It was not long ago that you could count the number of races within Chicago city limits on one hand and still have fingers left to shift.

This year is much different. We still have the old favorites of Monsters on the Midway, Sherman Park and the Beverly Hills Classic, but we now also have the Chicago Criterium to look forward to, and Half Acre kicked off the season with five practice criteriums in March.

And starting June 17, we’ll have six biweekly Wednesday night criteriums held in the shadow of Soldier Field, bringing our total number of road races to 15.

The Soldier Field Cycling Web site made quite a splash when it leaked last week and again when it officially launched Tuesday, but many of us still had questions. To get some answers, I found Joe Gaspar of Spanglish Ideas.

How did the event come to be?
We have a great relationship with the folks that run Soldier Field. We’ve worked closely with them on several projects over the years. The idea for the series was floated at a meeting with them last year and it was met with great enthusiasm by the Soldier Field management.

Soldier Field is best known as the home of the Chicago Bears, but the rest of the year they’re looking for interesting ways to utilize their facilities. They liked the idea of a family-friendly event and the opportunity to bring competitive cycling to a new audience. We can’t say enough about the support that we have received from them.

How involved was the city?
Soldier Field is owned by the Chicago Park District, without them, there is no series. We are also in conversations with different agencies within the city and several advocacy groups.

The biggest question people are asking: Who ARE you guys?
We are an event and marketing company called Spanglish Ideas. A lot of our work has involved soccer-related properties, specifically on the production and marketing side. Cycling is something we’ve always wanted to tackle, and finally the timing was right.

What is your racing background?
First and foremost, we are fans of the sport of cycling, at both the competitive and recreational levels. Some of us have raced, others have only commuted, but we all understand the joy of the bicycle. We also understand that there is a need to grow the sport at the competitive level and that to do so, we need to start by making it more accessible. It has to be easier for kids to get on a bike and go fast and we hope that we can give them a venue to show there stuff. It’s also important that we provide an opportunity for those that are already involved in the sport to practice and develop their skills in a fun, safe and convenient manner.

How long is the course?
The course is a 1 kilometer loop in the South Lot of Soldier Field. It’s the lot where all the Chicago Bears tailgating action takes place.

It’s that time of year again.

Rob Kelley (Bicycle Heaven) reports that a black truck buzzed and brake-checked his group and others as they rode Beith Road near Highway 47 in rural Kane County.

“I thought that Andy Kerr (Village CycleSport) was gone,” he says. “He in fact had gasoline splashed on him from the gas tank of the truck.  It seemed too crazy to be purposeful. Then I started getting calls on my cell from the groups behind us on the road.  The driver had gone after them as well.”

The same truck has harassed cyclists on this stretch before. They have a license plate, and the authorities are involved. If you have more information or can offer a statement, contact the Kane County Sheriff at (630) 232-8400, or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

• » Want a say into if and how an Olympic velodrome is built in Chicago’s parks? Attend this meeting in Douglas Park Saturday morning.
• » The VeloCity track series returns to Kenosha, Wis., on Saturday, June 13.
• » Next week’s Monsters of the Midway has increased its Cat 5 capacity to 100.
• » Some changes in upcoming Wisconsin races: The P/1/2’s will do a few more laps at Baraboo Saturday, and Wheels on Willy has been moved off Williamson Street and over the the capitol. The flier for LaRue-Denzer-LaRue — formerly known as Leland Grand Prix, in turn formerly known as the Denzer Delight, in turn formerly known as Circuit of Sauk II — is out and a new start/finish area is located off the traditional route, meaning fields will do the loop one less time but will have a separate extension to do. Total mileage remains the same.
• » Burnham Racing will host a recovery ride down the lakefront the first Monday of each month and invites you to sashay with them, starting this Monday.
• » Mike Vail (ABD) is riding across the country to raise money for affordable housing.
• » Your first crash porn of the year: Handlebar video from a crash in California.
• » Dave Fowkes asks that I direct your attention to the Great Greenway Tour, a recreational ride near Muncie, Ind., on July 25.

