Weekend Review - May 22 & 23

Why can't I hear the Locusts and Cicadas? and where's the corn? Oh, it's not August? It's May? Another scorcher across the land took it's toll on the pelotons.

Missouri
Tour de St. Genevieve. Results and here. This was also the Missouri State Road Race Championships held under sunshine and 90 degree temperatures. Very little chatter about the race this morning, so it must have been tough, however it's nothing but high praise for the race from the riders. Brian Jensen took the Pro 1/2 win, but he's from Kansas, so that gave the Mo State RR Championship to second place Matt Brandt (Mesa Cycles) of Kirkwood, MO. Christine Roetger (Mesa Cycles) won the women's title.

Wisconsin
Cafe Hollander Sussex Criterium. Results. Another race highly attended by IS Corp but this time won by Colavita's Timothy Clark, his first ever victory and well earned too with temperature nearing 90 degrees. Aaron Busche writes (any relation to that other Busche?):

Eventually, 2 IS Corp riders and a guy from the local Colavita squad got away and the race was definitely on from there. At this point, it seemed as though the field was splintering. And it was...there was a gap at the top of the hill I closed, and basically from there, the field seemed to dwindle to about 20 guys, maybe, actually make it 15 or so. Of that group, 6 or 7 were IS Corp. They set up a pace line that no one could get in and if you tried, you got removed almost immediately. This is why I believe they are like bees. No one can get into the hive. Don't take it the wrong way, perhaps I am slightly jealous, but, it is quite impressive.

The Women's Open race was attended by no less than 5 IS Corp riders as well as 8 Kenda riders! However, it was Madison's Holly Mathews (Unattatched) who took the victory from a very talented field that included, among others, Kaitlin Antonneau (Kenda) who just recently returned from Europe racing with the US National team. Antonneau won yesterday in Hartland and placed 5th today. You will recall that Holly Mathews also took the win in Chicago's Monsters of the Midway last week. Some team will surely sign her up very soon!

Illinois

Tour of Champaign-Urbana (Results and Results) Day two of the two day series featured a tricky criterium course, initially a figure 8, but then later changed to something with a 180 with 200m to go? Pro 1/2 won by John Eisinger (Unattached) who had also earlier this season also won Indiana's hilly Brown County Road Race. Listed as Unattached, but he's ridden for Cleaveland Clinic Sports Health, Tokyo Joes, and other teams. Second was William Nowak (Verizon U25) who also was second Saturday in Champaign and first at Fox River Grove. Third was Kirk Albers (Panther) who is 41 years old and the 2009 Ohio State Road Race Champion.

Women's open was taken by ABD's Jessica Prinner, also second Saturday in Champaign and winner in Fox River Grove. Also just recently returning from a successful trip to Europe with the US National Team. Second place was Patricia Black (Morgan Stanley Smith) who recently won two stages in the Masters division at the Joe Martin Stage Race. Third was Vanessa McKenzie (Proctor).

Michigan

West Branch Classic No results are available at this time, but we do have a nice report from Yooper  rider Chris Lynch of Negaunee, MI who rides for Sisu Cycles. He placed 2nd in the Cat. 3 criterium on Sunday. He has written a very nice summary of both days including these words:

I shot the inside of the last corner, knowing that the right side of the road would be the clear part out of the wind. My move in the corner got me into 8th place and I sprinted my heart out behind two guys for about 50 meters allowing me to spin up real nice. I flew around them on the right shoulder about 250 meters from the finish, it was a long straight. It looked like a long ways to go still and I was afraid I had gone to early with the head/cross-wind. I felt good and just kept pedaling while my confidence built to the finish. I crossed the line, sat up, looked back and just caught the rest of the field crossing the line. I had won the field sprint! I was extremely happy, I had broken my dry spell and gotten a podium finish.

I was very pleased with my results and much to my surprise I got called right back to the podium for 3rd overall for the weekend. All in all I walked away with a 100 dollar check, a 6-pack of beer, a Michelob Ultra hat, and most important was that I have my confidence back.

That's the news for Monday morning. More added as reports become available.