• » Take a trip down memory lane with video from the 1993 Superweek, posted by announcer and "Roadie" author Jamie Smith. Tri-spoke wheels! Oakley sunglasses! Lots and lots of Eddie Van Guyse! Other highlights include a points race around the Madison capitol in segment 6, a Turin rider doing well in segment 2 (admire how far Turin's kits have come), and in segment 5 a cameo from a young Robbie Ventura (Vision Quest), then riding for the Blue Marlin Racing Team. It's worth your 40 minutes to watch the entire series. (Thanks, Chris!)

• » Francisco Torralba (UCVC) has started UC Velo Cafe, a blog for members and friends of the University of Chicago Velo Club.

• » Send good vibes to "Training Bible" god Joe Friel, who was hit by a car last week.
  

Chicago Bike Racing has had a new sponsor the past few weeks in the form of Athletes By Design, which is promoting its off-season boot camp and its 9th annual indoor time trial series. ABD puts on more events than just about any other club around Chicago, including the Winfield criterium weekend, the Fall Fling and this weekend's cyclocross race in Bartlett. I'm thrilled to have the support of such a vital contributor to the local scene.

To learn more, I spent some time this week with Mike Ebert, ABD's outgoing events director. At 28 he's an accomplished racer himself. Although some bad luck kept him from having the 2007 he had hoped for, he's already looking forward to 2008 and has promised some big changes for himself and ABD. In fact, when I chatted with him he was noodling in Photoshop, working on new uniforms for ABD's elite squad.

Why the new uniforms?

The primary impetus is that a new partner is stepping in with our elite program.

That must be one of the big changes you've been teasing us with.
For 2008 we'll be known as the ABD/??? Pro Development Team. We added the PDT moniker because over the years we've sent just as many guys to the big leagues as anyone, and more than a lot of squads that use it.

There were a lot of former ABDers at Downers Grove this year, from Kirk O'Bee (Health Net) winning the stars and stripes to Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies) driving the leadout that won it for Martin Gilbert.
It's awesome to see those guys out there. And most of them still stay in touch with the club, which is how it should be.

Do you have a tally of how many current pros you've produced?
Eight: Sarah Tillotson (Colavita), Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine), Brenda Lyons (Lipton), O'Bee, Frank Pipp (Health Net), Mumford, Bryce Mead (Jelly Belly) and Ben Raby (Kodak/Sierra Nevada).

How did you get involved with the team?
I've known Mike Farrell since he was the USCF regional coach in 1993. As a Junior I raced with the Pepsi team under Steve Thordarson (now Smart Cycling), and in '97 I moved to ABD, which at the time was the elite Junior squad. ("Elite" in that they ruled the Midwest. Guys like O'Bee, Dalton Koprek, Wes Young, Jeff Conrad, Eric Walters.)

Then when I was away at college, my Mom went into Prairie Path Cycles to pick up my training plan from Mike Farrell, my coach at the time. Farrell, the PPC owner and ABD president, was swamped with customers, and my mom, being the impatient yet friendly person she is, started helping them. She knew nothing about bikes, but her personality was huge. She would say, "Well, my son uses this," and people would buy stuff. After that happened a couple of times, Mike hired her and she soon became the PPC manager.

It was in the Fall of 2002, after a comeback season for me, that I told Farrell how much I wanted teammates. `Don't upgrade until you know how to win. I stayed a Cat 3 longer than some guys wished I had to learn that lesson.’ I took on management of the team that first year in 2003. Pipp and Frankie Dierking (Abercrombie & Fitch) both came on board, and we also picked up John Puffer (Texas Roadhouse) and Kurt Rees.

What category were you at the time?
I was a Cat 1 by about 2000. Some of the best advice Farrell ever gave me -- and that I tell other guys -- is, Don't upgrade until you know how to win. I stayed a Cat 3 longer than some guys wished I had to learn that lesson.

Tell us a story from that era.
I went to Belgium in 2001 for my second season racing there. (The first was in 1999.) Both times I went as an independent and just jumped into the kermesse circuit.

