Pat McNally spoke to Jon Knouse, the race director behind the Glencoe Gran Prix about planning and preparation for the June 1, 2013 race

PM: Tell us about this new starting grid you keep texting me about

 

JK: We have always believed the GGP to be a cycling event and not a bike race. To some, that may be a matter of semantics, but we are really interested in providing an overall great experience in addition to great bike racing. One area we thought was lacking was the staging. We generally see it being an inelegant experience. That is to say, some riders do what is asked of them, some hang on barricades, others skip the free lap or enter the course where they see fit, all in the name of getting to the front. It seemed to be the wild, wild West. So we decided to end that by staging the riders like a Formula 1 race, without the qualifying laps. Our qualifying laps are the USAC rankings of the riders.

PM: How will it work?

JK: Ten feed feet behind the starting line will be row 1. There are ten places per row so everyone is spread out and the places are set equidistant between the barricades. Then every five feet another row until we have 12 rows of 10 (120 places) and a 13^th row of 5 for a total of 125 places (our largest field size which is the pro men). On the ground, you will see an AT&T Globe with a number on it. A rider will enter the course, look at his/her bib number, match it to the number on the ground and place the front wheel on the decal. All riders will enter the course in the same place. Once everyone is set, the referees will check to see everyone is placed properly. Call–ups will then be done, which will work great as everyone will be spread out so it will be easy for the rider to work his/her way to the front. After call-ups, referees will release the rows one by one to fill in around the start line like a traditional race. The referee will give his instructions, then race!

PM: And how will pre-registration or day-of registration factor in

JK: It will be extremely important to pre-register. All same day registrants start in the back of the field.  You may be the best Cat 3 on the planet, but if you register same-day and are rider number 76, you start in 76^th position. However, if you’ve pre-registered, you can sign in, get your race numbers and fully concentrate on your preparation and warm-up without having to worry about getting to the starting line. We’re trying to make it as easy as possible. 

PM: What made you think about changing the staging process?

JK: I attended every day of the Ryder Cup last fall at Medinah Country Club (two days too many!)  When the Americans came out of the clubhouse to head to the first tee, they walked over a bridge, were announced over the PA and the crowd went nuts. It was really a grand entrance. I thought the scene was electric. I immediately wanted to do something similar with the GGP (without the bridge). This is what I came up with. As an aside, we are taking suggestions for entrance music for each race as the riders stage. We’re open to just about anything within reason (and that can be played in front of little ones). We plan to solicit suggestions by race over at the Glencoe Gran Prix Facebook page, but I’ll gladly take suggestions here too. We’ll give preference to those actually in the race, so if, for example, if Jason Knauff suggests something for the 30+1/2/3, we’ll consider that over my eight-year-old daughter who will suggest One Direction for every race. That is, unless he suggests something by Neil Diamond. 

More on the GGP: This is the 7^th year of the GGP. The race benefits Glencoe Educational Foundation, as well as schools in Chicago, specifically, Holden Elementary and Johnson College Prep. It is hard to believe this is the 7^th year already, but time flies when you are having fun I guess. We’re once again part of the National Criterium Calendar and also this year we are part of USA Crits, which allows us for the first time to live stream our event, and elevates the profile of the GGP further as part of a nationally respected crit series. We are not hosting the IL State Criterium Championships this year, but we know St. Charles will do an awesome job with it. 

Bad news: one of the most popular races on the calendar has run its course. Flatlandia has decided to pull the plug on the 2013 edition of the Leland Kermesse, much to the chagrin of racers much more robust than me. I was fortunate to have suffered a concussion a week before the 2012 edition of the race, and was therefore not allowed to participate. Even though I was never fond of the 100mph winds, rain, and gravel, I am fond of the people putting the race together, and that’s why I always vowed to try again next year. One of those who worked hard to make the race happen was Berwyn’s own David Pilotto. I was able to get the attention of this excellent VW mechanic (seriously) and get his take on what happened.

Dave, how did you get the idea to run this type of race, and what made you think anyone would want to race it?
Leland started as Jason Wagner’s idea, he used to promote a race in paw-paw IL and he loved the area and thought of putting on a truly IL road race. After studying google maps he found what looked to be a cool circuit in a small town named Leland. We packed our bikes and took a drive, after one lap we knew it was perfect. A few emails later, we had a race. It is a truly Illinois road race, wind, cornfields, gravel, flat roads, poor weather.

So what the heck happened?
After putting the race on for years we decided not to put it on in 2013. There was not one reason for this decision, just many factors that played into it. The race will not continue as a Flatlandia run race.

Did you ever consider modifying the race?
Yes, in 2012 we planned on making the race course continue east of the school, over a small wood bridge and through a farm field, but that would have added the cost of closing main street in Leland and paying the farmer to use his field, so we decided against it.

Would it have helped if it were State RR?
Probably not, but the timing would not work anyway, need to have the race early in the year, the farmers are very active June-August and it would not be a good time to host a safe race, we had a combine pull on the course and drive against the race direction, no one was injured but it was a crazy situation.

Was it strictly a financial decision to pull the plug on the race?
No, but the race is a huge strain on our club, we are a club of less than 40 people, it takes 50 or more to safely run this road race, last year Jason Wagner’s dad drove a lead car, and his wife worked registration. My wife drove from Berwyn to Leland just to drop off the lunch because we could not spare one person to pick them up. The O’Fallon race has 400 people working it.

I am a saddened that the race was not embraced more by the local cycling community, we have our hardcore fans that do it every year and love it, but as a race it was never successful enough, monetarily.

This was not an easy decision for me, Wagner or our team. Seeing the Kermesse develop from nothing was a great experience that changed my life.

What’s the biggest challenge you faced as a road promoter?
Combines. No seriously there are many challenges, money being a big one. Registration was stagnant: racers numbered 225-245 people the past 2 years. We hoped and thought it would grow into a larger event.

How big of a production was it to do the race?
For a small team like flatlandia, it was a huge production, I estimate 1,200 man hours for the whole race.

What could racers have done to change this outcome?
They could have encouraged more fellow racers and teammates to come to Leland. That being said, even if we had 1500 racers every year there is no guarantee the race would have continued, because the demise of the Kermesse is not all about money or numbers.

Did the race make money?
Very little, $0.66 per man hour in 2012. We were very close to losing money in 2012. If we went into the red this year it comes out of mine and Wagners pocket, and we are both poor ass motherfuckers.

Why did you do it?
Because we love bike racing and wanted to display our idea of what bike racing in Illinois is.

What about next year
We have plans for something, I can’t go into details, but flatlandia don’t fuck around.

What was the best part about putting on the race for you?
That people enjoyed something as simple as riding on gravel in the middle of nowhere.

What was your favorite memory from the editions of Leland so far?
Watching everyone race in the worst conditions with a smile.

***

So there you go, Leland no more. While there will be better news ahead and soon, what Dave says I’m sure resonates with every other promoter.

For those with the time, means and legs to do so, a stage race or series can be an unforgettable experience. In the Midwest we’re blessed with two such series: The 10-day Tour of America’s Dairyland, which closed Sunday, and the 17-day Superweek, which starts next Friday in Beverly.

A handful of Chicago riders went all-in for the 2010 ToAD, including 27-year-old accountant Andrew Zens (Spidermonkey Cycling). Just two years after taking up racing

— in 2008 he was the dude on the Discovery bike with the Discovery jersey and the Discovery socks —

Zens headed north to race all 10 days of Cat 4/5 racing. He wrote about some lessons learned on his blog, and this week I chatted him up to learn more about his experience.

What on earth possessed you to race 10 days in a row?
At first it was the quest for upgrade points, but as the season progressed I wanted to do something that I had never done before. In your first season there are tons of firsts, but in the second season it’s hard to find something that you haven’t tried or really challenges you.

Prior to this, what was your most intense stretch of racing?
Gateway Cup was four days.

Was there a moment where you were like, “What have I gotten myself into?”
Day One. It was a race in my hometown and I`I tried to do a little of everything. This was the best learning experience a racer can have.’ didn’t sniff the front of the field, nor the middle of the field for that matter, and I thought, “Is it going to be 10 days of this?”

Racing in Illinois, we get to know each other pretty well. But what was it like racing against a bunch of cheeseheads you didn’t know, plus riders from out of the area?
At first it was really hard, not only because I had no idea who had a good wheel to follow but it made bike racing less social in general. However, as the week went on I started to make new friends in the field. That was even more important after Day Four when my teammate Bryan Witry, who was to travel with me, broke his arm.

What happened there?
At Road America he was jockeying for position coming into the uphill finish when a cheesehead rode under his bars and crashed him. Quoting Bryan, “It sucked that guy didn’t have Randy Warren‘s voice in his head saying stay calm.” The Warren safety clinic saves me weekly.

Did that make for a long day?
It really did. The worst part was that on Day Four I finally started racing well after being called out by a Chicago racing friend. Jannette Rho (Chicago Cuttin’ Crew) had told me after the third day, “You need to be more aggressive.”

Did Bryan’s crash affect how you rode the rest of the series?
Probably. I got more aggressive and tried to really enjoy the races the hardest part was traveling by myself every day. It took some of the fun out of the midweek part of ToAD.

What were you doing more aggressively? Getting in breaks? Defending position up front? And how did it work out?
I tried to do a little of everything. This was the best learning experience a racer can have. One day I attacked and attacked and attacked,`When I crossed the line I was empty, and that’s all you can ask of yourself.’ then I cracked. One day I sat on the strongest rider’s wheel. One day I went for every prime.

I read on a Web site somewhere that you have to race for a year in your category before you can expect to do well in it. So I thought I could get my year in in a week with 10 races.

What was the best moment of the week?
The Greenbush Road Race. It was the first 4’s race where I competed in a sprint finish. And the course was so much fun, flying through the woods. When I crossed the line I was empty, and that’s all you can ask of yourself.

Where did you stay all week?
I grew up within two hours of every race, so I stayed with my parents. They still have my Bob Marley posters from high school on my walls. On Saturday night it was the Chicago host house with six racers from four different chicago teams (XXX, Chicago Cuttin’ Crew, Iron Cycles, Spidermonkey).

If you were to do this again, what would you do differently? What advice do you have for others?
Unless something changes I plan on doing this series again next summer, and I will realize how much mental stress is involved with racing day after day.

I would say remember to have fun. The first day I really worried about results and I sucked. When I made sure to have fun and try things, the results improved. I mean, if it’s not fun then you are just riding in circles.

Two days removed, how are your legs feeling?
Actually they feel great. I will be heading down to matteson later this evening, and I would expect to see me on the Turin ride tomorrow. Then it’s a break for a couple days.