Lots of racing options this weekend, including our first suburban crit. Here’s what I know:

Saturday’s Circuit of Sauk near Baraboo, Wis., is a long haul but I’ve always found it to be worth the trip. VeloNews even named it as one of 63 “must-do” races. Each of its scenic, 15-mile laps throws two challenging climbs at us. They aren’t particularly long, but they are steep, especially for urban flatlanders such as ourselves, and they are more than capable of popping riders off the back. Here’s an elevation chart from the 2005 edition. (The course has changed slightly since then, but the main hills are the same.) The first climb is harder because after a short reprieve the road continues to pitch upward. The second climb, on the other hand, is followed by a long, windy but safe descent that can give some riders a chance to catch back on if they’ve been dropped.

Two tips for these climbs: Switch to your small chainring before you start going up. Wait too long and you risk dropping your chain. Second, keep your head up and mind what the riders ahead of you are doing. Many will start to do the “paperboy weave” as they crack, and others will drift backward as they rise out of the saddle. This is not a time to worry about the draft. Find a lane and don’t let anyone disrupt your rhythm.

Sunday’s Vernon Hills crit is a milelong, mostly circuit with gentle corners. It’s in an exposed park so wind can be a factor, but Sunday’s forecast calls for sunny skies and minimal breeze. Note that the Cat 5 field is filled via pre-registration.

Saturday’s Circuit of Sauk USCF road race Baraboo, Wis. Distance from Chicago: 3.5 hours Previous wrap-ups: 2009

Fat and Skinny Tire Fest Road Race USCF road race Winona Lake, Ind. Distance from Chicago: 3 hours

Sunday Vernon Hills Grand Prix USCF criterium Vernon Hills, Ill. Distance from Chicago: 1 hour Previous wrap-ups: 2009

Kenosha Business Park Criterium ABR criterium Kenosha, Wis. Distance from Chicago: 1.5 hours

Fat and Skinny Tire Fest Road Race USCF criterium Winona Lake, Ind. Distance from Chicago: 3 hours

Cone Azalia Classic Road Race USCF road race Milan, Mich. Distance from Chicago: 4 hours

 

Word leaked out last week, but now its Web site is out for good: Soldier Field Cycling will be a Wednesday evening series of sanctioned races in a Soldier Field parking lot.  Think Matteson, but closer and with separate fields for women and juniors.

And that’s about all I know. Am chasing more info and will post again when I have it.

 

The crits of August can have their blue skies and dry roads. It's spring, and no spring campaign is complete without a few races held in what meteorologists refer to as "the suck."

