The Sho Air Twenty20 racer runs away with four jerseys — including the Gates Corporation General Classification leader’s jersey — in Steamboat. Lindsay Goldman earns Audi Most Inspirational jersey. The Hagens Berman-Supermint rider is honored for juggling racing, team management, work and motherhood.
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – The kickoff to the 2019 Colorado Classic presented by VF Corporation transpired in runaway fashion — literally — as 22-year-old Chloe Dygert of Sho-Air Twenty20 broke away in the final climb to ride solo for the last 15 miles of the race and claim victory in Steamboat Springs Stage 1 presented by Smartwool.
Dygert, who is fresh off of a double gold medal performance at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, where she won both the Team Pursuit and Time Trial, won Thursday’s 54-mile Steamboat stage in 2 hours, 19 minutes and 9 seconds, earning not only the Gates Corporation General Classification yellow jersey but also the VF Corporation Best Young Rider, FirstBank Sprint Leader, Colorado Tourism Office Queen of the Mountain and VF Corporation Best Young Rider.
“I had some good legs today,” Dygert said after the race. “I saw everyone suffering. I looked back and saw there was a little bit of a gap. I knew that was my only chance. I just attacked and was able to hold it and keep it.”
Dygert, who has suffered multiple injuries in the last several months, put a sizable gap between herself and the rest of the field. Fort Collins resident Whitney Allison of Hagens Berman-Supermint did Colorado proud by finishing runner-up on the day, firing across the finish line 44 seconds behind Dygert as Australian Brodie Chapman (TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank) followed on her wheel to take third.
“When we heard Chloe Dygert took the lead, my reaction was, ‘Oh man. It’s going to be hard,’” Chapman said. “She’s a hard one to reel in.”
A total of 16 teams representing 20 countries shot off the start line for the long loop course in beautiful, sunny weather in Steamboat on Thursday. Emily Newsom (TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank) was the first rider to make a move, breaking away to win the first QOM but then falling victim to a flat tire. Nonetheless, the effort earned her the VF Corporation Most Badass Rider jersey.
A pack of riders near the back of the field went down in the first half of the race but all quickly returned to their saddles. During a technical descent through gravel, Dygert said she came close to crashing on a sharp turn but held it together to launch her attack.
Veteran Lindsay Goldman, who co-owns, manages and rides for the Hagens Berman-Supermint team, all while working a full-time job and taking care of her 18-month-old baby, earned the Audi Most Inspirational Rider jersey on Thursday.
Waves of emotion are pouring through Lindsay Goldman as she competes with her team in the 2019 Colorado Classic presented by VF Corporation this week.
Goldman launched the Hagens Berman-Supermint pro cycling team four years ago, but the team will come to an end along with the 2019 season, with the Colorado Classic marking its second-to-last race.
“It’s always bittersweet when something awesome comes to an end,” said Goldman before firing off of the starting line in Stage 1 Steamboat Springs presented by Smartwool on Thursday. “But we’ve had a great run for four seasons and it’s really special to be able to be here at this race with this squad and be able to finish our season on a high note.”
Goldman, 34, has had more than the average load for a pro cyclist to juggle over the last couple of seasons. In addition to managing the team, which is a full-time job unto itself, she works full-time as a business development and marketing consultant for companies serving the federal government and also became a mother last year. Every day, her multitasking super powers come into play as she juggles the care of 18-month-old Caroline with training, racing, team management and work.
“It’s definitely a balancing act, but I have a great support system. My husband has been wonderful and our family has really stepped in to help,” Goldman said. “It’s just a matter of figuring out each day what I need to get done and how to make that happen.”
A typical day in the life of Lindsay Goldman, who splits her time between homes in Arizona and California, looks like this: “I get up at 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning. I’m out the door in an hour. In that time I do core work, drink coffee, eat a quick Honey Stinger bar and do whatever ride I have on tap for that day – I like group rides, a little bit of structure training, sometimes just an easy spin,” she said. “I come back from the ride; usually the baby is up by then, so I take care of her, eat breakfast, try to get work done until she goes down for her nap … that sometimes doesn’t happen, which throws the day off a little bit. My husband comes home from work to join us for lunch. Then I juggle spending time with Caroline and working at the same time until dinnertime. Then it’s bedtime and I get up and do it all over again.”
