It’s hump day but Luke is away. Anything interesting going on in his absence?

Today was C.O.U.G.A.R., the South Chicago Wheelmen’s training criterium at the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet. How’d it go for everyone?

Luke is away, so use the comments to link to your race reports, photos and results.

Today was the last of Kenosha Velosport’s training criteriums in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. How’d it go for everyone?

Luke is away, so use the comments to link to your race reports, photos and results.

Today was the Spring Super Criterium in South Beloit, Ill., hosted by Burnham Racing.

Luke is away, so use the comments to link to your race reports, photos and results.

The Gapers Block Crit Series wrapped up tonight. How’d it go for everyone?

Luke is away, so use the comments to link to your race reports, photos and results.

In 2008 Burnham Racing initiated the concept of racing bicycles on an automotive course. Two years later we have two days of such training criteriums to enjoy.

Saturday we return to Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit. Sunday the South Chicago Wheelmen welcome us to the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, a course it first tested on a Tuesday night last summer. Together the races form C.O.U.G.A.R.

— Chicagoland Omnium Using Great Area Racetracks —

and modest cash prizes go to the overall top three riders in each category (except for 5’s and 4/5’s).

Both courses are flat with gentle, beginner-friendly turns. Take note of any robust wind, as it will make a big difference toward breaking away and the timing of your sprint.

Elsewhere, Kenosha Velosport holds its series finale in Pleasant Prairie on Sunday, and I know a few of you will be heading to Michigan on Saturday for Barry-Roubaix, a difficult, hilly mix of on- and off-road terrain.

Meanwhile, I leave this afternoon for 10 days in Belgium. What better way to simulate the conditions of Hillsboro-Roubaix?

In my absence I have some posts scheduled to pop up on race days, which I hope you will use to link to your reports and photos.

Saturday Spring Super Criterium USAC criterium South Beloit, Ill. Distance from Chicago: 1 hour 2 hours

Barry-Roubaix Gravel Road Race USAC road race Middleville, Mich. Distance from Chicago: 3 hours

Sunday SCW Spring Criterium USAC criterium Joliet, Ill. Distance from Chicago: 1 hour

Kenosha Velosport Spring Training Series ABR criterium Pleasant Prairie, Wis. Distance from Chicago: 1 hour

 

 

• » I take it Half Acre Cycling’s women’s clinic was a success: Both nights of the Gapers Block Crit Series have seen more than 20 women race. I hope this means strong turnouts once the weather is nice. Early highlights include Jonathan Toftoy (Synergy), who has hit the podium in all four men’s heats, and Patrick Limanowicz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo), who registered a 2nd on Monday and a 1st on Tuesday. Among the women, Project 5 has put on a clinic of its own, putting Ginger Sides and Cathy Frampton on the podium both nights, joined each evening by Kim Gialdini (Flatlandia). Full results.
• » The South Chicago Wheelmen’s Tuesday night criterium series in Matteson resumes April 6.
• » Albero Segura (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) is giving a nutrition and training seminar for junior cyclists. “Juniors and Cycling: Health and Wellness”  will be Saturday, April 10, at the 1101 W. Madison St. location of AthletiCo. It is free and open to the public, including parents. RSVP to Segura at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
• » The luckiest dog in Italy.
• » Rouleur Derby is now accepting predictions for who will win the men’s and women’s NRC team standings. As far as I know, this is the first time in the world that anyone has ever made book on women’s cycling. Come take advantage of the opportunity!

The weather was dodgy on Saturday but improved enough by Sunday that racing was a go in Pleasant Prairie, Wis.

Chazz Martin (ISCorp) had the most noteworthy day. After winning his juniors race, he placed 4th in the 3’s and then won the field sprint for 2nd in the 1/2’s, ahead of Tomasz Boba (WDT-Allvoi).

Tim Speciale (Psimet) won the 4’s in a bunch sprint, the first victory for that new squad. Patrick Limanowicz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) slipped away late in the 5’s to win there, his second win in as many outings. (The 4’s and 5’s raced separately this week and will do so again at Sunday’s finale.)

Chicago did well in the masters races: Marek Serafin (PACT/Dish Network) continued to show his notorious Kenosha form by winning out of a break in the 40+ while Wayne Simon (Verdigris) and Richard Kreutzfeldt (PACT/Dish Network) took the 50+ and 55+, respectively.

