Superweek may be over, but the local racing is just getting started. This weekend kicks off four consecutive weekends of racing within an hour's drive of the city. For anyone not burned out (or crashed out) from Superweek, these races will be a nice break from racing against the Midwest's very best, and a nice pause before doing it all over again at Elk Grove and Downers Grove.

This is the second year for Saturday's criterium in Grayslake, put on by our friends at North Branch Cycling. The U-shaped course winds through a housing development. I recall it getting positive reviews last year. There are two flights of Cat 5/citizens races, which should keep those fields manageable and make them excellent races for new riders.

A new course on Sunday cuts a figure-8 through downtown Elgin. Again there will be two flights of Cat 5's, and there are some generous purses available in the other categories, including $2,500 for 3's and $800 for 4's. Register online by July 31 to avoid a $5 late fee.

Saturday
Grayslake Cycling Classic
USCF criterium
Grayslake, Ill.
Distance from Chicago: 1 hour

Sunday
Elgin Cycling Classic
USCF criterium
Elgin, Ill.
Distance from Chicago: .5 hour

Posted by Seth Meyer

In France, July would not be July without the Tour. In the midwestern United States, the same goes for the International Cycling Classic (ICC), better known as Superweek, which ended in Whitefish Bay Sunday after 17 consecutive days of racing.

Despite a late surge by Kayle Leogrande (Rock Racing) in the P/1/2 field, including taking the highest total of three stage wins in the series, it was not enough to come back on the consistent Kahala-LaGrange team, which may have seen Australian Jonathan Cantwell bumped down to third, but Mexico's Marco Rios held on for overall victory. Christian Grasmann of Team Sparkasse took the red sprinter's jersey with a commanding lead over Andrew Crater (Wheel & Sprocket). Highlights from area P/1/2 riders include Josh Carter's (ABD) top 30 placing overall and stage win in Bensenville, as well as John Meyers' (Turin) finish in the winning breakaway at the Evanston Northwestern Hospital Grand Prix.

Chicago suffered a great loss in the Cat 3 field with Ed Amstutz (XXX Racing) taking a fall in the Kenosha race Friday and breaking his collarbone. This led to his slipping down to the third in the overall standings, but he retained a podium placing in the general classification. Craig Streit (Procon) of Phoenix, AZ ran away with the series in the last three days, as other out-of-state riders in the subsequent ranks had already headed home in addition to Amstutz. Next top local result was Eric Wiecek's (Team Get A Grip Cycles) late rocketing up the standings to net 6th.

Area riders were all over the Cat 4/5 men's standings. Tomasz Boba (WDT / LOT) landed second in the overall, seeing him and winner Nathan Longley (Beans & Barley) finish more than 100 points ahead of third. Longley, upon clinching the 4/5's overall, proceeded to upgrade and get 2nd in his first 3's race. It's the third year in a row that the 4/5 champ upgraded during Superweek, following Casey Masterson (Velo Trocadero) in 2005 and Brandon Krawczyk (Mach Schnell/JDRF) in 2006. (Krawczyk did Longley one better by winning as both a 3 and a 4 in the same Superweek.) Back to the 4/5 overall, Joel Crouch (ABD) and Pieter Ombregt (XXX Racing) out of Chicago were 4th and 6th, respectively.

On the women's side, the Cat 3/4 series wrapped up in Whitefish Bay as well Sunday. Kristen Mershberg (Flatlandia Cycling) out of Lyons, Ill., took the final stage in addition to the overall.

Women's Pro/1/2 racing had finished one week before, but, to jog your memory, it was Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine) who took Superweek with a commanding lead and Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire) delivering Chicago's top result in 20th. Benjamin's teammate Sara Uhl took the sprint classification.

Finally, the men's 40+ category also closed out over the weekend, seeing Nova IS Corp's dominance take center-stage again. Chris Halverson won the overall comfortably while the team took the last two stages as well. Previously, Mike Heagney (PYOC) from Libertyville, Ill., won a tight overall race for the 30+ men.

That does it for this year's Superweek. Please feel free to email the Guest Editor with any photos from the races you may come across, as he's a bit more challenged in the photo-finding realm as compared to the Regular Guy.

Final Superweek results.

Chase Food Folks & Spokes race reports:
Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing; P/1/2): "Again, we did all we could to get Kayle maximum points to get closer to the lead. I was surprised to have such good legs after so many days of racing."

Ron Cook (ABD; 3): "I never saw it coming. I don't remember crossing a wheel. Nothing. All I know is I was going down."

Seth Meyer (Team Get A Grip Cycles; P/1/2): "At Kenosha, maybe the field was getting slower or I have been getting stronger or maybe both, but nevertheless I fared respectably."

Brian McVey (Vision Quest; 3): "So I didn’t think it would do any harm to pit and see if there was something wrong. Well I did, and there wasn’t anything wrong and to my dismay the ref in the pit told me if there was nothing wrong, I didn’t get a free lap. Shoooot."

Christine Roettger (X Plane Team Revoluion; W-3/4): "Fresh legs didn't help much in working to cover a break that started early and stuck for 44 laps. Four or five laps in an attack through the start/finish caused a crash that forced all but three riders to brake and swerve."

Jessi Prinner (ABD; W-3/4): "The next time I attack with 45 laps to go, would somebody do me a huge favor and perhaps stick a metal rod in my spokes?"

Amanda Miller (Atlas; W-3/4): "I tried to keep the spirits high and said we could do it. The gap to the leaders started to shrink. Before we knew it they were within reaching distance."

Wheel & Sprocket Brewers Hill race reports:
Brian McVey (Vision Quest; 3): "The breakaway ended up lapping us, so now I could be no better than 10th overall even if I won the sprint at the end. I conserved energy and had a decent sprint to take 15th."

Amanda Miller (Atlas; W-3/4): "Sprinted up the hill for 7th place. Felt like I could have done a lot better but had really crappy positioning. Live and learn."

Christine Roettger (X Plane Team Revolution; W-3/4): "Her record would improve and her overall lead on me would grow as I just couldn't get around her on the last climb."

Matthew Smith (Big Shark; 4/5): "I kept at the front, but didn't have the energy to ride the wave and stay at the absolute front, wheel two or three, where the race is won."

Jeff Wat (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4/5): "Word from the sidelines was, 'Gaps were opening up and the field was shattered!' That's what I like to hear! We broke legs!"

Brewers Hill photos:
Onesixfive

Columbia St. Mary's Great Downer Avenue race reports:
Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing; P/1/2): "Kayle won the race with little JJ getting 6th and me winning the 4k prime...I would have to say we had a great day."

Seth Meyer (Team Get A Grip Cycles; P/1/2): "A break of seven got off. When it was forming, it was incredibly fast, and I was almost getting dropped. Afterward, it did get a little easier though."

Columbia St. Mary's Great Downer Avenue photos:
Czelticgirl
Machine is Organic
Nick Schweitzer

Whitefish Bay Classic race reports:
Christine Roettger (X Plane Team Revolution; W-3/4): "That was my race. I lost it in some random 100 meters a quarter mile from the finish. I lost it in a blur of panic."

Matthew Smith (Big Shark; 4/5): "I followed wheels and opened my sprint earlier in the long finishing straight, and nearly caught 4th place at the line."

Whitefish Bay Classic photos:
Greg Smith
Nick Schweitzer

Superweek has been fun, but I could now use a vacation. So I'm going to take one. In a few hours I leave for Italy South America. I expect Internet access to be spotty. Thankfully, Seth Meyer (Team Get a Grip Cycles) has graciously agreed to mind things while I'm gone. He'll post occasionally and keep an eye on the comments. (Play nice!)

Thanks for making the first three months of Chicago Bike Racing so much fun. I wouldn't do it if I didn't have the pleasure of your readership and participation, and it's been great to meet so many of you at races. When I return, I'll be adding more training rides and races and finally publishing a list of local teams.

See you at Elk Grove!

After a hot streak, Rock Racing got shut out two days in a row, and Kayle Leogrande now has some work to do to catch Mexican Marco Rios and Australian Jonathan Cantwell, both of Kahala-LaGrange. He needs to gain 23 points over the last three days of Superweek to take the P/1/2 overall.

I've never been, but Saturday's Downer Avenue race in Milwaukee will deliver a festival atmosphere with 12,000 fans coming out for the twilight racing. Wish I could make it.

Chris Halverson (IS Corp) has won only one stage so far, but he's been a picture of consistency and holds a commanding lead in the 40+ 1/2/3.

Lyons' Kristen Meshberg (Flatlandia) won her second stage Thursday in Sheboygan, Wis., but the women's 3/4 overall is far from settled. Can't say the same for the men's 4/5: Nathan Longley (Beans & Barley) won again Thursday to clinch his overall title three days early.

Latest Superweek results.

Village of Howard Cycling Classic race reports:
Amanda Miller (Atlas; W-3/4): "This lapped rider all of a sudden pulls off in front of us and slows down. Crap. So my wheel goes around her and I am stuck."

