I’m sorry to have missed out on Sunday’s Vernon Hills Grand Prix. Looks like it was a good day of racing under excellent weather. I haven’t seen all the results yet so there’s not much commentary I can add, other than to congratulate Mike Heagney (Vision Quest) and Ben-Jamin Widoff (PowerBar) for winning the masters races, 1/2/3 and 4/5 respectively, with Widoff doubling up with a win in the 4’s. Kudos also to Nate Iden (Burnham Racing) for winning the 3’s race in a bunch sprint nicely captured in a series of photos starting here. Each frame makes it look like it’ll be a different winner. And Carolyn Golz captured a nice shot of Joel Friedman (Bicycle Heaven) winning exuberantly off the front of the 5’s.

There was action in Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin, too. Notable local results include Kristen Meshberg (Team BH USA) winning the women’s P/1/2/3 in Lacrosse, Wis., and a certain representative of the cycling media riding to a solo win in the Circuit of Sauk masters 3/4.

Update: Some hot podium action at Indiana’s Winona Fat & Skinny Tire Festival compliments of Will Nowak (Alderfer-Bergen), 2nd in the P/1/2 road race, and Aspen Gorry (Team Get a Grip Cycles), 3rd in the 3’s road race. And Chicago swept the women’s 4’s races, with Jeannette Schrand (XXX Racing-AthletiCo) winning the road race and Alexandra Navas (Northwestern) winning the criterium.

Saturday results
Circuit of Sauk
Winona Lake Road Race

Sunday results
Kenosha Criterium
Vernon Hills Grand Prix
Winona Lake Criterium

Circuit of Sauk race reports
Ryan Fay (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4/5): “A most untimely failure of my front derailleur kept me from getting out of my big chain ring after the first climb.”

Kristen Meshberg (Team BH USA; W-P/1/2/3): “I was holding out hope that someone would get popped from the break and we could race for 3rd or 4th, but it was not to be.”

Seth Meyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; P/1/2): “Pain, pain, pain!”

Brian Morrissey (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 3/4, 4/5): “I just hoped that the first time up the hill wasn’t a fluke.”

Luke Seemann (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 3/4, 3): “I leaped up the right. After a few strokes, I looked back. He was still in his saddle. Perfect.”

Circuit of Sauk photos
Luke Seemann
John Wilke

Vernon Hills race reports
Julian Baumgartner (Burnham Racing; 3): “Nate is all like, ‘Word.’”

Val Brostrom (Bouledogue Tout Noir; W-P/1/2/3): “I caught on and we proceeded to hammer it, each taking short pulls.”

Kevin Clark (Half Acre Cycling; 4): “The pack now seemed much smaller than the field did at the line.”

Steve Driscoll (Team Mack; 30+ 1/2/3, 3): “Some guy gets excited in front of me and at 32+ mph comes straight into my front wheel. I hit the deck, taking the guy behind me with.”

Ryan Fay (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 5): “The pace was pretty hot, but I stayed at near the front of the group.”

Waylon Janowiak (WDT-Allvoi; 3): “Prom was the night before so I was up a lot later than I would have liked to be.”

Joe Kallo (Team Tati, 5): “I looked over my shoulder and realized I had a pretty big gap on the field. When this sunk into my somewhat oxygen-deprived brain, I have to say it was a pretty awesome feeling.”

Seth Meyer (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; P/1/2): “I myself was quite happy just to be active and going for the breaks and bridge attempts.”

John Meyers (ABD; P/1/2): “That’s how breakaways work: They hurt.”

Brian Morrissey (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4): “Hmmmmm, what’s this? Four black jerseys all in a line.”

Mike Seguin (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 4/5, 4): “With three laps to go it got interesting.”

Joe Schubert (Half Acre Cycling; 4): “We pushed it 100 percent and never thought of quitting after being dropped.”

Eric Shivvers (Half Acre Cycling; 5): “I was there to shake it up and let others know our team had some strong riders.”

Vernon Hills photos
Carolyn Golz
Matt Smith