Best Women's Little 500 Riders from 2003-2010
Notables omissions- Pam Loebig (Cycledelics), Meredith Horner (Kappa Kappa Gamma), Kelsey Cooper (Kappa Kappa Gamma), Corey Bitzer (Alpha Gamma Delta), Katie Thompson (Alpha Phi), Renee Luzadder (Delta Zeta)
10- Kristi Hewitt- Wing-it
Founded Team Wing-it as a freshman and developed with the team into the dominant rider of 2009. Without a race win as in 2009 as one of the favorites was just too isolated due to lack of depth compounded by injuries. A shock ITT winner in 2008 she backed it up by breaking the record in 2009.
Highlight- ITT record holder
Lowlight- Too much to do in 2009
9- Nicole Vincent- Kappa Alpha Theta
Won the 2-up sprint for the race in 2003 and was a solid contributor for Theta for the 3 years. Began her L5 career with independent team Landsharks in 2002 before transferring to the sorority juggernaut! Disappointed to lose to Teter in 2005 when her and Liz Milne made a formidable combination.
Highlight- Winning in 2003
Lowlight- Allowing Teter to sneak away in 2005
8- Jessica Lindemann- Teter
Quiet and unassuming but a real talent on the bike, she took on the leadership of Teter in 2005 after the disappointment of the 2nd place finish in 2004. She made the decisive break and anchored the team to their first victory. Interestingly was a Landshark teammate of Nicole Vincent in 2002.
Highlight- Crossing the line in 2005
Lowlight- The half wheel defeat in 2004
One lap from victory (cyclingnews.com)
7- Lindsey Manck- Kappa DeltaHelped build KD into the race winning force they became in 2007. Broke away in the final 10 laps to put only the 3rd sorority name on the trophy. Formed a great partnership with Lauren Ziemba to finish 2nd in 2006, only thwarted from the double by Jess Sapp.
Highlight- Crossing the line solo in 2007.
Lowlight- ?
6- Caroline Brown- Pi Beta Phi
Brought Pi Phi to relevance and shocked the world with a ride for the ages to win the race in 2009. Riding in excess of 75laps, masterly hiding in the wheels until winning a 5-up sprint, her ride took plenty of unneeded flak when the truth of it was that she rode the race she had to. Defended the jersey in fine style in 2010 until crashing out. Gunning for another ring in 2011.
Highlight- Shocking the L5 world in 2009
Lowlight- Crashing out with a separated shoulder in 2010
One of my favorite pictures, all the emotions on show (IDS)
5- Liz Milne- Kappa Alpha ThetaBroke the Women's ITT record in 2005 with a surprising ride and was the strongest rider in the race that year but couldn’t take the win. However was part of the winning Theta team in 2003 and her diesel engine was a perfect complement to sprinter Vincent.
Highlight- Breaking the ITT record in 2005
Lowlight- The disappointment of the 2005 race
4- Sarah Rieke- Teter
Race leader of the Teter team from 2006-2008 after winning as freshman in 2005. Grew in strength throughout her L5 career leading an utterly dominant Teter version 2008 that had amazing strength in depth and great chemistry. Inexplicably they contrived to not win the race. HoF member
Highlight- Being at the head of the 2008 Teter team
Lowlight- 2008 Little 500, opportunities lost.
Rieke in 2007 (IDS)
3- Caitlin Van Kooten- TeterRace winner in 2010 and dominated the series events in 2010 like no other ever had. The latest leader of the Teter dynasty and will be disappointed if she doesn't win in 2011.
Highlight- Crossing the line in 2010 after breaking away solo in the final 20 laps
Lowlight- Out of the Top 5 in 2009
CvK on track for victory (IDS)
2- Bri Kovac- TeterFounder of the recent Teter dynasty and one of the most influential Women riders. Got stronger through her L5 career culminating with her being far-and-away the strongest rider in 2004. Maybe did a little too much on race day to come up half a wheel short in the controversial ‘hook’ finish! I remember bumping onto Bri on a ride in the spring of 2003 and being shocked as she attacked and beat me up the hill at the south end of Bottom Road. HoF member and even though she never won the race, her influence stretched beyond the track and inspired Women riders to push themselves to greater heights.