Christine Roettger (X Plane Team Revolution; W-3/4): "Hydration, burritos, sleep. Wake up and kick some ass. That's my plan."

Mark Swartzendruber (Delta Faucet; 40+ 1/2/3): "The faster guy won. That's the thing about bike racing. Most of the time the faster guy wins."

Heritage Square race reports:
Amanda Miller (Atlas; W-3/4): "Two laps to go the skies opened up and it poured. Crap!"

Tour of Elk Grove organizers sent a press release today saying that "all riders" will be drug-tested this year. I'm presuming this refers only to the pro riders and not to the lower categories, but one never knows that lengths a Cat 5 rider will go to to survive the rigors of a 20-minute criterium.

(UPDATE: A corrected press release clarifies that only random riders will be tested, not "all.")

The same release announced the marquee racers for the pro stage race: Chris Horner (Predictor-Lotto) and Christian Vandevelde (CSC), both fresh from finishing the Tour de France, as well as defending Elk Grove and Downers Grove champion Hilton Clarke (Navigators). (No Dave Zabriskie (CSC)? Nuts!)

Fan favorite Horner will appear Friday, Aug. 10, from 4-5 p.m. at Village Cycle Sport, 45 Arlington Heights Rd., Elk Grove Village.

Finally, dig this prize list for the pro men, a total of $200,000 that is the largest for a cycling event on American soil. A $3,000 sprint prime!

"I like to watch the cyclists. They're a little bit sexy."

Sniff. Only a little bit?

• » It's a little outside of the Chicago Bike Racing sphere of influence, but friend-of-CBR Tim Hayes (Grumpy's/Little Guy Racing) invites you to next week's Campus Criterium in Minneapolis. What's interesting about this race is that the race fees are being waived for new racers, and Grumpy's/LGR will pay the one-day licenses for any Cat 5 men or Cat 4 women. Hayes shares my enthusiasm for introducing people to the sport, and it's great to see him and his team putting their money where his mouth is. (With such a big mouth, that can be a lot of money!)

• » Audio for today's All Things Considered story is online, in which the world learns that your editor dilly-dallies in front of the Tour ticker when he's supposed to be on his way to work.

• » The North Branch Trail is getting a makeover. Hooray!

• » Harden the [frick] up. (Via DQ.)

• » Ride the path, get a shirt.

• » Fleet Feet Sports was thoughtful enough to post signs on the lakefront path warning cyclists of a running event that will clog the area around Montrose this Sunday. Most of us already know to avoid the path on weekends, but the gesture is appreciated.
  
  

Granted, I was already pedaling squares and had been dropped from the 3's race, but when the lead P/1/2 group passed me 70 miles into their Tour of Holy Hill, it was like I was standing still. First it was a group of four, including Kayle Leogrande (Rock Racing), then a chase group of about eight, including two more Rock Racing riders. I presume they made the catch, because the results included four of the top six.

Rock Racing's Sebastian Haedo, younger brother of CSC sprinter J.J. Haedo, won Tuesday's criterium in Cedarburg, Wis., giving Rock Racing four consecutive wins.

The P/1/2 overall is as tight as can be, with a single point separating the top three riders (Marco Rios and Jonathan Cantwell (Kahala LaGrange) and Brian Jensen (HRRC/Trek Stores)). Certainly Rios and Cantwell have the team advantage, but much is likely to hinge on how much more Rock Racing will be doing, as Leogrande is only 28 points down.

I confess to not following the NRC teams that closely when they are not racing nearby, but does anyone know why more teams didn't show up this year? Seems like most of the big teams skipped Superweek and went straight from the Cascade Cycling Classic in Oregon to the Tour de Toona in Pennsylvania. Previous years have had more riders from the likes of Health Net, Navigators and Jelly Belly. Only Victor Rapinski is representing Navigators, even though Hilton Clarke (Navigators) had been racing here just a few weeks ago, and one almost has to wonder why. Does Milwaukee have a great Belarussian restaurant we should know about?

As for the other categories, perhaps I shouldn't have been so braggy about teammate Ed Amstutz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo), who found himself a marked man at Tour of Holy Hill, Superweek's final road race. He held his lead in the 3's overall but then had to return to the office, and others bave been taking advantage. Craig Streit (Procon) won Cedarburg in a break of three to move ahead in the standings. I must also call out Lance Niles (Unattached), who won at Holy Hill in a four-man break. All year Niles has been an aggressive rider in the 3's and a genuinely nice guy. I wasn't disappointed to see him take this one.

Cedarburg kicked off a six-race women's 3/4 series, with Kristin Meshberg (Flatlandia) of Lyons winning to take the first overall lead.

The 4/5 race is down to two riders: Nathan Longley (Beans & Barley) and Tomasz Boba (WDT), who finished 3-4 in Cedarburg. Longley has won three races so far and has a 34-point lead over Boba and almost twice as many points as the next-closest contender.

Holy Hill race reports:
Bryan McVey (Vision Quest; 3): "It felt like I was standing outside in a hail storm going downhill at 35 mph getting pegged by little pieces of road."

Seth Meyer (Team Get a Grip Cycles; P/1/2): "It was really just 50 guys attacking and counterattacking each other, 5 miles into a 100-mile race."

Mark Swartzendruber (Delta Faucet; 40+ 1/2/3): "All three are great riders, hard workers and honest racers and are held in great esteem in my eyes. The three were Chris Halverson (Nova IS Corp), Clark Priebe (Team Mack) and John Van Susteren (Mach Schnell/JDRF) ... Racing with those three was as much fun in bike racing as I've had in a long while."

The Editor (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): "It's a shame I didn't quite have the tactical know-how or fitness to make this work."

Cedarburg race reports:
Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing; P/1/2): "This has been the best venue thus far this superweek. The local community came out in numbers to support us and it was really cool."

Christine Roettger (X Plane Team Revolution; W-3/4): "I thought I quit at the line, but it was the WRONG line. And I am dumb. Why race my butt off for an hour and 25 miles worth of racing to give up one half second short?"

Amanda Miller (Atlas; W-P/1/2/3): "I tried to stay in the top five the entire race. One, to avoid crashing. Two, to cover any attacks that I thought would stick. Three, not have to sprint out of every corner like I did this weekend in the Pro/1/2/3’s."

Mark Swartzendruber (Delta Faucet; 40+ 1/2/3): "The race was essentially 35 laps of terror as each lap, Clark Priebe (Team Mack), who descends and corners like Paolo Savoldelli (Astana), swooped into the fourth corner faster than anyone else was willing to risk and then we'd chase like hell as Priebe would look back and smile at the eight of us chicken[s] who were grabbing handfuls of brake while he was careening around the corner like frickin' Valentino Rossi."

Wolverine Sports Club (W-3/4): "The race included many attacks and one very brief solo break and came down to a pack finish."

Cedarburg photos:
Machine is Organic

All Things Considered is running a story tonight about what a great sport cycling is and how the 2007 Tour de France has been the most thrilling in years doping. Several local racers were interviewed on the lakefront path for possible use in the national broadcast. Hopefully the dumb parts will be edited out.

Things this interviewee might have said had he more time to gather his wits:

• » Surprised? Look, every trade has its cheats. Who on earth expects cycling to be any different? Accountants embezzle, salesmen lie, contractors cut corners, executives raid pensions. From a president who swindles an election to the guy who shakes the vending machine for a free Butterfinger, we're a nation of cheats. Cheats in our world don't get caught, they get promoted (or pardoned). So, no, of course I'm not surprised. Saddened, but not surprised.

• » Does it threaten "the sport"? The sport as it relates to us is doing just fine, thanks. Beginning categories are filled to capacity. Paths and training routes are crowded. Coaches and fitting services can charge an arm and a leg. The state of the sport is good and getting better.

• » Would it matter if the Tour were made easier? Not likely. Doping would still make the difference between winning and being pack fodder, and between being pack fodder and having a job at the bike shop. If the outfield walls were moved in a hundred feet, wouldn't baseball players still be looking for every available edge?

Audio is available online here.

Photo by Luke Seemann

I have only a few things to add to my previous post about the weekend, but I've aggregated a slew of race reports. (You can tell it's been a great day of racing when everyone and their soigneur is blogging about it.)

• » I'm told that Corie Berrigan (Team Kenda Tire) is doing OK following her crash Sunday in Evanston. No broken bones, and she expects to race next weekend's 24 Hours of Nine Mile mountain bike endurance race.

• » Grant Potter (Herbalife) did about all he could to make ground in the 30+ 1/2/3 overall, but winning wasn't enough to get on the podium, which remained unchanged and gave victory to Libertyville's Michael Heagney (PYOC).

• » Chris Clary (Turin) recommends that we henceforth refer to Turn 5 as the BK Stacker. Seems appropriate to me.