In '01 I hooked up with Kristian House (Navigators), who'd lined up this dive apartment on the Belgium-France border. We had no heat, no hot water, and the electricity often went out.

I dropped Noel Dejonckheere a few e-mails to let him know I would be around if he needed any riders for races, and the day after I landed he's like, "I need a sixth man for U-23 Tour of Flanders in two days." Uhhh, OK.

He picked me up, and I spent the night at the U.S. team house, got a jersey for the day and proceeded to get a flat in the first 40k of Flanders. Chasing back on through a euro caravan was one of the hardest efforts of my life. (Danny Pate (Slipstream) actually got 2nd that day behind some Boonen guy.)

Noel sends me back to my place, I race the kermesses for a few weeks, then I get another call: "I have a 200k race with cobbles I need you to do." It was the Omloop der Kempen in Holland. This course had two 10k cobbled sections. But this time I was one of only two finishers on the national team. The other guy was actually trying to set me up for the sprint before we got Dutch-dude-sandwiched at a roundabout with 500 meters to go.

I go back to my apartment, but with instructions to train with two five-hour days and a seven-hour day that week. `We got Dutch-dude-sandwiched at a roundabout with 500 meters to go.’ A few days later, Noel calls me up and says: "You're on the team. I want you to move into the house. You'll do a couple of 200k races in France, a Tour in Luxembourg and U-23 Paris-Roubaix." So, I move into the National team house. Comparatively it's paradise: hot water, satellite TV, internet, mechanics, soigneurs.

And the next morning I go to the 200k race in France, where I get shelled in 60k.

D'oh!
Noel says it's because I don't train enough, so he forces me to ride home with the rest of the guys 100k to the house. Mid-ride I'm shivering and seeing double. By the time I get home I'm a wreck. Noel says he can't afford for anyone else to get sick and takes me back to the apartment less than 24 hours later.

Turns out it was salmonella. I lost 18 pounds in three days.

That's one way to trim weight.
Exactly!

And that was it for you and the national team?
Yep. My season was over. I tried to ride because the invitation to race my dream, Paris Roubaix, was there, but a one-hour ride would make me sleep for a day and a half. It took me almost two years to get back to full strength.

If it weren't for a silly bacteria ... you could be signing for Astana right now.
Well, hopefully for a clean program!

What were you roles with ABD in 2007?
I continued to direct events and be the administrator behind the scene. I was definitely still the elite manager, and I'd really hoped to be one of the "go-to" riders. I was very excited to ride with Josh Carter and Jeff Schroetlin, who'd been my nemeses for so long. Unfortunately, it ended up being my second-worst season ever as a rider.

Because of the hernia?
Well, first the hernia, and second the hernia. But then a few things came up that were just bigger priorities than racing bikes. Don't get me wrong: I had an awesome year in real life, off the bike, and I have no regrets.

And now you've passed the events torch and will be doing something new in 2008?
I'm definitely stepping back from event direction, which I think is a huge step forward for ABD. I'm a micro-manager, which isn't what an event director should be. I established a decent template, but now all those ABDers who've been helping over the years can get in there and put their big ideas into play.

Is there anything else you do for a living?
No. My bank statement says I should do something else, but this is a pretty fun gig.

As far as I know you're the only Midwest club with a full-time administrator like that. That's got to be huge.
The secret for any club that wants one is to`My bank statement says I should do something else, but this is a pretty fun gig.’ suck somebody in who's fresh out of college, loves riding bikes and has no problem making less than $20,000 a year.

Tell me about what ABD does for club riders.
The biggest thing ABD does is help to create the "support network" that is the club. Everyone from our 10 year old Juniors to the Elite team relies on this network for just about anything from race advice to finding a job. In addition to that, we hold some social gatherings, a handful of coaching clinics, and organize deals for the club through the elite team sponsors.

That intangible support network is probably the biggest benefit one can get from a team. Is there much interaction between the club and the elite team? The interaction between the club and elite team is somewhat limited due to geography, but fortunately everyone really comes together during Superweek and the August crits close to home. ABD is making big strides forward in 2008, both in terms of what we offer the club members and how much more accesible the Elite team is.