Take Saturday's Leland Kermesse. Host Flatlandia promised Belgian-like conditions, but mostly that was in reference to a milelong stretch of gravel. Little did they know that mother nature would visit with Merckx-ian fury. Indeed, the much-ballyhooed gravel was the easiest stretch of the course. Road bikes had no trouble navigating the two smooth, packed-down lines left by years of cars and tractors. The limited line made it difficult to come around cracked riders, but not impossible. And riding straight into the headwind was almost a reprieve from the vicious crosswinds. Save for the absence of thousands of screaming fans, it was easy to pretend you were barreling through the Arenberg. The crosswinds. A steady 20 mph breeze from the south -- with gusts to 30 -- slammed riders into the gutter for the first 4 miles of the course. You had to lean at what felt like a 45-degree angle just to stay upright. Few fields made it through intact. In a combined 1/2 and 3 race, a suspiciously tan Mark Swartzendruber (Verizen Wireless) can be blamed for a tempo that reduced his race to 10 riders by the first turn north. He'd drill it again over the gravel, reducing the lead group again to just six riders. This group would stick for the balance of the race. In it were two 3's: Ben-Jamin Widoff (Team Powerbar) and Al Urbanski (Chicago Cuttin' Crew). If it were me in their shoes, I'd have sat in and enjoyed the ride, but Swartzendruber tells me they took more than their share of pulls. And then the sky darkened. The wind picked up, hail strafed the riders and furious bolts of lightning struck what felt like mere meters from the road. With just a few miles left, Widoff attacked. Urbanski followed. The remaining 1/2's gave them the ol' "Not our field" shrug and they were off. Urbanski created a gap on the now slick and muddy gravel stretch (shown above) and held it all the way to the line to take an impressive overall victory. Behind them, Swartzendruber again drilled it over the gravel, but he was unable to shake the others, and Jim Flora (South Chicago Wheelmen) sprinted for the 1/2 win. Earlier races had their share of wetness, too, and broke up in similar fashion. In the 30+/40+ open, Matt Smith (Burnham Racing) and Jeff Wat (Burnham Racing) thought they were on easy street after they successfully made the first selection and noticed that they were the only youngsters there, giving them an inside line on the 30+. Unbeknown to them, 56-year-old former Olympian Tom Doughty (Amgen/Giant Masters) had cheekily registered as a 30+. Doughty was able to break off with 40+ winner Dan Verner (PACT/Dish Network) to start the final lap to take the 30+ win. Other results of note: Roselle's Alex Bolivar (Venezuela) soloed away for the 4's win, having whittled the race down to just him and cyclocross specialist Ben Popper (Killjoy), who no doubt was right at home in the dirt. XXX Racing-AthletiCo took five of the top 10 spots in the 5's behind a win from Chris Koster Fay. XXX Racing-AthletiCo also constituted three of the four women's open riders, finishing 1-2-3 with Jeanette Schrand in 1st. The women's 4's field was not much larger, with Janette Rho (Bouledogue Tout Noir) taking the win. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We're lucky to have a course like this so close to the city, and I hope it returns next year with even bigger fields. I do worry about the width of the roads: The fracturing of fields kept things safe, but it would be a different story if, say, a field of 80 were to stick together. Fortunately there was good visibility and little traffic, and none of the blind corners or rollers that we get at Hillsboro. In other action this weekend, a few locals traveled to Iowa City, Iowa, to race. In Saturday's road race, Chris Padfield (Team Get a Grip Cycles) picked up 8th in the 3's and Jessi Prinner (ABD) got 2nd in the women's open. Sunday saw Padfield's teammates Aspen Gorry and Ben LaForce go 2-4 in the 3's bunch sprint. In Wisconsin, Ricardo Otero (WDT-Allvoi) finally got that elusive win, picking up the 30+ 3/4 in Muskego. Mike Heagney (Vision Quest) placed 2nd in the 30+ 1/2/3. Brian Haas (Alberto's) got 5th in that race, and Francine Haas (Alberto's) placed 2nd in the women's open. Not too many Chicagoans made it to Sheboygan for its rain-soaked crit on Sunday, but you will not want to miss John Wilke's photos

Full Saturday results Muskego Spring Criterium Iowa City Road Race

Full Sunday results Fon du Lac & Oshkosh Cyclery Criterium Old Capitol Criterium

Leland Kermesse race reports Ted Burger (Flatlandia): "Now the goose bumps set in. The rain is pouring down, mud is everywhere, and Al is putting down the hammer. I scramble to find my camera to record this moment of beauty."

Kevin Butler (Wheel Fast Racing; 4): "It was the 2001 stage to Pla d'Adet all over again."

Carlos Flanders (Unattached; 4): "The exceptionally high winds and threatening conditions made life exceptionally hard, but there was some indefinable charm about the race."

Jeff Holland (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): "I'd occasionally catch someone, or get caught, work together, but never was able to work for more than 3/4 of a lap with someone. I suffered in the wind mostly alone."

Joe Kallo (Team Tati; 5): "I jumped out of the line into the headwind and heard two people shout 'TATI left!' Ah, now that sounded nice."

Bob Murray (Beverly Bike/Vee-Pak; 5): "I was headed into the wind doing 13-14 just dying."

Ben Popper (Killjoy; 4): "I sped up into the corner, took it fast and stood up with the wind, hammer down."

Julie Popper (Half Acre Cycling; W-4): "I looked around me at the lightening striking the nearby fields and the rain driving in the blustery winds. Now this is a spring classic."

Luke Seemann (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): "Lightning struck to the west. I crouched as aero as possible so I wouldn’t be the tallest rider out there. "

Ben Van Couvering (Team Pegasus; 4): "There was no way I was going to let my brain end my race when my body could still keep going."

Mike Shea (Spider Monkey Cycling; 4): "Because everyone wanted to be out of the wind, no one would create an echelon."

