Cookie Cross, Indian Lakes

Photo: Ric Damm

WISCONSIN: Ripon - Cookie Cross - USA Cycling: "Attendance was sparse, but those who came punished themselves on the short 0.7-mile course that was sprinkled with challenges, including a two-story stair climb, a sand volleyball court, gnarly roots and a blazingly steep downhill. Oh, and a pesky little cement lip that ended several racers’ days with pinch flats.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Alex Meyer took an early lead in the Men’s A race, quickly distancing himself from the other four riders in the field. What appeared to be a run-away victory came to an abrupt end when Meyer flatted, and he dropped from the race. Buckley Birkholz of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire then took command, but his lead, too, was short lived. Birkholz also suffered a pinch flat, but ran his wounded bike to the pit, mounted a teammate’s and charged back into battle.

That battle was now hotly contested by Michigan’s Adam Kaye, Madison’s Sam Dries and Ripon’s Ben Senkerik. Senkerik, who had a slow start paced himself to the lead. Meanwhile, Birkholz’s teammate Nathan Yadon, who took second in the earlier Men’s B race, repaired the flat in short order and handed Birkholz’s bike back to him. Alas, the effort was for naught as the Eau Claire rider experienced a second flat, forcing Birkholz to once again hike to the pit and remount Yadon’s steed. By this time, Senkerik and Dries were far out of reach, in first and second, respectively. Even Kaye, who was visibly tired, could not be caught as he clung to third."