Some highlights from this weekend’s ABD masters criteriums in Wood Dale:

• » Verizon Wireless saved its best for last. In Monday’s 40+ 1/2/3, Mark Swartzendruber soloed away, enabling teammate Dave Stone to sprint for 2nd out of the first of many chase groups. As a light rain started ahead of the 30+ race, Swartzendruber was quickly in street clothes, meaning Michael Zellman was on his own. No matter: A group of three formed about halfway through, and Zellman wound up a long sprint from the final corner to win.
• » Break specialist Scott Pearson (Comcast/Higher Gear) picked up the overall in the 30+. Although he missed Monday’s break, his 2nd and 1st the previous days had pretty much secured the win by then.
• » David Hudson (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) raced six times over the weekend and never finished outside the top 10, winning the 30+ 5’s overall and placing 5th in the overall for 40+ 5’s. The top 40+ 4 was Bob Karlow (Verdigris), who won two of the three races.
• » There was minor scandal in that 40+ 4’s field when it turned out that one of the top finishers was a few years shy of 40. Upon discovery, ABD struck his results and adjusted the tables accordingly.
• » The 50+ was as competitive as expected, with the usual suspects near the top. Masters national champion Wayne Simon (Verdigris) didn’t get a win, but accrued enough omnium points to nip Tom Doughty (Amgen/Masters) in the overall. Teammate Christian Zauner picked up the 40+, giving Verdigris three overall victories.

Full Saturday results. Full Sunday results. Full Monday results. Full overall results.

Saturday race reports
Andy Daley (Burnham Racing; 30+ 1/2/3): “It was simply attack, break gets off, break gets chased down, someone counters, another break gets away, break gets chased down, etc.”

Debbie Dust (PACT/Dish Network; 50+): “Lots of them are very strong, smart racers

— some current and former national and state champions —

so it was definitely going to be hard. (Fine with me!)”

Ed Hernandez (North Branch; 30+ 1/2/3): “Forget EPO, I had me some DPO

—

Druber Potential Optimization. I have come to play, fellas!”

Mark Swartzendruber (Verizon Wireless; 40+ 1/2/3, 30+ 1/2/3): “My faith has been fully restored in masters racing.”

Monday race reports
Debbie Dust (PACT/Dish Network; 50+): “My favorite quote of the day? Tom Doughty, making an observation as Fabio Orlandi attacks and opens a sizable gap, ‘That’s not good…’”

Tamara Fraser (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; W-40+): “She tried to exploit my my weakness in the corners, but these corners were so gentle, and the roads so wide, that I didn’t have even a moment of panic.”

I don’t know a lot about this weekend’s races — the O’Fallon Grand Prix is in its second year, and the Wonder Lake Lakeside Criterium is new — but I do know this: Both those races close pre-registration today. Sign up now or you’ll end up paying extra on race day.

Saturday Chiropractic Criterium USCF criterium Brookfield, Wis. Distance from Chicago: 2 hours

O’Fallon Grand Prix USCF road race O’Fallon, Ill. Distance from Chicago: 5 hours

Sunday Wonder Lake Lakeside Criterium USCF criterium Wonder Lake, Ill. Distance from Chicago: 1.5 hours

Sussex Criterium USCF criterium Sussex, Wis. Distance from Chicago: 2 hours

 

• » The Northbrook Cycle Committee and Yojimbo’s Track Cats are hosting a junior track clinic this Sunday. All juniors 10-18 are welcome, regardless of experience or team affiliation. Loaner bikes are available if arranged in advance.
• » Speaking of juniors, they race for free at this summer’s Soldier Field Cycling series and they get free Chipotle burritos.
• » Evanston’s Lake Cycling is having a massive warehouse sale of shoes and apparel this Saturday as it prepares to move its warehouse to Skokie.
• » The funny thing is, sometimes the path does feel like this.
• » Registration is open for the Allvoi Cup, which starts June 20.
• » Tim Radcliff (Elmhurst Masters) sends along this account of a group ride out of control.
• » The obituary for Don Vanderbrook (Kenosha Racine Bike Club), plus guestbook.

