Fireworks Sunday - Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival News

Photo: Cycling News Forums

WISCONSIN: Hayward -Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival - The was lots of pre-race hype over Christian Vande Velde riding the race this year and that hype turned to out to be warranted as the pair of Vande Velde (Garmin) and Jason McCartney (Radio Shack) lit the fuse early and let the fireworks fly the whole race. SkinnySki.Com has the call:
"“They set the tempo and blew everybody off the back,” said second place Michael Olhesier (Juwi Solar). "

As the story goes, the pair drove the race from the gun, thinning the contenders down to just a handful by the Fire tower hill. With less than seven miles remaining, the pair of Pro's had a gap, but Vande Velde flatted,  and McCartney, who was suffering from cramps, got caught. Matter came up first in the sprint over Olheiser while McCartney crossed a few seconds later.

Also, check out Steve Tilford's first person account of the action along with some excellent photos.

" I guess Jason just kept drilling it. Christian started pulling too eventually. Christian said that he was pulling on one of the gravel roads, Boedecker at 51kph and 550 watts. Shit."

This win is the second in the Triple Crown of midwest MTB racing which Matter won in 2010. Next up is the "Iceman Cometh" which is a 27 mile point-to-point mountain bike race from Kalkaska to Traverse City, Michigan. Held traditionally on the first Saturday of November (except for years when the first Saturday of November is the 1st), the 22nd annual Iceman will be held on Saturday, November 5, 2011. Over $54,000 in cash prizes and $10,000 in merchandise prizes will be awarded.

SkinnySki.Com has a ton of general photos, no photo of Matter's win yet. Will keep looking. 

MISSOURI: St. Louis - Hermann 'Cross Day 1 - Here are the RESULTS from day 1. It appears that the turn out was good and there's still a full day of racing yet to come.