Andrew used her frustration for a dominant breakaway and never looked back
Sidney Andrew of Boulder crosses the finish line at the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic Women’s Pro Race. Andrew finished first with a time of 2:27:20.6, two minutes faster than the next closest finisher, (Stephen Jiron/Durango Herald)
Sidney Andrew’s frustration turned to fuel during Saturday’s 2025 Iron Horse Bicycle Classic women’s pro race. Andrew’s aggressive racing was too much for the rest of the 24-rider field as she won in dominant fashion with a time of two hours, 39 minutes and 21 seconds.
“I was getting really frustrated that no one was pulling through,” Andrew said. “In the first 15-20 miles, we were just really cruising along at a very easy pace. Every time I would get to the front and pull over, nobody would circle around.
The women’s race started at 7:18 a.m., with the field staying in a tight pack. Differently from the men’s race, the women tend to work together and let the pack slowly dwindle as riders aren’t able to keep up. The 28-year-old Andrew was at or near the front of the pack from the beginning in her first Iron Horse race.
The lead pack was at a comfortable pace in the perfect racing conditions. Several different riders took turns leading as they climbed up to and past Haviland Lake.
By the time they passed Havland Lake, the top 10 racers had distanced themselves from the rest of the field. Andrew’s frustration about the slower pace got the best of her and she made a sudden attack, forcing the rest of the riders to accelerate and match her. While the pack settled back into a more comfortable pace, the move was a sign of things to come as the climb continued.
Andrew attacked again just before the Needles store, once again testing if the rest of the pack had what it took to accelerate and not let her get away. Andrew looked comfortable, with the other riders seeming to be affected more by her sudden pushes than she was as they once again settled after the move.
The Coal Bank Pass ascent saw the top five riders drop the rest of the pack. Andrew and Osborn increased their pace, with Ruby Ryan, Lauren Aggeler and Alayna Szuch able to match as the climb began. Aggeler and Ryan soon dropped to a 20-second gap behind the top three.
By halfway up Coal Bank, Andrew’s pace was too much for Osborne and Szuch. Andrew pulled away and continued to look comfortable up the pass. She didn’t let up on the Coal Bank descent and by the time she was halfway up Molas Pass, she had dropped Osborne and Szuch by a minute and 15 seconds.
A skilled, strong descent into Silverton and a strong finish left no doubt that Andrew was the 2025 Iron Horse Bicycle Classic women’s pro race champion.
Szuch had a stronger final descent than Osborne and held Osborne off on the finishing straight to take second while Osborne finished third. Ryan took fourth.
This story will be updated shortly with more information.
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