How do you fill out your elite roster? Do riders approach you, or are you scouting and recruiting?
It's a mix of both. I receive probably two dozen e-mails a year, and then there's guys that grab my attention.

What are you looking for in an elite rider?
The primary thing is character. We want guys who are just as excited every time a teammate wins as they are about themselves. They need to really appreciate what their teammates and every ABD club member has to offer. "No man is an island."

The cross season ends in December, and then your first indoor time trial is Jan. 6. So much for that long off-season when I was going to read books, take naps and learn how to dance.
I know. It's a packed season!

One of your indoor time trials was my very first sanctioned events. I did it on my touring bike, tube shifters and everything. It was a great intro, especially since I was so desperate to try this racing thing out.
That's great. That's partly what the indoor time trials are about: introducing the sport to the newbies. The thing they also learn about the sport is how social it is.

I'm amazed by how many people come out. I'm also amazed by how many volunteers your able to get to all your events. That can make a big difference with safety at the road events. Is there a trick to getting people to volunteer? Hypnotism?
Having 200+ club members definitely helps, but we also have a core of about 40 people who are always involved. The big thing we do is that three hours equals a free entry fee. This year we also started tallying hours so that those people who go above and beyond those three hours can put "points" towards boxes of Powerbars or even jerseys.

You go back and forth between L.A. and Chicago a lot. Any advice on avoiding airlines' surcharge on bike boxes?
I always aim for the cutest agent I can find. Smile, flirt a little, and tell them how broke we bike racers are. My girlfriend can attest I'm not the best flirt, but once in a while it works.

Finally, you and Roger: Any relation?
I wish! I really got into film analysis in college and did a senior thesis on "American Beauty." If only I had an in. How cool would "Ebert & Ebert" be?

In the original coverage of September's alleged hit-and-run on St. Mary's Road, I reported that the driver, Thomas Lynch, would have a court date of Oct. 29. In the meantime I've neglected to mention that that date has been postponed until early 2008. I'll pass along more details as they develop. (I don't yet have information about the status of upgraded charges.)

Tim Henry (Project 5) sends along this tip: When pinning your own number, start by pinning the center. "This helps because it allows me to lock the number into a desired spot and makes pinning the corners a afterthought. Pinning the center also aids in preventing my number from billowing in the wind when I am tucked low."

This relates to the age-old cycling schism of number crumplers vs. non-crumplers. Some people think that wadding a number into a ball before pinning will make them more aerodynamic. These are the same people who will fling empty bottles at hapless spectators because they think 100 grams will make a difference in their sprint. I, however, side with the Wisconsin Cycling Association, which discourages crumpling because it makes numbers harder to read. No use winning the race if you're going to be illegible to the race cameras.

(WCA cites an anti-crumple provision in the 2004 USCF rulebook, but I cannot find any such reference in the current edition.) Besides, crumpling is against the rules: "Numbers may not be folded, trimmed, crumpled or otherwise defaced." (Thanks, Matt, for pointing us to the correct rule book.)

• » OMG, why are we not playing radball this winter? (Thanks, Ed.)

• » Now is a good time to get on the rollers and practice your victory salute. (Thanks, Jason.)

• » I guess I'll be the latest to recommend the Bike Snob NYC blog. I don't know who he is, but he's prolific, hilarious and usually spot on. This week's cyclocross post is particularly good. "Cyclocross is the opposite of sex: If you're doing it right it hurts, and it's only fun before and after."
  
  

Thanks to all of you who have purchased the 2008 Chicago Bike Racing Calendar. The first orders should be arriving this week. Some of you may notice, however, that the spiral binding obscures each photo's caption. I fixed this after the first few days of the sale, but if you get one of the early ones and this bothers you, I'm happy to arrange a swap at no cost.

Remember that scene in "The Empire Strikes Back" when the rebels are evacuating Hoth? After the first first ship leaves Echo Base and passes safely through the Imperial lines, an announcement is made: "The first transport is away!" [Widespread cheering.] "The first transport is away!"