I love reading the annual reports from Snake Alley rookies. An invariable theme is: "I've never experienced so much pain. Can't wait for next year!" Indeed, no less than Steve Tilford (Tradewind Energy/Trek Stores) called this year's edition an "epic rain criterium."

And combined with the Burlington Road Race, Sunday's Melon City Criterium and Monday's Quad Cities Criterium, it's an epic weekend. Some highlights from Chicago riders:

• » We're seeing some great racing this year from Jim Flora (South Chicago Wheelmen). In Friday's Burlington Road Race he placed 4th in the P/1/2 bunch sprint after a break was caught in the final miles.
• » Chicago laid waste to the Snake Alley 5's race, placing seven into the top 10: Andrew Haala (Team Beer'd) in 3rd (celebrating above); from Spidermonkey Cycling, Dan Pollard in 4th and Bryan Witry in 10th; and from XXX Racing-AthletiCo, Chris Koster in 5th, Ryan Fay in 6th, Michael Young in 8th 7th and Matt Dawley in 9th. (Koster and teammate John Wolters also placed 3-4 in Friday's Wapello-Burlington Road Race.)
• » Jacques Cartier (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) had elite company on the podium in the 30+, placing 3rd behind Snake Alley experts Cam Kirkpatrick (Rasmussen Bike Shop) and Dewey Dickey (Mercy/Specialized).
• » Rain made for slick bricks in the 3's and P/1/2's races. Chicago's top finisher in the 3's was Al Urbanski (Chicago Cuttin' Crew), who overcame a disadvantageous starting position to place 12th. In the $10,000 P/1/2's, Adam Bergman (Texas Roadhouse) closed the door early, leading to lots of early pulls, and I don't see any local names in the results until Ryan Freund (ABD) in 28th and Bryan McVey (Vision Quest) in 30th.
• » As usual, the Chicago Cuttin' Crew brought the party with it. Start around 4:45 and 6:15 in John Wilke's video if you've ever wondered what it's like for an entire hillside to chant "Avi! Avi!" like something out of "Rudy."
• » Melon City saw good results from Leah Sanda (Flatlandia) and Jannette Rho (Bouledogue Tout Noir), 3-4 in the women's 4's. In the 3's, Team Get a Grip Cycles' Aspen Gorry and David Reyes went 2-4. And Brandon Feehery (South Chicago Wheelmen) picked up 4th in what looks to have been a very competitive 15-18 field.
• » As expected, Kristen Meshberg and Devon Haskell are quickly making a name for Team BH USA. Haskell finished 3rd in in the women's P/1/2/3 at Snake Alley, behind two pros, and at Quad Cities Meshberg made the break and finished 2nd. (And this weekend they finally donned their new kits!)
• » Also finishing 2nd in a break at Quad Cities was Peter Strittmatter (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) in the 3's, who explains in this video interview that escaping was just his way to take the corners more safely. Juniors James Bird (ISCorps) and Wayon Janowiak did well in a wet field sprint to pick up 5th and 6th.
• » Winning races at Quad Cities were Chazz Martin (ISCorps), winning out of a late break in the 4's, and, thanks to a nice leadout from teammate Brian Morrissey, Mike Seguin (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) in the masters 4/5's.
• » Chicago's 5's again did well at Quad Cities, including Koster, Fay and Wolters going 2-4-6 and Scott Knoepke (Elmhurst Masters) in 3rd.
• » With $5,000 on the P/1/2 line and a stacked field taking its 8 corners, Quad Cities earns its reputation as a cage match. Our top finisher was Sean Metz (Team Apache) in 13th.

Full Burlington Road Race and Snake Alley results. Full Melon City results. Full Quad Cities results.

Snake Alley race reports Team BH USA (W-P/1/2): "Several of us have a love-hate relationship with 'the snake' but we were all determined to finish it!"

Chad Bishop (Harper's Cycling & Fitness; 3): "Each time up the snake was a new challenge as riders were still dumping their bikes from time to time, mainly due to the loss of traction."

Carson Christen (HBA; 3): "With two laps to go, we were catching Sam and so I punched it up the Snake and caught him by the top."

Matt Dawley (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 5): "I think I climbed OK, but I can’t say the same for my descending and cornering."

Liam Donoghue (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4): "I really like shooting to the inside or sweeping to the outside and passing people when they hit their brakes, so that worked out in my favor."

