Top teams surprised by Kappa Delta’s early surge

When Kappa Delta senior Lindsey Manck broke free of the pack with 40 laps to go, it wasn’t intended to be the decisive move in the race. \nManck was doing a burnout – building the lead to make an exchange. It’s a strategic move so the team won’t lose a lot of ground when making an exchange. But when Manck realized none of the other teams were following her, instead of making an exchange she kept building the lead that Kappa Delta never relinquished. \nOther top teams such as Teter, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Kappa Alpha Theta were surprised by the move and felt that 40 laps would be too long for Kappa Delta to hold the lead.\n“We were with Teter and Theta and there were still (40) laps to go,” Kappa Kappa Gamma senior Caroline Andrews said. “In the back of our minds we didn’t think that they would be able to stay in front the rest of the way.”\nNot only did Manck and the other women of Kappa Delta hang onto the lead, they steadily increased it as the race went on. After Manck’s burnout they were never challenged. \nTeter rider Lisa Murray, who was riding when Manck made the surge, said that the best way for them to catch up was by working with other top teams Kappa Kappa Gamma and Theta. \n“Ideally we would work together to suck them in,” Teter rider Sarah Rieke said. “But they looked really strong.”\nDuring the race it’s usually much harder to ride alone then it is to be with a pack. Kappa Kappa Gamma, Theta and Teter all thought that Kappa Delta would eventually drift back toward their packs. Only at around the 90-lap mark did they make strong surges on their own to catch up with Kappa Delta. But by then the race was all but over.\n“We should have done hard pulls to pull them back.” Andrews said. “We did it with 10 laps to go but by then it was too late.” \nWhile the tactic to catch up with Kappa Delta could have been different, the other top teams credited the skill and strategy of Kappa Delta.\n“We tried to work with Teter and Kappa,” Theta rider Liz Pallotta said. “But Lindsey Manck is an amazing rider. She put up amazing times at the track. Congrats to them.”