By Luke Seemann

It was a particularly hot weekend of racing.

The temperature was above normal, too, and Sunday's heat combined with an unplanned 180-degree turn to make the Urbana Grand Prix an attrition fest -- only 24 of the 54 P/1/2 starters finished -- but it also allowed for several exciting breaks, including a three-man break in the 3's that lapped the field, won by John Whipple (Tati Cycles) in a remarkably close photo finish. Other highlights from the weekend:

• » The P/1/2 races drew some of the strongest teams from Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, including Panther, Texas Roadhouse and Cleveland Clinic Sports Health. On Saturday, however, it was host Verizon u25 that put on the clinic at Saturday's Tour de Champaign. After a furiously fast first few laps, it got two riders into a five-man break. With five laps to go, Ryan Freund, above, was able to get clear, cheekily tapping on an imaginary wireless device as he crossed the line. Behind him, teammates Will Nowak and Mike Sherer won their respective sprints to take 2nd and 6th. Nowak saved enough gas to finish 2nd again on Sunday, with Sherer and Freund also landing in the top 10.
• » Patrick Fasse continues his hot streak in the 30+. He won Sunday's in Urbana after getting away with Steven Broglio (Verizon Wireless) from a surprisingly small field.
• » Another week, another impressive 3's race for IS Corp. After being off the front for much of the race, Scott Rosenfield (IS Corp) and Joe Tortorelli (Verizon Wireless) clung to a small gap to start the bell lap. Suddenly Chazz Martin (IS Corp) burst from the pack and came to Rosenfield's rescue. Together they stayed away with a comfortable margin, with Martin sitting up to allow Rosenfield a well-deserved win.
• » Kyle Selph (Tower Racing) burst on the scene last year, winning his first four 5's races, including twice at the state road race championships. He's picked up where he left off, winning Saturday out of the 4/5's bunch sprint.
• » A good weekend for Jason Rassi (Wild Card Cycling): He finished 2nd to Selph Saturday, then won the 4's on Sunday.
• » Julio Jacobo (PYOC) had a good weekend in Wisconsin. He won Saturday's 3's race in Hartland, then placed 6th Sunday in Sussex.
• » Also in Wisconsin, XXX Racing-AthletiCo won a 35+ 4/5's race for the third week in a row, this time thanks to Curtis Eldridge in Hartland. He also placed 4th in the 5's.

Saturday results Tour de Champaign Chiropractic Criterium

Sunday results Urbana Grand Prix Sussex Criterium

Champaign reports Adam Herndon (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4/5, 3/4): "I tried to stay at the front so as to stay out of the mess, but was still being unnecessarily bumped and cut into."

Joey Iuliano (ReCycling; P/1/2): "I remember seeing a pile in the exit of the corner, people braking, some screaming, me fish tailing, and then someone plowing into my rear wheel."

Will Nowak (Verizon u25; P/1/2): "The three remaining riders tried to organize a chase and I did my best to disrupt it."

Rob Raguet-Schofield (Wild Card Cycling; 3/4): "The brutal accelerations wreaked havoc on my tired legs."

Hogan Sills (Verizon u25; P/1/2): "I did manage to get one prime, but after that I was toast and finished towards the back."

Tim Speciale (Psimet; 3/4, 3): "Close, but no cigar."

Joe Tortorelli (Verizon Wireless; 3): "So, so, so close, although I had never been so far into the 'red' as I was in that break."

Champaign photos Liz Brunson Luke Seemann Verizon u25

Urbana reports Cathy Frampton (Project 5; W-3/4, W-open): "Holy crap. A 180-degree turn? Seriously?"

Adam Herndon (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 4): "The last lap was the dumbest lap of racing I have done."

Will Nowak (Verizon u25; P/1/2): "The three remaining riders tried to organize a chase and I did my best to disrupt it."

Hogan Sills (Verizon u25; P/1/2): "In our pre-race meeting we likened this race to a flat Snake Alley in that the race would only be at the front with gobs coming off the back."

Mark Swartzendruber (Verizon Wireless; 40+): "Certainly in all fields, it was a tough-guy race."

Joe Tortorelli (Verizon Wireless; 3): "A hard, hard race."

John Whipple (Tati Cycles; 3): "There were eight laps left and it looked like the race was going to turn into an attack fest."

Urbana photos Liz Brunson Paymon Danesh Mark Novack Verizon u25