Do you wish you’d taken any rest days?
Not at all. I would have wondered, What did I miss?

How was watching the P/1/2 races?
It was amazing. The Rahsaan Bahati (Bahati Foundation) show at Grafton was something to see.

Great question from Bahati after Greenbush: “You don’t need anything bigger than a 21, right?” Me: “Well, I rocked a 26 but we got different legs.”

Heh. That’s like Tiger Woods asking you which wedge to use.
Exactly. I also enjoyed rubbing shoulders with team directors like Verizon u25’s Mike Ebert. It’s always good to find him toward the finish. He knows where to stand for a good view.

I always loved lingering near the directors and eavesdropping as they yelled into the radios.
Well, without the radios they have time to talk to you a little more.

How much Superweek are you going to do?
Not many. Maybe four. This past week and a half I’ve seen how a stage race should be run. It was so organized and professional.  `When I made sure to have fun and try things, the results improved. I mean, if it’s not fun then you are just riding in circles.’The directors and promotors were amazing. They are even crediting Bryan six races for next year. I was blown away. I don’t really want to go back to the Superweek disorganization. However, the road races are looking pretty fun, especially Willow Springs.

Do you have any goals for the rest of the season?
I want to figure out how to make the jump from being a top 20 finisher to a top 10 finisher. I am really looking forward to Glencoe and Gateway. The Gateway crowds are unmatched, which makes the weekend.

Have you figured how many upgrade points you ended up with last week?
Zero! And that’s the best part. I don’t even care and I still had a blast each and every day.

That’s the spirit!  You’ve grown wise, grasshopper. Now that you have freed yourself from desire, I’m sure the points will come.
I am sure they will. I would like come back as a really strong Cat 4 for ToAD next year.

One of the most important pieces of advice I give new riders is to expect to suck. It takes time to figure out the vagaries of bike racing, even for experienced riders and strong athletes. Typically it takes a season to get comfortable in a given category, then a second season to thrive.

There are exceptions, however.

As a Cat 5, Kyle Selph (Tower Racing) won his first four races late last summer, including two Cat 5 heats at the state road race in Willow Springs. He’s continued to find success in the 4’s. This Saturday he sprinted to a win at Sherman Park, just a week after winning the state road race in O’Fallon.

Cycling is far from his first foray into athletics. The 24-year-old Lombard resident is an operations manager in the fitness industry, and after growing up in Uruguay, where his parents were missionaries, he played goalie for an accomplished soccer program at Judson University.

This week I caught up with Selph to learn more about his short journey from newbie to state champion.

What was your athletic background before cycling?
I grew up participating in a variety of sports and athletic hobbies, however soccer was my primary pursuit.

How did you get into cycling and bike racing?
When I was young my father instilled in me a love of cycling via family-oriented bike tours and vacations.  Post soccer, I needed a sport that would both exercise my competitive demons and remain flexible to my busy work schedule. Cycling was a natural choice.

How did you hook up with Tower Racing?
I knew I wanted to find a team where I could learn the sport step-by-step from seasoned racers. Enter Tower Racing, I found the team via the USA Cycling team page and decided to join them on a Saturday team ride in the spring of 2009 only two weeks after buying a bike. I found myself among an incredible group of men and women who were ready and willing to invest their time and tenure into an eager rookie.

Tower Racing is one of the few teams I’ve noticed be able to put together a good leadout train in the lower categories. How much planning goes into that? Do you guys practice? Do you assign roles before each race?
Without giving away any team secrets, I would credit this advanced racing skill to our well-organized and purposeful training rides. We designate portions of our rides with sprints and hill climbs that force the group to keep a race-like mentality during training. `For a team to be successful we must race as a team not individuals. In one word, “selfless.”’As a team we like to discuss strategy before races. However, it always comes down to who is willing to work for whom. For a team to be successful we must race as a team not individuals. In one word, “selfless.”

How nervous were you before your first race?
It was the unexpected that made me nervous.

You won your first five races. How surprised were you by that?
It was a great surprise! And a great honor to be supported so well by my wife, family and team no matter what the next outcome would be.

You had no teammates at O’Fallon. How did that affect how your rode in the race?
As a sprinter, racing alone seems hopeless. However, the front riders did a great job during the race of pulling back any attempts at a breakaway that I would have surely had to join or bridge to in order to keep a podium spot alive.

Take us through the final kilometer, starting with the last big hill.
Approaching the final hill it was stay on the outside and run the risk of being pushed out over the center line, leading to disqualification, or stay on the inside and touch wheels or get boxed in. Well, I picked the latter and fortunately the group took the hill slow and allowed me to move up going into the final left turn.

At that point I was at the front of the pack and as the other teams were organizing their respective leadout trains. Nearing the 1km mark I realized that the chance of finding a wheel to follow was not going to happen, so I decided to lead myself out. I proceeded to mash my pedals as hard as I could expecting a leadout to come around me at any moment, and luckily I held off the pursuing riders long enough to solo across the finish.

What’s your plan for upgrading into the 3’s?
After getting wrapped up in a number of crashes already this year caused by unsteady riders, `I proceeded to mash my pedals as hard as I could expecting a leadout to come around me at any moment.’I would like to upgrade by the end of the season if possible in hopes to race at a more consistent and organized level.

What are your bike racing goals beyond that?
I don’t want to take myself too seriously. That said, I would like to make it into the 1/2 fields someday soon.

Now that you’re a cyclist, what do you care about more: the World Cup or the Tour de France?
I think you’re trying to get me in trouble. I love the Tour but the World Cup is only every four years! Let’s just say I will be watching a lot of both.

Well, I have Uruguay in my pool, so I hope they can stick it to Mexico.
Right on! They don’t have any superstars, but when they play together as a team it’s a beautiful thing.

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.

Early in my racing career I was directed to the Truesport columns of Mark Swartzendruber (Verizon Wireless), and I've never been the same. His race reports are not only the funniest cycling writing around, but they are also reliable sources of insight, racing wisdom and even sound relationship advice. It was from him, after all, that I learned the concept of the feckless weenie, thus beginning a long-simmering bias against sprinters and other squatters.

Swartzendruber, 46, is of course more than just a humorist. He's also one of the region's strongest time trialists. It's not unusual for him to show up at spring time trials and score not only the fastest time but, by racing in multiple categories, the second- and third-fastest as well, and twice he has earned silver medals at masters national championships. In 2008 he was our state champion in the road race (40+) and the time trial (40+ and P/1/2), and in 2009 he has picked up masters criterium wins at Cobb Park and Wood Dale. This summer he is gets into the race-promotion game with this weekend's Tour de Champaign (online registration closes tonight) and August's Druber's 40K Time Trial Challenge, where riders beating their host's time get a $50 bonus. The financial adviser and Cubs fan has long been Downstate's problem, but soon he and his wife are moving to Chicago. This week I checked in with the Druber to find out more about what's in store for us. He can always be counted on for a unique point of view on a variety of issues, and he did not disappoint.

If I smoke more cigars, drink more bourbon and marry a lovelier woman, will I go faster? Seems to work OK for you. I wouldn't recommend anyone follow the training regimen I undertake. It's been known to break some very hard men. Everyone needs to find a training program that works for them.

Seriously, most of us so high-strung from all the training and attendant self-denial that we show up at races wan and cranky. Yet you seem to actually being enjoying yourself. What's the secret to performing well and still enjoying the good life? Interesting question. Of all the sports I've done in my life, `I genuinely enjoy riding my bike, so I never "train." I just ride a lot and enjoy it, and I guess because I ride a lot, I race well.’ cyclists are by far a breed of athlete that takes themselves far too seriously. This is especially true of masters guys. The ones who say "I only do this for fun" are most often the worst offenders. I genuinely enjoy riding my bike, so I never "train." I just ride a lot and enjoy it, and I guess because I ride a lot, I race well and I'm a pretty low-key guy by nature.

What kind of writing background do you have? None really. I mostly steal ideas from that grumpy curmudgeon, the Right Rev. William H Stone (Labor Power), who also writes on Truesport.

You once played professional baseball. How far did you get? I played a couple of seasons of short-season ball with a non-affiliated minor league team. We played everyone from rookie league teams to AA teams. I was a catcher with a great arm and a mediocre bat.

You got into racing fairly late. Do you ever wonder how you'd have turned out if you'd started as a junior? Ever think you coulda been a contender? I've been told by people who may know a thing or two about cycling that I would have made a pretty decent classics rider, but I really don't dwell too much on "what ifs." I'm just enjoying the ride and glad I got into cycling at all.

Everything I know about the baseball life I learned from "Bull Durham." How do you compare the clubhouse atmosphere with the camaraderie we get in racing and on group rides? Baseball players aren't the brightest lot you'll ever run into so most of the conversation centered on farts and beer. Cyclists talk about themselves and need positive affirmation from others much more than baseball players did. The race recaps and normalized power readings are almost unbearable, which is why I ride by myself most of the time. I don't do this sport for social reasons.

It's interesting that you say you like to ride alone, since you're one of the more gregarious guys around. `I've always been a person who wants to go to the highest level I can at whatever it is I'm doing.’If not the social aspects, what motivates you to endure everything that cycling entails? If it's just exercise and competition, why not tennis or poker? I hear they're very safe. I genuinely like and enjoy people -- even cyclists! That doesn't mean I need to have people around me when I ride. I can get more done to improve and maintain my race readiness on my own than when I'm sitting in the middle of a group ride listening to some guy telling me about his normalized power reading from the masters crit he did last weekend. I've never considered the stuff it takes to be a good athlete something to be "endured." When I played minor league baseball or football and basketball in high school or golf (I was once a 2 handicap golfer), I found the time spent alone working on fundamentals (ball handling, footwork, putting, chipping, free throws, swing fundamentals, etc.) to be infinitely more valuable than the scrimmages or games.

You've made mention of a breed of racer known as the "professional Cat 3." What's your call for when it's time to upgrade from 3 to 2? After working so hard to become competitive, why on earth would someone want to be pack fodder all over again? Another idea stolen from Rev. Billy. I've always been a person who wants to go to the highest level I can at whatever it is I'm doing, and I can't understand anyone who would want to stop somewhere short of that. Anyone who is consistently dominating the races in a category is ready to move up to the next level.

How are you adjusting to life in the city? Have you gotten mugged yet? We're not moving until late August. I'm actually looking forward to my first mugging.

Speaking of muggings, by now you've already paid thousands of dollars in city taxes. My understanding is that approximately 87 cents of every tax dollar is going to the Olympic bid. How does that make you feel? We'll at least get a velodrome out of it, right? What's a velodrome?