When asked to name a moment or experience that’s been most rewarding for her during her time with Hagens Berman-Supermint, Goldman said there is no single occasion.
“It’s just been a lot of wonderful moments and learning experiences that have ultimately been positive,” she said. “Everything we’ve done, growing form a brand new team with so many lessons to learn into a team that is today a real contender in this race amongst a top level field … the entire experience has been rewarding.”
As her team led the peloton through a portion of Thursday’s race and her teammate, Colorado’s own Whitney Allison, fired across the finish line in second place, Goldman was awarded the Audi Most Inspirational Rider jersey on Thursday.
“It’s an honor to wear this jersey for what I’m hoping is a meaningful contribution to this sport,” Goldman said, adding that she also feels honored to compete for the landmark 2019 Colorado Classic, the only UCI 2.1-ranked standalone women’s four-stage race in the Western Hemisphere with an unprecedented $75,000 prize purse. “It makes me feel I want to show up and race as hard as I can, have my athletes show up and race as hard as they can. I want them to promote the #WeRide hashtag and show our gratitude for the opportunity we’ve been given.”
Colorado Classic Race Director Sean Petty was quick to point out that Goldman is highly deserving of the Most Inspirational jersey.
“Lindsay’s done so much – run a team, found a sponsor, raced herself, then had a baby. That’s more balls in the air than any other human,” Petty said. “She makes it look easy.”
While Hagens Berman-Supermint is disbanding after 2019, Goldman plans to keep on racing as well as keep at her mission to inspire others in the sport.
“I’ll race on my own next year, do some road racing, some gravel racing … I’ll represent a few personal sponsors,” she said. “I’ll also continue to work in the industry and try to bring about positive change in cycling, help grow the sport, not only at the professional level, but also at the grassroots level. I want to continue to do what I can to mentor other riders.”
Racing continues on Friday with Stage 2 presented by FirstBank in Avon. The course features seven laps around town followed by a steep 15-mile lap up Daybreak Ridge Road through Beaver Creek. Stage 2 will total 50.3 miles and 3,428 feet of climbing.
Stage 2 kicks off at 1 p.m. with an event expo at Nottingham Park and best viewing at Avon Road at Benchmark and Highway 6 as well as on Daybreak Ridge Road in Beaver Creek. Those who can’t attend in person can watch live streaming coverage from start to finish and follow statistics and race progress by downloading Tour Tracker.
FINISH STANDINGS
- #71 – Chloe DYGERT – Sho-Air Twenty20
- #85 – Whitney ALLISON – Hagens Berman-Supermint
- #41 – Brodie CHAPMAN – TIBCO-SVB
GATES CORPORATION GENERAL CLASSIFICATION JERSEY
leader – #71 – Chloe Dygert – Sho-Air Twenty20
COLORADO TOURISM QUEEN OF THE MOUNTAIN LEADER JERSEY
leader – #71 – Chloe DYGERT – Sho-Air Twenty20
worn by – #43 – Emily NEWSOM – TIBCO-SVB
VF CORPORATION MOST BADASS JERSEY
leader – #43 – Emily NEWSOM – TIBCO-SVB
worn by – #115 – Rachel LANGDON – Fearless Femme
AUDI MOST INSPIRATIONAL JERSEY
leader – #86 – Lindsay GOLDMAN – Hagensn Berman-Supermint
FIRSTBANK SPRINT LEADER JERSEY
leader – #71 – Chloe DYGERT – Sho-Air Twenty20
worn by – #85 – Whitney ALLISON – Hagens Berman-Supermint
VF CORPORATION BEST YOUNG RIDER JERSEY
leader – #71 – Chloe DYGERT – Sho-Air Twenty20
worn by – #52 – Anet BARRERA – SWAPIT/AGOLICO