That's sort of how I feel now. "The first 2008 races have been announced!" Widespread cheering. "The first 2008 races have been announced!"

It was 75 degrees today for the cross race in Carpentersville, but ABR has already released information for its 2008 Mid America Time Trial Series, including dates for the ABD indoor time-trial series, and the spring practice criterium series, formerly held at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

The criteriums will be March 2, March 9 and March 16. I understand they will be at the same business park as the other recent ABR criteriums in Kenosha, Wis.

This will be the 29th year of the spring training series. It's the traditional kick-off for outdoor racing, and after a long, hard winter, many will attack the series with an intensity that suggests they'd planned their season around it.

Only 138 days to go!

When you change a tube, position the tire so that its logo is on the right and directly over the valve. This lets you quickly find the valve when you're in a hurry. And if you have a flat and decide to go all CSI, this helps you trace a puncture to a piece of glass or other defect in the tire.

When I'm not on my bike at races, I'm usually on the sidelines taking photos. Thus as we wrap up the year's racing, I'm thrilled to announce that I've taken 12 of my favorite photos from the 2007 season (and 2006 cross season) and put together a calendar for your enjoyment.

The calendar is for sale through Cafe Press for $17.50, plus shipping.

I've tried to capture the gamut of the Chicago bike racing season, from the indoor sprint contests of winter to the 90-degree hill climbs of July, from the grit of the individual racer to the brotherhood (and sisterhood!) of the competitive peloton.

Naturally you'll want to get at least one for yourself -- one for the office, one for the bike room? -- but also remember that it's never too early to start on your Christmas list. Consider a thank-you gift for all the people who make your season possible:

• » Your teammates!
• » Your coach!
• » Your team president!
• » Your physical therapist!
• » Your mechanic!
• » Your orthopedist!
• » Your significant other!
• » Your mother!

Use it as a training log. Use it as a race calendar. Shoot, maybe you make an appearance: For a month you can use it as a daily reminder of how awesome you look on a bike!

I'm not looking to make a profit here, but your support will be appreciated. Primarily it's a vanity project and a fun souvenir to offer my friends and readers. If it works out I'll explore more affordable options for 2009.

Interested in buying more than 10? Want to delight your entire team? Want to sell them in your shop? Significant bulk discounts are available. E-mail me for information.

Who's included?

January: Emily MacDonald (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) concentrates on a turn at the 2006 Jackson Park cyclocross ace.

February: Val Brostrom (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) cheers on Josh Radlein (Team Pegasus) at the inaugural IRO Sprints, a fixed-fork roller contest held at The Mutiny.

March: Many riders said a prayer as they wiped out on "Amen Corner" at the inaugural Glencoe Grand Prix, but not Francine Haas (Alberto's), who takes the turn as smooth as can be.

April: The P/1/2 field rumbles over the fabled brick of the Hillsboro-Roubaix.

May: Torrential rains made for a slick, messy Snake Alley Criterium in Burlington, Iowa.

June: The Cat 4 field enjoys a beautiful night for racing at the Northbrook Velodrome.

July: Amanda Eaken (Metromint) digs up one of Alpine Valley's difficult climbs in pursuit of a dangerous break. Eaken's efforts paid off, catching the break and resulting in a 4th for herself and victory for teammate Jane Robertson.

August: Rob White (PCW) shows what cycling is all about as he guts out a wet and wild Downers Grove elite national championship.

September: An Abercrombie & Fitch rider is one of dozens to slide out over a wet weekend in Downers Grove.

October: The mens' P/1/2 field climbs up the hill at the Whitnall Park Road Race.

November: Riders leap over the barriers at the 2006 Jackson Park cyclocross race.

December: Even with 10 inches of snow, the bicycle is the best way to get around Chicago, and it's weather like this that makes Chicago cyclists so tough.

So you've joined a team. Great! Now all you have to do is show up at races and together you'll be an invincible band of brothers, right?