For cyclists, which is the bigger menace: urban/suburban drivers in their SUVs, trying to go 50 mph and not spill their lattes, or rural drivers in their pick-up trucks trying not to spill their High Lifes? Neither. The biggest menace to cyclists are coaches who bilk them out of thousands of dollars a year.

What do you have against the coaching racket? I think I have more against the rubes who pay the coaches than the coaches. I lump a lot of these guys into the same category as as people who shell out thousands to televangelists, snake oil salesmen, colon-cleanse hucksters and senators. They're buying false hopes. There are legitimate coaches who definitely help riders improve by spending time to get to know them. Curtis Tolson (Texas Roadhouse) `I'm not big on group rides because so many people do them in lieu of racing. I guess I'm not as impressed as I should be about winning sprints to the yellow "stop ahead" signs.’and Robbie Ventura (Vision Quest) come to mind (not an exhaustive list), but for the most part "periodization, A-B-C races and power profiling" for guys who are doing 45-minute crits is complete piffle.

Once you're settled into the North Side, any chance we'll see you our favorite North Shore rides, like Judson or the Wednesday night Midweekegem? I'm sure I'll try the group rides out, but again, I do most of my riding alone or with one or two others. In general I'm not big on group rides because so many people do them in lieu of racing. I guess I'm not as impressed as I should be about winning sprints to the yellow "stop ahead" signs.

Many of us like to start sentences with, "What promoters ought to do is ..." So it's always nice when a team steps up to throw a race, because it's a chance to put their money where their yappy mouths are. What are some of the finer touches we should expect from Verizon Wireless and Wild Card at this weekend's Tour de Champaign? The prize lists are high, the amenities are going to be really nice: trophies, medals, flowers to the winners, hot podium girls, good venues for the races and live music to give you something to do before or after your races. Downtown Champaign is a very happening and lively place with great restaurants and pubs.

You're going up against some big events in Chicago that weekend. Tell me why we should drive three hours for an untested race. The races will start on time. The races won't be shortened, and our prize money checks won't bounce.

Finally, some financial advice. Which investment offers the best dividends: $5,000 on a bike on which to chase $100 payouts and sunglasses primes? Or $5,000 in a Bernie Madoff hedge fund? What kind of idiot would spend $5,000 on a bike?

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.

For all the time we devote to our sport -- training, traveling and racing -- it's hard to imagine that any of us invests more than Dave Fowkes. As the Illinois Cycling Association's technical director, he's responsible for processing hundreds of upgrade requests and dozens of race permits each year. In addition, Fowkes, the head athletic trainer at Highland Park High School, is a prolific official, working regional and national events in all disciplines. He is also responsible for training new Illinois officials (the next clinic is April 21), and last May he was one of 12 officials to pass USA Cycling's national commissaire class, the highest certification level available in the U.S.

He may not always rule your way, but there's no denying that racing in Illinois would be diminished without him. I recently hit him up to learn more about the man who touches so many of our palmarès.

What kind of riding do you do yourself? I mostly do road rides. I really don’t know if riding the trainer counts. Winters can be rough in Chicagoland. When on the road it is a set time frame in which to get a ride in then it is off to other stuff, mostly cycling related.

How did you get into the officiating racket, and when? I had been riding for a few years when I decided to go back to school for an advanced degree and with that my training went out the window. I wanted to continue to be involved with cycling so the next best thing was to become an official. I became an entry level official in ’95-’96 and my first event was at the track, which was cancelled due to rain.

How many races do you work in a typical year? 35-40. This includes local, NRC and national events.

Aside from the races, how many hours do you spend processing permits, upgrades and the like? Some days are better than others. The process takes quite a bit of time particularly if necessary information is not included in the original paper work or request. If you ask my wife she would say I spend far too much time and that it consumes me.

What was different about the racing around Chicago when you started? It seemed simpler. I showed up and raced my bike and then I went home. Now I am part of an association responsible for coordinating events and the behind the scenes things that go on to put on an event.

Do you ever get a chance to step back from your duties and enjoy the unfolding races? Part of my duties as an official is to see the big picture of the race. Seeing it unfold and anticipating what could happen next is important. There have been many thrilling finishes, from juniors battling out the sprint to a P/1/2 all-out drag race.

I expect by now you’ve seen it all, from grown men getting petulant over their Cat 5 results to goofballs trying to sneak their tandem into a cross race. What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve seen at a race? Each event brings new thrills and challenges. Riders always seem to keep me on my toes.

What’s something you wish new racers would know before they started? Basic race terminology: What does the bell indicate, what is a prime, what is a free lap, etc. Most of all how to properly pin on their race number.

What can we do to make official’s jobs easier? Become an official. If not possible, then to understand the role of an official and which official does what at a race.

Rare is the race around here that doesn’t end with complaints about the “sandbagger” who won. Do these ever reach your ears, and what actions, if any do you take as a result? Yes, these rider concerns do get to me but not as often as they probably should. I look at a riders results and if warranted I can and will impose an automatic upgrade.

A lot of riders ask me about American Bike Racing races and whether they will count toward upgrades, but even I ‘m confused. How much consideration, if any, do you give to ABR when considering upgrades? Some new verbiage in the rulebook states only races permitted by USA Cycling or foreign races permitted by a UCI-affiliated National Federation will count for upgrade. Years ago there was a reciprocity agreement between USA Cycling and ABR but that agreement has not been in effect for a few years. So in short, no, ABR races are not considered for an upgrade on a USA Cycling license.

What are the chances we’ll see you officiating Chicago 2016? Wouldn’t that be something.

How many races this year came down to Kristen Meshberg (Flatlandia) and Devon Haskell (Team Get a Grip Cycles)? I count five: Meshberg was first to Haskell's second at Grayslake, Sheboygan and at both days of Winfield. The order was reversed at the Proctor Criterium, our state championship. At numerous other races they finished in the top 5 together. We learned about Haskell last December. For my latest interview with the stars of 2008, I caught up with Meshberg, 38, a stay-at-home mother of two who had a dynamite year, earning state championships for both road race and criterium in addition to excelling on the track. She also took her show on the road, hitting National Racing Calendar events in California and the prestigious Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota. For five years she's been teaching Pedaling with a Purpose, a winter training class in Chicago and Westmont, and for two years she's raced for Flatlandia. In 2009, however, a big change is in the works, one that could alter the complexion of women's racing the Midwest -- and it just happens to include her frequent nemesis Haskell.

You did some early-season racing in California this year. How is the scene there different from Chicago? The scene out in California is that everyone is pro! `The best part of being on a club is that you don't feel any pressure to get results. You can do what's right for you to develop as a rider rather than worry about team results.’There's better weather, and some really good topography out there. But we really do have a great cycling scene here in Chicago. Chicago is the place to be if you're a crit rider!

Do you plan to go back in 2009? I am planning to race the 2009 Tour of California Women's crit. It was supposed to be expanded to a three-day stage race, but we just got word that it's back down to a one-day crit, which is a bummer. But I'm planning on staying a week and turning it into a training week. Going out there in February and coming off the trainers, it's just good for training and fun to combine it with our NRC season opener.

What other goals do you have next year? I'm super excited about my new team for next year, "Team BH USA.” We've got some really great sponsors, including "The Bike Shop" in Glen Ellyn.

New team? Devon Haskell, two other just as fabulous women from Wisconsin, Anne Meyer (Mercy-Specialized) and Madeleine Puissant (IS Corp), and myself have created a four-person women's team for next year.

Wow! It's like your own personal all-star team. You and Haskell should be particularly formidable together. What are your goals with the squad? We plan to do most of the bigger races that are within driving distance of Chicago, but we hope do a handful of bigger races that we will travel to. Fitchburg in Massachusestts, Nature Valley in Minnesota and the Tour of California to name a few. "The Bike Shop" in Glen Ellyn is really supportive of women's racing, as is BH Bikes and our other sponsors. They are committed to helping women get started in bike racing. This is also one of my personal missions. This year we needed to keep the team small since it's our first year. Long-term we'd like to keep having a kick-ass elite team, but ultimately we'll expand to include a developmental women's squad fostering a fun environment where women can be supported and become better bike racers.

You were a messenger for awhile. What was it like back then? I loved it. It was probably one of the best times of my life. It was the first time I learned how independent and free the bicycle can make you. `[Messengering] was the first time I learned how independent and free the bicycle can make you.’I also learned how to ride hard. I did it for a year and a half so in messenger terms "one winter." It was pre-Sept. 11, 2001, so compared to now I imagine there was probably a lot less security.

Who got into racing first: you or your husband? Jason got into racing first, in 1999. He kept trying to get me to race and I found out later it was mainly because he wanted me to come watch him. It took me about a year, but when I finally did start I was hooked immediately. Now he's sorry.

Does the fact that both of you race make it easier or harder to juggle family and racing? It's definitely harder to juggle two people racing when you have kids. But it helps that we both understand what it takes to bike race, and we try to help each other. The way we work it out is that I get the focus for the road season and Jason gets the focus for cross season.

Are your kids itching to race yet, or do they roll their eyes when they get dragged to yet another criterium? They do pretend to race when they are riding their bikes at home. On the way to the park from our house there's a part where the sidewalk ends and you have to go on grass for a while. They call it "doing cyclocross" when they have to pick up their bikes. When she was 2, my daughter used to call her tricycle her "track bike." I was so proud! They love to help clean the bikes and they are both pretty good with learning the tools. Right now they love going to the races, especially the velodrome. They love cheering, but mostly they love running around with the other kids on the infield. At the other races we do consider the environment as to whether or not we take the kids. Cross races are the best for the kids. As long as there's a park they're happy. St. Charles got an A+ for taking kids with the course being right by the playground. The industrial-park crit, not so ideal. I think as they get older their enthusiasm may wane, which is why I'm trying to pack it in now.

How did Flatlandia come about? The three founding fathers of Flatlandia -- Jason Wagner, Rom Tamondong, and my husband -- just wanted to start a fun team. It's a play off of the old Flandria team from Belgium. They thought about Belgium: harsh weather, windy and kind of flat. Yet somehow a lot of good, tough bike racers have come from there. They thought it sounded a lot like Chicagoland, and we should celebrate our region and be proud of where we are from.

What are the tradeoffs of a being a "club" vs. being a "team"? The best part of being on a club is that you don't feel any pressure to get results. You can do what's right for you to develop as a rider rather than worry about team results. If you end up doing well, everyone's just really happy for you. It's a really supportive environment.