• » Misgivings about Turn 5 aside, let us again congratulate organizers for a near flawless inaugural event. They really outdid themselves in introducing cycling to a new audience. Two great ideas that other organizers could emulate: a handsome flier that included a guide for watching races and a roster of pro riders, and a speed display on Sherman Avenue that emphasized how wicked fast some of these fields were going. Let's hope that the proposed skyscraper construction doesn't jeopardize the route next year.
  

Latest Superweek results.

Carl Zach race reports:
ABD Cycling (P/1/2): "Jeff Schroetlin maneuvered himself into the winning break of seven riders late in the race and then attacked with just two laps remaining to isolate himself and one other rider."

Becky Broeder (Hub Racing; W-P/1/2): "Today I had a severe case of CBF. It ... stands for Can’t Be F^$%ed. Guess I’m weird that way. Some say 'headcase.' I say 'sensitive.'"

Bryan McVey (Vision Quest; 3): "I was feeling pretty bad. I actually got sick two times during the race from all the drainage into my stomach from my runny nose."

Amanda Miller (Atlas; W-P/1/2/3): "The first half of the race was extremely fast. There were so many times I thought I was going to get dropped."

Scott Peterson (Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare; 3): "Yeah, it wasn't first, but being out in the break for a large part of the race is more fun that sitting in the pack wondering when someone's going to force you into a face plant with a pole."

Jason Snider (Silver Cycling; 30+ 1/2/3): "This break was going and we needed to do something. I jumped up to the front and put my head down for about a lap."

James Sweeney (ABRT; 30+): "Curtis Long (ABRT) and I are concentrated on trying to win the overall, so we are racing full tilt."

June Upshaw (X Plane Team Revolution; W-P/1/2/3): "My body actually gave out after the Carl Zach crit and I got sick that nite. Sore throat and a fever. Whew. But I still dreamed that nite that I was racing Evanston."

Carl Zach photos:
Nick Schweitzer

Evanston race reports:
Cyclingnews report: "An impressive show ... included a two-man break, a five-man chase that caught the break and a gutsy attack on the final lap that netted Adam Bergman (Colavita) the win."

Donovan Braud (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4/5): "Eight or nine riders in front of me went onto the low sidewalk and crashed out. Thankfully, I was able to SLOWWWWW down and go around the people picking themselves up. By the time I got around them ... I was trapped in no-man's land."

Becky Broeder (Hub Racing; W-P/1/2/3): "After eight days of racing, I’m raw enough to want to smash some asshole that calls me asshole. Besides, nothing is more asshole-ish than yelling ‘Asshole!’ in front of kids and other assholes."

Sydney Brown (X Plane Team Revolution; W-P/1/2/3): "When you're on a team, you need to be prepared for this and take your joy in how the team does and the satisfaction you get from doing your job well."

Ron Cook (ABD; 3): "We had covered 40 miles in just 1 hour and 27 minutes. That's an average speed of 27 mph. I think that is the fastest crit I've raced so far."

Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire; W-P/1/2/3): "With about two laps to go things were getting pretty strung out and crazy so I tried the best I could to hold decent position and stay out of crash danger."

Bryan McVey (Vision Quest; 3): "I was feeling good and was sitting pretty with five laps to go, then four, three, two, then all of the sudden riders from both sides of me moved up, and I got pushed right out the back. DAMNIT!"

Seth Meyer (Team Get a Grip Cycles; P/1/2): "I guess an 8-man breakaway won this race. Who knew? I thought we were all together."

Amanda Miller (Atlas; W-P/1/2/3): "The only thing that sucked about it was the manholes. There was also two sketchier corners."

Brian Morrissey (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4/5): "I wanted so badly to be in this race. To be at the front, feeling the pain, gritting my teeth, taking my pulls, feeling the satisfaction as I flicked my right elbow and the line came past."

Organic Athlete (P/1/2): "I was stoked to see Ben at the front of the peloton with three laps remaining."

Scott Peterson (Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare; 3): "I spent, once again, a fair bit of time on the front or instigating some action."

Frank Rowley (D'Arcy; P/1/20: "I must have hit a manhole lid just right, sliding to the barrier and just barely saving myself from some good road rash."

Matthew Smith (Big Shark; 4/5): "I came out of the Burger King Corner of Death and then the last corner either third or fourth wheel."

Jason Snider (Silver Cycling; 30+ 1/2/3): "If Aric Hareland (Silver Cycling) wasn't in the overall I would have skipped the race for sure."

Mark Swartzendruber (Delta Faucet; 40+ 1/2/3): "Riders forgot over and over again that Turn 4 was a right, not a left, and that Turn 5 was a diminishing radius turn that did not get wider as the race progressed. These memory lapses resulted in frequent trips to the wheel pit or to Northwestern Medical Center."

James Sweeney (ABRT; 30+ 1/2/3): "It was fast the whole time. After some shadow boxing among the favorites, as well as the guys high up overall, it came back together with about six laps remaining."

Scott Van Maldegiam (Spin Doctor Cyclewerks): "The SRAM support pit was so busy that some riders received two free laps in a row because they couldn't get to everyone in only one lap. It seemed every lap that someone was getting put back into the field."

Jeff Wat (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4/5): "We came out of the final turn uber fast and the sprint was on."

The Editor (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): "If they wanted to see me Sunday's criterium in Evanson, they'd better be there in the first 20 minutes."

Evanston photos:
Trevor_Ash
Evanston Review/Pioneer Press
Kittenry
Met Cycling
Adam Sacasa
Sandy Weisz
Ed White
XXX Racing-AthletiCo
Zhefei

Somehow this escaped my radar, but Sunday is American Bike Racing's Illinois state criterium championships in Lombard. There are several juniors categories and a beginners race for those with 15 or few mass-start races.

It's the same course as ABD's annual Fall Fling: a safe, office-park loop with one shallow rise. For those who can't make it to Wisconsin for the last days of Superweek, this is a good alternative.

Sunday
ABR state criterium championships
ABR criterium
Lombard, Ill.
Distance from Chicago: .5 hour

Photo by Luke Seemann

Photo by Ellen Wight

Photo by Luke Seemann

There will be full Carl Zach and Evanston wrap-ups as soon as I get the chance, but for now let us applaud Chris Mailing and the rest of the organizers and volunteers for a fantastic, well-run inaugural race in Evanston. It was an instant classic. All day enthusiastic and curious spectators crowded the course. Plus it was great to see so many racers roll up having ridden their bikes directly to the race. It's rare we get to race this close to home. Hooray for Evanston!

Brief summary of the day's races:

• » The mornings first race, the 4/5's, produced crash after crash -- surprise! -- in the dicey Turn 5. The second lap was the most severe, taking out several riders and causing a major split in the field. It appeared a broken collarbone was the worst of the injuries, and fortunately the corner was home to only a few more crashes as the day went on.

• » Ed Amstutz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) got a perfect leadout from teammate Matt O'Keefe to narrowly win a bunch sprint in the 3's. After two days off, Amstutz heads into tomorrow's Tour of Holy Hill with a six-point lead in the overall.

• » Teenager Samantha Schneider (Mesa Cycles) sprinted to a win in the women's P/1/2/3, but the finish was marred by a crash beyond the finish line that took out Corrie Berrigan (Team Kenda Tire). Berrigan was taken away by ambulance but flashed a wave on her way out.

• » Victor Rapinski, the lone Navigators rider, was aggressive off the front of the P/1/2 race, but in an eight-up sprint it was Adam Bergman (Colavita) who countered Rapinski's moves and was able to make the winning move himself. Local clubs ABD and Turin were represented in the break by Josh Carter and John Meyers, respectively. (Rock Racing, which had won Friday and Saturday, took the day off.)
  

Observations on Thursday's and Friday's races, which I didn't attend:

• » Friday's finale to the women's P/1/2 series proved anti-climactic as the top three overall had already been clinched. Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine) won both days, this after winning the field sprint at the MGA Proving Grounds on Wednesday. Obviously Tuesday's hard crash didn't slow her down at all. Benjamin finished the week with an astounding four wins, two 2nd's and a 5th. Out of a possible 200 points, she rang up a near-perfect 185.

• » Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) writes in his blog of having unkind words with Beverly winner Andy Crater (Wheel & Sprocket). Did anyone else overhear this? The alleged slur seems incredible to me and I'd be happy to hear another side. I, for one, have been thrilled to see Bahati and Rock Racing here, and judging from the buzz on the sidelines, everyone else is, too. I can't wait to see what they bring to Elk Grove and Downers Grove.

• » A tight 30+ series will be decided tomorrow in Evanston. Look for some exciting team tactics from Chicago's PYOC, Minnesota's Silver Cycling and Florida's ABRT, all of whom have a horse in the race for overall. "We're going out with guns blazing," second-place James Sweeney (ABRT) writes. "I'm going to take some chances, which could drop me out of second place, but I came here with the goal of winning, so we'll see what we can do."
  

Humboldt Park race reports:
Jason Snider (Silver Cycling; 30+ 1/2/3): "We completely [had relations with] the dog, and probably thoughts of the overall are fading."