Highlight- Seeing all her hard work pay off as Teter won in 2005
Lowlight- Being unable to get ahead of Jess Sapp down the back stretch of the final lap in 2004.
Dirty ITT in 2004 but still broke the record (cyclingnews.com)
1- Jessica Sapp- Kappa Kappa GammaIf she was sprinting, she was winning. Period. Twice on the bike to win the race in 2004 and 2006, the latter over a spirited Lauren Ziemba (KD) and the former in the controversial sprint against Bri Kovac (Teter). The 2006 win was remarkable in that she motivated an unfancied, inexperienced team to step up and keep her in contention. Arguably Kappa had their strongest team in 2005 but misfortunes in the race cost her the chance at another win amidst the raw emotion of the 'Ashley Crouse' race. Her record of 1st, 1st, 3rd and 4th can sit with anyone in the history of the race. HoF member.
Highlight- An against the odds win in 2006
Lowlight- Missing the triple by finishing 3rd in 2005.
34 comments:
Why did you pick such an arbitrary number as 2003?
Err...because that's the first race I saw.
Fair enough.
(especially since you prefaced your post with that. It helps to read for content sometimes I guess.)
Can't really put Bri ahead of Caitlin.
Cutters take it. Take miss separated shoulder down because she is associated with the cutter lineage.
g- you cant leave bton! your bvn editorials will be sorely missed!!!!
Hewitt holds the ITT and Quals single lap record (that she set with a farctured arm), putting her 10th is a joke. She is certainly better than Liz Milne or Nicole Vincent. At least you got Liz ahead of Nicole. Go look at Nicole's ITT finishes when she rode for theta, they got slower each year.
Yes Nicole is very overrated and Theta got lucky in '03.
Interesting seeing Bri's highlight as seeing Teter win the year after she left.
Way to leave us with this controversial list! I love the article by the way, but I disagree with several of the people and order.
1)Nicole Vincent got slower and worse every year after her victory against nobody special.
2)Kristi Hewitt never won but having the current ITT record should get her to at least 7th on the list, no big deal there.
3)Bri Kovac had a lot of influence on the womens race, but she never won, and rode a poor strategic race in 04 that cost her victory. She should be about 4th or 5th. She was the best rider out of these top 10 though outside of little 5. She has the Team pursuit record and held the ITT record so she was probably the most talented but no victory so she must be lower.
4)Caitlin has unfortunately not finished yet, so her spot is probably ok with only 2 races so far. She would be #1 if she raced on that 08 team.
5)I feel that Jess Sapp was one dimensional but it's the best dimension to have if your team is pretty strong. Can't argue with 2 race victories and high finishes every year.
6) Pam Loebig was way more talented than Nicole Vincent, and if Hewitt and Bri didn't win but got on, shes right in that group. Maybe she paid to much attention to IUCC instead of Little 5.
Great list overall, just one major gripe with Vincent, the rest are minor.
I didn't recognize measured debate on this site so thanks for that ;)
I included Nicole for the fact that she was a winner (even if her individual events weren't as strong) but I can see the other side of the argument. This exercise made me think back fondly to 2005 and wish that Vincent, Sapp and Lindeman had come to the white flag together. That would have been quite the battle!
No way! The beauty of that race was the fact that Sapp wasn't there for the sprint. Lindeman wasn't a strong sprinter on the little 5 bike. Team effort by Teter, but Lindeman was the strongest bike racer that year even though sapp was the better sprinter and Milne the ITT holder. I would have put Milne on the bike at the end for Theta. Vincent really was not strong and was not even as good as when she won in 03.
It's a shame this list starts in 2003, not 2002, because that omits Jenn Wangerin, arguably the best woman to ever ride in the Little 500
Word.
Yeah Jenn was the best. did she have any competition though? I'm not sure if I even recognize the names unless they were young versions of their later selves. Bri, and Caitlin are close. If I remember correct, did she even have the ITT record. Not that that matters for overall ability but I'm surprised that she would not be the fastest ever.
Tom - are you out there? I cannot believe you haven't chimed in. Your are the resident expert on this topic for sure!
Don't even try putting CvK or Bri on the level of Jenn W, she was olympic caliber stuff. Cvk doesn't win cat 4 races, Bri is great on the road but a very green Jenn won as a freshman and dominated as a soph(at which time she had several national titles to her name) , had she decided to continue racing L5, instead of seeking development on the road, she would have 100% been a 4 time champion.