One tradeoff in my mind is that although you can't offer sponsors space on your jerseys, you get to enjoy very clean, sponsor-free kits. I've always`There are so many strong women out there that would be fantastic bike racers but are afraid or don't know how to start.’ been a fan of the Flatlandia look. Who designed it? I think you can credit Jason Wagner for the design and coming up with the name. We got a lot of compliments on it. But we did get some sponsors for last year: BH bikes and Hinsdale Orthopaedic Associates. BH bikes have been around in Europe but are fairly new to the U.S. They are awesome! And Hinsdale Orthopaedic is an incredible group of doctors (two of whom are crit-racing teammates) that unfortunately we bike racers need to see every so often.

What's your favorite motivation or distraction while you're putting in the winter base miles? Music? Movies? CBR archives? CBR archives of course! But I also watch race footage, listen to music, and honestly the people that come to Pedaling with a Purpose motivate me quite a bit. I couldn't get through all those hours on the trainer without them, and that's why I run the program.

Are there any races -- past or future -- that you visualize when you get on the trainer? I visualize quite a bit on the trainer. Rather than focus on individual races, I usually visualize specific situations that I'd like to have happen in races. Any more specific and I'd be giving away all my secrets.

What skills or strengths to you emphasize in your classes? I emphasize the importance of base miles and working within your zones. The most common mistake people make is thinking that they have to kill themselves 100 percent of the time on the bike. I also emphasize consistent training and positive thinking.

If a woman tells you she's thinking about taking up bike racing, what's your pitch? I say YES!!! I try to be very encouraging because I love racing and we need more women out there. It can be an intimidating sport to get into. I never would have started if my husband hadn't been so encouraging. There are so many strong women out there that would be fantastic bike racers but are afraid or don't know how to start. Also, people and women especially need to know that it usually takes a while to get good. So don't give up just because you aren't awesome right away.

Chicago is blessed with a thriving masters scene, good news for those of us who are late arrivals to the sport. Whether it's former pro Robbie Ventura jumping into a race with his Vision Quest charges or Mark Swartzendruber (Lucas Oil) battling his rivals on Team Mack, the masters races are often the most exciting of any given day -- and sometimes the fastest.

One of the pillars of this scene has been Wayne Simon (Verdigris). The 50-year-old father of three daughters ("Three of my greatest teachers," he says) owns his own industrial surge-suppressor company and has been racing since 1984. Twenty-five years later, Simon's 2008 campaign was nothing short of astounding. In July he won the masters national championship in the road race (50-54) and came in 2nd in the time trial. He had a defining year with the state championships, too. Simon won the state 50-54 time trial, posting the third-fastest time overall, and yesterday he won the 50+ cyclocross championship. In August he finished 2nd in the 50+ road race, narrowly missing out on a triple crown. This week I caught up with Simon to learn more about his history with Chicago racing and to find out what it's like to post up at a national championship.

How has racing in Illinois changed since you started? I recall my first race being Bull Valley Road Race in the fall of 1984. Back then state championships doubled as national qualifiers. The top six to eight guys could go to the elite national road race. Same for the time trial. This was the only way to go to nationals, if you were not a national A or B team member. The time trial was held on Saturday, followed by the road race Sunday. The road race was a minimum of 85 miles, and one year I seem to remember it being 107 miles. All categories -- 1's, 2's, 3's and 4's -- raced together for these qualifiers! Category 5 and masters did not exist. There was no ABR and only a small number of local races. Today you can race 60 races in a season without getting on a plane or driving across the country.

Verdigris has always been a bit of a mystery to me. All I know is that starting with last year's cross season, guys in green (and a few gals) suddenly started toeing the start line -- and almost without exception `The PYOC philosophy was simple: Always ride and train like pros though we were amateurs.’ finished at or near the front. What can you tell us about the team and how it came together? Tim Boundy started Verdigris last year as a cyclocross-specific team. Most of the members live close to Barrington and train together during the week. Tim's many years of cross and mountain-bike racing make him a great team leader. He had been working on me over the past few years to give cross a try, so last season I raced a few times on my MTB and really liked the discipline. I bought a cross bike and am now hooked. Thanks, Tim.

Previously you raced with PYOC, and PYOC is still part of your e-mail address. What does the "paddle your own canoe" ethos mean to you as far as cycling? RRB/Carousel Linens was formed by Doug Close and the core racers from the RRB/VCR club about 1986. RRB owner Ron Boi was behind us 100 percent. The core members of this group evolved into PYOC. The philosophy was simple: Always ride and train like pros though we were amateurs, to focus on the details of correct pace lines and echelons, team time trial, pedal strokes, correct positions on the bike, and always racing as a team, not as individuals. Doug was the training scientist coming up with concepts that always seemed to be cutting edge and well ahead of most training books. If you ride with myself, Mike Heagney (PYOC), Nels Hackl (PYOC), Tom Kalstrup (PYOC) or any of Doug's lab rats, you can see the similarities in our riding styles today. The training and racing I did on the bike over these few years formed the foundation of my cycling knowledge. I would not have the results today without the experience and generosity of these individuals, so a special thanks to the core PYOCian's.

Do you consider yourself a roadie who races cross to wind down, or are you a CX guy who races road to warm up? I am a roadie all the way! I just like to play in the dirt, though I believe cross has helped my time trial.

I don't think I ever saw a report from your national championship in Kentucky. How did the finish play out? At what point did you realize you'd be putting on the Stars and Stripes? With five miles remaining and one rider 40 seconds off the front, there were about 30 guys left and three short climbs to the finish, which was on the top of the third hill. I felt calm sitting in, waiting for the first most difficult hill in the circuit to launch my attack. I spun quite a large gear for about 45 seconds, maybe 700w, and to my surprise a 10-second gap at the top `I stand up to keep the momentum, shift up a few teeth and at the 200-meter sign I make the catch still going fast!’ leaving me no choice but to continue full gas to the second climb. Now I can see Rob Anderson (Team Specialized Racing) going as hard as I can and at the top of the hill I was close, about 7 seconds, but the engine room was saying shut it down. I thought, "No way can I catch him." Looking back down the hill, there was no pack in sight. Now I have second for sure. Totally cool, but on the downhill I seemed to find that quick recovery and stomped the largest gear on the Trek, 54x11, to the base of the hill with the speedometer displaying 36 mph. OK, this is good. As the 500-meter sign flies by I stand up to keep the momentum, shift up a few teeth and at the 200-meter sign I make the catch still going fast! Making sure I could not be caught at 40 meters, I let off the gas, sat up, putting my arms in the air and think: "You’re going to win the national road race. How did that happen?" I cannot believe it. This does not seem real. This day is truly a gift.

What are your expectations for this weekend's cyclocross national championships in Kansas City? I have no expectations. I have learned that is not realistic. Anything can happen, and I do not have control of most of those things. I am prepared to battle as hard as I can, with a front-row starting position because of my 8th place finish from last year's race. That gives me the opportunity to be close to 2007 winner Ned Overend (Specialized), at least on the starting line. There is a chance I could make the podium if all goes well. We will see. [UPDATE: Simon would go on to finish 4th in Kansas City.]

Once cross is over, what kind of break will you take before `My main goal is to enjoy every start. You never know how long a body will hold up.’getting ready for 2009? Three weeks off the bike, let the body gain a pound or two, drink some wine, then hit the weight room hard after New Year's.

What are your goals for 2009? I have a few. Maybe do the Tour de Gila, and I will definitely return to Louisville for masters national championships. I look forward to the road race. The Louisville course suits me well, and I would like to ride a better time trial. My main goal is to enjoy every start. You never know how long a body will hold up.

It's 25 degrees and windy and you need to get in a three-hour ride: Do you go outside, or are you on the trainer? Trainer every time. Got to love that Velodyne!

How far would you travel for a quality road race? Hillsboro? Wisconsin? Arkansas?

Belgium? That's where Vision Quest's Bryan McVey and Luca Lenzi headed this summer, becoming the latest in a long line of young American riders to rough it in one of the world's most grueling and hard-nosed racing environments. To learn more about the experience, I checked in with McVey, originally of Arlington Heights, who enjoyed a meteoric rise through the ranks in 2007. He's back in Illinois after graduating from Virginia Tech with a degree in mechanical engineering, and we should see more of him in 2009 now that he's working for Caterpillar in Joliet. He'll continue to ride for Vision Quest, but the 23-year-old says his services are available to teams racing at the NRC level.

In May 2007 you were racing (and winning) the citizens category at Monsters of the Midway. A year later you were Cat 2 and racing in Belgium. How the heck did that happen, and did it involve a time machine or space travel? Unfortunately there was no time travel. In the summer of 2007 I felt I was trying to make up for starting the sport later in my career. I stacked my schedule with as many races as I could.

What sports did you do before cycling? I competed competitively in cross country and track for 10 years prior to making the switch to full-time cyclist in May 2007. My last season as a runner was my junior year track season at Virginia Tech in spring 2007.

What was your primary event? I was primarily mid-distance in high school and distance in college. In high school my best event was the mile, and college I ran the 3k, 5k and 3k steeplechase the most.

How did you and Luca get hooked up with racing in Belgium? I had some teammates from my collegiate team at Virginia Tech (Eric Chrabot, and John Zaccone) who were at the Johan Bruyneel Cycling Academy, and `Racers will do anything to advance their position for the inevitable break in the peloton somewhere around the hour mark.’they gave me the information and inside scoop on the program. I then relayed the info to Luca and he was in.

What kind of contact did you have with Bruyneel himself? There wasn't any. But you have to remember that he was in season as well directing Astana, so there are priorities. He was at the pre-season camp in February in Arizona, although I wasn't there, and he did have constant contact with our director, Bernard Moerman.

Is the program just for Americans? The JBCA is not just for Americans, but it caters to Americans very well, so that is why most of the people there are from the States. It is pretty much a home away from home to live with other people that all have similar goals, which is to test themselves against some of the greatest riders in the world, in some of the greatest venues in the world. There were a few Belgian riders I raced with and became good friends with. They didn't live at the house, but would race with us as a part of the JBCA team.

How long were you there and how often did you race? I was there for about 2.5 months, and I raced a total of 17 times: 11 single-day races and one five-day, six-stage race.

How is the racing style different from American racing? It is much more cut-throat since every race is so important. A good finish in a race there will get you a lot of credit, compared to the average race in the states. Racers will do anything to advance their position for the inevitable break in the peloton somewhere around the hour mark. This includes riding on sidewalks, through gas-station parking lots and up the middle of the peloton through very narrow openings. It was very intimidating at first.

How are the Americans received? For the most part we were just another racer they needed to finish in front of. But every once in awhile you would run into the hot-headed person that did not like you being there, and they made it known to you. The American-flag kit made it a bit obvious. At times I was glad I didn't speak Flemish.