James Sweeney (ABRT; 30+ 1/2/3, P/1/2): "The top three places overall in the series are very close in points, so the day was spent with us watching each other."

Shorewood race reports:
Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing; P/1/2): "Hey, um, what happened yesterday was outright embarrassing."

Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire; W-P/1/2): "I think they called primes on 22 of the 29 laps we did today which kept the speed high and the movement at the front of the group pretty crazy."

Hub Racing (W-P/1/2): "When a team comes together it's a beautiful sight to watch, a beautiful ride to experience."

Green Lake race reports:
Cyclingnews report: "Rock Racing has stormed into the middle of the series, earning valuable NRC points and pocketing some decent cash along the way."

Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine; W-P/1/2): "Superweek is over for another year and it was a fun week, as always, filled with good racing, lots of family time and, of course, drama."

Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing; P/1/2): "I had to do nothing all day but control the front and try my best not to knock this guy Andy Crater out."

Andy Daley (Team Clif Bar Midwest; P/1/2): "Perhaps it's time to also get a call-up for the amateur racer who worked six hours in a cubicle before skipping out of work to go race bikes."

Mike Ebert (ABD; P/1/2): "A tight course with a little hill made for a fast and brutal race that didn't even have any primes, but only about 40 guys actually finished."

Hub Racing (W-P/1/2): "Jenette Williams was barely able to walk but stood tall as they called her to the line to cheer her current 3rd place."

Jason Snider (Silver Cycling; 30+ 1/2/3): "Aric Hareland (Silver Cycling) took off solo. About a lap later Dewey Dickey (Mercy/Specialized) went up to him and I knew knew that was lights out."

Photo by Luke Seemann

This is why you hold your line after you finish your races.

The rider on the ground is Kevin Krakovsky (XXX Racing-AthletiCo). He has a broken collarbone because somebody finishing this week's MGA Proving Grounds Road Race couldn't be bothered to look before making a U-turn. He clipped Krakovsky's bike and took him down at 25 mph.

Krakovsky's season is done, and he now has untold doctor visits (and bills) to look forward to.

We've all been there. You've just completed a race, you're physically drained and you left your brain somewhere around the 150-meter mark. All you can think about is getting to your car for some water and a protein bar.

From now on, think about this instead: "Ride straight. Ride straight. Ride straight." Then, once you've cooled down, look behind you and turn around.

Superweek returns to the Chicago area Sunday with the inaugural Evanston Northwestern Hospital Grand Prix, a race that many of us are extremely excited about. This was the first 4/5 field to fill up, and I expect the other fields to be bigger than usual as well. In addition, Cat 3 women who have missed out on the week's fun will finally get a chance to race as the women's races expand to P/1/2/3.

It's a doozy of a course in Evanston, basically a modified figure-8. (Figure-6?) There's a long straightaway down Sherman Avenue, so speeds should be high as racers barrel toward the start/finish at Sherman and Davis. The two turns on Clark street may be dicey. Traffic islands at each corner will funnel the packs through tight holes, and as sprinters anticipate the final tear down Sherman, these corners should yield plenty of mayhem on the final laps.

Because of the capacity field, organizers urge 4/5 racers to to check in at least 45 minutes before each race, lest their slots be turned over to wait-listed riders.

As for the rest of the races, the only course I'm familiar with is Monday's Tour of Holy Hill. It's been two years since I've been there, but I don't remember the hills being that significant. More challenging was the wind. There is, however, a steep climb when the race exits the course and goes up Powderhill Road toward the finish line. Just like Alpine Valley and the Proving Grounds, this is a finish that demands to be checked out beforehand. Ride it, drive it or walk it, just don't be surprised by it.

Holy Hill, by the way, is the course where a rider was killed in 2006. Aaron Bieberitz (PCW) was off the back of the 4/5 race when a commercial driver stopped at an intersection but continued onto the course and into Bieberitz's path. Without blaming either party, the incident is a reminder to keep your head up at all times, and not to assume any vehicle sees you or will yield for your behalf.

Full Superweek schedule.

In what may be the longest bike racing story ever to appear in the Chicago Tribune without mentioning doping or Lance Armstrong, some hack has written a primer on how to watch a race, including a sidebar on how to go about getting into the sport. This link will expire in a few weeks, so you'll want to run out and buy a hard copy today. Guaranteed to be worth your 50 cents, especially next time you get caught in the rain.

Photo by Luke Seemann

I just spent two more super days in Wisconsin taking in Tuesday's Whitnall Park Road Race, a nice 2.3-mile closed circuit in a botanical garden, and today's MGA Proving Grounds Road Race, a rolling course with a dodgy finish. I raced a little but watched a lot more. Among the highlights:

• » There hadn't been a lot of major pros showing for the first four days of Superweek -- pretty much just Karl Menzies (Health Net) and a handful of Colavita riders -- but that changed when the two imposing Escalades of Rock Racing rolled into Hales Corner, Wis., for the Whitnall Park race. (Rock Racing tried to enter 11 riders, including star sprinters Rahsaan Bahati and elite national criterium champion Kayle Leogrande. I overheard some confusion amongst the officials and promoters regarding whether 11 was above the NRC limit; I'm not sure how it got settled.) Rock Racing was active in most moves and had two riders in the winning break of six. It had to settle for 3rd and 5th, however, when amateur Brian Jensen (HRRC/Trek Stores) took the win. Bahati finds some silver lining on his blog, but as I passed Camp Cadillac after the race, the mood was decidedly solemn.

• » I had a few chances to get acquainted with Hub Racing, a scrappy team with messenger roots out of Washington, D.C., that was thrilled when its Jenette Williams outsprinted two-stage winner and overall leader Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine). In one last lunge for the line, Benjamin lost control of her bike and took a hard fall, but injuries did not appear serious.

• » Can I mention my teammates? I will. Ed Amstutz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) has owned the last three days of the Cat 3 races. He followed a 2nd at Monday's Alpine Valley Road Race with another 2nd at Whitnall Park, winning the field sprint. He topped that with the first Superweek victory of his career, sprinting to a win at the aptly named Proving Grounds. He holds a commanding lead in the overall, but a few days back at the office might give others a chance to make up some ground.

• » Twice on Tuesday solo riders started with final lap with impressive 40-second leads. The first time, Ross Giese (Unattached) was out of sight in the masters 4/5 race, but a chase from the Brazen Dropouts caught him on the final climb, yielding a 2nd and 4th for the Madison, Wis., team. In the next race, Ryan Belew (Colorado University) held a similar lead but was able to make it stick, crossing the line with plenty of time to spare and a whoop of "C-U!"

• » Despite frequent scoldings, some pro riders insisted on taking feeds from the left side of the road at Whitnall Park. This finally had calamitous results with five to go when a crash took out several riders, including Cesar Correa (Team Clif Bar Midwest), who gamely finished the balance of the race well off the back.

• » I told Chicago's Ted Burger (Unattached) last week that he would be a good candidate for an interview at Chicago Bike Racing, but he'd need to notch one more victory on top of his Circuit of Sauk triumph. Apparently that's all the motivation it took, as Burger was able to win the 4/5's at Whitnall Park.

• » Riders must negotiate two tricky turns to re-enter the Proving Grounds. An off-camber left turn and a sweeping downhill cause mayhem each year, and this year proved no different, with two or three riders going down in the 3's on the former. Big ups to Luca Lenzi (Vision Quest) for getting tangled up but still scrambling to his bike and overtaking some of the field by the finish line.
  

I had to clear out of the Proving Grounds as soon as my race was done, so I didn't see how the pros wrapped up and didn't take complete notes on the other results, but I'll be updating this post as the reports flow in.

Latest Superweek results.

Whitnall Park race reports:
Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing; P/1/2): "I got the boys to line it up for a lead out to contest the field sprint, which we did a good job handling."

Carrie Cash (X Plane Team Revolution; W-P/1/2): "As I jockied with Katie Weber to move up for the last turn, things looked to be getting a little dicey."

Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire; W-P/1/2): "We were about 200 meters from the finish line when a rider on my right pushed me (yes, literally pushed with her hand) into another rider on my left -- at top speed. My front wheel locked into her rear derailleur, shredding my $700 wheel and taking me down with her in the process."

Andy Daley (Team Clif Bar Midwest; P/1/2): "We still had fun, and I'm already trying to figure if I can skip another day off from the real job for another chance to play pretend pro bike racer."

Hub Racing (W-P/1/2): "The whole of Hub Racing pushed Jenette through the field the final time up the big climb. Over the top, J-Dub unloaded."

Jason Snider (Silver Cycling; 30+): "If I wasn't so amazed by their complete lack of racing knowledge, I would have bust out laughing."

James Sweeney (ABRT; 30+ 1/2/3): "The last lap had a lot of pushing and shoving, a couple crashes ... so it was pretty hectic."

