The women's Team Pursuit, held Sunday at Bill Armstrong Stadium, captivated spectators with intense competition and roaring cheers. As the racers darted around the track, the excitement built with each lap, setting the stage for an exhilarating championship race later in the night.
The Team Pursuit competition consisted of heats with two separate teams of three or four riders competing for the best overall time. Unlike other spring series events Team Pursuits starts with racers dashing toward their bikes, mounting them and taking off on a 15-lap race around the track, totaling 3.75 miles.
Sunday’s event emphasized a full team effort, highlighting teams with four riders who can all maintain a strong pace, rather than relying on individual performances.
Throughout the day, 33 women's teams competed fiercely, each vying for the chance to claim the team pursuit championship title—just 12 days before the Little 500.
Teter delivered the first standout performance early in the day.
Competing in the fourth heat Sunday, Teter had an opportunity to set the bar following a close second-place finish in last year’s Team Pursuit. They did.
In the 15-lap run, Teter posted a time of 10:35.50, placing it on the provisional pole.
Alpha Chi Omega was the next team to challenge the standings with a compelling Spring Series resume. Freshman Libby Lewis, who secured first place in the individual time trials, and senior captain Chloe Eades, who placed third, led the team. Lewis and junior Grace Howard also placed in the top six of the women's Miss-N-Out, along with the team’s sixth-place finish in qualifications last month.
"We were just excited,” Eades said in a post-race interview with the Indiana Daily Student. “I think this is really cool that we even had the opportunity to be here tonight, but our goal was to win it."
With an impressive time of 10:52.74, Alpha Chi Omega grabbed the second-place position in the Team Pursuit leaderboard, a spot that, if not topped, would have them in the Team Pursuit finals.
Kappa Alpha Theta aimed to defend its title from the 2024 Team Pursuit. Its run started strong, maintaining a solid pace through the first laps. Despite an official time of 10:55.92, it wasn't enough. It finished third in the standings, missing the mark to compete for the Team Pursuit championship.
Throughout the day, other teams challenged, but none eclipsed the 10:52.74 mark for the championship set by Alpha Chi Omega.
As the sun began to set, the two contending teams’ riders returned to the track to compete for first place. Warming up on their bikes in preparation for the final Spring Series event before the Little 500, excitement and anxiety built within them.
Waiting anxiously, Alpha Chi Omega riders danced in the warmup area to help shake off nerves that had slowly built up for eight hours ever since taking the provisional pole spot at noon.
"We were just excited to get back on the bike and just show what we can do,” junior Alpha Chi Omega rider Ellie Marsella said. “We drank a lot of Red Bull –– it brings excitement.”
Each team started in their respective corner, across from each other. As the horn sounded, the teams quickly ran over, mounted their bikes and began exchanging words while darting around the track.
“It’s less of communicating because we know our wheels so well,” Marsella said. “It's more of just, like, motivating and saying the right thing to the right person, encouraging each other."
Each time a team passed the stands, separate rows of cheers erupted, fueled by the excitement and anticipation of a long day of cycling. The riders pedaled vigorously around the track.
"We know we're capable of a lot,” Lewis said. “Telling each other to keep going and pushing helps us through tough times during the race. The fans cheering and those words of reassurance encourage us to push a little more, knowing we can do it."
After finishing 17.24 seconds ahead of Alpha Chi Omega in the first bout, Teter opened the championship race slightly ahead of the competition, setting a strong pace early.
Throughout the race, an Alpha Chi Omega rider on the sideline shouted at her riders as they passed.
"Don't look at where they are," the rider said. "Don't worry about them. Keep pushing. Trust yourselves."
Teter had a hot start, taking the driver's seat early on. However, lap by lap, Alpha Chi Omega steadily closed the gap. Eventually, Alpha Chi Omega began to create distance.
“Go, go, go!” the teammate said. “All you have right now! You guys have it!”
Alpha Chi Omega closed out the race with a breakaway finish for first place.
As the Alpha Chi Omega riders crossed the finish line, they immediately released their emotions. Their hands flew into the air in celebration of yet another successful finish in the Spring Series.
Alpha Chi Omega placed first with an official time of 10:23.98, taking a sizeable victory over Teter by 0:11.96 seconds.
Following Alpha Chi Omega’ successful Spring Series, its Little 500 victory aspirations are real. Its performances throughout may have convinced many onlookers of that ahead of the Little 500 race on April 25.
“We've all worked so hard, and everyone deserves everything that's come our way,” Lewis said. “It's important to be confident in each other and us.”