Ryan Fay (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 5): "The race was pure hell. It was anguish. It was punishing. It was the most difficult thing I have ever physically done. Yet I can’t wait to do it again."

Carlos Flanders (Unattached; 4): "Nothing can prepare you for the shock to the system that is the opening two laps of this race."

Andrew Haala (Team Beer'd; 5): "Lap after lap I reach the top of Snake Alley out of fear, lungs on fire, legs refusing to move, overheating from the bright sun, trying to stay focused enough to catch the slips and jumps of my wheels on the descent."

The Hawkeye: "When the riders who came with him did not want to work, he dropped them going up Snake Alley."

Bryan McVey (Vision Quest; P/1/2): "I will look forward to doing this race again in dry conditions, or when I learn to have no fear in the descending in the rain, whichever comes first."

Seth Meyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; P/1/2): "Gods were mean to us."

Mike Morell (Chicago Cuttin' Crew; 4): "As I rounded the bend I could hear the roar of my teammates as they realized I’d made my way to the front of the race."

Avi Neurohr (Chicago Cuttin' Crew; 4, 30+): "Best day of racing ever. Teams are good for a lot of things, but when they are inciting a near riot on your behalf... Well, you just don't get that anywhere."

Dan Pollard (Spidermonkey Cycling; 5): "By the fifth lap, I was standing on th epedals the whole way up, my legs experiencing an entirely new kind of burning."

Steve Tilford (Tradewind Energy/Trek Stores; P/1/2): "I started fast and was gone immediately. At the bottom of the descent I couldn’t see anyone behind me. "

Snake Alley photos Adam Herndon Iowa Pix Brian Morrissey John Wilke, plus video

Melon City reports Team BH USA (W-P/1/2): "HOT HOT HOT at Weed Park."

Ryan Fay (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 5): "I did my best to remember to ride smart and find a wheel whenever one was available."

Bryan McVey (Vision Quest; P/1/2): "The hill each lap took enough out of people to make it a tough race, but not enough to allow a break to stay away."

Seth Meyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; P/1/2): "Started getting mini-dropped about thirty laps in, chasing back on on the back side, but got definitively unlatched and pulled over the next five laps."

Steve Tilford (Tradewind Energy/Trek STores; P/1/2): "The race seemed kind of destined to be a field sprint from the gun. Too many pretty fit guys."

Quad Cities reports Team BH USA (W-P/1/2): "Devon attacked with five to go and with Madeleine and Anne covering any attacks drove it home for 7th."

Matt Dawley (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 5): "Mike Seguin was apparently yelling at me from the sidelines to smarten up and ease up, but I think my oxygen-deprived brain heard ‘Go, go, go!’"

Elvis Falbo (Beverly Bike/Vee-Pak; 30+ 4/5): "With one lap to go attacks were everywhere. I made sure I kept close to all the action."

Ryan Fay (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 5): "Teamwork was the name of the game today."

Tom MacNeill-Zimmerman (Half Acre Cycling; 30+ 4/5): "My core and balance training kept me on the bike."

Bryan McVey (Vision Quest; P/1/2): "I kept reading how this race was being described as a cage match, and I didn't quite get it until I arrived at the course to see much of it enclosed by chicken-wire fencing."

Seth Meyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; P/1/2): "I’m going to credit my gypsy skillet for breakfast for making this performance happen."

Brian Morrissey (XXX Racing-Athletico; 30+ 4/5, 4): "All the frustration and anger and bitterness came rushing out of me in two huge barbaric yawps that echoed off the river town’s brick downtown buildings."

Quad Cities Times: "Team Texas Roadhouse used overwhelming numbers and constant attacks to secure the victory."

Quad Cities photos Brian Morrissey Ken Urban

The Tour of America's Dairyland announced today that it is adding a third road race, on Thursday, June 18. The Blue Mounds Race to the Future will take place on a 22-mile loop that has been proposed for the 2016 Olympics. This has some serious climbing, including what appears to be a three-mile slog that climbs about 750 feet at the end of each lap, with an average 8 percent pitch in the last mile.

Today's announcement also included news that the Trek-Livestrong U23 team will be participating in the series.