T3 (Category 6; 30+ 4/5): "I'm not a sprinter, but with 48 registered in my field, pay outs 12 deep and the hill to boot -- I liked my chances."

Steve Tilford (Trek/VW Midwest; P/1/2): "We went to the front immediately but realized after a lap that the field had no interest in chasing them down."

Matt Waite (Brazen Dropouts; P/1/2): "Someone got a feed from the wrong side and took out a rider that was sprinting up that side. I came within inches of going down with them. Thank god for MTB skills and quick thinking."

Whitnall Park photos:
The Editor

Proving Grounds race reports:
Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing; P/1/2): "Go go go, slow slow slow. That went on the whole race."

Becky Broeder (Hub Racing; W-P/1/2): "A shoutout to the boys that were made an example of at the Proving Grounds race today."

Ron Cook (ABD; 3): "By the time I came around to the start finish area I barely could get up the hill."

Kevin Krakovksy (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 4/5): "For all the competitiveness and aggression needed for this sport, selflessness and camaraderie are much more important in the end."

Bryan McVey (Vision Quest; 3): "Coming into the last couple miles we were hauling."

Brian Morrissey (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 4/5): "And just as I caught back on again, they were off, up the final hill for the final decision."

Scott Peterson (Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare; 30+ 1/2/3): "Not sure exactly what happened, but my rookie riding skills had me coast up behind Eck and had me overlapping by about a quarter-wheel on the outside."

Alex Sharon (ABD; P/1/2): "After grittin it out for as long as i could at whitnall, for some reason or other I thought MGA was do-able. Ha! Five minutes into the race and the pain was too much. Adios."

Jason Snider (Silver Cycling; 30+): "Good news: We all got paid and the 'wanknuts' were shut out and pretty much out of the overall."

James Sweeney (ABRT; 30+ 1/2/3): "In the last 5 miles there were several attacks, and going up the hill there was one rider with a small gap. I was able to sprint up the hill and past the last rider to take the win."

X Plane Team Revolution (W-P/1/2): "After turning the corner, I checked my wheel to see if I'd brought anyone with me. Nope. It was clear and I put my mind to catching the tail of the three [up the road]."

The Editor (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): "I didn't mean to attack, I swear, but there I was in no man's land. This would be my last chance to be useful, so I plowed ahead toward the green beacon on the horizon."

Proving Grounds photos:
The Editor

Photo by Luke Seemann

People, people, people. How many times must I remind you to pre-ride the finish?

I can't blame riders for not noticing the new map on the Superweek Web site, which showed that the finish line for today's road race had moved from Highway D to inside the Alpine Valley grounds, apparently in an attempt to help facilitate a closed-road finish. I hadn't noticed it myself.

But I can blame riders for not riding or even driving the finish. It was obvious many had failed to do so, judging from the cries of bafflement I heard after races. People either were under the impression that the finish was still on D, or they severely misjudged the distance they had to the finish after the final turn.

It didn't matter to Jordan Heimer (Kegels). Sprinting wasn't necessary as he repeated the show he put on at the Winfield Twilight Criterium by riding away from the men's 4/5 field. That's an impressive feat given the course's brutal terrain. Joel Crouch (ABD) was the next best local finisher in 4th.

A group of nine separated from the 3's field on the very first climb. Mike Woell (Flanders) timed and executed his sprint best to take the win. Ed Amstutz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) took 2nd and moves into 1st overall, thanks to the doubling of points at road races.

The women's race came down to a field sprint with Jane Robertson (Metromint) beating Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine) by half a bikelength. Benjamin should retain the overall lead, however, having won the first two races of the series.

I left before the men's P/1/2's finished. With four laps to go a group of four appeared gone for good. I'm not great with rider ID's, but it looked like the group included Karl Menzies (Health Net) and last year's winner Brian Jensen (HRRC/Trek Stores), and I'm tempted to say the others were Frankie Dierking (Abercrombie & Fitch) and Adam Bergman (Colavita). Can't wait to see a report on who exactly they were and who pulled it out.

Update: Those were indeed the four in the break, plus a fifth of Johnny Clarke (Colavita), who I was mistakenly told was taking the day off. Menzies was the winner.

An administrative note: I'll be camping and racing in Wisconsin the next two days and doubt I'll have proper Internet access. Look for my next wrap-up Thursday evening.

Latest Superweek results.

Race reports:
Becky Broeder (Hub Racing; W-P/1/2): "I managed to come back from the dead more times than I can count."

Sydney Brown and Katie Weber (X Plane Team Revolution; P/1/2): "I also had 5 opportunities on a particular downhill to wonder if shox on a road bike might not be a bad idea."

Hub Racing (W-P/1/2): "One by one, the Hub Racing women sacrificed themselves for the mighty J-dub until only Becky Broeder remained to escort Jenette Williams up the tortuous climb."

Amanda Eaken (Metromint; W-P/1/2): "Apparently sprints of unknown length with no end in sight favor Jane Robertson perfectly! "

Bryan McVey (Vision Quest; 3): "I thought since I just upgraded to Cat 3 that these guys would realize we need to start working together to reel the break in. Man are cyclists stubborn."

Jason Snider (Silver Cycling; 30+): "I was so ... pissed, a stream of vulgarities came from my mouth that are even too obscene for this blog."

James Sweeney (ABRT; 30+ 1/2/3): "Each lap we dropped a rider or two as we hit the series of 'leg breakers.'"

Matt Waite (Brazen Dropouts; P/1/2): "I'm positioned nicely in the middle of the peloton. I look back and I have two riders behind me. What the hell!?"

The Editor (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): "I got a bad case of speed wobbles on the first descent, and the bumpy second descent loosened the screws of my bottle cage."

Photos:
The Editor

Jessi Prinner (ABD) appears to be the only local rider to have earned some new laundry over the past few weeks of national championships. The junior got 2nd in this weekend's 15-16 time trial and 3rd in the road race. This comes on the heels of a 1st (scratch), 2nd (omnium) and 3rd (points) at the junior track nationals.

It was a small women's U23 field, but Chicago had three representatives: Rebecca Much (Targetraining), Melanie Wong (Team Get a Grip Cycles) and Jennifer Greenberg (XXX Racing-AthletiCo). Much had the best weekend, getting 2nd in the time trial and 5th in the road race. Perhaps the beginning of a comeback for the one-time junior world silver medalist and former T-Mobile rider?

Full results. Full Cyclingnews coverage.

Photo by Luke Seemann

An out-of-town wedding kept me from the first two days of Superweek, but I showed up Sunday to watch the 3's race in Bensenville.

There was a lot of chatter about how hard the racing had been Saturday. We're just not quite ready for racing that long in such heat. One rider who was prepared for the weather was Jonet Hernandez (Mapei), who came in from Florida to win the inaugural Blue Island criterium in the 3's. He'd find himself a marked man on Sunday, the price of success

At Bensenville Team Clif Bar Midwest and Team Get a Grip Cycles tried a lot of late moves together. Indeed the race came down to a two-man escape with three laps to go, but it wasn't them. Instead it was Eric Loberg (Beans & Barley) and Jon Alvarez (Homegrown Racing) who waited patiently before slipping away while the pack played a game of No You Chase, with Loberg coming around Alvarez at the last second with the field sprint right on their heels.

It was great to see that Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies) is back racing. Devastating to see was Marek Serafin (WDT) not racing. I caught up with him as he cheered his team at Bensenville. A back injury hobbled him at Proctor and has kept him off the bike since. There are two places you never want to see a rider like Serafin: 1. sprinting ahead of you. 2. standing on the sidelines. We all hated losing to him, but I for one hope he's able to return soon.

The problem with Superweek is that people are too busy and tired to do much proper race reporting, so I don't have much to aggregate here yet. (On the other hand, Superweek also brings a lot of out-of-town riders, so if there are race reports or blogs I don't know about, feel free to pass them along.)

The regional P/1/2's have done well the first few days of Superweek, but that may change today with Alpine Valley as more pro teams come for National Racing Calendar points after wrapping up the Cascade Cycling Classic in Oregon. Last year Navigators, Health Net and Toyota-United were among those who appeared at Superweek, and I'm hoping this year sees the Midwest debut of Rock Racing.

Update: Don't miss this nice bit of crash porn from the Beverly race, compliments of Mark Zelewski, shooting for Cyclingnews. Amazingly, Johnny Clarke (Colavita) would get back in and finish 7th. An Australian rider I talked to Monday said Clarke would be taking a few days off, mostly to sort out some bike damage.

Latest Superweek results.

Beverly race reports:
Cyclingnews: "On the back side of the course, before the downhill on the last two turns, Andy Crater (Wheel & Sprocket) benefited from a veteran friend in the field."

Andy Daley (Team Clif Bar Midwest; P/1/2): "Cesar Correa and I finished last in the results, but with half the field shelled, just finishing makes for a successful day."

Seth Meyer (Team Get a Grip Racing; P/1/2): "For some reason I thought I could come back to Chicago after two days of travel, eating poorly, not training at all and with a funky sleeping schedule and actually perform. Yeah. No."

