Some highlights from a full weekend of great racing:

• » I’m told the P/1/2 race at Saturday’s big-money Giro d’ Grafton was wicked fast, but Josh Carter (ABD/Geargrinder) was fastest of them all, outsprinting pros Garrett Peltonen (Bissell) and Chad Hartley (Jittery Joe’s). Steve Holeczy (North Branch) placed 6th in a large field that attracted all the Midwest’s strongest teams. Carter would double up, coming out on top of another stacked field in Sheboygan on Saturday.

• » I love their kits, but I haven’t seen much of America’s Team Dairyland this year. They showed up Saturday to win the women’s P/1/2/3 at Grafton, followed by Chicago regulars Devon Haskell (Team Get a Grip Cycles) in 2nd and Kristen Meshberg in 3rd. They’d improve on that the next day, with Meshberg getting 1st and Haskell 2nd. Quite a rivalry that’s shaping up there.

• » Chip Gray (Get a Grip) snagged a ton of primes and the final victory in a 3’s race that had five other Chicago-area riders in the top eight.

• » Nate Iden (Spider Monkey Cycling) doubled up nicely in Grafton, getting 4th in the 4/5’s and 3rd in the 30+ 4/5’s.

• » Matt Smith felt the sting of premature jubilation when he pumped his fist shy of the line in the masters 3/4 race at Grafton, enabling Tim Henry (Project 5) to scream by for the win. Careful, Matt. Tom Boonen (Quick Step) pulled this stunt and was doing lines of blow within three months.

• » There was a photo finish in Sunday’s masters 3/4’s race, too, this time in Sheboygan. Ricardo Otero (Team Mack) bridged to the winning break and just barely missed out on the win (photo above) to David Greenblatt (Brazen Dropouts).

• » The notorious climb at Sunday’s Fox River Grove Cycling Challenge splintered most fields, but the men’s P/1/2 race was mostly intact when, for the second weekend in a row, Mike Heagney (PYOC) got the jump on Ed Amstutz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) to win the sprint.

• » I avoid cheering from the press box, but I must note the blockbuster weekend XXX Racing-AthletiCo had: five wins -- Peter Strittmatter in the 4’s at Saturday’s Cobb Park, then Jeanette Schrand (women’s 35+), Tamara Fraser (women’s 4’s), Amstuz (30+ 1/2/3’s) and your humble editor (3’s) at Fox River Grove on Sunday -- plus 20 other top fives over the weekend.

• » Attendance was light at Cobb Park, so light that the P/1/2 and 3 fields were combined. No doubt the big money and festivities offered in Grafton had something to do with that. That’s too bad. It’s a good course, and the South Chicago Wheelmen are good hosts. I’m also surprised at the small fields at Fox River Grove. Color me biased for being a climber, but this is a fantastic, unique course with excellent community support. We should be flocking to this event. Besides, who else but RDS Cycling provides winners with trophies, flowers and tidings from Miss Fox River Grove? Circle this one as soon as next year’s calendar comes out.

Saturday results
Cobb Park Criterium
Giro d’ Grafton

Sunday results
Fox River Grove Cycling Challenge
Sheboygan Criterium

Cobb Park photos
Carolyn Golz

Giro d’ Grafton photos
Matt Smith: 30+ 3/4, 3, 30+ 4/5, W-4
Katy Steudel
John Wilke

Fox River Grove photos
Team Tati
XXX Racing-AthletiCo

Cobb Park race reports
Brian Boyle (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3, 30+ 1/2/3): “We race for Mike Kelly’s soundtrack of 1980’s blazing rock and roll hit songs “

Jeff Holland (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 4/5, 4): “It was all about being in front and taking a nice line through the corner where the course funneled and the fast, final corner.”

Chris Padfield (Team Pegasus; 4): “The usual characters were there. We all know each other and it was if we were all just marking one another for the whole race.”

Jessi Prinner (ABD; W-3/4, W-open): “The announcer called prime after prime and I took every single one of them, including the waterbottles, because I really had nothing else to do.”

Rich Smott (Alberto’s; 30+ 1/2/3, P/1/2/3): “I was smug seeing the carnage behind as the accordion was in full effect from my effort.”

Calvin Smythe (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4): “It was the run-of-the-mill criterium: Go fast and hurt for 45 minutes then hurt more at the sprint.”

Grafton race reports
John Coyle (Wolverine Sports Club; P/1/2): “Bicycling is an ever humbling sport, but in this case, I was completely and systematically crushed.”

Team Get a Grip Cycles: (W-1/2/3, 3, P/1/2): “Three of the four Cat 2 riders survived multiple crashes, barking dogs, beer bottles, and herculean 37 mile per hour re-entries into the peloton in order to finish the professional race.”

Shawn Small (Team Pegasus; 4/5): “I didn’t go down and dodged a few bodies and bikes on the ground.”

Matt Smith (Vitaminwater-Trek; 30+ 3/4, 3): “I got cocky and thought I had more room than I did. I sat up and put my arm up. I didn’t see Tim Henry (Project 5) coming like a bat out of hell.”

Katy Steudel (Team Pegasus; W-4): “I got down into the drops and pushed as hard a gear as I could. My thighs were burning with the effort, but it felt good.”

Steve Tilford (HRRC/Trek Stores; P/1/2): ”Garrett Peltonen (Bissell) was the strongest of the day by miles. He never missed a move and could bridge to anything that looked dangerous.”

Fox River Grove race reports
Doug Braun (Tower Racing; 30+ 4/5, 4/5): “We crested the hill with a good gap and drilled it. One quick look behind and I know we are gone.”

Ron Cook (Project 5; 3): “It would be awesome to see more people out there. If i can get my 200-pound carcass up there, you can too!”

Tamara Fraser (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; W-4): “I again sat third wheel, looking for the spot to jump. I went on a small uphill before the last turn, hit the turn hot and then stood and sprinted and threw across the line -- for FIRST!”

Nick Gierman (Vitaminwater-Trek; 4/5): “He slams on his brakes, swerves way out, nearly running off the road.  With no where to go but to follow him, I almost hit a mail box.”

Eric Goodwin (Vitaminwater-Trek; 3): “I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who realized that the front of the field would have a sudden and distinct advantage if the officials rang the bell early.”

Jeff Holland (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 4/5, 4/5): “The three of us started working up front, taking probably 65-70% of the pulls during the race.”

Seth Meyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; P/1/2): “My wobbling back wheel dragged itself against both my rear brake pads to slow me off the back just as free laps expired.”

Mark Misicko (Tower Racing; 30+ 4/5, 4/5): “We all know Doug Braun is a great climber, but he laid down the law, and won this race in a contested field sprint.”

Chris Padfield (Team Pegasus; 4/5): “Damn, what a fun frickin’ course. Bomb the descent, slam the corners, it’s like I’m back riding in California.”

Jessi Prinner (ABD; W-P/1/2/3): “After being profusely yelled at by the cop standing at the corner I pulled a quick U-turn and took the correct left turn (now a right turn) when WHAM! I found myself on this really big hill.”

Luke Seemann (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 1/2/3, 3): “I finally cracked the riddle of how to win a 200-meter sprint. Step 1: Start with a 50-meter lead.”