Elizabeth Holubiak ’18, a newcomer to the Andover Cycling team, demonstrated impressive pacing and sharp instinct to clinch first place in the Girls C race at the Proctor Academy Circuit Race on Wednesday.
Co-Captain David Shamritsky ’17 said, “She showed awesome, tactical knowledge for a lower rider and knew exactly when to put in a pull on the front and when to sit in the pack and save her energy.”
The racing course at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway was a 1.5 mile lap with few uphills, but it had straightaways that were dangerous in the crosswinds. Andover’s cyclists maintained a steady balance through the strong winds, which lead to high-ranking results for a majority of the team.
Shamritsky ’17 placed second in Boys B after sprinting up the last hill and holding off the field until only a few feet before the line. One cyclist launched a sprint from behind Shamritsky and beat him by about approximately one foot.
Leah Adelman ’17, who placed ninth in the Girls A race said, “He strategically stayed out of the wind by drafting other riders, which allowed him to have energy for the finish.”
For the past few years, Andover has had very few cyclists participate in the highly competitive Girls A race. This year, however, Jessica Wang ’18, Co-Captain Meg Davis ’17, and Adelman all participated in the Girls A race.
The Girls A race started off rapidly for the first three laps, but Adelman and Wang managed to stay at the front pack for the whole race. Wang placed fifth overall. Co-Captain Meg Davis ’17 was ill and not in racing condition, yet she managed pull through to finish the race in fourteenth place.
Wang said, “It was my first Girls A race, and the dynamic of the race was a lot more different. I was really happy about placing fifth, especially because it was my first time racing against faster, stronger cyclists.”
Adelman said, “It was very exciting for us and we didn’t know what to expect. Some of the girls we were racing with have been in Girls A for three years already.”
Shamritsky ’17 said, “Definitely looking forward to racing with this team for the rest of the season. The next race is an uphill time trial, so it is a very different skill set, but our performance today makes me very optimistic for the next race and the season beyond. Yeah, it was a great first race.”
Andover will take on the Killington Mountain School Hill Climb next week.