Frank Rowley (D'Arcy; P/1/2): "I watched the rest of the race, trying to stay away from people I know and the question, 'Why aren't you riding?'"

Alexander Sharon (ABD; P/1/2): "My sprinting legs made an unannounced appearance in Beverly."

Beverly photos:
Mark Zelewski/Cyclingnews

Blue Island race reports:
Cyclingnews: "Defending Superweek women's overall champion Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine) wasted no time in showing the other ladies who the favorite was for the week."

Ed Amstutz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): "Two hours in the heat, at blazing crit pace, with only twp bottles, was two much for my legs and I began to cramp with about eight laps to go."

Donovan Braud (XXX Raincg-AthletiCo; 4/5): "After 27 laps, my heart rate was off the chart, so I figured I would hang on for dear life."

Carrie Cash (X Plane Team Revolution; W-P/1/2): "I was tired, hot, thirsty, and had a blast."

Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire; W-P/1/2): "I made sure that I was near the front and continued to watch the sprinters and their teams, looking to jump into their leadout trains for some help to the line."

Bryan McVey (Vision Quest; 4/5): "I managed to stay upright barely avoiding the biggest crash near the end which was just off my left shoulder. It’s never fun hearing bikes and bodies hit the deck behind you."

Brian Morrissey (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4/5): "A crash first makes itself apparent, from your perspective at least, somewhat like a gopher, or Bugs Bunny, burrowing toward you."

Scott Peterson (Wheaton Wisconsin Healthcare; 3): "The body wasn't sending me solid signals that it was time for liftoff."

Jane Robertson (Metromint; W-P/1/2): "The biggest highlight of the day was Amanda Eaken fending off both Trish Bell and an Amazon woman from Hub Racing for the desired wheel, and coming 3rd in the field sprint."

Jason Snider (Silver Cycling; 30+ 1/2/3): "A great first day, except for the six hours in the car, Illinois tolls, [lousy] roads, and all you mother[lovers] who camp out in the left lane. "

James Sweeney (ABRT; 30+ 1/2/3): "Curtis bridged to a break that ended up with nine riders, and they lapped the field. He then won the field sprint! One heck of a ride. I was able to get 5th in the field sprint for 12th place. Wow, what a start!"

Scott Van Maldegiam (Spin Doctor Cyclewerks; 4/5): "I may not be a great racer right now, but at least I can spot the squirrels."

Blue Island photos:
The Land Shark
Liz Farina Markel
Mark Zelewski/Cyclingnews

Bensenville race reports:
Cyclingnews: "Fast Midwest rider Josh Carter (ABD) ... used his knowledge of the course to his advantage, sprinting out of the final turn on third wheel to take the win."

Ed Amstutz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): "Had I let Nico Westlund (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) know I was there, I'm sure we could've pulled off a top 10 for XXX."

Brian Boyle (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): "I admired the combativeness of the race. I wish I could have contributed to it."

Carrie Cash (X Plane Team Revolution; W-P/1/2): "It is awesome seeing all four of your teammates plugging it at the front and regrouping to dish out or take whatever is thrown at us."

Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire; W-P/1/2): "Breaks were off the front most of the race but with about two to go everyone was together and I was in the Cheerwine leadout train once again (no better place to be!)."

Andy Daley (Team Clif Bar Midwest; P/1/2): "At Mile 38 I decided I'd rather be munching on some BBQ-flavored chips and soda than pedaling endlessly in circles for another hour."

Jeff Holland (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4/5): "Within a few laps of starting, my legs already felt cooked from the Blue Island race the day before."

Scott Peterson (Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare): "I'm relegated to the sidewalk, where I blast by the family picnic going on and narrowly miss running over the kids' lemonade stand."

Frank Rowley (D'Arcy; P/1/2): "All I saw was someone sliding face down and riders swerving. I braked hard and luckily got through for a field finish. Not sure exactly were I finished, but at this point I don't really care. I was just happy to have hung on"

Jason Snider (Silver Cycling; 30+ 1/2/3): "This same [jerk] has bridged up to a move I was in and another with Hareland and just refused to work. Just refused. He was only there to spoil it."

James Sweeney (ABRT; 30+ 1/2/3): "I went over the curb, which dropped off into a rut on the other side. My wheels got stuck and I had to unclip at 30+ mph to try and stay upright."

Scott Van Maldegiam (Spin Doctor Cyclewerks; 4/5): "Bit by bit, I kept trying to claw me way up the field and kept falling back."

Bensenville photos:
Gesika22
Mark Zelewski/Cyclingnews
The Editor

The Peoria Journal Star reports that the Proctor Cycling Classic will not be returning to Brimfield, in part because of concerns raised following Beth Kobeszka's fatal crash last month. USA Cycling recommended continuing the race, but the race committee decided otherwise.

The current story doesn't indicate whether there will be a replacement road road or where, but it says "organizers wanted another event that would attract more fans." I could be reading too much into that, but that says "criterium" to me.

The news isn't a total surprise. Comments on this story and others in the Journal Star show that many residents in the area resent cyclists in general and the road race in particular.

Road races in Illinois are already a rarity, and it's no small task to put on one. Let's hope there is indeed a replacement course, a safe one, and that the Proctor Cycling Classic doesn't go the way of the Al Stern Memorial Road Race, the previous state championship.

Can you grab and replace your water bottle without looking down and taking your eyes off the road?

Practice until you can.

With a lot of out-of-town racing coming up with Superweek, Michael Kelly (South Chicago Wheelmen) reminds me that this is a good time to hone your pre-race checklist. You don't want to be three hours from home and realize you've forgotten your shoes. (Or the key to your roof rack, which I've seen happen more than once.)

Kelly sends along this pre- and post-race checklist from Smart Cycling of Glenview, which one could use as a starting point for coming up with one's own checklist.

Here's a spread of things I brought to a stage race last year. I always try to pack the night before, so that I have a chance in the morning to figure out what I've forgotten. Then as I leave the house I do a quick mental scan from head to toe -- Helmet! Sunglasses! Jersey! Gloves! Bibs! Socks! Shoes! -- and try to remember packing each of these essentials.

Photo by Lyle Hanson

Wisconsin's elite racers must have been startled when the Clarke brothers of Australia -- star sprinter Hilton (Navigators) and little Johnny (Colavita) -- crashed their state criterium championships, presumably as a tuneup for Superweek.

You may remember Hilton from winning such races as the 2005 Beverly Hills Cycling Classic and the 2006 Tour of Elk Grove and Downers Grove USPRO Championship. This is a bit like Venus and Serena showing up at the local tennis pro/am.

"It was pretty nuts," Lyle Hanson (GDVC) tells me. "Basically [Hilton] and his brother Johnny got free after a few laps, along with Steve Scholzen (IS Corp), and they lapped the field like it was no problem."

Hilton went on to win ahead of his brother, with Schoelzen taking home 3rd and the state championship.

A handful of Chicago racers made the trip, including Adam Kosela (IS Corp) of Downers Grove, who won the juniors race. (I remember getting killed by this kid in citizens races two years ago.) Patrick Loney (Mach Schnell/JDRF) won the masters 1/2/3, Richard Adamczyk (WDT) got 3rd in the 50+, and Ricardo Otero (South Chicago Wheelmen) continued a fine season by getting 2nd in the masters 4/5. Trey McClure (Turin) of Aurora got 3rd in the 3's, and Tashony Noplos (Unattached) of far-west Sycamore was the top local finisher of the women with 9th.

In unfortunate news, the organizer of the weekend's Mississippi Bluffs Cycling Road Race is throwing in the towel because of lack of interest. Only 30 racers showed up for the second-year event. "I guess it was just a fantasy of mine," says organizer Dave Thompson, "that anyone in the Quad Cities area would want to do a longer road race in July."

And in belated results, Kosela and Otero also headed up to Wisconsin for the Elm Grove Criterium on Proctor weekend. Kosela won his juniors race, and Otero won the 4/5's race and came in 5th in the masters 4/5's.

Full Elkhorn Criterium results. Full Mississippi Bluffs Road Race results. Full Elm Grove results.

Elkhorn race reports:
Matt Waite (Brazen Dropouts; P/1/2): "Freshie the Man Beast got into a break with a Navigators rider and Colavita rider."

Elkhorn photos:
Lyle Hanson

Elm Grove race reports:
Chris Padfield (Team Pegasus; 4/5): "Hitting that second right-hander at 34 was oh sooooso much fun."

Scott Peterson (Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare; 30+ 1/2/3): "Kevin went wide holding speed but someone put the clamps down on the brake levers and Kevin went wider yet ... too wide."