Chicago riders did extremely well at all the races this long weekend, from Wood Dale to the Quad Cities. It's going to take a bit to take it all in.

Our first wrap-up, however, comes from Duluth, Minn., where a handful of Chicagoans headed for the four-day Duluth Classic Stage Race. In the 3/4's, Chris Padfield (Team Get a Grip Cycles), pictured above, and Brian Hill (Team Get a Grip Off Road) got to a great start with a 1-2 finish in Friday's 16.2-mile time trial. Time bonuses over the next two days of road racing reduced Padfield's grip on 1st to a precious 1 second -- and Hill would lose 30 seconds to a centerline violation, falling to 5th -- but thanks to sacrifices from Hill and teammate Ben LaForce, Padfield made the lead stick through Monday's criterium to take the overall general classification. Meanwhile, junior Chris Wiatr (WDT-Allvoi) placed 8th in the 4/5's time trial, then, racing solo, picked up 5th and 2nd in the road races, moving up to 3rd overall. Full Duluth Classic results.

Race reports Ben LaForce (Team Get a Grip Cycles; 3/4): "I jumped on Brones’ wheel as he broke and followed him around for a lap. Immediately Brian then went to the front of the pack and gave it everything to close the gap."

Clipped pedals. Wind. Road debris. Squirrelly riders. Overcooked corners. Wrong turns. Panic.

All have been cited as reasons for crashes at Saturday's Monsters of the Midway, which was marred by numerous falls and multiple ambulance visits. And although I've always been a fan of Monsters' loose enforcement of categories, perhaps fields were also disrupted by riders racing a hair over their heads? Whatever the causes, it's a shame: Monsters is typically a safe course. What kind of carnage will we see once we throw in descents, technical turns and significant purses? (As I write this, I recall I wondered the same thing last spring.) Results are not posted yet -- I expect our ABR friends are preoccupied with Tuesday's tragedy in Kenosha -- so this will be an abbreviated wrap-up. What I glean from the reports, however, is that with a stiff tailwind on the homestretch, jumping early proved effective more times than not. Juniors, women and masters results.

Race reports Ed Amstutz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+, 1/2/3): "I knew we wanted a long sprint with a heavy tailwind, so I called for Randy Warren to ramp it up earlier than normal."

Charles Biro (Team Get a Grip Cycles; 30+, 3): "I just couldn’t close the last 50 meters -- which, of course, was about how far from the front of the field I was when I launched my attack."

Danny Beissinger (IIT; 3, 1/2/3): "I settled for 15th, but at least I stayed up."

Kevin Butler (Wheel Fast Racing; 4): "The riders in front of me stacked it up and suddenly the rider directly in front went airborne. I had nowhere to go."

Rob Curtis (Bicycle Heaven; 4): "The field was OK but there were some weird moves."

Liam Donoghue (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4): "I launch back into the drops and grab his wheel, unsure if there’s a group chomping at my bits right behind. I will not be denied, kind sir."

Devon Haskell (Team BH Racing; W-P/1/2/3): "It was fun crossing the line 1-2 in our first race back together and in front of the great UofC crowd."

Ed Hernandez (North Branch; 3): "I'm no sprint specialist or breakaway-guru, but I do know a thing or two about leveling out the exertion highs and lows during the course of a crit."

Chris Kinonen (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+, 3): "Riders repeatedly and dramatically swerved in random directions, causing someone else to do the same, and thus a mini chain reaction of swerving and braking."

Sophia Lee (Tati Cycles; W-4, W-3/4): "I probably could have tucked behind someone for a while, but what I ended up doing was madly charge past them instead, screaming on the top of my lungs, kendo style."

Henry Loud (Team Pegasus; 3): "I clicked up again and again. Then I had no more gears to move up. I was in my 53x12 and spinning it as hard as I could."

Joe Schubert (Half Acre Cycling; 4): "I see two or three guys collide, bikes flopping every which way and that hollow ping of carbon rumbling toward me."

Mike Shea (Spidermonkey Cycling; 30+): "Once the break was established and the rhythm hadn't made my legs fall off, I even felt pretty good about competing with guys stronger than me."

Shane Winn (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 1/2/3): "With about four laps remaining I started playing the team card a little."