James Slauson (Bicycle Heaven, 1/2): "The 1,2,3 fields were combined for into a five-lap race. That was plenty, I promise you."

Al Urbanski (Chicago Cuttin' Crew; 3): "That shit was tailor made."

Leland Kermesse photos Ted Burger Amy Dykema Project 5 Racing

Fon fu Lac & Oshkosh Cyclery Criterium race reports William Pankonin (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4/5, 30+ 4/5): "A pool of over rim-high water flooded the back stretch of the course, and water streamed down Evergreen Park’s elevation and across the road."

Matt Stevenson (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 5, 4/5): "My legs were like frozen hams that refused to move."

You're in a road race and you get popped. It happens. Someone turns the screw, you can't cover a gap and suddenly you're wondering where everyone went. We've all been there. (My first season, I was there a lot.)

It's lonely off the back. You're dejected, you're tired and you still have 30 miles to ride without the benefit of a draft. Suddenly a train of riders comes up your left. Wahoo! Free ride! Do you hop on? No, not if they're not the same field as you. More than likely they're a higher category or a masters field. Your day is done, but they're still racing. Why is it bad form to integrate? First, it's cheating. You're getting help that you're not entitled to. Chances are they'll pull you up to the next straggler on the road, thus improving your placement. And if you take any pulls, you're giving them help that they are not entitled to, which is grounds for relegation. Second: Sorry, you're just not welcome. It's not that you're not a nice guy or a strong rider, but for all they know your skills may still need some refining. The fast guys you caught on with don't want their paceline interfered with by an inexperienced rider who can't hang on to his own field. If you're not an expert in echeloning, for example, a small mistake can bring everyone down. Don't take it personally. Just be patient and wait until you find riders with race numbers from the same series as you. And then destroy them in the sprint.

Superweek organizers announced Friday that Milwaukee's lakefront courses will return this summer.

These courses were last used in 2005 but have been unavailable for construction. A 4.2 mile circuit will be contested on Wednesday, July 22, and the lower categories will race a shorter version on Thursday, July 16. I remember these being very fun, spectator-friendly courses, including steep kickers and gorgeous views of Milwaukee's lakefront.

The Tour de Champaign, which we learned about in January, has released its flier for the July 11-12 criteriums. Registration is available at Truesport: Saturday, Sunday.

• » Clear your Wednesdays. (More info to come.)
• » Several times each summer, some dick on the radio will go off on cyclists, who in turn will raise a ruckus, and it is all very depressing and ridiculous. In Wisconsin, however, bike advocates did something productive with the situation.
• » Registration is open for June 13's Sherman Park Criterium. Meanwhile, there are as of this post two no spots left in the Monsters of the MIdway Cat 5's. The Cat 5 field at Vernon Hills Grand Prix is full, too.
• » Current Snake Alley start lists are up.
• » Team Beer'd, I just don't know what to say.
• » "Amazing Race" host Phil Keoghan is riding across the country to raise money to fight multiple sclerosis. He'll appear at Pipers Alley at 8 a.m. Saturday, with a ride afterward.

I understand it was a good weekend of racing at the Greg Bednorski Memorial Criteriums in Madison, Wis., if you could avoid the rain and a few harrowing final-turn crashes.

RIcardo Otero (WDT-Allvoi) has uncannily picked up just where he left off last season by coming in 2nd in both the weekend's masters 3/4 races. Hillsboro winner Danny Robertson (Team Mack) continued his tear, winning the 3's Saturday in a bunch sprint. Molly Godlewski (Chicago Cuttin' Crew) won the women's 4's Sunday, her second win of the year. Meanwhile, teammate Mike Morell hit the top 10 both days in the 4's: 3rd on Saturday and 9th Sunday. Chicago's juniors represented well, with Chazz Martin (IS Corps) winning the 4's on Saturday and Brandon Feehery (South Chicago Wheelmen) coming in 5th in the 3's, this after Kaleb Koch (IS Corps) and Feehery went 1-2 in the 15-18. On Sunday, Adam Kosela (PACT-Dish Network) got 3rd in the 15-18 and 4th in the 3's. Full Saturday results. Full Sunday results.

Race reports Chicago Cuttin' Crew (W-4, 4): "Wits always help, but Molly also has the ability to back them skills with sheer strength."

