TIBCO, Vera Bradley split for Liberty, Tulsa Tough

Top U.S. squads TIBCO-To The Top and Vera Bradley Foundation will split rosters this weekend, as each team focuses on a pair of National Racing Calendar events – the Liberty Classic and Tulsa Tough.

Vera Bradley’s Liberty Classic roster is loaded to match the event’s place as the highest-ranking women’s event on U.S. soil. “The Liberty Classic has always been an important race and a great event,” said team director, Lisa Hunt.

The team will send what Hunt called her top four one-day riders to Philadelphia: Robin Farina, Alison Powers, Anne Samplonius and Carla Swart. The short-handed team will aim to make the day’s breakaway, though Farina liked Swart’s chances in a bunch sprint. “We’d be happy with a breakaway again this year,” said Farina. “But if it comes down to a sprint, Carla can sprint against the best of them!”

The “best of them” on Sunday in Philadelphia will include TIBCO riders Brooke Miller and Ruth Corset. TIBCO will start the Liberty Classic with the bulk of its Tour de L’Aude squad: Corset, Miller, Joanne Kiesanowski, Emma Mackie, Meredith Miller and
Rebecca Much.

“We’ve built a team with a lot of depth this year, specifically for situations like this,” said directeur sportif Emma Rickards. “We’re confident that we can send squads to two races without sacrificing any firepower.”

Samantha Schneider will lead TIBCO for the Tulsa Tough. She was one of the most consistent riders at last month’s USA Crits SpeedWeek – and the top u25 rider, though a win in the series proved elusive for her. Also in Tulsa will be Mt. Hamilton Road Race winner Megan Guarnier and Snake Alley Criterium winner Amanda Miller, as well as Devon Haskell, Kristen LaSasso and Alison Starnes.

The TIBCO Tulsa crew will face off against, among others, the Vera Bradley squad that will include Erica Allar, Carrie Cash, Lauren Hall and Canadian National Road champion, Alison Testroete.

“Tulsa Tough is really a superb event and we want to support them, so we’re sending a super strong team,” said Hunt. “Any one of them can win!”

Team TIBCO/To the Top for Tulsa Tough
• Megan Guarnier
• Devon Haskell
• Kristen LaSasso
• Amanda Miller
• Samantha Schneider
• Alison Starnes

Team TIBCO-To the Top for Liberty Classic
• Ruth Corset
• Joanne Kiesanowski
• Emma Mackie
• Meredith Miller
• Brooke Miller

• Rebecca Much

Team Vera Bradley Foundation for Tulsa Tough
• Erica Allar
• Carrie Cash
• Lauren Hall
• Alison Testroete

Team Vera Bradley Foundation for Liberty Classic
• Robin Farina
• Alison Powers
• Anne Samplonius
• Carla Swart