A few highlights from the Cobb Park Criterium, which drew the usual suspects but also quite a few unknown Indiana riders on a perfect day for racing along the Kankakee River.

• » Verizon Wireless continues to be in a roll, getting wins from up and down its roster. Dave Stone (Verizon Wireless) started things by winning the 40+. Later, Steven Broglio (Verizon Wireless) spent the last 20 minutes of the P/1/2/3 race in a three-man break. After a seven-man chase caught with three to go, Broglio was able to take the win in the sprint.
• » Whenever Chicago’s Burnham Racing brings its full force to bear on a race, you know there will be fireworks. In the 3’s, Jason Knauff (Burnham Racing) was out of the saddle and attacking with the starting whistle. After the ensuing seven-man break was neutralized, he immediately attacked again. (You have to admire the panache of a rider who counterattacks his own move. It’s what Jens would do.) This time he was covered by Mike Seguin (XXX Racing-AthletiCo), and before long Scott Knoepke (Psimet) bridged up. Thanks in part to effective blocking in the pack, the three of them, shown above, built a lead of more than a minute. Knauff, perhaps modeling his move on the XXX Racing-AthletiCo rider who won the 30+, opened hostilities with three to go and solo’d the rest of the way for the win.
• » I’ve heard tales of Fabio Orlandi (PYOC), but until Saturday I’d never had the pleasure of seeing him perform in person. Perform he did, riding away from the 50+ field in convincing fashion.
• » The six riders in the women’s open race stuck together from start to finish, with Francine Haas (Alberto’s) winning the sprint.
• » Bevan Brookfield (Unattached) of Evanston has been getting some solid results, and he finally hit the top step of the podium, winning the 30+ 4/5’s after getting 2nd in the 5’s. Quentin Capista (Project 5) was also a first-time winner, taking victory in the 4’s.

Full results.

Race reports
Bill Barnes (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 5): “This is the second most I’ve worked in a single race, and it was hard work.”

Rob Curtis (Psimet; 30+ 4/5): “I felt fairly good and chalked it up to an easy crit.”

Eric Goodwin (Burnham Racing; 3): “It may be June, but school is definitely in. “

Luke Seemann (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+, P/1/2/3): “Attack early, eh? Attack on a climb, eh?”

Photos
Paymon Danesh
Luke Seemann