Not so fast, sparky. The most rewarding benefit of belonging to an amateur team, camaraderie, doesn't happen overnight. You're going to be "the new guy" for awhile, especially on larger teams with open memberships, and some teammates may wait until you've proven yourself as a responsible rider and capable athlete before they totally trust you on the road and consider you their friend and ally.

Here are some things you can do to facilitate a good team experience:

Join early: Our season doesn't start until March and doesn't peak until July, but don't wait until then to join a team. Pre-season is the best time to get to know your team. More important, teams put in their uniform orders at the beginning of the year. You may be stuck racing in your Pearl Izumi if you join too late.

Go on the training rides: Most teams host their own group rides. Go. If people aren't chatting you up, it's not because they don't like you. They just don't know who you are yet. Introduce yourself. Compliment people on their bikes. Many a beautiful friendship has started with, "Is that Campy you've got goin' on down there?"

Be social: If your team has social nights, go to them. If it doesn't, propose one. The magic words are: "First pitcher's on me."

Go online: Online forums or mailing lists are a great way to get to know who's who on your team, especially in the dark months when we're not on the road as much as we'd like. Participate as much as you can without getting fired, even if it's just a "Hey, I'm the new guy on the blue Orbea. Can't wait to ride with you."

Race: Duh. Race. Race lots. You'll be surprised how well you'll know someone once you've raced with them. Carpool if possible. Nothing bonds riders quite like a four-hour trip to a road race. And a teammate who entrusts his changing towel to you is a teammate who will trust you with anything.

Any other thoughts on getting integrated into your new team?

• » In the wake of Sunday's calamitous marathon, anyone who has ever run a marathon or so much as watched one is suddenly an armchair physiologist. Fortunately we have Jonathan Dugas (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) and his colleague Ross Tucker to sort the junk from the science at their outstanding Science of Sport. See entries on investigating heatstroke, mitral valve prolapse and the physiology of heat.

• » As teams start to line up sponsors for 2008, it's a good occasion to review this great Smithers post: "If you do get a sponsor then be grateful for whatever they can provide since you don't deserve it anyway." Read it and weep.

• » On the Route is among the Trek outlets sponsoring Saturday's Trek Breast Cancer Awareness Ride. The ride will be a casual 15 miles along the lakefront, starting at 10 a.m. at 1118 S Michigan Ave.

• » Did you know we're required to ride single-file within Chicago? I learned this and more at Jim Freeman's excellent Chicago Bicycle Laws blog, an offshoot of LJ's Bicycle Blog.

• » Don't forget that Sunday is the Dick Herron Memorial Ride & Walk to commemorate the cyclists and pedestrians killed in traffic.
  

The second weekend of the Fall Fling brought perfect July weather to the Chicago area: high 80s and humid, and riders wilted in the heat, especially in the shelterless expanse of the road race course.

Host ABD exploited the crosswinds (Don't say I didn't warn you!) to create a separation in the 1/2 race, but eventually most of the field came back together, leading to Josh Carter (ABD) and Rob White (PCW) sprinting away to take 1-2. Despite many attempts no break would stay off in the next day's criterium, and again Carter would win ahead of White, but it wouldn't be enough to make up for the extra points White earned the first weekend.

Riding in the same group were the 3's, with Tomasz Boba (WDT) and Cory Hickman (Project 5) taking turns beating one another. The difference in the overall would come down to the initial time trial, with Boba coming away with a five-point margin of victory.

Why have I gone all year without hearing about Alex Voitek (Turin)? He rode away from the criterium last weekend, then was an engine in a four-man break that got away halfway through Saturday's road race (and thus avoided the usual last-lap 4's carnage). But after twice finishing second to Voitek, Ryan Cooper (ABD) finally finished ahead of Voitek in Sunday's criterium, giving himself the overall win. Voitek didn't compete in the time trial, and one wonders whether that could have been the difference.

Eric Christiansen (Unattached): Your table in the 4's is ready for you. Welcome.