How would you describe a kermesse to someone who's never seen it? It's an extremely fast race, 100-120km in distance, on a 5-12k loop. The start/finish is in a small town, with the course on a mix of `Every once in awhile you would run into the hot-headed person that did not like you being there, and they made it known to you.’small country roads with tight turns and larger exposed main roads. Simply put, a pure suffer fest.

Is it true that Belgians go watch bike races even if they don't have family or friends in them? There is always a crowd for the races, usually in town by the start/finish area where families and spectators can sit and enjoy the race, as well as good food and beverages.

How was the beer? Excellent, and very strong.

What's one aspect of Belgian racing you'd like to see adopted here? The longer distance racing. You don't even need a large loop to do it on! You can have long races and still be spectator-friendly, which I think is key.

Looking at you I'd peg your weight around 90 pounds. Do you consider yourself a climber? How much does it drive you crazy to be in flat Illinois? Good guess, but about 60 pounds off. I do consider climbing as my best discipline, but I strive to be as much as an all-around rider as I can. Not being able to do climbing races around here is a bit rough, but I was lucky to have a whole collegiate season in the Appalachian Mountains last spring. I always look forward to the hilly races.

What are your cycling plans in 2009? Right now my plans for 2009 are to continue to ride for Vision Quest, with coaching from Jason Schisler. I will also be looking for any openings available with teams in some bigger races in the U.S. to help build my resume.

What's your off-season training look like? How does cyclocross fit in? I am working a full-time job and also training as much as I can full-time as well. Lots of running and trainer time, as well as strength training. Cyclocross for me is added fitness to mix up training in the off-season, so I don't put too much emphasis on it. I'm not very good at the technical stuff, but I love the races and the atmosphere.

What 2009 races are you looking forward to most? Whichever races I can do over three hours with more than 10 feet of elevation gain! Honestly, I am looking forward to racing as much as I can, and hopefully getting into some bigger races. So if anyone has any contacts for teams that need riders for any of the NRC races, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)! Also feel free to check out my blog.

I like to say it's the tedious and hard workouts of January and February that will win the races of June and July. Similarly, on an organizational level, it's the boring and difficult planning of fall that lays the foundation for a smooth, productive season.

Much of that process is managed by the Illinois Cycling Association, our state's bridge to USA Cycling, and the effort kicks off Saturday with its fall meeting in Lisle. (Note that the location has changed: It will now be at the police station, 5040 Lincoln Ave., close to the Metra station.) This spring we talked with ICA president Steve Feehery (South Chicago Wheelmen). Since then, the ICA improved its reporting of Illinois Cup standings, found a venue for our state road race and introduced the Chicago Time Trial Series. To see what's in store for 2009, I checked in with new president Steve Hansen (North Branch).

What is the ICA leadership looking like in 2009? It will be Steve Feehery, from South Chicago Wheelmen and also an official; Jon Knouse, from Alberto's and promoter of the Glencoe Grand Prix; secretary Sharmin Doering from Team Mack and also an official; and I’m from North Branch Cycling and promoter of the Chicago Time Trial Series. Jon is new to the organization and will be vice president, Steve is stepping over to the role of treasurer, and I’ll be stepping into the role of president.

What are the big items on Saturday's agenda? For 2008 the goal was to show that the ICA was alive and working for the riders in Illinois. We updated the Web site and now keep it current. We got the Illinois Cup working again. We started our own time trial series. And we helped Tower Racing bring the road race championship to Oak Brook. All that was to lay the groundwork for 2009. For 2009 we’ll be looking to build on that success. We're looking at our strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. `We need to double or even triple the number of women who race.’We need to find more opportunities for juniors and get more of them into the sport. We need to double or even triple the number of women who race. We need to nail down results better. We need to work with promoters to improve the quality and venues of the races. Saturday’s agenda is focused on laying the groundwork for our goals for 2009. The three main themes are organizational, involvement and communications. Organizationally, we need to make better decisions faster. Involvement means getting clubs and their members to look toward the ICA as a way to help grow the sport of competitive cycling.To advance our goals we need people who want to help out in ways both great and small. People get involved when an organization makes real progress with issues that are important to them. So as we align the organization to achieve highly successful results, people will want to be a part of that. Last is communication. Communication is a huge deal. Riders need to know about the ICA, what we do, what we stand for, and how we make a difference to the racing scene in Illinois. Communication will help to bring new people into the sport. Communication will help us work better with local communities to support races in their area.

The Illinois Cup took a major step forward this year, but it was still imperfect. It seems like most riders either weren't aware of it or didn't care enough to make Cup races a priority. What is the ICA going to be doing in 2009 to keep the Cup standings current and relevant? We’ve already had a meeting with the Illinois Cup promoters to talk about the 2009 season and how we can get the word out better and get riders excited about the Illinois Cup. Most of the ideas are simple and straightforward. We’ll be trying to finalize the Illinois Cup calendar by the middle of February, and we have talked about putting out a poster to distribute to bike shops and other public venues. We’ll do a better job of advertising the series on our Web site and get the events listed as a series on VeloNews, True Sport and of course Chicago Bike Racing. We’ll be working on getting the standings updated quicker, and we’ll be doing call-ups at each race where the top three riders in each category will get called up to the line for some recognition. The original premise of the Illinois Cup was to be a best all-around rider award. There were to be a few road races, criteriums, time trails, cyclocross and track races all on the Illinois Cup Schedule and those riders who did best overall would win the award. What happened in 2008 was a little different. This year the Illinois Cup focused on road and criterium races. Since all the other disciplines have their own stand-alone awards, we did the same for road and crits. Last year the ICA did not keep track of the points. We had dropped the ball. This year we made a determined commitment not to do let the ball drop again. Some riders did start to notice and did start e-mailing us on a regular basis with questions about the standings. So we are headed in the right direction.

The 4a and 4b separation in cyclocross seems to be a huge success. Has USA Cycling taken notice yet? Will there ever be a Cat 5 in cyclocross? USA Cycling has not really taken notice yet to my knowledge. We have one of the larger, more successful cyclocross series in the country. I suspect as cyclocross continues to grow in popularity that adding a 5 category would get explored.

Chip timing: What's the status? We had two chip timing companies come out and test their setups this summer. Once test went well, the other test was not so good. The technology is cool but there are two issues that are holding us back from pulling the trigger and buying this technology: 1. Logistics. We’d have to set up a system to sell the chips to those who want to own one. We’d also have to set up a system to rent chips to those who prefer that option, which means we’d have to collect them after every race. How to make that happen consistently at all the races all season long is not easy. Every race is run by a different promoter, so to do it right, the ICA would need to be the constant in the equation. That means we’d have to provide the manpower at every race to make sure it runs right. At least two extra people would need to be at every race to handle the chips. We need almost 100 percent of the promoters willing to use chip timing at their events. I’m not convinced that we are ready to take on that role. 2. Cost. The overall cost structure does not make sense yet. It is $110 for each chip, and then there is the finish-line reader, and the extra manpower needed. I’ve been vocal to the chip companies that the price needs to come down to have it make sense. More competitors are entering this market and with competition I hope to see the prices fall to the point where it becomes a more obvious proposition.

Aside from some registration SNAFUs, the Tour of Oak Brook was a hit. People liked the course and its proximity to Chicago. Do you expect it will be our state championship race again, and will it again be in late August? Tower Racing did an incredible job with this race. They were a first-year team putting on a very large first-year race in less than 45 days. It was a huge logistical challenge to safely manage a 3.1-mile loop in a major suburb of Chicago. The amount of work and effort that went into that race was enormous, and Tower Racing came though big time. And to be fair, the ICA contributed to the registration snafu with a last-minute request to change the bib number sequencing. Tower Racing will host the state championship road race for at least one more year, and the plan is to keep it on the weekend after Downers Grove once again. Whether it will stay in Oak Brook is yet to be seen. The course needs to be longer to work well. While there is a proposed 5.5-mile route that would work, it may require too much effort and manpower to secure the course. There is another venue that Tower Racing is looking at that could be just as nice as the Oak Brook course. This alternative course is still near Chicago. We’ll have to wait to see how that unfolds.

Several of the big races this year had problems with payments. Some checks from Superweek bounced, and the Chicago Criterium payouts took forever to process. Is the ICA able to do anything to prod promoters in this regard? Superweek is a product of Breakaway Event Productions, owned by Andy and Michael Garrison. I’ve personally talked with the both Andy and Mike, and I was told that the bank made an error that caused the account to be overdrawn, and some checks bounced. I was told that riders who had issues with checks needed to contact them and it would be fixed. To my knowledge it has not been fixed, which starts to affect the promoters' credibility. Superweek is a complicated issue. The ICA has little involvement with the series. Although many of the races are in Illinois, Breakaway Event Productions is based in Wisconsin and the majority of races are in Wisconsin. The event is permitted through our sister association, the Wisconsin Cycling Association. Because of the size of the series and the number of races, USA Cycling is involved too. Obviously it is in Superweek’s best interest to take care of the riders or they will stop showing up to their races. The Chicago Criterium is owned by the City of Chicago but run by Chicago Special Events Management, owned by Hank Zemola. The issue there was how the city wanted to cut the checks. Chicago wanted every rider's social security number to report taxes. There were instructions to the riders to make sure that they provided that information but many did not. Chicago Special Events has been trying to track down riders to get the needed information. Next year a different payout system will be used to eliminate the problem.

USA Cycling requires teams to put on at least one event a year. I was really impressed by all the new teams this year that hosted races, in some cases multiple races: Half Acre Cycling, Tower Racing and Beverly Bike-Vee Pak all come to mind. But there are still a lot of teams that have gone years without taking their turn. How do we change that? Do we really want to change that? What is the goal? It’s involvement. Involvement is the issue and we should expect all the clubs to get more involved, but is hosting a race the best way to get clubs involved? Somehow browbeating a club into hosting or co-hosting a race when they don’t want to is not going to get them more excited about the sport or the ICA. Certainly we should encourage clubs to host races and provide technical support to make it easier for them to do so. ` If a club is not really interested in hosting a race, they should consider providing several volunteers to help on another club’s race.’But I’ll take issue with USA Cycling on this issue. First, it is not a rule that is really enforced very well in any of the state associations I’ve talked to. Second, with over 60 licensed clubs in Illinois there are not enough dates to make it happen anyway. Last, it is impractical. We don’t have enough officials to effectively cover all the races we already have. It’s a bad rule that needs to change. Every club should be involved in one way or another but there are equally good ways for clubs to be involved. We’ll be talking about this specific issue at the meeting this week. What I’d like to see happen is that every licensed USA Cycling club pledge to help the ICA promote the sport of competitive cycling in some way. If a club is not really interested in hosting a race, they should consider providing several volunteers to help on another club’s race. But another great way to contribute is to get involved is directly with the ICA. Help us develop a better juniors program. Help us promote women's racing. Help us grow membership. Have a few members become licensed officials. There are a lot of ways that clubs could provide meaningful and significant support to this great sport. But is should be up to the club to find the way that works best for them and the ICA will be coming up with some ways to encourage the clubs’ involvement.

