very much.”

The Sea Otter Classic finishes Sunday with the notorious circuit race on the Laguna Seca race track.

"Tomorrow is a great stage," Hunt said. "It’s two hours on the Laguna Seca Raceway. It’s a power course. It has a steep descent. It’s a fast course. Wind will be a factor. We want to win. Want to win the stage tomorrow. That’s our goal. I think we have a really good chance of winning it."