The 2017 edition of Minnesota's premier sporting event seemed to reveal a couple of things about cycling in general and the US ladies' peloton in particular. On the basis of five days of racing there's substantial evidence that a younger generation of riders are elbowing their way into the top level of competition at the expense, with some notable exceptions, of their more experienced elders. Another development, seen in the continued success of the Rally cycling juggernaut, is building a superior team of both men and women through the signing of nascent Canadian stars, although this has been going on for some years now.
Nineteen-year old Rally Cycling phenom Emma White blazed off with the victory in the ladies' general classification. She then went to the USA Cycling Nationals where she won the U-23 time trial and road race, took second in the U-23 criterium and 6th in the pro criterium.
Cuban speedster Marlies Mejias Garcia of Weber Shimano Ladies Power won the Stillwater criterium and was on the podium in four of the five stages, also winning the Minneapolis Uptown criterium.
United Health Care's Ruth Winder won both the road race stages of the NSBF and along with White and Mejias dominated the results.
Tayler Wiles of UHC was the queen of the mountains.
Young Australian all-arounder Lauretta Hanson was involved in a crash during the St. Paul criterium.
Former collegian Janelle Cole has made an effective transition to a higher level of competition with her aggressive style.
The winner of the 2016 edition was Brianna Walle, who finished 4th in the GC this time around.
Amber Pierce, a veteran of both the US and continental cycling wars, turned the cranks for Colavita/Bianchi in Minnesota for five days.
The locally-based Rally squad impressed at the North Star affair. Colin Joyce won the men's GC and Ellen White the women's GC. They had great results at the USA Cycling National Championships in Louisville a few days later and the Canadian championships in Ottawa, Ontario as well. In addition to White's success in Derby City, Erica Allar became the US Pro National Criterium women's gold medal winner. The men put four riders in the top ten of the crit field with Eric Young getting a silver, defending champion Brad Huff in 4th place, Curtis White 7th and NSBF GC winner Colin Joyce 9th. Rally rider Brandon McNulty won the U-23 time trial.
Canadian woman Sara Poidevin won the U-23 criterium at the competition in Ottawa with Katherine Maine taking the second spot on the podium. Their Rally team mate Matteo Dal-Cin was the gold medalist in the Canadian men's road racing championship.
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