If I'm on a smaller team that might not have a lot of experience, would it be appropriate to join forces with another team to host an event? Yes. The ICA has also develop some events and has the expertise where if a club wants to host an event, we can make it a lot easier for them to test the waters. The key is to find clubs that are curious about running an event and then find the right event for them so it is a success.

Running the ICA demands a lot of you and the other volunteers. What can teams and individual riders do to help out? Teams and individuals start by showing up to our meetings. At the meeting this Saturday we will ask people to join our standing committees. From the Junior Racing Committee to the Women's Racing Committee to the Marketing Committee and more, we will be empowering those committees with the ability to get things done and in many cases a budget too. As an example, I can see the Women's racing committee getting some money to have posters made or to host a few introductory social events to encourage new women to get into the sport. I think everyone knowing that our committees will be geared to getting results and have some money to back them will start to get people interested in getting involved.

What is the ICA doing to make winter shorter this year? I am very pleased to announce that we are helping Vision Quest start a new indoor time trail series that will start Sunday, Dec. 14, and run through Sunday, Feb. 8. There will be six races, all in Highland Park and all on CompuTrainers, with cash prizes. There will be individual awards and team awards too. Certain races will use actual course profiles of Tour de France stages. The profile of last year’s Stage 4 individual time trail from Cholet-Cholet will be used. Riders will be able to compare their power output to David Millar's on the same course. This will be a very exciting way to make winter shorter.

Ha! I wasn't expecting a serious answer! ABD and American Bike Racing have been doing indoor time trials for years. I know the ICA and ABR are competitors but the relationship seems to be mostly collegial, with efforts made to avoid schedule conflicts. Was an effort to avoid conflicts with the indoor time trials? We really do nothing more than look at the ABR and ABD calendar. If either have an event on the calendar, we'll think about avoiding it. Right now their event is not announced, but Ithey typically start in January and run it into March so while there may be a little overlap, the Vision Quest series starts and ends earlier in the winter so hopefully those who want to do both can. What is nice is Winfield and Highland Park are a good distance from each other, so this gives riders a nice alternative if they live nearer Highland Park and will save them a 45-minute to an hour drive.

As I first reported last month, Rahsaan Bahati (Rock Racing) paid a special visit to Naperville in early May to spend time with Marc O'Shea's freshman literacy class, which has spent the year studying the life and legacy of Bahati's hero, Major Taylor. Bahati grew up in Compton, Calif., but he has notable Midwest roots. He attended the University of Indiana, guiding his Team Major Taylor to a 2nd place at the 2003 Little 500. And the biggest wins of his career have come at Downers Grove, where he won the juniors and elite national championships in 2000. This season Bahati has been plagued by a hip injury. He scored big with a victory at the Athens Twilight Criterium on April 26, but a week later his injury hobbled him on the uphill time trial to open the Joe Martin Stage Race, forcing him to miss the time cut. He's indicated on his blog that surgery is being considered, but he hopes to be on form for August's national championship, and this weekend he finished 19th at the CSC Invitational, a race he won in 2007. In conjunction with its studies, the class designed and sold wrist-bands to raise funds for World Bicycle Relief. Their efforts will finance two bikes in developing countries. About 20 wristbands remain for a $5 donation. Contact O'Shea to see about purchasing one. Without further adieu, here is a condensed transcript of the interview the students conducted. I'll make the full interview available soon, including discussion of his training regimen and more reflections on Taylor.

Why did you start racing, and what kept you going? (Ankit K.) I was sitting in the classroom like you guys but I wasn't quiet like you guys. I was being the class clown, messing around, sitting in the back, doing the wrong things. It was the story of the boy who cried wolf. I had to go to the restroom that day and my teacher, Mr. Garmen, didn't believe me. And I'm sitting back there and I'm hurting and I really gotta go and he kept saying, "No, Mr. Bahati, no." So I took an eraser, and I threw it at him. Honestly, I really didn't mean to hit him. He had his back towards the class and it was like in slow motion: The eraser came and it came and it came and he turned around. Splat, right in the face. You could see all these white lines on his face. The class went crazy. He took me to the principal's office and told my parents that I had too much energy and it needed to go toward something. So he got me involved in this after-school program he got me involved in bike racing and racing on the velodrome.

What do you think is the most important thing when training for a race? (Nichole C.) To be well rested. I think that is more `[Michael Ball and I] both have the same goal and passion, which is winning bike races and getting more people involved in the sport.’ important than going out and overdoing it. Some of my teammates and people I train with at home train 30 hours a week on a bike. I do half of that. Not because I'm lazy or I don't feel like doing it. It's just this time of the season there is no need to go out and bury yourself when you're out racing so much. I can go train at 80 percent and race at 100 percen, so usually when I go home after a race that's time to recover.

What are some of the most brutal wipeouts you've seen or experienced yourself? (Terry I.) Well, I've seen a lot. I can tell you one of mine. I was 16, my Dad drove me all the way form L.A. to Oregon to do a five-day stage race. The first day I crashed coming down a hill at about 50 mph and didn't know why my shoulder hurt. I didn't know why it hurt, so I got up and grabbed my bike and one of my teammates yelled, "Uh, look at your shoulder!" And I look and my collarbone is actually broke and was sticking out of my skin and after that I freaked our and passed out! That was about it for seven weeks.

What types of injuries have you had and how did you race with them? Adriana C.) I’m battling with an injury right now. My right femur, it’s overgrown for some strange reason. You have your hip, right? And you have the ball that goes into the hip socket. Well, the socket is too big, and so every time I pedal it’s bone touching bone, and it really hurts. Right now I’m just dealing with it.

How did you get into racing with Rock Racing? (Megan R.) I got involved with Rock Racing in 2007. I was at track nationals in California. A friend called and came over with this guy. He said, "I've a buddy that owns a clothing company and he wants to sponsor you." I was getting ready for a race and I looked at him and said, "All right, buddy, I'll call you later." I didn't know it was Rock and Republic. I knew about the company, but he didn't tell me it was a very popular clothing company. Michael Ball, the owner of the company, just wanted to sponsor me. After having a meeting with him, I explained to him that sponsoring me wouldn't help me progress as a cyclist. You need to start a team. And so once he got wind that he could have his own team, he took it to the next level and it's something that I'm really happy about. At the time he met me I was thinking about not racing anymore and doing something else with my life. At the time I had been racing for 11 years. I wasn't getting tired of it, but I have ambitions to do other things. I'm a musician, I play the drums and I wanted to start a band and I wanted to do some other things. I've a degree in computer animation -- I could do that too. I wanted to be a cop. I was thinking about being a homicide detective two years ago. So, I think me and Michael have something special going on and I hope that he can tone it down a little bit and that Rock Racing can continue and become very powerful.

How does your personal philosophy blend with the philosophy of Rock racing? (Cecilee M.) Good question! Rock Racing is really unorthodox. The guy that owns Rock and Republic clothing company, Michael Ball, he doesn't play by the rules per se, and cycling is a very traditional sport. It has been for a long time. So, in a way Michael and I don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, but we both have the same goal and passion, which is winning bike races and getting more people involved in the sport. So that's where we have a great compromise, but his philosophy and my philosophy on how to do things are totally different. But I'm not the boss.

In the NPR interview you mentioned the Tour de France. Are you reaching close to your goal, and how are you preparing for it? (Kayleigh K. ) I'm creeping to get to the Tour de France. It's a huge step. It's something I think I can accomplish. Rock Racing is trying to establish a team that can make it there in the next couple of years. If all goes as planned I'll be there. In 2-3 years I'll be racing the Tour.

Why do you think the behavior towards steroids has changed the view of professional sports? Has it every occurred to you that some of your pro peers have cheated or thought of cheating using illegal products? (Danny L.) This is a really tough sport, and some people can't take the pressure of going out and doing it on their own. I've been lucky enough to not have been pressured by any type of performance-enhancing substances. I'm around people who do it. I race with people who do it. I know people who do it. And I think it's going to be a long time before things will change. I think that it's going to take a lot of effort from you guys, the youth, to come up and change the way people will think about performance-enhancing drugs. They are really dangerous. I hope if anyone in here has an interest in sports, you shouldn't even consider [performance-enhancing drugs]; you can do it without it. I've won hundreds of races without it. I know people who've races and achieved higher things without it. I don't do a lot of studying about it because I just don't get involved with it at all. Some people come to me and ask me questions like that and it's hard for me to answer because I don't study any kinds of steroids or drugs because I don't want anything to do with it -- absolutely nothing. It's something I'm very proud about that I can race and say that I'm clean.

In what major ways do you think Major Taylor and you are similar? (Nick B.) Well, besides the obvious! In 1998, I was getting ready to graduate from high school. My Dad said "You're going to college," and I didn't want to go because it was going to be my last year as a junior racer and I had goals to go to the world championship, win nationals, and my Dad compromised with me. He said OK, if that's what you want to do you've got to give it a good effort and achieve your goals. Well in 1898 and 1899, Major Taylor prepared for and won a world championship, so I thought it was destiny that I was going to win that year. Needless to say, I did go to the world championships and I didn't win, but it was a great experience for me. From that point on, I looked to Major Taylor like an angel, like a guide. Everything I did I turned back to Major Taylor's book to see what he would do in certain situations and so I think we have a lot in common.

If you could go back in time to meet Major Taylor, what would you say to him? (Adam P.) Knowing what I know now, first thing I'd do is just give him a hug. I would just want to sit down with him and have a coffee with him and just pick his brain. Because as you've read he was a very humble guy. A lot of people call me humble and modest, but he took that to the next level. I mean, to have a guy spit on you down get back up and win the race and then shake his hand. That takes a lot of, you know, that's a lot of man there. There is a lot of integrity to do that. I don't know many people that can get spit on and then congratulate the guy for getting third place. That would be amazing to back in time to talk to him to get a feel for his personality. You can get if from the book, but to actually talk to him face-to-face, eye-to-eye -- awesome.

