Weekend Racing Report - June 30, 2007

Le Tour De Dexter - Michigan Criterium Championships - Dexter, MI

History of the team's Cat 3 Criterium Championships

The first year of the team was 2004 and we were sponsored by Bikesport. We had been having a fantastic summer, racing all over the Midwest. WE came into Ada primed to do well. At the finish of an exciting race where we took something like all the primes and were at the front constantly attacking, our team rider Jeff Elam took Norm Zellers all the way to the line. The two of them had a 5+ bike length gap on the 3rd place rider. At the line Norm won by about 3 inches. It took 10 minutes of reviewing the photo finish camera to confirm it.

The next year, 2005, we were again primed to do well. Going into the final turn Mark Caswell led the pack with 3 team riders on his wheel. Unfortunately, a rider came inside of the turn, couldn't hold his speed and T-Boned Jordan Stohl, who was on Marks wheel. Alex Keomany was on Jordan's wheel and he went down as well. Luckily Jason Rafeld was able to maneuver through the carnage and took 3rd, restoring some joy to the team after a hard day. The rider who t-boned Jordan? It was Jeff Elam, his own teammate. Ouch! The look on both Alex and Jordans faces was pure anger. If either of them had a gun, they would have shot Jeff. I had ridden to Ada with Jeff and he was my ride home. About 3 hours in ER at Grand Rapids and he was patched up, he just couldn't sit on his right buttock, so I drove his new Mazda home while he reclined the seat and laid on his side. We got home about 1am, but had fun driving home and Jeff actually was in good spirits, despite being the butt of my constant ribbing about how he took down the teams lead out train and did a break dance move on his right ass-cheek in the middle of the road!

So many crazy things can happen during a bike race, so many really unfair things as well, that if you let them bother you, you'll drive yourself crazy, so sometimes you have to grin and bear it.

In 2006 we had a strong team again. Jason Brake had been winning nearly every Cat 3 race he entered. Kensington, Allen Park, Tour of Cedar Creek, get him into the final 200 meters and he would win it. However, Alex Keomany was riding strong as well. He made the final turn at the front and started a LOOOONNNGGGG sprint and at the line, put up his hands in celebration, only to lose by a tire width to Luke Cavenders bike throw. Of course, Luke rides the track a lot, so he was good at the bike throw part.

With my apologies to Alex, check out the picture here:

Alex pulls a "Zabel" and celebrates a 1/2 second too soon!!!

This year our team wasn't as strong as past years. Nothing like that 2004 team that included: John Ridgon, Mark Caswell, Travis ?, Jordan Stohl, Alex Keomany, Jeff Elam, Vince Roberge, Randy Hermann, maybe some I'm missing.

Darrell and Joe at the start line

I'm out of shape, having ridding maybe 2-3 times this past month. Craig Rice was in similar condition. Rune was nursing a swollen knee after crashing at the Superior Bike Fest. However, Darrell Anderson and Joey Schaard were in great form. We didn't really lay out a strategy, just sit in and see how it develops. Immediately, Darrell Anderson took the first prime quite handily. That's a good omen. Unfortunately, I was soon dropped. Then Darrell got taken out by some sketchy riding.

Read Darrell's account of the race and his crash HERE

Darrell, for what it's worth, this Wolverine came up to me with a very apologetic looking face after the race and asked "are you the guy I took down". I said no, it was Darrell and pointed you out as you were riding by across the street. He ran over to chase you down and I guess to apologize. I hope you spoke with him.

For everyone else, Darrell was okay. I cut on his finger and some bruised ribs and a torn jersey, but he's okay.

So, I'm out, Darrell's out. Then Craig finds himself off the back. Then the race heats up and Rune can't push with his injured knee and despite doing what he could for ¾'s of the race, sits up. That leaves Joey at the front, alone. From what I could see, Joey was racing great. Always in the top 5, always attentive.

So, despite all the odds and having no teammates left, Joey attacks up the final hill, gaps the field and turned the 53x12 all the way down the back side and onto the finishing stretch to win comfortably and end 4 years of bad luck this team has endured at the Cat 3 Criterium State Championships.

Joey said it felt like his eyes going to pop, but he just gritted his teeth and pushed through.

Joey makes the front page of the "Ann Arbor News" Sports section

What did Joey say when they asked him how he felt about upgrading to the Cat 2 field? In true team spirit his reply was "I'll just be glad to work for the team". Yea!

Check out the full race results HERE

It's been a great run and a bunch of great memories. I'll never forget racing with guys like Travis, Jordan, Paul Kundrat, Jeff Elam, Steve Geerligs, Ramon Corpuz, and everyone else who have passed through this team over the years.

Here's some prior years race reports to read if you're interested:

2006 MI Crit C-Ships Race Report

2005 MI Crit C-Ships Race Report

2004 MI Crit C-Ships Race Report, go to race reports, Ada

Great racing everyone! It was a super tough course and a bunch of super tough races. In the Cat I/II race the team put in a great performance, even placing Rob Iser into a very promising break of 3 that were gunning for 5th-7th place with just about 4 laps to go.

To recap, the team won the Cat 3 championships and Taylor and Tony took 1st and 2nd in the Juniors 15-16 category! Two state titles for the team at the Crit Championships!!!

AWESOME!!!

Lastly, Taylor is on track to be selected to a USA Cycling National Development camp, based on his performance at the Regional Camp in LaCrosse WI this past week. As Mike Birmann related to me, camp director Larry Martin told him, "Mike, your son is a BEAST!"

Also, I know Brian Adams sometimes reads these things, so hats off to the Lathrup team that rode incredibly. At one point the break of 10 riders contained 5 Lathrup guys. The winning break of 4 riders 2 Lathrup riders, last years Dexter winner and 2005 State Criterium Champion Jeff Hamilton and Meurig James. But in the lottery that is bike racing, their 2 breakaway companions out raced them at the end and Derek Graham of Priority took 1st and Jason Swaitlowski took 2nd. How unfair!!! Still, simply incredible racing! Textbook team tactics. I'm sure those guys can console themselves with the couple of wheelset primes they won. I think they did the same thing last year. Brian?

Next up, there's Ciociaro on Thursday, July 5th, then the Sant `Onoforio race again at Ciociaro on Sunday, July 8th.

Then the Common Crit in Lansing on July 15th.

Anyone going to SUPERWEEK?

Ciao Ciao!

WOW!!!!