Aarons Women’s Pro Cycling Team Report

Sue Komen Cycle for the Cure at TdG Stage 1

@##=#<1,L>@##=#About an hour and a half south of “Hot-lanta” lies a somewhat sleepier town by the name of Macon, GA. Today that sleepy town was awakened by an onslaught of Professional and Amateur Women’s and Men’s Cycling. Being that today was the opening stage of the Tour de Georgia, what better way to kick off the festivities than to offer a top notch venue for a Women’s Criterium.

The race was put on by the Sue Komen Foundation to benefit Breast Cancer research and consisted of a Women’s Amateur Category 3 and 4 Criterium followed by a Women’s Category 1 and 2 race that consisted of a 1 mile circuit through the streets of downtown Macon. The circuit had a slight uphill section in the back and a long finishing straight that sent the riders slightly downhill into headwind.

This was the second year the race was put on and was quite well attended with teams such as the Aarons Professional Women’s Cycling team, Victory Brewing, Diet Cheerwine, BMW-Bianchi and a host of other regional teams. The field was aggressive with several teams including Fuji and Best of the Bay making solid attempts to get away yet without any success. Several times Victory Brewing’s Lauren Franges went up the road yet nothing ever seemed to have the right components. In the end it seemed as though Victory was content to have the field stay together for a sprint finish as they have had a lot of success with that thus far this season.

@##=#<2,R>@##=#With one lap to go Catherine Powers attacked on the back stretch forcing Victory’s Franges to give chase. Catherine’s attack was caught just before the finishing straight setting up Aaron’s ace sprinters Shannon Hutchison-Krupat and Mackenzie Dickey. Victory’s Lauren Franges with Laura Yoisten hot on her wheel brought the race strung out onto the final stretch with Shannon and Mackenzie in tow. As the riders came to 100M from the line Shannon and Mackenzie both came around Yoisten to score the 1-2 victory in front of a cheering crowd.

This was a special win for the Aaron’s squad as the race was well attended by many of the Aaron’s Corporate Furnishing’s employees and executives. It was a great opportunity to rally the company around their team. Employees and executives alike were all jumping for joy and sharing in the excitement of their team. In the end it was great to have such a display of support from a sponsor and to share a winning moment that the whole company and team could be proud of.