One hundred years from now, how do you hope to inspire cyclists? (Andrea N.) Well, every time, I get on my bike I know somebody's watching me, either good or bad, and I'm not in it to be the best or I want to have this record or that record . I'm just doing it because I love it and I know I'm inspiring people by what I'm doing and where I came from. I just know that being African-American in a sport that is dominated by white America, it leaves an impression not only on people that look like me, but on people that look like you, too. I think that every time I get on the bike I have to watch what I do. I'm a good guy anyway, but I still have to watch what I do. I hope that one day this sport can grow to be international, like not just a white sort or a black sport, but a sport with everyone together. `I just hope to get more people that look like me involved because it's a beautiful sport. Right now I'm the only black professional out there, and it's been that way for a while. I just hope to get more people that look like me involved because it's a beautiful sport. You can stay healthy. It's fun. How many of you ride bikes? Have you ever been over 30 mph on your bike -- wearing a helmet, right? Well, that feeling to me going 40 mph down a hill, descending, is a great feeling. I don't think you can get it anywhere else.

Have you retaliated toward any racial comments thrown at you? (Nick B.) In a very respectful way. Just yesterday I had an issue. You know, a lot of times, I think that it is not even that I'm black. It's just that they don't know what to think because they haven't seen me before. It's almost like, they think I'm an alien, kinda. I was racing in Belgium one time and this guy looked at me and looked back and looked back at me again and again. He couldn't believe it! He didn't know I knew some of the cyclists around us. An Australian guy was his teammate and [the guy] says, "Henk, is this guy really racing?" And I heard him and I just turned around and I laughed. I mean there's really nothing I can say. I get that day in and day out at races because they're surprised. Jealousy, maybe. Number one, nobody likes my team. Number two, it could be that I'm black. Number three, I know they could be jealous because I win a lot. And number four, I've had this stamp put on me that I'm a lazy bike racer and I don't train, so every time I win I always yell out that I'm lazy since they gave it to me anyway. You tell me I'm lazy and I beat you, so I just throw it back in their face.

What do you think motivates other people to lash out at people who are different? (Barbara B.) I try not to give anybody any excuse to dislike me. My Mom always said: "You want to be nice to everyone. You never know if that person you met today could save your life the next day." So, I always try to be as nice as possible to everyone. I was racing in Wisconsin last year and I had a guy say, "No one wants your black ass here." That's direct. You can't blame that on racing. I could have that guy pushing me; I can blame it on bike racing. He was in the heat of the moment. But that guy lashing out at me that way, I can't accept that.

How much pressure is on you from within yourself and from your sponsors? (Megan R.) I don't have any pressure. The sponsors may have pressure, but like I said to a guy the other day, every race that I enter I feel I can win, so if you're my director and you tell me I got to win this race, well, I want to win anyway, so there is no pressure. `Every race that I enter I feel I can win, so if you're my director and you tell me I got to win this race, well, I want to win anyway. I've had Michael Ball call me before Manhattan Beach. I wanted to win that race bad. I had a second and a third there, but never won there, so I wanted to win there really bad. But at 10:30 p.m. he calls me while I'm asleep. I answer it because I saw his name, and he goes, "You gotta win tomorrow!" Well, I was like, "Well, I want to win anyways!" and I hung up the phone. He thought he was giving me that pressure, but I don't need pressure. I don't deal with pressure.

How did you celebrate your first victory? (Mike R.) (Holds his hand up in the air.) It's funny that I did that. That race was so hard for me. And so my first road race I got beat really bad like girls finished in front of me and everything. I think I finished in 8th place. And I was disappointed. I thought I should win because I just thought I should win. I don't know why I should win. I just thought I should win. But the very next weekend I did pretty much the same race with the same kids and I won. I raced so hard, I was so excited, I reached my arms up and I almost collapsed because I was hurting in hear so much. (Rubs belly.) But the judges disqualified me because at that age -- you're like 14 -- they don't want you to have a cocky attitude. They want you to get into the sport and be good sportsmen. So they disqualified me from first to last but that was like a big moment for me because I realized that I could beat these kids. I was 14 and I beat 18-year-olds. It was a good feeling.

If you never started biking, where would you be today? (Maggie S.) If I wasn't biking? Who knows? Cycling took me away from the negative things going on in my life. I grew up in Compton, California, which is like really run down, gang-infested, drug-infested. There's really nothing positive coming out of Compton, but it was where my parents lived because they could afford it. We had a huge family, so they did what they could for us but I was following the trap of hanging with the wrong people, doing the wrong things. I'm really happy that cycling took me away from that. Cycling took me to going to Kenosha, Wis., from Compton. I had never been on an airplane before and that was my first trip. I left L.A. for Kenosha to compete in the national championships, and it really helped me grow up and learn how to do the right things, hang out with the right people, make the right choices. Maybe I'd be playing baseball. I was a catcher. I was really good. I was being recruited when I was really young for high school. I really don't know what I'd be doing. I'm happy doing this.

No powermeter could possibly measure the unseen work that leads to our races. Truly, it takes a village, from clubs raising sponsorship money to promoters navigating a dozen bureaucracies to secure venues, from volunteers sweeping corners at sun-up to officials setting up race cameras and ensuring our courses are as safe as possible.

Helping coordinate those efforts on the USA Cycling side are the state associations, and for us that means the Illinois Cycling Association. A few dollars from each license purchased in the state goes to the ICA. That money pays for dozens of state championship jerseys and provides a small stipend for technical director Dave Fowkes, who, among many other things, is responsible for managing upgrade requests and race permits. For the past year the ICA has been helmed by Steve Feehery of the South Chicago Wheelmen. The 42-year-old hospital gas monitor -- “gas sniffer” is his e-mail handle -- has raced for more than 20 years, 18 of them with the SCW, for which he is also president. Along the way he’s gotten his two sons active in the sport. I recently chatted with Feehery to learn more about the year ahead, what the ICA does for us and, just as important, what we can do for it.

What's your job as president? Just about everything. There are so many duties it could be daunting: Web site, race schedule, meetings, club/team contacts, ICA cup races, liaison with USAC, just to name a few. But I have solid help from Dave Fowkes, who is the technical director for Illinois. Dave handles upgrades and permits, among other things. Steve Hansen is the vice president and is working on the Web site along with the Chicago Time Trial Series. So it's not so daunting with help. We are also trying to enlist clubs and teams to get involved.

People might avoid leadership or volunteer positions by playing the "I'm too busy training" excuse. But you're a racer too. How much does it cut into your racing and training? Not a lot. It works out pretty good to be at the races, getting face time with promoters and officials, and hopefully club presidents this season.

You race, lead an association, lead your team and are raising a family. Is there room for anything else? Absolutely. I coach a pee wee hockey travel team, which my daughter plays on. We skate six months of the year, four to five days a week. I volunteer as an assistant coach for the Homewood-Flossmoor JV team and am the strength and conditioning coordinator for the entire high school hockey program. It's awesome.

What's it like for the whole family to be involved in the sport together? My two boys are now stronger than me. It is very exciting to see them have some success. Brandon medaled at junior nationals one year and Shane is a past state champ. It also makes it easier to go to races.

What can Illinois cyclists and promoters do to make your job easier? If more clubs and teams were represented at our ICA meetings and contributed, that would be ideal.

This winter you and Dave Fowkes attended a conference of regional associations in Colorado Springs, Colo. What did you get out of it? We met other people from other associations, got a lot of ideas of how things work and met some of the execs from USAC.

Many people have been griping about the lack of Illinois Cup results in 2007. What are you doing to make this better in 2008? We are working on a registration-to-results program that will make everyone’s job easier: posting results faster and including everyone that crosses the finish line on the results sheet, then posting on the ICA Web site.

Do you see people altering their racing schedules to earn more Cup points? I hope so! Everything kind of takes a snail’s pace because we have so few people involved.

Will the same number of state championship jerseys be available this year? Yes. They change color each year: red, white or blue. I think this year’s will be red.

How do you characterize the ICA's relationship with American Bike Racing? We coexist. I don't know anyone from their organization, ie. Bob Lundgren. Mike Hanley has a good rapport with him. We try not to have conflicting races dates, but it happens from time to time.

About Mike Hanley, whom USAC recently fired as our regional coordinator. There’s an online petition asking for his reinstatement, but nobody seems to know any details. What can you tell us? USAC won't divulge all the reasons or the reason they let Mike go. I agree with all the outrage. He was an absolute asset. His connections, insight and advice were invaluable to me with the ICA. He will be sorely missed. I have no idea who his replacement will be. I know that the Northeast region still doesn't have a regional coordinator for three years running. Whoever replaces Mike, it will take years to build up what he did.

Matteson has for years been a treasure for Chicago-area cyclists. Not only does it provide one of the most fun racing atmospheres around, but it has been vital for giving people the experience needed to race safely. Will Matteson return? Will there be any changes this year in the wake of Pieter Ombregt's tragic crash? [Note: Since this interview, SCW released the flier for the 2008 season.] I believe it will return. We've had communications with Ace, and they are willing to continue after we address some safety concerns. It is a staple in the Chicago bike racing community. It helps a lot of racers get their start and feel comfortable racing in a pack at speed. I am still saddened at what happened to Pieter. Mike Kelly from SCW has continued contact with Pieter's family, and they want to see the race continue as well.

Will there be a road race at Proctor this year? No. The Peoria Bicycle Club will host two crits or a circuit race and a crit. Sunday’s crit will still be the state criterium championship.

Will there be a state championship road race? Possibly out west near Moline. I'll use this forum to ask any club that may want to host the state road race to contact me.

There are only two USCF road races in Illinois, whereas our neighbor to the north puts on at least eight. Hillsboro-Roubaix sold out all 225 Cat 3-5 slots within 24 hours, so obviously there's a high demand for road racing here. Is there something about Illinois that makes it hard for promoters or organizers to put on a road race? I think there is nothing particular in Illinois preventing us from having more road races. It is obviously harder to put one on. You also need help from local municipalities and that is hard to come by.

What race are you most looking forward to in 2008? No one in particular. I love racing and going fast.

Ah, the bicycle messenger. Bane to cabbie and security guard. Savior to architect, lawyer and anyone in urgent need of a sandwich. While you're sitting in your warm cubicle, whining about insufficient foam in your latte, someone out there is risking his neck -- or her neck, natch -- through rain, sleet and inattentive drivers so that your closing documents arrive before deadline.

With 22 years having passed since "Quicksilver," they don't do it for the glory, and God knows they don't do it for the money. They do it because they love being on a bike all day, and they love going fast.

