Some local highlights from the weekend’s racing in Wisconsin and Iowa:

• » Karl Schult (Capital Bicycle Racing Club) is off to a great start this season. After the 3’s field split in two at a damp and cold Whitnall Park in Hales Corner, Wis., (photo above) Schult and Brandon Meinke (Team Pegasus) maintained the slimmest of gaps for the last lap and a half; Schult took the win after a tough uphill sprint. The next day in Fitchburg, Wis., he finished 2nd in the 35+ 3/4’s and 5th in the 35+ 1/2/3’s. Previously he won the 3’s at Joliet and came in 2nd at Hillsboro-Roubaix.
• » Having missed that separation at Whitnall Park, Ben LaForce (ReCycling) had to settle for winning the field sprint. The next day he made up for it by winning the 3’s race in Fitchburg, the first victory in ReCycling debut season.
• » Glenview’s Kaleb Koch (ISCorp) had a pretty good weekend, too. Saturday he won the 4/5’s and got 3rd in the juniors 15-18. On Sunday he headed to Iowa City, Iowa, for the Old Capitol Criterium, where he was the top 13-14 junior and 4th junior overall in a race won by teammate James Bird of Kenilworth. He wasn’t done yet, going on to place 3rd in the 4’s.
• » That 4’s race was won by Patryk Limanowicz (XXX Racing-AthletiCo), who also won Saturday’s road race in Iowa. He’s storming through the 4’s: Those are the 9th and 10th races he has won since starting as a 5 just seven weeks ago.
• » Nice results from Flatlandia: Kim Gialdini won the bunch sprint in the women’s 4’s at Whitnall Park, and Kristen Meshberg placed 4th and 3rd in the women’s P/1/2/3 in Iowa.
• » Bicycle Heaven swept Iowa’s 5’s races. Justin Somerville and Eric Christ  came in 1st and 3rd on Saturday, then 3rd and 1st on Sunday.

Saturday results
Whitnall Park
Iowa City Road Race

Sunday results
Fitchburg
Old Capitol Criterium

Whinall Park reports
Chicago Cuttin’ Crew (4, W-P/1/2/3): “The candelabra caretaker decided the best way to stay out of trouble was to drag the field around.”

Kim Gialdini (Flatlandia; W-4): “The others where tiring! Ding, ding, ding! Time to hit it.”

Josh Hughes (Half Acre Cycling; 4): “I could feel the energy sapping out of me as we completed the last few laps.”

Luke Seemann (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 35+ 1/2/3, P/1/2/3): “I haven’t ridden against such a prestigious kit since my days in the 5’s racing against U.S. Postal and Pink Floyd.”

Andrew Zens (Spidermonkey Cycling; 4): “Last lap, time to HTFU.”

Whinall Park photos
John Wilke

Iowa City reports
Kristen Meshberg (Flatlandia; P/1/2/3): “There were also some other really strong women in the field so there was some good competition even if we didn’t have big numbers.”

Steve Tilford (TradeWind Energy/Trek Stores; P/1/2): “Probably close to more jumps than I’ve done the whole season combined.”