• » Didn't get into the Evanston Criterium? Go volunteer and help ensure the event is successful enough to return next year.
• » Mark Swartzendruber's latest dispatch is another must-read. He breaks down the Proctor masters races and sends a special love note to an unnamed violator of the centerline rule. (While Chicago Bike Racing cannot endorse such vigilantism, it cannot object to it much either.)
• » Look who's racing again: Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies), whom I interviewed in May, joined George Langford (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) to take on this weekend's Wolfgang Freitag Two-Person 50K Team Time Trial.
• » Got a question for Lance? ABC News is soliciting questions for some silly interactive feature. Video questions can also be e-mailed via cell phone to icaught@abcnews.go.com. Deadline is tomorrow morning (July 12).
  

Photo by Luke Seemann

Downers Grove registration is finally open!

Of relevance to many of my readers, the men's 3's and 4's are a combined field this year and capped at 100. I expect it to fill up by, oh, about 4 p.m. tomorrow. Anyone even thinking about racing should register now.

The races are ridiculously short this year, so the masters 4/5 is a good option for those eligible. Last year I had a mediocre 4's race, but it let me figure enough things out to do well with the masters.

Several riders on the cusp of upgrading to 4 have asked me whether they should do so in time for Elk Grove and Downers. My answer has been an emphatic "no." These races are going to be fast, technical and congested. Even a rider who's been crushing the 5's fields this year will find these races unfun and dangerous. You'll be doing yourself and everyone else a favor by enjoying the 5's race instead, and assuming the races don't get behind schedule, you'll get the same 20 minutes of racing as the 3's and 4's.

Sometimes it makes sense to extend yourself by racing over your head. This is not one of those times. (Sherman Park, on the other hand, is an excellent opportunity to race up.)

Note also that the Downers Grove Web site has updated some content and changed its URL.

Photo by Luke Seemann

I caught Floyd Landis (Unattached) tonight at the Borders on Michigan, where he gave a brief Q&A and signed books. (I was the guy in the smelly team kit taking pictures up front. Sorry 'bout that.)

He was self-deprecating and relaxed before a friendly audience that gave a standing ovation on his entrance. His answers were as surprising as the questions, which were not surprising at all. He did mention that he took a very early ride on the lakefront path, in case you did a double take on your way to work. And his pick for the Tour? He's rooting for David Zabriskie (CSC), "but I'm not sure he's going to stay on his bike the whole time." Otherwise, Alexander Vinokourov (Astana) has the best shot.

I'm not a Landis scholar in the slightest, so I'll leave further forensic analysis to the ever thorough, ever excellent Trust But Verify blog, which has already broken down Monday's appearance in Wheaton. Rant Your Head Off also has coverage of Landis' visit to the area, and even went on a ride with the once -- and future? -- Tour de France champion.

Photos
The Editor

I continue to update the original Beth Kobeszka post, but I'll highlight important news, such as this:

Beth's family has named the Hancock County Community Foundation as a memorial benefactor. Tax-deductable donations can be mailed to her mother: Vicki Kobeszka; 1536 Misty Oaks Drive; Findlay, OH 45840. Include your name and address.

Photo by luke seemann

It's go time.

In 1969 Otto Wenz Jr. organized a bike race in Milwaukee as a companion to a new musical festival called Summerfest. As Summerfest grew beyond expectations, so did the bike racing, and the International Cycling Classic is now too super to be contained in one week alone. This year it features 19 venues across 17 days (four of them near Chicago), making it the biggest racing series in America and a bonanza for regional amateurs.

Action starts Friday with a fun, hilly course in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood. Yes, hills! In Chicago! This is a P/1/2-only affair, but it's worth the trip to come watch. Top-caliber racing is always thrilling to see up close, plus it's a chance to experience a tidy, tranquil part of town that is a secret to most Chicago residents. Racing starts at 5:45 p.m., and there's a Metra stop nearby (107th Street station on the Rock Island line; take the 5:05 p.m. from LaSalle Street).

Races will be longer and faster than we're accustomed to, and the prizes will be bigger as well. Race a few days with the same, tough competitors and you'll likely find yourself with new boundaries and new friends (and maybe a nemesis or two).

We have more hot weather coming next week, so pre-hydrate well and carry as much liquid as you can, especially if you don't have anyone to offer hand-ups. Two bottles alone may not be enough. Note: Except in extreme heat, the criteriums will not have feed zones.

Red alert for 4/5's: As of Tuesday morning the Evanston race is full and Bensenville and Blue Island are close to capacity. Register now!

Here's a preview of the road races I've been to, and I invite readers to give the crit lowdown in the comments.

Alpine Valley: Races start with an extremely steep neutral rollout up out of the Alpine Valley parking lot and down Highway D. Racing will commence -- and likely in a big, fast way -- as soon as the first rider turns onto Bowers Road. Some meanies will want to drop the dead weight as soon as possible, and if you're not ready, the dead weight will be you.

In the second mile there will be a long, fast and curvy descent. The turns are gentle enough that one shouldn't need to brake or scrub speed on the way down. There will be a short, steep climb out of the valley (you should be able to big-ring it), after which the course will turn left for a steep, straight descent followed by an even longer, steeper climb. (See above, from the 2005 women's open race; it's not unheard of for spectators to push stragglers up.)

From there it's fairly flat until crossing the same creek valley on the back stretch. The descent here is also gentle and fast, but road conditions have in the past been loosen-your-fillings lousy. The climb is steep and long, but not as signifant as the earlier one-two punch. Nonetheless, both of these climbs are likely points for attacks and separation.

The rest of the course is flat and on the final lap will continue on Highway D (the part that was neutral at the beginning) for a flat sprint. You'll have about three miles to gain position and form your leadout. Highway D is unprotected from the elements, so wind can be a factor here.

Whitnall Park: This is a gorgeous course. It's in the same botanical garden as April's Whitnall Park Criterium, but the course is longer (2.3 miles) and in the opposite direction. Several climbs and limited sight lines would seem to make it a good candidate for a breakaway, although in my limited experience I've seen dozens attempted and none succeed. The finish is uphill following a sharp left turn, and the line will come at you sooner than you think. The winner will make this turn no farther back than 10th, and a good leadout will deposit its rider at the hill's base.

MGA Proving Grounds: This otherwise interesting course probably is the likeliest to result in a trip to the bike shop or, worse, hospital.

Wet roads will make things particularly treacherous. I may be biased, given a terrible pileup I experienced in 2005, but my reluctant advice is, if it rains, stay home and watch the Tour.

The race will again start with a neutral rollout, this time out of a large oval track used to test automobiles. The course itself is narrow and rolling, with no significant climbs to help separate wheat from chaff. Packs will be congested and slower than you'd like, especially in the 4/5's. Suck it up and deal. Be patient. Don't be a cheat, and more important, don't be a hazard. The windy roads will in spots prevent you from seeing oncoming traffic. Even though much of the course lacks a centerline, you'll be expected to obey it nonetheless.

On the last lap the race will turn back toward the proving grounds. This involves a particularly tricky downhill turn of almost 180 degrees. In almost every race someone will go down on this turn, so try to be upfront to limit your exposure to the mayhem (without causing any mayhem of your own). Only the most negligent racer won't spend time pre-riding the finish and practicing this turn.

From there, it's a flat, fast half-mile on the track. Suck wheel until you see the hill leading to the finish line and then go, go, go.

Good luck, friends. I'll be racing in the 3's Monday through Wednesday, my first racing in seven weeks, and taking pictures on Sunday. Be fast, be safe -- and be polite when you lap me.

Reader Jason writes:

I've recently been practicing some out-of-saddle sprints, usually coming out of 90-degree corners. As soon as I start pulling on the drops and push hard on the cranks, my front end starts to float as if I'm trying to do a wheelie, regardless of whether I've shifted my body weight to the front by standing up. Usually the front just lifts a couple of inches from the ground on the downstroke, but it's the sideways hopping that I'm concerned about. Is there a correct/safer way to do sprints like these? Am I just using the wrong gear/cog?

I'm afraid I'm not expert enough of a sprinter to give Jason a good answer, but I bet others can. A little help for our sprinter?

This week I had an exchange with Jon Reimer, director of communications for Breakaway Event Productions, which promotes the 19 different races of the International Cycling Classic, better known as Superweek.

I wanted to know about the new races, and I wanted a promoter's perspective on safety. Among other things, we get this nugget: Parts of Superweek will be televised! Time Warner subscribers, start clearing your DVRs now.

How did the Blue Island and Evanston races come about?
Blue Island is right next door to Beverly, where we've been racing for several years. The folks in Blue Island liked what they saw so when they heard from our contacts in Beverly that we had an opening in the schedule this year, they were eager to jump on board.

We've been working on the Evanston race since 2004. Chris Mailing at Turin Bicycle has done a great job of planning for this race and he is the one who suggested the course that we'll be using.

This is a fabulous race course. "Figure eight" type courses are always attractive and this one has great sight lines for spectators at many different areas along the course. It`With the course layout and all the nice restaurants and shops along the course, [downtown Evanston] is a perfect spot for a race.’ should also be a fast course with smooth, wide streets for most of the circuit with one narrow section in the middle to make things interesting. With the course layout and all the nice restaurants and shops along the course, this area is a perfect spot for a race.

