I’m still digging out from vacation, so this will be an abbreviated wrap-up.

I’m happy to hear that Grayslake was, as I had predicted, largely crash-free. But as I had also predicted, Turn 4 at Glencoe -- Amen Corner -- was not. At least one incident was caused by riders getting greedy on the inside. Friends, when I tell you not to bomb the corner, Do not. Bomb. The Corner.

I’m not yet completely sold on chip timing, but it allows for some fun numbers crunching. It lets us know, for example, that in the women’s P/1/2/3 race won by Devon Haskell (Team Get a Grip Cycles), the fastest of the 22 laps was the 6th one -- perhaps that was the first sprint for earrings? And we learn that Jonathan Sanchez (Alberto’s) reeled off a blazing 29.053 mph final lap before sprinting to victory in the masters 4/5 race. By comparison, defending champ Rob White (ABD/Geargrinder) rode the fastest lap of the day, a 29.808 mph final trip on the afternoon’s long course. Unfortunately for White, our sport does not reward speed alone. What matters is who crosses the finish line first, and in a P/1/2 field stacked with heavy hitters it was David Gutteplan (Time Pro Cycling) crossing first by a hair (photo above), after the two of them had lapped the field, leaving them to duke it out in middle of the field sprint. Meanwhile, their former breakmates Chad Hartley (Jittery Joe’s) and Jeff Schroetlin (ABD/Geargrinder) hung on in no-man’s land for 3rd and 4th.

And on top of all that, Team MS Racing, nee MetCycling, made its debut at Glencoe. More on them later.

Full Glencoe results: morning, afternoon.

Grayslake race reports
Eric Goodwin (Vitaminwater-Trek; 3): “There was a headwind and we struggled down the stretch at 34 mph. I had the advantage for a brief second, but I could see Ryan Freund‘s front wheel move past from the corner of my eye. Somewhere, the Reaper was smiling.”

Jeff Holland (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 4/5): “Overall, a nice safe race with no crashes and the three of us walked home with either cash or gift certificates.”

Brian Morrissey (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 4/5): “For whatever reason -- maybe the vomit rising in my throat -- I thought I had one lap less to go than we did.”

Andy Skeen (ABD/Geargrinder; P/1/2): “Over the course of the next lap, I dragged the field around while the break dangled, and I do mean it dangled, not 10 seconds up the road.”

Glencoe race reports
Julian Baumgartner (Vitaminwater-Trek; 3): “Two-hundredths of a second, by that much I lost. Was pulling so hard the ultimate cost? But second place out of a break ain’t so bad. A long time it’s been since this much fun I’ve had.”

Emanuelle Bianchi (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 5): “In Italian we say ‘Dalle stelle alle stalle,’ from the stars to the stables.”

Kevin Clark (Half Acre Cycling; 5): “The plan of action was twofold: not crash and get a workout.”

Jonathan Dugas (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; 30+ 4/5): “Come on, people, don’t hold a grudge in the bunch.”

Liam Donoghue (Unattached; 4): “At 200 meters I looked back again because surely someone had to be there, but still no one. At 100 meters, arms in the arm, couple of fist pumps, and I won. Holy fucking shit. How I didn’t throw myself off my bike during the post-up baffles me.”

Debbie Dust (Team Kenda Tire; W-P/1/2/3): “I made the error of coming out of the last turn sitting 5th behind a bunch of good sprinters. D’oh!”

Tamara Fraser (XXX Racing-AthletiCo; W-3/4): “A racer ahead of me took the last corner before the finishing sprint too hot and hit the curb, taking out the two women behind her.”

Monique Hanley (Team Type 1; W-P/1/2/3): “Leading out wasn’t was I had in mind, but I turned around to see Jen Greenberg (Punk Rock Cycling) give me a big smile. I returned it. It was one of those ‘Yee haw, lets race!’-type looks.”

Tim Strege (Half Acre Cycling; 5): “I was off the bike for three weeks, so I had a good excuse.”

Glencoe photos
Carolyn Golz
Julie Pusateri
John Rowland
Tim Strege
Ed White