100% can not be thrown out there in any little 5 context. too many external factors that skill has nothing to do with to be 100 percent sure of a victory. don't be an idoit
This thread is great and all, but lets get down to some real top ten lists -- best looking riders, teams, coachs, etc. since 2000.
Caroline Andrew (Kappa). The End.
Her sister was better looking - but she was pre 2000
Yep, no little 5er accomplished more in 2 years than Jen Wangerin. (esp. when you consider she was a raw rookie and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat so decisively for her team her very first outing.)
Hey, I said jenn was the best but just offered up the fact that Caitlin isn't finished. By the way this is a Little 5 discussion and Caitlin doesn't race outside little 5. But yes, jen has the best talent and only has 2 years because of eligibility so if she rode four she would have won at least 1 more if not all 4. Is she better than Young? If so, its because Young has way more competition.
If she didn't win a cat 4 race it's because she didn't train for it whatsoever.
What happened to Jenn?
I think the other poster was referring to Biz Andrews? Or he was joking because her sister was a better rider but had no sprint and no dominant skills to put her in the top 10 or even 20 probably.
When Caitlin can win Little 500 single handedly then she will move into the same category as Wangerin (because that is exactly what Jen was capable of doing.)
All in all it's a shame about most of the ladies and their riding/racing in my view. Looking in usacycling, it appears that only one from the top ten has found continued success on the road after L5 with multiple NRC top 10's (Lville, JM, TT). There are also some ladies not in the top ten who continued on racing and have done pretty well for themselves. This, in my view, is the real bummer considering how many of the guys continue to race and succeed after their collegiate racing is over (Hubbard, Sharp, Young, Hamilton, Knapp, Sherer, the list goes on and on).
Why do so many of the ladies stop racing after L5? How do we get more of the ladies in L5 to realize that they can compete in local, regional, and national races during and after college?
It just seems that L5 is the start of cycling "careers" for the guys and the killer for the ladies. Shame.
I think a lot of it has to do with what direction people want to go in their lives. It seems that all the men you listed are still racing their bikes and loving it, but have not made enough money to consider it a career. Sherer has made it to the pro ranks which is fantastic, but is not being paid any salary all year.
Maybe the women do not want to take that gamble and want to move on to the next phase of their lives. It is all your perspective and where you rank cycling in your life. It is not fair to judge one person's decision through your eyes a la Andrew Luck staying at Stanford for senior season. It is hard to know what their reasons are for entering the professional world versus heading into cycling.
Hey now! Amongst our crew at the Bloomington Crit, we racked up over $250 in Kilroys bucks. Definitely enough to call it a career.
What's that in Euros?
Tom - can you get PS3 rolling again? BVN without GP will be a nightmare.
"Tom - can you get PS3 rolling again? BVN without GP will be a nightmare."
No hyperbole there. (snark)
Your memory must be short. PS3 was no uptopia. On the other hand, if you wanna fixate on Little 5, then PS3 might be the place. It seems the PS3 asylum inmates have a habit of overwhelming BVN with their witty reparte' a wee bit too often.
Wake up call to the previous poster...cycling news in Btown is ALL about L5. The only reason most people come to this site is to chat L5. Unless of course you are excited to hear about who won WW and how that will help them place 5th at a 30+ parking lot crit in Warsaw.
Bring back PS3!! If for nothing else than for Tom to entertain us with his 5 page rants.
"Wake up call to the previous poster...cycling news in Btown is ALL about L5. The only reason most people come to this site is to chat L5. Unless of course you are excited to hear about who won WW and how that will help them place 5th at a 30+ parking lot crit in Warsaw."
You're welcome to join us for WW anytime.
Little 5 is indeed a great thing going on in B-ton but it is _far_ from the only thing. You're also flat out wrong about the contributors. A large chunk of the BVN contributors are not little 5 riders.
Townie...
Great post G. Would love to see something similar for the mens side & coaching side for the same time period. Other categories could include best race director, best/worst race day announcer, single greatest contributor to L5. You have some great knowledge, are unbiased & well respected. Let's hear it! Hope you can come back in April & for the btown crit
Post a Comment