Rob Curtis (Bicycle Heaven; 4, 30+ 4/5): "I made a joke about the race going into the toilet. No one laughed. No one got it."

Aspen Gorry (Team Get a Grip Cycles; 3): "Standing on the line in the freezing rain for the few minutes before the sent us off was enough to get soaked and chilled to the bone."

Martin Michalowicz (Team MS Racing; 5, 30+ 4/5): "I stood up sprinted away with not one person to follow me. Obviously, I didn't have a target on my jersey. Nobody seemed to care."

Hard times call for hard men, women and juniors. This Saturday Flatlandia obliges us with a hard race indeed, the Leland Kermesse, a circuit that should leave no field intact.

For some insight into the event, I hit up the team's Ted Burger. Who would have imagined such a cruel course could come from such a nice guy?

How did this race end up in Leland? It's near Paw Paw, Ill., where the team's sensei (Jason Wagner) was the promoter of the 40km TT when he rode for another team. So we knew the area would be great for a windy road race, but we did not pick Leland till after a reconnaissance trip during the winter.

Illinois is a notoriously difficult state to get a road race off the ground. How hard was it to secure this location? Leland was very easy to work with and the race is part of their 150-year celebration. We hope that over the years the popularly this event will grow to complement that great event that hapens in Hillsboro every year, and maybe we will have our own humble version of the Cobbled Classics here in the Midwest.

When I heard you had a 1-mile stretch of gravel in store for us, I was imagining something no more challenging than a typical ride up the destroyer of wheels we call Sheridan Road. But your video makes it looking like a freakin' moonscape. Perfect. That was the goal!

What's it like to ride? The gravel section is a real beast and should `There will be no chase on the last lap, only regrets.’not be taken lightly, but it is totally rideable. It will be treacherous and someone from XXX will cry (my money is on Mike Kirby), but we completely expect road bikes to go the distance. Albeit with larger tires; I would think 700x25's at 95psi would be ideal. Big gaps should occur since riders will have to pick a line, but the good news is you have 9 windy miles of pavement to chase back on if need be.

Any advice? Keep in mind that the 1-mile gravel section ends about 1/4 mile from the finish, so there will be no chase on the last lap, only regrets. My other advice would be to arrive early to preride the gravel section (please go the direction of the race, i.e. southbound). As you know I am a really big fan of the preride.

Will there be follow vehicles in case any of us pull a Hincapie? There should be support vehicles for all races --wheels in, wheels out -- mostly in thanks to our sponsor VW of Countryside.

If it rains, will you guys be out there with ShamWows drying it up for us? Race is on rain or shine, no ShamWows. (Did you know they are made in Germany?!)

For those unfamiliar with the term, how would you define a "kermesse"? Kermesse translates in Flemish to carnival, like town carnival. The way I understand it, back in the day, to help get folks to the carnival, they would hold a bike race on a certain night to help earn money for the carnival owners. Folks would come out to see the race and buy some cotton candy. I don’t think all kermesses today are necessary associated with a carnival per se, but the name stuck.

I guess that makes you the carney. What are you guys doing to embody that spirit? We are embodying that spirit only by the fact that our course is roughly the same length -- 16km -- and it incorporates both the town and local farm roads, not to mention the wind `The fact that our race incorporates the gravel I think is a huge homage to a kermesse.’and flatness of those roads. In other words, the race is easily accessible to the town folks. It is part of Leland’s 150-year anniversary but no carnival is happening on April 25th. It would be fun to have that in the future. All that being said, we are certainly using some poetic license in calling the race a kermesse. The fact that our race incorporates the gravel I think is a huge homage to a kermesse. The way I understand it, kermesses in Belgium do not mess around, and bring in all the elements of the town. Over there it’s mainly with pavé. And in Belgium there is just one category. That’s the direction I would like to see our race go.

Will you get to race this bad boy yourself? It would not really be fair for the participants if I race. I have such a complete understanding of every detail of this course, if I was really racing I would just ride way from the pack never to be seen again till the podium girls dirty my checks. In all seriousness, maybe ... but my race calender is already chock-full of great excuses for my poor performance, the best being: My newborn son is way too fun to focus on racing. See attached photo of why I will forever stay at Base 2. The kermesse will be a strong man's race and I would just get in the way. I will be far better suited with a coffee thermos, mesh vest and a little flag, and leave the racing to the Al Urbanski's (Chicago Cuttin' Crew) of the world.