I had predicted an exciting wrap-up in the 40+, but I got the players wrong. Wayne Simon (Colavita) and Ben-Jamin Widoff (Powerbar) scored big points in the road race, then finished high enough on Sunday to leap past Mike Jones (MetCycling) into a tie for the overall. Simon took it, thanks to having finished one spot ahead of Widoff in the series' final race. (Mark McCrimmon (D'Arcy) had a hard fall in the road race and has the nasty, heart-breaking photos to prove it. Speedy recovery, Mark.)

The 50+ was just as tight. Tom Doughty (AMD/Discovery) and Fabio Orlandi (Paddle Your Own Canoe) woke up Sunday tied for first, and it was Doughty finishing in 4th ahead of Orlandi's 6th to lock up the overall.

Your three participants in the women's open series: Jessi Prinner (ABD), Irene Pang (ABD) and Marilyn Powell (ABD). Your road race results: Prinner, Pang, Powell. Your criterium results: Prinner, Pang, Powell. Your overall results: Prinner, Pang, Powell. (Are you down with PPP? Yeah, you know ABD!)

The women's 4's contest was livelier, with Cecile Redoble (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) summoning help from teammates in her bid to defend the leader's jersey she earned with the time trial. Lynne Arrigoni (Skypoint Chiropractic) proved too much, however, winning all three mass-start races to take the overall by a mere two points.

Two other notes on the Fall Fling:

First, I'm told there were several disqualifications for yellow-line violations. I applaud this. While a yellow-line violation did not cause July's Proctor fatality, that tragedy reminded us why the rule exists. We need officials and promoters to adopt zero-tolerance policies, and riders, myself included, need to learn to suck it up and deal.

Second, big thanks to WDT for sponsoring the leaders jerseys. We don't have many stage races around here, and having someone visible in yellow adds to the drama and intrigue.

And that, dear friends, is your 2007 road racing season. See you at Parkside ... maybe?

Full road race results. Full criterium results. Full overall results.

Road race reports:
Peter Allen (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4): "I was able to keep them at a good distance for about another lap before I realized my chasing had become fruitless."

Ron Cook (ABD; 3): "I don't really see anybody left behind me so I'm thinking, This is it. I have to make this group or I'm done. "

Ryan Cooper (ABD; 4): "The pace was awesome! All-out just flying in a rotating pace line."

Andy Daley (Team Clif Bar Midwest; 1/2): "This residential development just off Highway 20 should go by the correct name of 'The White Dungeons of Lake Doom.'"

Tamara Fraser (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4): "I saw one of the other women crack and I passed her! Unfortunately, Cecile Redoble (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) wasn't able to outsprint the other racer, and she came in second, with me right behind."

Uwe Krueger (Team Get a Grip Cycles; 3): "Riding a tire for 33 miles with maybe 15 psi in it was slowly wearing me down, the corners were also very tense."

Mark McCrimmon (D'Arcy , 40+): "We were 20 miles into our race when the rider up a bit on my right caught the wheel of the yellow jersey and fell into me while going 25mph in a pack of about 30. Down hard into the oncoming non-closed traffic lane."

Seth Meyer (Team Get a Grip Cycles; 1/2): "Fourth and fifth laps, ABD drilled it in the gutter. I went up to help for a while, and it was actually just as hard rotating through the echelon than being stuck in the gutter and dealing with the crosswinds alone there."

Matt Smith (Big Shark; 3): "I rode in the gutter for a long time with no draft and got dropped. Here I am waiting for people to catch up to me so that I could suck wheel the final two laps."

Matt Waite (Brazen Dropouts; 1/2): "About four Cat 3's in front of me decided to give up and I had to chase."

Criterium race reports:
Ryan Cooper (ABD; 4): "Being able to attack off a pace like that is freakin awesome and kind of sick and just forgetting about the outcome and just racing fast, well that is so much fun!"

Andy Daley (Team Clif Bar Midwest; 1/2): "I tried my darnedest to gallop up the road to glory, but at the bell, I was limping home at the rear of the pack, exhausted and with a shirt pocket full of burnt matches."

Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire; M-40+): "I hung tough the entire way - actually bridged a few gaps and even took a flyer off the front at one point. I was ready to do whatever I needed to in order to secure a high place for Mike Jones (MetCycling) today."