Elsewhere, Mike Sherer picked up the first podium for Verizon u25 by placing 3rd at the Brown County Road Race in Nashville, Ind. Jake Teitelbaum (Iron Cycles) placed 2nd in the 3’s and Gina Romero (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) won the women’s 4’s race.

Full Kenosha results. Full Brown County results.

Kenosha Velosport race reports
Debbie Dust (PACT/Dish Network; 40+): “That was the race, right there. I watched as five other guys jumped up the left side and made it across, while I sat there boxed in and helplessly screwed.”

Ed Hernandez (North Branch; 3): “My intent today was to smack the legs around with a meat tenderizer and reap the rewards later in the season.”

Peloton Star: “Martin exploded with the power he developed racing at the Kenosha Velodrome to take the win.”

Kenosha Velosport photos
Katie Cook
John Wilke

Brown County race reports
Jake Teitelbaum (Iron Cycles; 3): “I get to the front and keep the pace up, hoping to shell anybody on the fence.”

 

It has been just over six months since our last USA Cycling race, but that void gets filled in a big way starting Monday with seven consecutive days of racing.

Half Acre Cycling’s Gapers Block Crit Series (nee Kevin’s Crits) gets it started with evening races through Friday. Calumet Park offers smooth, gentle turns and recent visitors tell me the pavement is in good shape and the lights are functioning. For beginners eager to upgrade, this is a good opportunity to quickly get five mass-start races under their belts.

Pre-registration has filled for the two men’s 4/5’s heats, but 10 day-of slots are reserved for each day’s heat on a first-come, first-served basis. More details here.

Only two Cat 3 women pre-registered. This may mean the 3’s and 4’s fields will be combined. I’ll rely on Half Acre representation to clarify in the comments.

After a cold, wet weekend, it looks like Half Acre will enjoy decent weather all week. It will still get nippy after the sun goes down, doubly so if there’s wind off the lake, so dress appropriately (especially if you’re one of the generous people who have volunteered to marshal).

Monday through Friday Gapers Block Crit Series USAC criteriums Chicago 2009 wrap-ups: I, II

Pedals have turned in anger for the first time in 2010, although it's hard to get too angry at a small ABR race where your primary objective is to stay warm.

Conditions warmed up by the afternoon but wind was the biggest factor at Sunday's kick-off in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. A fierce headwind on the backstretch required concentration lest a gust turn a crossed wheel into a trip to the tarmac. I heard more than one lower-category rider blame the wind for their inability to break away, but it didn't stop Mark Swartzendruber (Verizon Wireless) from taking leave of both the 30+ and 40+ races. In the 40+, he lapped the field with Ricardo Otero (WDT-Allvoi) in tow and kept on going to win solo. In the ensuing 30+ he broke free again but couldn't shake John Acker (Wheel & Sprocket) and settled for 2nd. The 4's and 5's started separately but were a single group by the end of their race. Out of that scrum Bryan Witry (Spider Monkey Cycling) took 4th in the 4's and Patryk Limanowicz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) was 1st among the 5's. Continuing an ABR tradition of "call your own category," Chris Padfield and some of his ReCycling mates lined up for the 3's. After some early attacks, Padfield escaped and cruised to a win (photo above). A tangle in the chase brought a handful of riders down, including ReCycling's Bryan McVey and Ben LaForce. Scott Knoepke (Psimet) caught the worst of it and left in an ambulance, but he's already back on the bike. Meanwhile, Mark Serafin (PACT/Dish Network) showed his usual stellar spring form by winning the field sprint for 2nd. I've lost count of how many Kenosha field sprints Serafin has won over the years, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's double digits. Padfield doubled up with the 1/2's race and finished 4th, having helped initiate the chase after two unattached Wisconsin riders slipped away from a small field. No Chicago women made the trip, aside from Debbie Dust (PACT/Dish Network), who threw down with the masters men, finishing 8th in the 40+ and 3rd in the 50+. Interesting to see Sam Schneider (Tibco) of West Allis, Wis., make an appearance in the women's race: She's one of three women with Midwestern roots to join that top pro team this year. Racing continues the next two Sundays, weather permitting. Full results.

Race reports Stephen Butler (Wheel Fast; 4): "The field never strings out, which is both a good and a bad thing."

Debbie Dust (PACT/Dish Network; 40+, 50+): "I decided to just roll off the front and was surprised to see that I had a gap."