OMG, I'm not even into babies but that's the cutest picture I've ever seen.

The spring race schedule is a funny thing in Chicago: We get so worked up for Hillsboro-Roubaix, but then it's almost a month before there's another local race.

There's nothing local this weekend, but there are options within driving distance. Madison hosts two days of the Greg Bednorski Memorial Criterium, and the Indiana season kicks off with the Ceraland Classic on Saturday and the Mooresville Criterium on Sunday. Both of those are a bit of a trek, but if you go, don't forget the time change. (At every Indiana race there will be at least one Chicagoan who shows up 10 minutes before his start because he forgot about the time zone. Don't let it be you!)

Saturday Greg Bednorski Memorial No. 1 Madison, Wis. USCF criterium Distance from Chicago: 2.5 hours

Ceraland Classic Columbis, Ind. ABR criterium Distance from Chicago: 4 hours

Sunday Greg Bednorski Memorial No. 2 Madison, Wis. USCF criterium Distance from Chicago: 2.5 hours

Moorseville Criterium Moorseville, Ind. ABR criterium Distance from Chicago: 3.5 hours

Wisconsin's Tour of America's Dairyland has opened registration for this year's inaugural series.

We're getting seven criteriums, two road races and a rest day on the Monday. Registering for the entire series saves you about $30. The road races look interesting: Fond du Lac's 10.3-mile route has lots of short kickers, and near Greenbush there will be a hilly 9.8-mile course through the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Other highlights include a circuit in Waterloo, the popular Giro de Grafton twilight criterium and Milwaukee's Downer Avenue course that is always a hit at Superweek. Masters races start at 35+. Unfortunately there are no races for juniors or women 4's.

• » Your masters road national championship schedule.
• » Fact: No one uses a velodrome in the city of Chicago. But there's a funny reason why.
• » Why are attempts at satire like this one so unfunny? Because of hit-and-run attacks like this one, which this weekend nearly killed an Iowa cyclist and sponsor of the Punk Rock Cycling team.
• » XXX Racing-AthletiCo invites women cyclists to its April 26 open house.
• » There have been some kinks in CBR's account activation process. If you've created a new account but have not received an activiation e-mail, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and I'll attend to it.

Alberto's is once again hosting a series of clinics for women, both for recreational riders and for racers.

Racers will cover group riding, handling skills and cornering. The three-Wednesday series starts May 6 and costs $35. It's a good opportunity to pick up some skills and confidence as well as to meet other women cyclists.

• » The first Illinois Cup standings are online.
• » Half Acre Cycling is hosting a Paris-Roubaix viewing party Sunday at Black Rock.
• » Active Transportation Alliance invites members to an evening with Robbie Ventura (Vision Quest) on April 16.
• » The men's Cat 5 field for May 16's Monsters of the Midway is more than half full.
• » In what I believe is his first victory as a pro, XXX Racing-AthletiCo and ABD alum Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies) won Stage 2 of the Tour of Uruguay. With five stages to go he leads the overall by 8 seconds.
• » A student at Illinois Institute of Technology wants to know what you're looking for in a powermeter.
• » Longtime messenger and racer Nico Westlund (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) has come up with Hot Doug Drop, a delivery-by-bicycle service for Chicago's finest hot dog stand. Gapers Block, however, reports that owner Doug Sohn didn't relish the idea, and the service is on hiatus.
• » Minnesota's prestigious Nature Valley Grand Prix is now invitation-only for women.
• » North Branch Cycling is looking for someone who can help it with its Web site. E-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) if you have experience and can help.