Ed Hernandez (North Branch; 4): "I jumped out of the saddle with ~200m to go. Everything went silent. I kept trying to look for shadows of incoming riders to the left and the right, but there wasn't anyone there. I couldn't even hear the crowd during the sprint. All I kept thinking about is how that finish line was taking its sweet time in coming up to me."

Uwe Krueger (Team Get a Grip Cycles; 3): "The fitting end came when another rider from a previous race decided to hop onto the street and ride the course in reverse right at me while in the final sprint 100 meters from the line."

Seth Meyer (Team Get a Grip Cycles; 1/2): "Three sat on [in the break], and in a terribly disrupting fashion, may I add, letting gaps open in the eight-man group, and one guy tried to attack the move. Seriously? Eight guys with 30 minutes to go in an oval crit and you attack the break?"

Jared Rogers (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; citizens): "Coming up the slight rise between 3 and 4 it happens, people in front of us start blowing up and we get trapped. A convoy of riders on the outside begin to light it up in turn four for the final 200M sprint and there is no way for me to get out."

Matt Smith (Big Shark; 3): "We rode fast, people tried to make breaks, I had to physically remove people from my person at least three times. It was great!"

Both Fall Fling races this weekend are on courses we saw in September: Saturday's road race is the same 8-mile rectangle as the ABR masters national road race championsip, and Sunday's criterium is the same easy, office-park course as last week.

Saturday's weather looks perfect: 80 degrees, sunny, 15 mph wind out of the south. That wind may be enough to let someone drill it down the gutter of the homestretch and relish the field flailing to keep up in their wake. Good times! If this forecast holds, anyone new to racing in the crosswind just needs to remember this: Ride near the gutter in the homestretch, ride near the yellow line (but not over it) on the backstretch.

There are plenty of other Chicago sports distractions on Sunday, including the Chicago Marathon and possibly a baseball game in the afternoon. But this will be the last race of the year, and anyone with a shot at the overall will be sure to be there. Official CBR recommendation: TiVo the game and go get your crit on in Lombard.

Saturday
Fall Fling Road Race
ABR road race
Westlake Village, Ill.
Distance from Chicago: 2 hours

Sunday
Fall Fling Criterium No. 2
ABR criterium
Lombard, Ill.
Distance from Chicago: .5 hour

• » Cross riders will want to note the schedule changes over at the Chicago Cyclocross Cup. To relieve some of the congestion experienced at Jackson Park, women will no longer be mixed in with the masters. In addition, 4's riders will now choose between two fields: An "A" field for licensed riders (or confident one-day licensees) and a "B" field for rookies and other one-day licensees.

• » Kevin Stephens (Project 5) is organizing a winter bike swap for Jan. 19, 2008.

• » Don't forget the Dick Herron Memorial Ride & Walk next Sunday, Oct. 14. The main cermony is at 9:30 a.m. at North Avenue and the lakefront path, and XXX Racing-AthletiCo will be having an earlier gathering in Wicker Park at 7:15 a.m. to remember its fallen teammates.

• » I mentioned the road-rage murder of Tommy McBride last week, but here is a complete archive of press coverage.

Can you feel the excitement in the air? All over Chicago desperate cyclists are poring over the Fall Fling overall standings, trying to figure out which permutations will benefit them in the overall. Double points in this weekend's road race doesn't help. Cycling is easy. Math is hard!

As for the racing, the usual suspects escaped from the men's combined 1/2/3 field at Sunday's criterium in Lombard. Friends, we've been racing for six months. Nobody should be surprised when Scott Pearson (Higher Gear) slips away. As Andy Daley (Team Clif Bar Midwest) knows well, when Pearson makes a move, it's probably the winning move, and the only thing to do is try to grab his wheel and hang on for dear life.

It was Chris Mosola (Delta Faucet) who beat Pearson in the sprint, however, following up on teammate Mark Swartzendruber's thumping in Saturday's time trial. Mosola now sits in second overall but will find his hands full next weekend: Host ABD has him flanked with Jeff Schroetlin in first and Rob Jungels in third, and Rob White (PCW) is no slouch in fourth.

