Photo by Luke Seemann

People, people, people. How many times must I remind you to pre-ride the finish?

I can’t blame riders for not noticing the new map on the Superweek Web site, which showed that the finish line for today’s road race had moved from Highway D to inside the Alpine Valley grounds, apparently in an attempt to help facilitate a closed-road finish. I hadn’t noticed it myself.

But I can blame riders for not riding or even driving the finish. It was obvious many had failed to do so, judging from the cries of bafflement I heard after races. People either were under the impression that the finish was still on D, or they severely misjudged the distance they had to the finish after the final turn.

It didn’t matter to Jordan Heimer (Kegels). Sprinting wasn’t necessary as he repeated the show he put on at the Winfield Twilight Criterium by riding away from the men’s 4/5 field. That’s an impressive feat given the course’s brutal terrain. Joel Crouch (ABD) was the next best local finisher in 4th.

A group of nine separated from the 3’s field on the very first climb. Mike Woell (Flanders) timed and executed his sprint best to take the win. Ed Amstutz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) took 2nd and moves into 1st overall, thanks to the doubling of points at road races.

The women’s race came down to a field sprint with Jane Robertson (Metromint) beating Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine) by half a bikelength. Benjamin should retain the overall lead, however, having won the first two races of the series.

I left before the men’s P/1/2’s finished. With four laps to go a group of four appeared gone for good. I’m not great with rider ID’s, but it looked like the group included Karl Menzies (Health Net) and last year’s winner Brian Jensen (HRRC/Trek Stores), and I’m tempted to say the others were Frankie Dierking (Abercrombie & Fitch) and Adam Bergman (Colavita). Can’t wait to see a report on who exactly they were and who pulled it out.

Update: Those were indeed the four in the break, plus a fifth of Johnny Clarke (Colavita), who I was mistakenly told was taking the day off. Menzies was the winner.

An administrative note: I’ll be camping and racing in Wisconsin the next two days and doubt I’ll have proper Internet access. Look for my next wrap-up Thursday evening.

Latest Superweek results.

Race reports
Becky Broeder (Hub Racing; W-P/1/2): “I managed to come back from the dead more times than I can count.”

Sydney Brown and Katie Weber (X Plane Team Revolution; P/1/2): “I also had 5 opportunities on a particular downhill to wonder if shox on a road bike might not be a bad idea.”

Hub Racing (W-P/1/2): “One by one, the Hub Racing women sacrificed themselves for the mighty J-dub until only Becky Broeder remained to escort Jenette Williams up the tortuous climb.”

Amanda Eaken (Metromint; W-P/1/2): “Apparently sprints of unknown length with no end in sight favor Jane Robertson perfectly! “

Bryan McVey (Vision Quest; 3): “I thought since I just upgraded to Cat 3 that these guys would realize we need to start working together to reel the break in. Man are cyclists stubborn.”

Jason Snider (Silver Cycling; 30+): “I was so ... pissed, a stream of vulgarities came from my mouth that are even too obscene for this blog.”

James Sweeney (ABRT; 30+ 1/2/3): “Each lap we dropped a rider or two as we hit the series of ‘leg breakers.’”

Matt Waite (Brazen Dropouts; P/1/2): “I’m positioned nicely in the middle of the peloton. I look back and I have two riders behind me. What the hell!?”

The Editor (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 3): “I got a bad case of speed wobbles on the first descent, and the bumpy second descent loosened the screws of my bottle cage.”

Photos:
The Editor