Superweek wrap-up I

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

Comments

Posted by: Matt at July 16, 2007 02:52 PM

Posted by: ScottV at July 16, 2007 10:19 PM