Tomasz Boba (WDT) spends the week with a five-point lead in the 3's.

I understand a crash disrupted the sprint in the 4's race, but that's why it sometimes pays to take a solo flier, as Alex Voitek (Turin) did for the victory. Ryan Cooper (ABD) came in second to take the yellow jersey from time trial winner Reed Oliff (WDT) and open up a nice lead in the overall.

Endure It! Racing is a new cycling/triathlon program that Jason Addante is getting off the ground. It's off to a good start with a strong showing the citizens category, taking three of the top six spots in the time trial and two of the top six spots in the criterium. Mike Will (Endure It! Racing) now sits in second behind Eric Christiansen (Unattached).

There's plenty of other masters action, too, too much for me to wade through, but I'll note that the 40+ battle between Tom Doughty (AMD/Discovery) and Randy Warren (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) should be a fun one to watch play out. Warren got in a three-man break Sunday with strongmen Andy Kerr (Redline) and Robert Kron (Team Mack) but attacked on the climb with one to go and stayed away.

Only three women showed up for Sunday's open field. What's up, ladies? Too busy watching the Bears lose? We'll see if more show up next week to challenge leaders Jessi Prinner (ABD) in the open and Cecile Redoble (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) in the 4's.

Full criterium results.

Race reports:
Ron Cook (ABD; 3): "During the whole breakaway I knew the end was coming sooner or later."

Andy Daley (Team Clif Bar Midwest; 1/2): "A simple plan: Do. Not. Get. Dropped. From. Break. Andy suffers much. Some pulls measure but 10 meters long."

Seth Meyer (Get a Grip; 1/2): "I rode strongly and aggressively and was up there. Maybe next time."

Matt Smith (Big Shark; 3): "Andy did well to stick with the break because they were gone, and the scene behind the break was ugly."

Scott Van Maldegiam (Spin Doctor Cyclewerks; 4): "A rider got off the front and with a lot of riders attacking, most riders didn't realize that there was a rider still off the front until after the race was over. Very impressive performance."

If nothing else, September's alleged road rage incident and the ensuing fallout exposed how much drivers resent our presence on "their" roads.

But while it's important to assert our rights and not be bullied or intimidated, we have to concede this point: There are times when we do a terrible job of sharing the road.

And frankly, I'm sick of being scared that I'll pay violent consequences for someone else's lack of courtesy. I'm tired of drivers laying on the horn because we're spread out over the road. I hate being embarrassed for what my fellow riders are doing.

So let's try to keep a few things in mind as we head out on our group rides:

Ride two abreast. It's the safest way to ride, and it's also the law. There are times when going wider is unavoidable -- pulling off of a double paceline, for example, or passing recreational riders -- but often we do it out of laziness or obvliousness. If there's traffic, try to go single-file when overtaking other riders.

Ride tight. Work on becoming comfortable enough to ride mere inches from the riders around you. Ride close enough that you can converse without raising your voice. Riding tight not only minimizes the amount of the road you take up, but it will make you a better racer, too.

Don't run the red if you don't have to. Don't be greedy. Your interval can wait. If it's not necessary to go through the light, don't. It only antagonizes drivers and gives credence to the myth that we have no respect for safety or the law. Drivers will notice when you wait patiently for that red light to turn, mostly because, to our discredit, it's such a rare sight.

Don't swarm cars at the light. So you get to a red light and there are already cars lined up at the intersection. If you're by yourself, it might be fine to scoot through to the crosswalk. Not so when you're in a group. Too often groups of us weave into the spaces between the cars. This is incredibly dangerous and serves only to piss drivers off, especially when we swarm on both sides. (It's not going to get us anywhere any faster anyhow.)

Spread good karma. Don't hesitate to say "sorry" or give a thankful wave when a car lets you go ahead of your turn. Give a happy "Good morning" to the driver waiting at the light with you. (Personally I'm a fan of saying "Bless you" when I hear a driver sneeze.) Each act of kindness reminds one more person that we are human beings and not targets or obstructions.