Ed Hernandez (North Branch; 30+): "Within two laps, the attacks had begun and the hammerfest was underway."

Chris Padfield (ReCycling; 3, 1/2): "Extra Belgian-style training points for the wind."

Luke Seemann (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 1/2): "Having a teammate — especially incognito — could make or break the race."

Mark Swartzendruber (Verizon Wireless; 30+, 40+): "I cajoled the Spanish sprinter to take a pull or two, to which he indicated he could (would) not and suggested that he was more than happy with 2nd place so long as I did not attack him."

Andrew Zens (Spider Monkey Cycling; 3, 4): "All attacks had the same result: They died on the back stretch as they went straight into the 20 mph wind."

Photos Katie Cook John Wilke

Sunday Kenosha Velopsort Spring Training Series ABR Criterium Pleasant Prairie, Wis. Distance from Chicago: 1.5 hours 2009 wrap-ups: I, II

• » Half Acre Cycling is looking for a few volunteers for the upcoming Gapers Block Crit Series.
• » Pre-ordered Chicago Cyclocross Cup photo books will be available at the Pony Shop in Evanston this Saturday from 2-4 p.m. There may also be beverages, and the Pony Shop will be showing off the new line of Ridley cross bikes. (Didn't pre-order? You can still purchase.)
• » A recap of Saturday's Illinois Cycling Association banquet.
• » Universal Sports will be airing Milan-Sanremo Saturday. Make it interesting by playing Rouleur Derby.
• » What does Chris Horner (RadioShack) have to do with the Winter Olympics?

• » Johnny Sprockets and Heather Jurewicz put together a fun Chicago Cyclocross Cup retrospective.
• » And speaking of cyclocross, orders can now be taken for the Chicago Cyclocross Cup photo book. (Pre-orders should arrive next week. More info here.) UPDATE: Entering the NEXTSHIP coupon code gets free shipping.
• » Francine Haas (Alberto's) is leading a women's track clinic on April 18 and a series of women's road clinics starting April 28. (For the latter, submit this questionnaire.) In addition, Half Acre Cycling has announced some new swag for its March 20 women's clinic.
• » Riding to the clinics? Google Maps adds bike directions.
• » Does anyone know what has become of the Harper Ride? Its Web site is down, and a reader reports arriving to an empty parking lot recently.
• » "I was hoping the team kit this year would be white."
• » If you earned a state championship jersey in 2009, it can be picked up at Saturday's ICA awards banquet. USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson will be there. He'll also be hanging out at Prairie Path Cycles in Winfield from 5-6 p.m.
• » A fun Tour de France homage from Portland, Ore.
• » Two great Steve Tilford (Tradewind Energy) posts this week"It’s not a job. It’s a passion. A life. If it comes down to 'have to,' I’m not gonna." And, "People are so into documenting their doings that they aren’t doing them anymore."
• » Did you make any Tirreno-Adriatico predictions at Rouleur Derby? You can follow the action live at Universal Sports. For other races, Cycling Fans and Steephill are indispensable for links to Euro TV feeds.

There are two reliable ways to make an appearance in the Chicago Bike Racing annual photo calendar.

One is to ride aggressively. Attack, get in a break, lead the way. I can’t take your picture if you’re hiding from the wind. The other is to show some emotion. Grimace. Snarl. Smile a little. Pretend you’re having fun out there. It’s no surprise, then, that Ryan Freund (Verizon u25) made three appearances in this year's road calendar, including the glamorous cover shot. He’s not afraid to give it a go off the front, and he’s not intimidated by the company of pros, as he showed at last year’s Evanston Grand Prix and Chicago Criterium. And he's almost always baring his teeth. Snarl, smile, take your pick. The 24-year-old Freund has rocketed through the ranks, having started racing only in 2008. After short stints in the 4’s and 3’s, he started his Cat 2 career in 2009 by placing in the Top 10 in all four stages of the prestigious Joe Martin Stage Race in Arkansas. Now this structural engineer starts 2010 with a fresh squad, the newly announced Verizon u25 powered by ABD, where he’ll be surrounded by some of the best young talent in the Midwest. I recently checked in with Freund to learn more about how he’s achieved so much in such little time.