Does International Cycling plan to make Evanston an annual event?
Definitely. Whenever we bring in a new race we expect to keep it for many years. We really appreciate the relationships we've been able to establish at all of our host sites because they have allowed us to have a pretty stable schedule over the years.

Anything else new to look forward to this year?
We're expecting some great primes during the first weekend. Being able to open up with three races in the Chicago area is very exciting.

We're also pleased with how many races we were able to place on the National Racing Calendar schedule. For the P/1/2 men's series, we'll be offering a special $5,000 prize list to the top points winners during the NRC races.

We are also very excited by our partnership with Time Warner Cable. We'll be making an announcement shortly with more details, but there is going to be television coverage of several races this year.

What's the latest on the Milwaukee lakefront courses? Can we look forward to those in 2008?
When the Marquette Interchange reconstruction project began, we were informed that we could not use the lakefront courses until the project finished because those roads were being used as traffic detours. The project is scheduled to complete in 2008 but we don't know yet whether we'll be able to go back there in 2008 or whether we'll have to wait until 2009. We're definitely eager to return. Those are great courses and were clearly some of the most popular with the riders.

The Proving Grounds course has narrow, rolling roads not that different from the road race course in Illinois where a racer was killed last week. Will there be any extra centerline enforcement this year?
We are always reviewing our safety procedures for the road races and we work closely with our USCF officials, local law enforcement, and even nearby businesses to make the races as safe as we can. We are especially appreciative of the support we receive from the Wisconsin State Patrol who provide lead cars in front of our races. They provide a critical first layer of safety by warning oncoming traffic of the approaching riders.

Yellow-line enforcement is always a priority for our officials and they explain the "rules of the road" to the riders very clearly before each race.

I'm not familiar with all of the details and causes of the tragic accident to which you referred, but to`No placing in the final results is worth pushing the limit of the rules.’ me it was a painful reminder that no placing in the final results is worth pushing the limit of the rules, especially the yellow-line rule. When officials have to enforce this rule, the reason is because someone has decided to break it and that's not just unfair to the other racers, it's incredibly dangerous.

Will every race have a motorcycle official?
We will have motorcycle officials at all three of our open-road race
courses.

A lot of people are wondering about closed courses, or at least rolling closures. From a promoter's point of view, what would be involved in such a closure? Is it feasible for amateur races like Superweek?
Clearly, a closed course is the best choice when it comes to safety. That's one reason why we are so eager to return to the lakefront courses. However, it's very rare to find an interesting circuit where the roads can be entirely closed for six hours or more. A rolling enclosure can improve the safety margin, but it's certainly not a bulletproof solution either and it can be a challenge to get local approval to operate that way.

It's also a tough situation financially because road races remain somewhat popular with riders but the costs associated with operating them continue to rise dramatically.

For our races, I come back to my comment about the support we receive from the Wisconsin State Patrol. With them we feel that we have found a good formula where we alert oncoming traffic and get them to slow down and pull over while the race passes by.

There is another factor in road race safety that might at first seem entirely unrelated but is really quite important, and that is conscientious behavior by cyclists.`If we have the support of the residents along a race course, that's going to be a big asset toward operating a safe race.’ If we have the support of the residents along a race course, that's going to be a big asset toward operating a safe race. Supportive residents are going to be more aware of the races and will be more tolerant of any inconvenience the races may cause. They can even become our allies in making sure motorists exercise due caution on the roads during the races.

However, the support of residents can be lost very quickly by bad behavior. No promoter likes to see an angry neighbor come storming up to the finish line to complain during or after a race and that same neighbor can very easily kill the race when it comes time to seek local approval the next year.

• » Masters national championships are being decided at Seven Spring Mountain in Champion, Penn. (Where else?) Among local results so far, Tom Doughty (Discovery Masters) came in 3rd in the 55-59 time trial and 5th in the criterium. Downstater Mark Swartzendruber (Delta Faucet) came in 2nd in the 45-49 time trial. Road races start tomorrow and go through Wednesday, with juniors action starting Thursday.

• » On the Route's new Trek concept store is among the shops providing demos of the 2008 Trek Madone and Lemond Tete de Course. Test rides along the lakefront will be available Wednesday, July 11, from 2 to 6 p.m. RSVP at either store, online or by calling (312) 588-1050. Be prepared to specify frame size, pedal preference and the time of expected arrival.
  
  

The Superweek Web site reports that 4/5 fields are filling up quickly, especially for the races in Chicago. Fees go up $5 per race starting Monday, so register now or start picking out the best place to watch.

In other race news, here is a Glencoe News story about the inaugural Glencoe Grand Prix in August. It looks like an interesting course. I'll plot it out on MapMyRide when I have a chance. "IllinoisFrank" provides us with this map. Note that the course for juniors at 5's will be slightly altered, taking a shortcut down Hawthorn to avoid the sharp turn off South onto Vernon. I've never seen a race do this, but it seems a prudent precaution.

The racing went on.

Sunday was a difficult day for everyone, but especially for XXX Racing-AthletiCo, which lost beloved teammate Beth Kobeszka in Saturday's road race. Its women raced with hearts drawn on their uniforms to reflect the hearts broken within. One of its men, Mike Kirby, told me he "raced angry," channeling emotions into a third-place finish in the masters 4/5 race, his best ever.

An emotional parade lap preceded the women's P/1/2/3 race. This would have been Kobeszka's race, had she gone through with her plan to upgrade after the road race. Church bells tolled in the background.

I haven't pored over enough race reports to do much reconstruction, and the weekend's tragedy seems to have quieted many diarists, but here are a few notes:

• » XXX Racing-AthletiCo came home with four state championship jerseys, two on each day. Tamara Fraser won the women's 35+ race, her first victory, and Kevin Krakovsky came in third but was the first Illinois finisher in the 30+ 4/5. In Sunday's criterium, Joe Ebenroth won the 30+ 4/5, and emerging sprinter Jeff Wat won the elite 4/5.
  
• » I'm not aware of any Project 5 victories in 2007, but that changed Saturday when Cory Hickman won the 3's race. Teammate Carlos Garcia followed by being the first Illinois finisher in a large break Sunday to give the team a sweep of 3's jerseys.
  
• » It took me awhile to tally all the championship jerseys won by Team Mack. I count seven: Gabe Looker (4's RR), Robert Brokaw (40+ 4/5 RR), Mike Ozwent (60+ RR and crit), Katie Weidner (W-4 crit), Michael Zellmann (30+ open crit) and Mark Tank (40+ 4/5 crit). Whew!
  
• » The women's open road race came down to a good-old-fashioned game of cat and mouse. The mouse won, with Melanie Wong (Team Get a Grip Cycles) biding her time long enough to beat June Upshaw (Unattached). Upshaw would come back strong the next day, however, to secure the omnium.
  
• » Bicycle Heaven is a new team (as well as a a new shop in St. Charles). Its Ken Delo came in behind Wisconsin's Cole House (Wheel & Sprocket) to win the jersey in what looks to have been a stacked P/1/2 road race.

Full road race results. Full criterium results. Full omnium results. (Linked for Steven's benefit: King- and Queen-of-the-Mountain results.)

Road race reports:
Ryan Baumann (ABD; P/1/2): "Survival mode turned on. I was thinking of how much I really want to take a nap for most of the rest of the race."

Amanda Miller (Atlas; W-3): "I couldn't feel my legs and my head was beating to the pounds of my heart. I rarely push myself to these limits."

Jason Schifo (Bushwacker; 5A): "As we rotated we each found just a little something extra to get us through our 30-second pulls at the front before drifting back in the line to rest. It was crazy and at the line we were spent hanging over the bars."

Mark Swartzendruber (Delta Faucet; 40+ 1/2/3); "As it turns out, the Hubbard is the Missouri state time trial champion, which explains the appearance. Time trailers as we all know are a special breed of strange."

June Upshaw (Unattached; W-P/1/2): "I saw she was taking the hills in her big chain ring. I figured I would have a better sprint if I used my small. Three hills, then the last one came up, huge and looming."

Lou Waugaman (All9Yards; P/1/2): "Things were going to get ugly -- fast!"

Melanie Wong (Team Get a Grip Cycles; W-P/1/2): "Right up until the jump, I did not think I was going to win. I kept anticipating getting dropped on a hill, beat in the sprint, or caught by the pack."

Criterium race reports:
Ryan Baumann (ABD; P/1/2): "I was hurting knarly style and all around 1 hour into the crit, but that voice in my head told me to get 'er done in case things reshuffled near the end of the race."

Amanda Miller (Atlas; W-3): "It reminded me of the way my body felt at the end of an 800m run in track. I guess that's a good thing, right?"

Jeff Wat (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4): "This truly was a special day for me because we have both been racing together all season and to achieve these results together on the same day was quite amazing!"

Photos:
John Bennett
Steve Daggs
Gigi Norcross