One such cog in the downtown machine is Jeff Perkins, 24, a new member of 4 Star Courier, the messenger collective you may remember from its 2006 cover story in the Reader. He has a strong racing background, having run the 400m and 800m at DePaul, and has become a well-known -- and feared -- figure on the local alleycat scene. He's 9th after two stages of the Tour da Chicago, and after an overnight drive to Minneapolis this weekend he won the prize for 1st out-of-town finisher in the Stupor Bowl, finishing 8th out of 360 registrants. Perkins spent 2007 with XXX Racing-AthletiCo, but now he's looking to tackle sanctioned road, track and cyclocross racing with the Chicago Cuttin' Crew, a team he helped found with fellow messengers. This week I caught up with Perkins to discuss alleycats, messengering during winter and a certain set of leopard prints. (Note: CBR's official stance on alleycats is that they are illegal, dangerous and irresponsible. Also, that they are extremely fun and fascinating.)

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Julie Eisenhardt has called Chicago home for only two years, but already she's had quite an impact on our cycling scene. She's had a hand in founding two teams, most recently Half Acre Cycling, and she was part of the team that constructed the IRO Sprints apparatus. Twice she has co-chaired the popular Sadie Hawkins Day Alleycat; its 2007 edition raised $2,400 for the Chicago Women's Health Center. And while the endurance specialist earned several medals for her mountain biking in 2007, her biggest score may have come in December, when she accepted the marriage proposal of fellow bike nut Ben Popper (Killjoy).

This month the communications specialist headed to Colorado Springs, Colo., for USA Cycling's four-day mechanics clinic. She returned to Chicago eager to share new knowledge with her teammates, and it didn't take much cajoling to get her to share it with you, too.

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Plenty of Chicago racers had good seasons in 2007, but none dominated a field quite like Devon Haskell (Team Get a Grip Cycles). In just her second year of competition, Haskell cruised to victory in each of the six races of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup, where she raced women’s 1/2/3, including Sunday’s state championship at Montrose Harbor. She also invaded our neighboring states, winning the state championship races in Indiana and Wisconsin.

The 26-year-old had a memorable road season as well. Racing for the University of Chicago, where she is pursuing a PhD in economics, she finished 3rd in the Division II women's road race national championship and 6th in the criterium. That earned her a spot on the Ryan Collegiate All-Stars, a women's squad that competed against the nation’s best professional women at June’s Nature Valley Grand Prix. This weekend Haskell tackles the next level with the national cyclocross championships in Kansas City, where she’ll slog through the cold and mud not just once but twice. Even though she was busy getting ready for that and writing a big paper for school, she spared a few minutes this week to talk about her season and cycling’s many dividends.

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Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson has made no small plans in his attempt to put his home on the map via the sport of cycling. Plans for his Tour of Elk Grove get even bigger in August 2008, its third year: A professional road race will make its debut, a JumboTron will help fans track the action, and the weekend's $225,000 payout will be theworld's largest for a three-day cycling event.

Part of what has made the Tour of Elk Grove extraordinary is that is has always included a full slate of amateur racing. What's more, its amateur purses have been the most generous in the Midwest, making it one of the few weekends where even a Cat 4 racer stands a good chance of a decent payday. Since August, however, we amateurs have been wondering how the 2008 changes will affect us. To find out I went straight to the top and asked Mayor Johnson about what to expect. Some details remain to be finalized, but as things stand now:

• » Saturday's road race will start in Schaumburg and end with circuits of the 4.5-mile time trial course, a portion of which makes up that day's amateur criterium course, meaning racing will either be put on hold for or will be scheduled around the pros' arrival.
• » A two-criterium series for Cat 1/2 men will feature a $35,000 purse. (That's almost as much money as is on the line for P/1/2's over the entire 17 races of Superweek.) The overall will be decided by time, with time bonuses available at both stages.
• » Masters racing will expand. Cat 1/2 masters get a 50-minute race with a $6,000 purse, 3/4 masters get 40 minutes and $3,000, and Cat 5 masters get 20 minutes and awards.
• » Men's 3's score big: They'll get their own 60-minute race, after sharing a 20-minute race with the 4's in 2007. Cat 4's will get their own 25-minute race, and 5's will get a third field to accommodate demand -- this in addition to the Cat 5 masters race.
• » The good race director giveth, and he taketh away. To make room for added men's races, there will be no juniors races, and the lone women's race will have an open field. The women's purse will be $4,000, down from a combined $18,000 in 2007.
• » Portions of each entry fee will benefit the Heart of the Marines Foundation and the Elk Grove Village Fallen Soldiers Memorial Fund, which provides scholarships in the name of Elk Grove residents killed in the line of duty.

This next year brings many exciting changes but also some challenges.

• » Will the country's best teams return even though the race isn't on the National Racing Calendar?
• » Can the race shrug off any embarrassment from its 2007 winner, Nathan O'Neill, having tested positive for a banned diet drug?
• » Will spectators finally show up in numbers that do justice to the caliber of the riders?
• » Will Elk Grove and Schaumburg have the logistical wherewithal to pull off a successful road race? (Chicago cycling historians, help me out here: When was the last time there was a road race this close to the city?)

For answers to all this and more, here's the Chicago Bike Racing interview with Mayor Johnson.

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Scott Van Maldegiam (Spin Doctor Cyclewerks) and I have have been trading race analyses ever since were citizens together at the 2005 Fall Fling. The 39-year-old mortgage broker has been a friendly face at races ever since and a regular contributor to the comments here. This week I checked in to find out more about him and his team.

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In my last interview I told you about Athletes by Design, one of Chicago's oldest and biggest teams. Now it's time to learn about one of the area's newest teams, Team Pegasus, which is wrapping up its first season. (Profiling teams seems to be a good way to get us through the dark period. If you'd like your team to be next, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).)

Pegasus made only occasional road appearances this year, but it has performed admirably on the dirt. In the Wisconsin Cycling Association Cyclocross Cup, Cale Wenthur leads the Cat 4 men and Katy Steudel is 2nd among Cat 4 women. And although he now rides for Killjoy, Ben Popper earlier rode the pink and black to some fantastic results in both mountain bike and cyclocross. To find out more I caught up with Ben Van Couvering, 25, a Chicago software consultant.

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

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

Why the new uniforms?

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Last week I rhapsodized about the merits of joining a team, but there can still be a mystique in riding unattached: in taking on the entire peloton by yourself, in being the unknown factor from whom nobody else knows what to expect, in saying, "I write my own bylaws, thank you very much."

And so it is that I introduce our first sponsor here at Chicago Bike Racing: Unattached Rider. It's a venture from a former Chicago bike racer and teammate of mine, Carlos Cabalu, who after spending a year in Philadelphia decided that the unattached rider deserved some better duds. He's come up with an attractive, witty line of clothes that practically demands you throw that U.S. Postal kit into the rag bin and save the generic black jersey for the training rides. If the line takes off, Unattached Rider could grow well beyond mere classy clothes and into a movement, and I couldn't be happier to have helped with the launch. This week I caught up with Cabalu, a freelance graphic artist, for some insight into what riding unattached means to him.

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Photo by Luke Seemann

As I was leaving today's races in Downers Grove, I passed Antonio Cruz (Discovery), who won 1999's edition and placed third here last year while racing for Toyota-United. I hadn't heard anything about his racing this year until VeloNews' Friday preview. (This week Cruz announced he had signed with BMC for 2008 and 2009.)

Cruz was cooling down after Saturday's P/1/2 race. I was turning onto I-88. And here I present CBR's very first rolling interview, and an exclusive at that.

You racing tomorrow, Tony? Yeah.

Good luck!

For some strange reason -- the weather? the terrain? the crazy drivers? -- Chicago isn't home to a huge number of international-caliber riders. One exception of late has been Brooke Miller (Tibco), who split time between her husband here and her PhD studies in California, where she researched the mating habits of banana slugs. Miller, an elite volleyball player in college, didn't start cycling until graduate school. Like many of us, she struggled at first. "I would measure how well I did in a race by how close to last I finished," she writes in her bio. "Usually 2nd or 3rd [from last]." Six years later, she owns a dominant sprint and has enjoyed a breakout season as a rookie pro. She reeled off four wins to start the season in California, represented the U.S. National Team in a European tour and won Stage 2 at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. She currently sits 20th in the National Racing Calendar rankings. Unfortunately for Chicago, Brooke's husband has relocated to Cleveland, so Tour of Elk Grove and Downers Grove may be our last chance to see her for awhile.

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This week I had an exchange with Jon Reimer, director of communications for Breakaway Event Productions, which promotes the 19 different races of the International Cycling Classic, better known as Superweek.

I wanted to know about the new races, and I wanted a promoter's perspective on safety. Among other things, we get this nugget: Parts of Superweek will be televised! Time Warner subscribers, start clearing your DVRs now.

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When I heard that someone had won the Spring Prairie 4/5 race by riding solo for the entire last lap, I had two questions: How did my 20 teammates in the field let that happen? And what kind of maverick would even try such a stunt?

That maverick turned out to be Rob Ehrman (Vision Quest), 28, a longtime triathlete and fixed-gear aficionado off to a cracking start in his first season of road racing. His season started earlier than most. This winter he placed 7th overall in the Tour da Chicago, an alley cat series, winning Stage 2 on a fixed bike and beating such Tour giants as Donny Quixote (All9Yards), Andrew Nordyke (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) and John Gatto (Darcy). Ehrman grew up in Lake Forest but now calls Chicago home. He just wrapped up medical school at Northwestern and is now starting a surgical residency at University of Illinois-Chicago, so we might not see much of him the rest of the year, but there's a good chance he'll be going fast if we do.


How long have you been racing? I just started bike racing this year, largely due to the cycling-heavy nature of Vision Quest. They always encourage the triathletes to race in the cycling races, and even vice-versa. So I thought I'd give it a try, since cycling is my favorite of the three disciplines. Spring Prairie was my first win.

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I'd like to use this new site to occasionally introduce some of the people who contribute to the local racing community, from racers to officials, from coaches to promoters.

I'm starting with one of Chicago's great success stories: Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast). Mumford, 31, started road racing in 2000 with the Johns Hopkins collegiate team. After he moved to Chicago to do research at Fermilab, he raced with XXX Racing-AthletiCo from 2002 to 2004 and for Athletes by Design in 2005 and 2006. His third-place finish at the 2006 Snake Alley Criterium, in which he was the only amateur who could hang with Toyota-United's best, remains the most exciting thing I've seen in a bike race. He went on to place 6th at the national elite time-trial championship and 2nd in the road race championship. Mumford continues to work toward his PhD in high-energy particle physics, but this off-season he signed a pro contract with Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast, a new professional team out of Minneapolis.

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