Before cycling you played football at Elmhurst College. How would you characterize your collegiate career? Versatile maybe? It was fun, very competitive and sometimes wish I could play again. I started at quarterback my sophomore year and rotated time with a teammate. Then I bulked up and moved to “Athlete” my junior year. I was scheduled to play tight end but the starting quarterback got injured so I partly moved back and rotated with the other back up. I ended up playing some quarterback, tight end, wide receiver and running back, all in the same game. Senior year was tight end and receiver.

Does cycling have anything in common with football? I get this question a lot from guys I used to play with in college and honestly, no, not really. There is strategy and athletic ability involved in both but in completely different ways. There is one parallel: If everyone on the team is willing to sacrifice for each other and buy into a one-for-all philosophy, then you will have a successful team.

Who got you into racing? Lance Armstrong (RadioShack) or Jan Ulrich? Actually, no, it was more Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen. Every July I would watch the Tour and try to find a $10 bike at a garage sale to ride for a week or two. But having said that, Wayne Simon (Verdigris) made me a bike racer.

How did you make Wayne's acquaintance? How's he helped you? A family friend, Renee Broaddus, told me to meet him on a group ride. Our first words were: "Hey, greenhorn, quit messin' up the paceline. Pull through easy and stay tight!" He's helped me a ton. He coaches my training and even more important he helps me mentally with tactics and such.

Is there a rider, either amateur or pro, whom you model yourself after? Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) and Davide Rebellin and now Matt Busche (RadioShack). What a beast. Unless I’m doing 3x20’s or attacking from the gun, in which case I would say more John Meyers (Verizon u25).

Tell me about your first races. What did you learn from them? My first race was Winfield Criterium, which was my hardest perceived effort to date, mostly because I tried to lead every lap. Spring Prairie may have been my first road race and was my second most disappointing race to date. I saw the break go and didn’t know about the yellow-line rule, so I used the other lane and bridged up, but was told to go back when I got there. I then tried to bring the break back with whoever would work at the front, but no one wanted to work.

What's been your most satisfying result so far? Maybe my overall at the Joe Martin or 3rd at the Arlington Heights Superweek race, but I felt I could have done better at both. So the most satisfying would be Hillsboro-Roubaix last year because it was the first time I rode more than 75 miles consecutively. I really wasn't sure if I could make it that far.

I can't believe Hillsboro was your longest ride to date. That's contrary to the standard training dogma of frequent 5-hour death marches, especially in the pre-season. Do you do more endurance now? Yeah, I didn't have that much time to ride that long. I mean, I would ride hard for 2-3 hours, sometimes on the trainer, and I had some specific work-outs. I do some longer stuff now. Whenever I can I will try to get a long ride in. But really it's just being able to go hard when no one else wants to.

Tell me about Evanston this year. You `It's just being able to go hard when no one else wants to.’were in the break and looking good amongst some pretty elite company, including Mike Friedman (Jelly Belly), but then suddenly you weren't there. What happened? This was my most disappointing moment in my sports career except for maybe when I lost the Heavyweight Super Bowl, throwing 5 interceptions. (The Heavyweight Super Bowl was our Pop Warner Super Bowl when I was in 8th grade.) I could talk about what went wrong all day, but basically I always feel obligated to do work in the break, but I was fed up with a Fly V Australia making me close a gap for him while he did no work. So I refused and he didn’t care, and we went backwards.

How did the Verizon u25 squad come together? Billy Dwyer and Mark Swartzendruber of the Verizon Wireless masters team were interested in supporting the young guys they saw around the Chicago area, so near the end of last season they approached Mike Ebert and ABD about it because of ABD's history of sending riders to the pros.

Do you have aspirations to go pro? That’s a good question. My plan was to graduate, try to become a pro bike racer while working part time for the family business and try to find a structural-engineering job in the suburbs. I didn’t think opportunity would present itself in this economy. However, it did so I had to take it. I still don’t want to give up cycling so if an opportunity presents itself I will have a decision to make.

Has Swartzendruber cooked for you yet? I hear he's quite the chef. No, but I do love eating. I actually gained 5 pounds at a four-day stage race. (TMI?)

Will there be a race director guiding you along? Only the best, Mike “I use more technology than you" Ebert.

During races, how closely will you be allied with your elders on Verizon and ABD? Put another way: When I get in that break with you, Josh Carter and Swartzendruber, will it be every man for himself, or is it going to be Goldilocks against the three bears? (Note: It was after this interview that I learned that Carter, formerly with ABD, will be riding for Team Hotel San Jose this season.) That is a very good question, but if you’re in a break with Josh and you want to win, well than you’ve already made mistake one.