Photos: Carolyn Golz Gavin Gould Waylon Janowiak Matt Smith: 3, 1/2/3

• » Congratulations to Julian Baumgartner (Burnham Racing) for a very nice redesign of the Illinois Cycling Association Web site.
• » Registration is open for the new Wonder Lake Lakeside Criterium next Sunday.
• » The flier is out for the popular Spring Prairie Road Race, Wisconsin's state championship. I'm digging the 65 miles for the 3's. Pre-registration is recommended for the 4/5 fields, which have filled in previous years.
• » A rider was seriously injured last night and had to be medevaced from the Washington Park Velodrome in Kenosha, Wis. Update: The rider, Don Vanderbrook (Kenosha Racine Bike Club), has passed away.
• » Some good stuff lately at Chicago BIke Laws, including a look at which suburbs require rear lights and a round-up of laws requiring single-file riding.

I'm going to come out and say it: La Rue-Denzer-La Rue is the best road race in the Midwest.

Yes, better than Hillsboro-Roubaix. It's more challenging, more interesting and safer. Saturday's edition was better than ever, with an extension that added a series of killer stairstep climbs. Fields that did the 2.5-lap course endured more than 7,500 feet of climbing. Plus, any race that begins and ends at a tavern gets bonus points -- doubly so for a tavern with Spotted Cow on tap. I'm baffled, then, at the turnout. The P/1/2's may have attracted an ace field -- legends like Dewey Dickey (Mercy/Specialized) and Adam Bergman (Texas Roadhouse) among them -- but all other races were sorely underattended, with fewer than 30 in the 4's and barely 20 in the 3's. Yes, it's a long drive. Yes, Monsters is a very attractive alternative. And yes, I can almost understand the Cheeseheads who want to save their delicate legs for Sunday's popular Wheels on Willy. But come on: This is as good as it gets around here. Happily there were plenty of Chicagoans not intimidated by the tough climbing. Jannette Rho (Bouledogue Tout Noir) won the women's 4's, and in the masters 4/5's, Tower Racing teammates Doug Braun and Pat Dillon formed a lead group early and then used excellent teamwork to secure Braun the win. Brian Hill (Get a Grip Off Road Racing), fresh off a 3rd-place GC at the Joe Martin Stage Race, finished 2nd in the 4/5's, and XXX Racing-AthletiCo asserted a strong team presence in the 3's, missing out on the win but putting three into the top five. We had more excellent performances Sunday at Wheels on Willy, which took place around the Madison capitol. Rho hit the podium again with 3rd in the women's 4's, and Team BH USA put two on the steps, with Kristen Meshberg winning the women's P/1/2/3 and Devon Haskell taking 3rd in her first domestic race since her trip to France and Belgium. And Kyle Wiberg (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) had one for the ages by attacking early in the masters 3/4 and masters 4/5 races -- both fields more than 60 strong -- to take the double victory. And then we have poor Waylon Janowiak (WDT-Allvoi), who successfully created a two-man break in the 3's, then won a difficult sprint. Unfortunately, the 18-year-old had neglected to change to junior gearing, so officials relegated him after he failed rollout. It's an important reminder for juniors: Mind your gearing, even in the senior races, and don't forget to go to rollout. Full La Rue-Denzer-La Rue results. Full Wheels on Willy results. I'll wrap up Monsters of the Midway in a separate post.

La Rue-Denzer-La Rue reports Doug Braun (Tower Racing; 30+ 4/5): "The finish is after a very fast downhill, so I made sure I was on the right wheel well before we hit the sprint."

Seth Meyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; P/1/2): "Going up that hill, I started to pass lots of great riders. I went by Paul Ellis (SPBRC) and I thought, 'Hey! An ex-pro! I must be riding well!'"

Luke Seemann (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): "Time to go for broke. Again I wait for the climb to settle into a rhythm, then shift up a few cogs and spring forward."

La Rue-Denzer-La Rue photos John Wilke

Wheels on Willy reports Devon Haskell (Team BH Racing; W-P/1/2/3): "Kristen was on my wheel yelling 'Allez allez' with one lap left. I tried to keep the pace high and pulled hard to the final straight, where Kristen called on her 'go-go gadget sprinter legs.'"