Some notes from another exciting edition of Hillsboro-Roubaix, which on Saturday saw record numbers tackle the rough roads and rougher bricks:

• » I never bother with spare wheels in road races. At our level, what maniac honestly thinks he can catch back on after changing a wheel? Meet two such maniacs: The first was Al Urbanski (Chicago Cuttin' Crew), who flatted out of the 3's break and, with 10 miles to go, chased solo into the headwind to regain contact. He still had enough gas to throw down some attacks and would hold on for an impressive fourth. Then in the P/1/2 race, three-time runner-up Brian Jensen (Tradewind Energy/Trek Stores) flatted in the final few miles and not only caught back on to the remaining break but came around to win by a healthy 7 seconds (above). Truly, two heroic performances.
• » Chicago native Rebecca Much (Webcor Builders) paid us a visit and walked away with a victory in the women's P/1/2/3 race, attacking on the final climb out of a five-woman break. Among her breakmates was junior Jessi Prinner (ABD). Meanwhile, Kristen Meshberg (Team BH USA) won the field sprint for 6th.
• » Young Danny Robertson (Team Mack) of Rolling Meadows is showing good form. After two top-10 finishes at the Spring Super Crit, he won out of the break in said 3's race, then won the 3/4's race Sunday in the Tilles Park Criterium in St. Louis.
• » The complexion of the 3's race changed when, with riders strewn from gutter to gutter, an official neutralized the pack just as a group of about 10 was coming together off the front. His scolding was brief and I'm not sure anyone came to a complete stop, but it was just enough to enable the break to get out of sight. The field would lose momentum three more times: Twice for cars in its path, and once for a confusing pass of some masters riders.
• » Something needs to give on the centerline. Enforcement is too spotty to be effective, and there are many stretches where it simply is not tenable to use less than half the road. Surely I'm a dreamer, but how impossible would it be to close traffic between Miles 2 and 11? It's those 9 miles that are the dodgiest. At the very least, would it be practical to close that stretch to oncoming traffic?
• » How big were these packs? Big. 121 started the P/1/2 race. (54 finished.) At 97, this was the biggest 3's field I'd ever been a part of. Here's video of the P/1/2 field on the first lap. (I understand some crashes followed not long after.) Here are the 3's starting their second lap.
• » Chicago riders went 2-3-4 in the 50+ race: Wayne Simon (Verdigris), Stuart Grinell (ISCorp) and Tom Doughty (Amgen/Giant Masters), respectively, all members of a five-man break that finished 3 minutes up on the chase group and an astounding 11 minutes up on the field. In the 40+, our top finishers were Michael Zellman (Verizon Wireless) in 1st and Brian Haas (Alberto's) in 3rd.
• » In the womens' 4's race, Chicago riders took home two bricks: Jeanette Schrand (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) in 2nd and Leah Sanda (Flatlandia) in 3rd, and Elgin's Josh Crane (ABD) took the juniors U15, with Samuel Bianchi (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) in 2nd.
• » In the run-up to April 4, more than one person said to me, "Just so long as we beat St. Louis." By my accounting, St. Louis riders won only one race: Kristin Moore (Big Shark) in the women's 4's. Mission accomplished!
• » Hooray for perfect weather!
• » And three cheers for for the chip timing, a pleasant and well-run surprise. Sprints still needed to be decided by the human observers and cameras, but it sure was nice to have the next 100 placings posted -- with acceptable accuracy -- within a few minutes, instead of waiting all afternoon as officials squinted at video in order to pick 47th from 48th place.

Photos John Bennett Bill Cahill Dennis Fickinger Rachel Pomberg Matt Smith

Race reports Jim Brady (Pony Shop; 40+): "I started just counting down the miles... one... at... a... time."

Doug Braun (Tower Racing; 40+): "I was in a really good position when my rear wheel exploded."

Erik Didriksen (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4): "As we hit the feed zone my arch nemesis Gravity started to tug at my seatpost."

Elvis Falbo (Beverly Bike/Vee-Pak; 4): "On my way up the final climb I saw one racer walking his bike up inch by inch with the bike between his legs."

Ryan Fay (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 5): "I kept my composure down the hill and over the brick. I got back on the other rider’s wheel at the final turn and with about 200M to go, I hit the gas as hard as I could."

Steve Driscoll (Team Mack; 3): "Screaming downhill on the bricks and rough pavement, the hardware in my legs could not take all of the jarring."

Tamara Fraser (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; W-P/1/2/3): "take the corner hot and sneak a look behind me--I still have a good gap!"

