2010 Kenosha Spring Criterium #2 - Let The Fun Begin!

After getting that first race of the year out of the way last week, the racing began to heat up yesterday at the 31st Annual Spring Training Races presented by Kenosha Velosport. Although some of the snow still remained on the ground from the day before, sunshine prevailed and that seem to give extra incentive for riders to 'give it a go' and we saw many break attempts throughout the day.

The morning session saw Sam Schneider (Team Tibco) win again in the open women's race over Rachel Roessingh (IS Corp), Mark Serafin (PACT/Dish) took the 40-49 over Chip Pleper (Gear Grinders), and Casey Masterson (Velo Trocadero) won the 30-39 Masters race over Justin Armstead (Team Mack).

In the afternoon, the Junior 15/16 + 17/18 race started fairly tranquil with a small peloton rolling a few laps, but then Greg Krieger (Team Extreme)(17/18) escaped with Alexander Riva (Kenosha Velosport)(16/17) and looked good doing it leaving a small group of five behind to contemplate their fate. You could hear them make their plans of all working together to reel the bandits in. All except for IS Corps' Chazz Martin who seemed to think: "I'll have none of that, this race is MINE!" and rocketed off in pursuit of the leaders. In two laps he closed the 25 second gap and rested for the sprint. It was Krieger and Martin together through the last turn when Martin exploded with the power he developed racing at the Kenosha Velodrome to take the win. Alexander Riva won the 15/16 over Lionel Rocheleleau (Kenosha Velosport) and Mitchel Borgardus (Team Expo).

This week the Men's Cat. 5 and 4's races were run seperately, perhaps as a response to some issues they had last week when they were run together. In the Cat. 5 race, an early break was caught rather quickly, and that led eventually to a pack sprint won by that very same rider who had broken away earlier. In fact, the same rider that won last week - Patryk Limanowicz (XXX). Second was Andy Feuerstahler (Gear Grinders), Christopher St. Clair (Life Cyclists/Emery's) was third. The 4's race also saw multiple attempts to escape but none were ultimately successful. On the final lap, the pack was still intact going up the back straight but Tim Speciale (Team PSIMET) saw an opening and went for it. As he posted on Bike Forums: "I took the last turn at about 31mph...stood up and hammered, looked back and had plenty of room to sit up and coast across the line for first." Second was Russel Georgeson (Hayes/RPM), third Leif Byrge-Liebig (IS Corp). Congratulations to the new Team PSIMET for their first win of the year.

From here, the racing got confusing with multiple breaks, bridges, and drops in the Cat. 3 race and no official results to piece it all together. ABR wraps up very quickly towards the end of the day! However, the Pro 1/2 race was very fun to watch with Velo Trocadero pretty much dominating the animated race that was visibly faster and more aggressive than last week. After an early move by Trocadero, they sent TT specialist Tim Pacholski off the front and used their three others to good use by effectively blocking the chase. The half way point saw Pacholski pretty much safely off the front, so they sent another rider to bridge, but that was unsucessful. At the bell for the last lap, it was Pacholski about a half lap ahead, and three Trocadero riders on the front of the peloton. Tim Pacholski took the well deserved victory and speedy, Chazz Martin (IS Corp) got the field sprint for second. Well done Velo Trocadero for a great team victory!

Racing continues next Sunday for one final stop at the Lakeview Corporate Park in Kenosha preceded Saturday by USAC's first area race at Blackhawk Farm's raceway in South Beloit, IL.