Tom Theisen (ISCorps; 3, P/1/2/3): "It was a big field. Well, at the start anyway."

Kyle Wiberg (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 4/5, 30+ 3/4): "Took off between turn 1 and 2 and they didn’t catch me on my HED wheels this time either."

Wheels on Willy photos Patratacus Clint Thayer John Wilke

One of the summer's most exciting weekends is upon us with four great races near the Quad Cities and three days of masters racing in the suburbs.

The weekend's jewel is the legendary Snake Alley Criterium on Saturday. The course features a steep, famously crooked switchback paved with brick, followed by a steep, technical descent. As the day goes on, the hill becomes a spectacle as rowdy spectators badger and cajole riders struggling to navigate the climb. (Tradition in the Pro/1/2 race is for fans to hand cold beers to racers as they throw in the towel.) The race plays out almost like cyclocross: The sprint comes at the beginning, not the end, and packs will immediately disintegrate into small clusters of riders. Success hinges on being among the first to the Snake on the first lap, lest you get bottlenecked behind the inevitable crashes. Get forced to dismount and you'll be half a lap down by the time you get to the top. And if you're not passing people on the way up, you're doing something wrong. Once the race starts, riders will be too fried from climbing the Snake to think straight, so it's important to have a reliable routine for getting through the rest of the course. This turn-by-turn guide from Steve Thordarson (Smart Cycling) is essential pre-race reading. Read it. Memorize it. Tape it to your stem. The weekend stays hot with big criteriums in nearby Muscatine, Iowa, and Rock Island, Ill. Locally, ABD is hosting not one, not two, but three days of masters racing in Wood Dale. The categories start at 30+ for both men and women, and on Monday there will be a skills and tactics clinic at 9:15 a.m. for newer riders.

Friday Wapello-Burlington Road Race USCF road race Burlington, Iowa Distance from Chicago: 4.5 hours

Saturday ABD Memorial Day Weekend Masters Race ABR criterium Wood Dale, Ill. Distance from Chicago: .5 hours Previous wrap-ups: 2008

Snake Alley Criterium USCF criterium Burlington, Iowa Distance from Chicago: 4.5 hours Previous wrap-ups: 2007, 2008

Sunday ABD Memorial Day Weekend Masters Race ABR criterium Wood Dale, Ill. Distance from Chicago: .5 hours Previous wrap-ups: 2008

Melon City Criterium USCF criterium Muscatine, Iowa Distance from Chicago: 4 hours Previous wrap-ups: 2007, 2008

Monday ABD Memorial Day Weekend Masters Race ABR criterium Wood Dale, Ill. Distance from Chicago: .5 hours Previous wrap-ups: 2008

Quad Cities Criterium USCF criterium Rock Island, Ill. Distance from Chicago: 3.5 hours Previous wrap-ups: 2007, 2008

Chicago Criterium registration will open tomorrow. The inaugural race was a hit last year, and I expect both 5's fields (50 riders each) and the masters 4/5's (capped at 75) to fill quickly.

Update: I notice that the registration allows you to enter both Cat 5 heats. I discourage people from doing this. The intent of the second heat is to allow more people to race. Don't hog the spots. There also is confusion about the masters categories. I'm fairly certain it's 35+, not 30+, but am working on getting confirmation. They are indeed 35+, not 30+.

• » The Spidermonkey Cycling jersey made a special appearance on "Good Morning America" this morning.
• » Ride the city, Chicago.
• » The Allvoi Cup has added a men's 3/4/5 field to provide more opportunity for less experienced trackies.
• » Aggressive drivers of Barrington, beware: Ron Cook is watching.
• » A slick video from the city to promote July's Chicago Criterium.
• » Saturday's Monsters of the Midway is looking for an afternoon announcer. If you're familiar with the racing scene and are interested in earning a few bucks, contact training crit series.

It was another soggy affair in Wisconsin for Saturday's Matt Wittig Memorial Bicycle Race in Muskego, but a few Chicagoans nonetheless headed up for some hilly crit action. Joel Friedman (Bicycle Heaven) continued good form with a 2nd in the 4/5's, and Waylon Janowiak (WDT-Allvoi) placed 3rd in the 3's.