Waylon Janowiak (WDT-Allvoi; 3): "No excuses but I felt like hell that last lap."

Chris Kinonen (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): "Why is half the field on the left side of the road?"

Rich Kisseloff (Dogfish; 3): "Ride, turn, accelerate, catch up, turn, accelerate, turn, hit afterburners, recover, turn, bridge gap, fight headwind, recover."

Ryan Knapp (Panther/RGF; P/1/2): "The rubber band was thoroughly stretched in the front, but we couldn't seem to get another group to break off and catch the six just up the road."

Ben LaForce (Team Get a Grip Cycles; 3): "The one time a year when the midwesterner gets to try their hand at a spring classic of their own."

John Meyers (ABD; P/1/2): "About 4-5 minutes passed before I got my wheel change, and I said screw it."

Brian Morrissey (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4): "First-race jitters kept me from going out on my own, like I'd told myself I would at least try."

Rebecca Much (Webcor Builders; W-P/1/2/3): "You never know how races are going to play out in a local fied, but this race was probably one of the most fun and aggressive races I’ve ever witnessed, which was delighting!"

Avi Neurohr (Chicago Cuttin' Crew; 4): "Uh, plenty of room up here if you want to show us how it's done."

Madeleine Puissant (Team BH USA; W-P/1/2/3): "I tried a few more attacks but Kenda and Mercy were quick to react."

Rob Ragfield-Schofield (Wild Card Cycling; 4): "Midway up I had to slow way down. I just got stuck behind the wrong people."

Joe Schubert (Half Acre Cycling; 4): "I'm riding all-out trying to make up lost ground and tuning out the unholy chatter of carbon on brick."

Luke Seemann (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): "As we headed down the final 400 meters, my mind did a quick catalog of all the sprints I’d lost. This is an extensive catalog."

Mike Sherer (Alderfer Bergen; P/1/2): "I was cramping in places I didn't know I could even cramp."

Team Tati (4, W-4): "Undaunted, our long-limbed theologian shouldered his bike 'cross style and remounted only on the descent."

Steve Tilford (Tradewind Energy/Trek Stores; P/1/2): "I was riding up the hill and somehow a cone ended up in my front wheel and I instantly went over the bars."

Al Urbanski (Chicago Cuttin' Crew; 3): "I flatted right at the same part I attacked last year. Am I doomed to torture by the final 8 miles of merciless crosswinds every year?"

Kristen Wentworth (Team Kenda; W-P/1/2/3): "With a small hill approaching and the crosswinds blowing, I attacked hard and hammered up the hill."

Hillsboro enjoyed its best weather in years, and Chicago area riders came home with enough bricks to pave a small patio. Winners included Rebecca Much (Webcor Builders) in the women's open, Michael Zellman (Verizon Wireless) in the 40+ and Danny Robertson (Team Mack) in the 3's.

Full wrap-up to come. Thanks to chip timing, results are already posted: men's, women and juniors.

Because of weather, Sunday's Greg Bednorski Memorial Criterium in Madison, Wis., has been canceled. The Great Dane Velo Club says it will now put on crits on Saturday and Sunday, April 18-19.

The John Fraser Memorial Time Trial has been postponed, too, tentatively rescheduled for May 2. Once again, the same dreaded prescription as last week: Enjoy your trainer time.

• » Half Acre Cycling wants to know what you thought about last week's Calumet Park crits.
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• » Lately I've been enjoying Cycling Tips Blog, and Jes Cisneros (North Branch) tells me he's been liking The Esthetecyclist.
• » Local product Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies) takes us inside his crib. The good life!
• » I'm delighted to have had a run of advertising support. I'm grateful for their support, and you too can support me by supporting them. ABD Cycling and CycleAnalyze Training Systems were two of my earliest advertisers. Chicago Cycling Forums is your place to say all the things I won't let you say here. Super Week returns this with two straight weeks of racing. Flatlandia brings us the Leland Kermesse on April 25, and the University of Chicago Velo Club hosts the Monsters of the Midway May 16. The Lake Geneva Lodge is a bike-friendly vacation home in Lake Geneva. And soon joining them all will be the Tour of America's Dairyland, a new weeklong series of races in June.