Rally UHC Cycling’s Megan Jastrab kicked off this year’s Winston-Salem Cycling Classic with a podium finish in the opening criterium on Saturday night. As part of USA Cycling’s Pro Road Tour, the one-hour race was contested by North America’s top teams.
“I’m happy to finish on the podium but we still wanted more,” said Jastrab. “The plan was to cover attacks and set up Summer for the sprint but in the final lap, we got swarmed and there was a crash. With two riders up the road, I got a gap and chased all the way to the finish for third.”
Held in downtown Winston-Salem, the one-mile course featured the Vine Street climb, a three-block grind that saw riders dropped each time up.
“Winston-Salem is known as one of the hardest crits of the year,” said Jastrab. “I enjoyed the course, especially the hill. It put some added pressure on the peloton and made for some solid racing.”
Jastrab is coming off of an extremely successful spring racing campaign with the US Junior National team, winning Trofeo Binda in Italy and the Netherland’s Healthy Ageing Tour. Winston-Salem was her first race back with her Rally UHC Cycling teammates since her stage victory at the Redlands Bicycle Classic.
“It was great to be back racing in the US with my teammates,” said Jastrab. “They are amazing and I can’t wait for more opportunities to compete with them.”
The Winston-Salem Cycling Classic culminates in a women’s UCI road race on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27th. A free live stream is available HERE starting at 9:00 am EST.
Criterium results
1 Chloe DYGERT-OWEN Sho-Air TWENTY20 59:22.289
2 Peta MULLENS Roxsolt Attaquer +1.598
3 Megan JASTRAB Rally UHC Cycling +1.971
4 Scotti LECHUGA Fearless Femme Racing +3.198
5 Emily ROPER Roxsolt Attaquer +5.383
6 Daniely DEL VALLE GARCIA CWA Racing p/b TREK +6.208
7 Starla TEDDERGREEN Hagens Berman | Supermint +6.238
8 Kendall RYAN Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank +6.655
9 Lily WILLIAMS Hagens Berman | Supermint +8.091
10 Michaela DRUMMOND DNA Pro Cycling Team +8.193