Much farther away, Chicago repped well at the Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville, Ark. In the 4's, Liam Donoghue (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) and Brian Hill (Get a Grip Off Road Racing) cracked off stellar times in a difficult uphill time trial, then broke away in Sunday's criterium to finish 2-3 in the crit and 2-3 in the general classification. The 3's saw three Chicagoans in the top 20 GC, including James Bird (ISCorp) in 17th, Peter Strittmatter (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) in 15th and your humble correspondent in 7th. The most impressive result was in the 1/2's, where Ryan Freund (ABD) never finished outside the top 10 over his four days of hard racing. In the end that was good for 11th in the GC. Full Muskego results.

Muskego race reports Rob Curtis (Bicycle Heaven; 30+ 4/5): "Everyone took the corner slow and then accelerated out of the corner then into the hill. It got old quick."

Seth Meyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; P/1/2): "Attacked for scraps and got huge 20-second gap with three laps to go, but died and couldn’t hold it."

William Pankonin (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 4/5, 30+ 3/4): "Our largest gap grew to 12 seconds, which looks promising when you can’t see them because of the hills and turns."

Muskego photos Waylon Janowiak John Wilke

There's no better location for a race than the location you can ride to, and Saturday brings us Monsters of the Midway, held on the beautiful Midway Plaisance at University of Chicago. The long, rectangular course isn’t the most interesting, but it’s nonethless a Chicago jewel and is very spectator friendly. The landscape provides a clean view of all the action, and the atmosphere is always festive and exciting.

Separations are typical in the smaller fields, including women’s and masters races, but the long straightaways and unobstructed views make breaks nearly impossible in the large 3’s and 4’s races. Hold tight and get ready for a raucous sprint. About that sprint: Mind the wind. With a stiff breeze off the lake, you can launch yourself out of the final corner. With a headwind, however, you’ll want to wait another 100 meters or so. The 5's race is on its way to 100 riders. I would not want to have to score that one. Expect it to start fast and and detonate by the backstretch, thanks to the great disparity of talent within the 5's. Get a good clip-in and spend your first two laps advancing positions to ensure you're in the lead group. For climbers and other road race fans, Wisconsin beckons with LaRue-Denzer-LaRue, a modified version of the former Denzer Delight. On each trip through the main 11-mile circuit, the road pitches up to climb about 700 feet over the next mile. It’s a steady, unrelenting climb that will break legs and shatter fields. A false flat follows the climb, and then there is a short descent with a sharp right turn and steep kicker at a bottom. Don’t be caught off guard. As soon as you see the marshal, be moving to a smaller gear. (The big ring should suffice, however.) This year the main loop is augmented by an extension to and from a new start/finish area. As I read the flier, this is what the new course looks like. Organizers tell me the extension includes a climb that is just as challenging as the main loop's. The next day is Wheels on Willy in Madison, which this year will be Wheels off Willy, thanks to construction on the traditional course. Races will go around the capitol, a fun course that I'm told has been used in the past for collegiate racing.

Saturday Monsters of the Midway ABR criterium Chicago Distance from Chicago: 0 hours Previous wrap-ups: 2008

LaRue-Denzer-LaRue USCF road race Denzer, Wis. Distance from Chicago: 4 hours Previous wrap-ups: 2007, 2008

SundayWheels on Willy USCF criterium Madison, Wis. Distance from Chicago: 2.5 hours Previous wrap-ups: 2007, 2008

It's official. Time to dig out last season's race numbers: Tuesday night racing around the paint factory resumes Tuesday.

• » Update: Universal Sports will be airing the Giro, both online and over free digital TV.
• » "Once a Support Cyclist, Now a Pack Leader." (It's the New York Times' second profile of Lemont's Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) this year. Here is the first.)
• » Online registration for the Allvoi Cup series of track races will be opening soon. Voytek Glinkowski (WDT-Allvoi) tells me all sorts of goodies are lined up, including event DVDs for participants, raffle prizes and entertainment.
• » I've long been a proponent of roadies going to the track, even just to watch. The Northbrook season starts soon, and this coupon can get you free admission.
• » Matteson is tentatively scheduled to return May 12.
• » Results czar Jason Knauff (Burnham Racing) reminds us to update out BikeReg profiles. He says many riders are missing license numbers, teams and other important data.
• » It's Knauff, by the way, who's been toiling to update your Illinois Cup standings.
• » The UIC urology department is looking for a few good men. This study needs subjects to test how bike saddles affect our, umm, undercarriages.
• » No, it is not too early to be gluing up your cross wheels.