In all seriousness, should we consider you and ABD or Verizon to be one team on the road, or has that not been sorted out yet? ABD will be the presenting sponsor, and we will work with the ABD team.

I sensed that Carter took you under his wing a bit this year. What kind of things did he teach you? Josh is a great guy: laid back but aggressive and very competitive. One thing I tried to learn from him was how he was able to stay in the top 15 places of the race and would exert less energy than anyone else in doing so. Mostly where, when and how to stick your bars into tight spots.

What races are you looking forward to in 2010? Will you guys be traveling to any stage races? Nationals in Bend? Not completely sure about the stage races yet. Unfortunately I don’t think I will be able to do nationals because I’m getting married June 26 and I believe that is the same time, so… (Love you, Tiff.)

What's your winter regimen like? Are you a gym rat? Do you brave the elements? Gym rat. I still love the weight room and maybe some indoor flag football. As for the elements, I never did like playing in the cold.

Seems like yesterday we were celebrating the Fall Fling and mourning the end of another road season, and yet here we are already, ready or not, starting a new season with the traditional north-of-the-border training criteriums.

Kenosha Velosport hosts three consecutive Sundays of races at an office park in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. After months on our trainers and rollers, the flat, gentle loop presents a good, safe opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with our bicycles' steering and braking mechanisms. More important, these early-season races are always fun, low-key reunions with fellow competitors we haven't seen in months. It looks like we're in for some rain this week, but that should just wash the last of the snow away. The weekend forecast is sunny and warm. Ish.

Sunday Kenosha Velopsort Spring Training Series ABR Criterium Kenosha, Wis. Distance from Chicago: 1.5 hours 2009 wrap-ups: I, II

Mail-in registration for the popular Snake Alley Criterium is open.

The fabled Snake Alley is like a cyclocross race, where a good race hinges on a good start, and a good start hinges on a good starting position, and a good starting position hinges on an early registration. So go find a stamp and get your registration in now. Here's coverage of the 2009 edition.

• » The O'Fallon Grand Prix is billing itself as our state road race. Illinois Cycling Association president Steve Hansen says the ICA will announce its full slate of state championships soon. I've not done O'Fallon, but its 2009 course featured 1,000 feet of elevation and nearly that many turns in each of its 22-mile laps. This will make for a busy weekend: The next day Wisconsin holds its own state championships with the popular Spring Prairie Road Race. (Tower Racing, which did excellent work organizing our state road races for the past two years, tells me it will not be putting on a race this year.)
• » The 2009 ICA Awards banquet is scheduled for Saturday, March 13, at Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale. USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson and former national road champion Tom Schuler of Tour of America's Dairyland are scheduled to appear.
• » The South Chicago Wheelmen's Tuesday Criterium Series in Matteson is a local institution, and for more than 15 years a cornerstone of that institution has been official Mark Dorinson. (Mike Kelly (South Chicago Wheelmen) notes that Dorinson is "the one that drove the beat up grey Omni, the one that often forgot his whistle and started a race by saying 'Tweet.'") Dorinson is retiring from his Matteson duties, and he will be missed.
• » The Giro d'Grafton joins the USA Crit series this year. That should attract extra firepower to the Tour of America's Dairyland, and I hope that means both men and women.
• » This month's Gapers Block Crit Series sold out both men's heats. Ten spots in each race, however, are reserved for day-of registrations. First come, first served.
• » Val Brostrom (Bouledogue Tout Noir) is programming races at the Northbrook Velodrome this season and tells me she's looking at Aug. 21-22 for a weekend of state championships, rather than spreading events over several weeks.
• » Cyclocross in the winter Olympics?
• » This year's masters national championships in Louisville, Ky., may be your last chance to take part in a nearby championship for a few years: Bend, Ore., gobbled them up, too.
• » A Chicago Web developer has designed a fantasy cycling game.

Registration for the Leland Kermesse, a road race with ambitions to join Hillsboro-Roubaix as an Illinois spring classic, opened today and it looks like the 46-mile 5's race will fill up soon.

Update: The 5's filled by late afternoon. Congrats to Eric Christ (Bicycle Heaven) for nabbing DFL. The 4's are capped at 100. With 34 45 registered so far, that field may reach capacity, too.