I'm sorry to have missed out on Sunday's Vernon Hills Grand Prix. Looks like it was a good day of racing under excellent weather. I haven't seen all the results yet so there's not much commentary I can add, other than to congratulate Mike Heagney (Vision Quest) and Ben-Jamin Widoff (PowerBar) for winning the masters races, 1/2/3 and 4/5 respectively, with Widoff doubling up with a win in the 4's. Kudos also to Nate Iden (Burnham Racing) for winning the 3's race in a bunch sprint nicely captured in a series of photos starting here. Each frame makes it look like it'll be a different winner. And Carolyn Golz captured a nice shot of Joel Friedman (Bicycle Heaven) winning exuberantly off the front of the 5's.

There was action in Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin, too. Notable local results include Kristen Meshberg (Team BH USA) winning the women's P/1/2/3 in Lacrosse, Wis., and a certain representative of the cycling media riding to a solo win in the Circuit of Sauk masters 3/4. Update: Some hot podium action at Indiana's Winona Fat & Skinny Tire Festival compliments of Will Nowak (Alderfer-Bergen), 2nd in the P/1/2 road race, and Aspen Gorry (Team Get a Grip Cycles), 3rd in the 3's road race. And Chicago swept the women's 4's races, with Jeannette Schrand (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) winning the road race and Alexandra Navas (Northwestern) winning the criterium.

Saturday results Circuit of Sauk Winona Lake Road Race

Sunday results Kenosha Criterium Vernon Hills Grand Prix Winona Lake Criterium

Circuit of Sauk race reports Ryan Fay (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4/5): "A most untimely failure of my front derailleur kept me from getting out of my big chain ring after the first climb."

Kristen Meshberg (Team BH USA; W-P/1/2/3): "I was holding out hope that someone would get popped from the break and we could race for 3rd or 4th, but it was not to be."

Seth Meyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; P/1/2): "Pain, pain, pain!"

Brian Morrissey (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 3/4, 4/5): "I just hoped that the first time up the hill wasn't a fluke."

Luke Seemann (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 3/4, 3): "I leaped up the right. After a few strokes, I looked back. He was still in his saddle. Perfect."

Circuit of Sauk photos Luke Seemann John Wilke

Vernon Hills race reports Julian Baumgartner (Burnham Racing; 3): "Nate is all like, 'Word.'"

Val Brostrom (Bouledogue Tout Noir; W-P/1/2/3): "I caught on and we proceeded to hammer it, each taking short pulls."

Kevin Clark (Half Acre Cycling; 4): "The pack now seemed much smaller than the field did at the line."

Steve Driscoll (Team Mack; 30+ 1/2/3, 3): "Some guy gets excited in front of me and at 32+ mph comes straight into my front wheel. I hit the deck, taking the guy behind me with."

Ryan Fay (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 5): "The pace was pretty hot, but I stayed at near the front of the group."

Waylon Janowiak (WDT-Allvoi; 3): "Prom was the night before so I was up a lot later than I would have liked to be."

Joe Kallo (Team Tati, 5): "I looked over my shoulder and realized I had a pretty big gap on the field. When this sunk into my somewhat oxygen-deprived brain, I have to say it was a pretty awesome feeling."

Seth Meyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; P/1/2): "I myself was quite happy just to be active and going for the breaks and bridge attempts."

John Meyers (ABD; P/1/2): "That’s how breakaways work: They hurt."

Brian Morrissey (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4): "Hmmmmm, what's this? Four black jerseys all in a line."

Mike Seguin (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 4/5, 4): "With three laps to go it got interesting."

Joe Schubert (Half Acre Cycling; 4): "We pushed it 100 percent and never thought of quitting after being dropped."

Eric Shivvers (Half Acre Cycling; 5): "I was there to shake it up and let others know our team had some strong riders."

Vernon Hills photos Carolyn Golz Matt Smith