Winfield Criterium - NE

Winfield, IL, August 10, 2003

2002 results Results Past winners

"Just A Typical Midwest Criterium"

Jonas Carney wins USPRO tune-up

By Mark Zalewski

Jonas Carney
Photo ©: Mark Zalewski

Prime Alliance's sprint specialist Jonas Carney called this race a, "typical Midwest criterium. Nobody makes a move... waiting for either me or Robbie [Ventura] to go. And then when we do, they all go after us full-speed. It's crazy." Carney managed to power through the craziness along the outside of the field in the final 500 meters to take the win.

The Winfield Criterium consisted of two races, a twilight event on Saturday, and a full day of racing with the Illinois State Criterium Championships on Sunday. Both courses featured a lengthy hill component and sweeping turns. Saturday's course was the more technical of the two with off-camber downhill turns and a finish on a large curve. Racers were cautioned before each race not to celebrate a win with their arms in the air as they would most likely end up in the fence at 40 m.p.h.

Andrew Crater
Photo ©: Mark Zalewski

Saturday's race was a close sprint finish with Andrew Crater (DeFeet-LeMond-Kaptain Krazy Soap) edging out local sprinter Frank Pipp of the host Athletes by Design club. Sunday saw a few more big names on the start list, including the duo of Robbie Ventura and Kenny Labbe (USPS/Berry Floor), Jason McCartney (7up/Maxxis), the Bianchi/Grand Performance team and a few USPS Master's riders.

Not long into the race a break was just forming with a Turin and ABD rider rolling a few seconds off the front. However, an ambulance needed to access the course so the race was neutralized and restarted. This proved to be a gift to the break, as the restart gave them much more time than they had when the race was neutralized. The two-man break quickly increased their lead to thirty-seconds on the field.

Sarah Tillotson
Photo ©: Mark Zalewski

But this race was 80 minutes long, and the pack knew that a few more times up the climb would take a toll on the two off the front. As the race went on the break hovered between twenty and thirty seconds. Finally, USPS rider Robbie Ventura decided to even the playing field a bit and attempted a bridge up to the break by himself down the finishing straight. The crowd around the start/finish stood in awe the next time around as the USPS rider had not only caught the break in one lap, but was coming around to drive it ahead!

Robbie Ventura
Photo ©: Mark Zalewski

But the other two had been at the front for some time and the other riders began to peck at the gap. Soon the whole field was trying to bridge up, and all but one rider was reeled back. Counter-attacks went multiple times, but the pace of the field was too high as the end neared. The last gasps of the break that wouldn't give up went on for many more laps.

Finally, the spirit's of all the break riders were chewed up by the hard-charging pack and a field sprint was a brewing. Robbie Ventura, last year's winner, was near the front looking for a good wheel to follow. "I usually would try to be on Jonas' wheel for the sprint," said Ventura. "But it was such a long finish, almost 550 meters, I was only giving it 80 percent -- and then three guys went right by me."

Great minds think alike. "I wanted to be on Robbie's wheel for the finish," said Carney. "I stayed in the draft until a spot on the outside opened up and I went for it." Flying past the pack on the outside line, Carney had no traffic to deal with and showed why he is one of the best sprinters on the U.S. racing scene.

Women: Benjamin & Tillotson in charge

By Trudy van der Straaten

ABD's Kelly Benjamin and Sarah Tillotson dominated the women's 1/2/3 field in Sunday's Winfield Cup, sweeping in the first and second places consecutively, with Missy Thompson (Vitamin Cottage) and Lisa Dougherty (Jamba Juice) hard on their heels to take third and fourth place.

Despite this race being the Illinois State Criterium Championship the turn out was surprisingly small. Unlike the highly technical course at last weekend's Arlington Classic, the Winfield Cup's mile-long course had only four, ninety degree turns, but a stiff double staircase incline leading up to the third corner, from which point it was pretty much downhill until the final stretch of the longish sprint.

"For the first couple of laps we just sat in and watched everyone do their thing. Kelly attacked at the top of the hill on lap three or four but was chased down," Tillotson said. The field then more or less stayed together for the first half of the race, at which point a break of five formed that included the entire ABD line-up.

In a stellar season for both girls and their first together as teammates, the pair's obvious synergy was on full display. According to Benjamin, "We were instructed by our coach Mike Farrell to attack together and we got away twice but Missy and Lisa chased us down. After the second prime Sarah kept going on to attack and Missy and Lisa chased her while I just sat on them, but they caught her with one to go."

While Tillotson often wins a race solo, Benjamin is known for her sprint. On the last lap there was a bit of jockeying for position with Dougherty leading out from the hill. Thompson jumped first but with so few riders both Tillotson and Benjamin were able to get past them without much trouble. As Benjamin said, "With such a small field it's hard because there is no place to hide and when you're the biggest team like we were everyone is always looking at you to do all the work which makes it physically very hard. The bottom line is we had the numbers in the break."

Cat 4 women

The women's 4s race played out fairly similarly. Small numbers prompted officials to combine the citizens, cat 4s, 40+ and 50+ women's races.

Right from the start Hinckley Spring's Cynthia Dywan picked up the tempo stringing out the field in what seems to be her trademark move. ABD rider Catherine Burnham and 40+ rider Jean Tschampa (Hinckley Springs) both made numerous attacks, with Apache's Kristin Koury doing an admirable job of chasing them down.

In a women's category 4 race a stair case hill like the one at Winfield makes it hard for any break to stick, unless the rider has team-mates to block, as Trudy van der Straaten (C-U Racing) found out. [Ed's note - Trudy is of course the writer of this report, and her embarrassment at writing up her own win has shamed her into the third person, making her probably the first Cyclingnews reporter to interview herself!]

Realizing she wasn't going to lose the group on the hill and sitting in for the most part, van der Straaten rode away from the field after winning the second of both primes and maintained the gap for half a lap. Van der Straaten explained, "Each time I looked around over my shoulder I could see Kristin pulling them closer to me - I didn't want to take the chance of them attacking me at the top of the hill so I sat up and let myself be swallowed up again. Anyway, from the primes I figured that I had a fair chance at the final sprint". Apparently so, with Burnham leading out, van der Straaten, a couple of bike lengths behind, jumped at the last minute to take the win. "I kind of lost my concentration for a few seconds there in the finish line sprint," said van der Straaten, "and then I suddenly realized 'heck she [Burnham] is going to cross the line in her saddle' so I quickly jumped." Burnham and Apache rider Kim Morris took second and third places.

Photography

Images by Mark Zalewski/www.showchoir.net

Karl Stover (Grove Dental) takes the Twilight Crit Cat. 2/3 sprint with ease.
Andy Lister (Proctor) in the cat 2/3 race
"Hey, anyone else want to take a turn?"
Thankfully, welcoming residents paid attention to the No Parking signs
Jason McCartney (7up/Maxxis) turns into the setting sun.
Team ABD represented their hometown well.
Kenny Labbe (USPS/Berry Floor) stopped by for some local action.
Jason McCartney (7Up-Maxxis) gets some more evening sunshine
One of a few break attempts.
Andrew Crater (DeFeet-LeMond-Kaptain Krazy Soap) barely outstretches Frank Pipp (ABD) to the line in the Winfield Twilight Crit.
Robert Quinn (XXX Racing) raises his fist in the air as he wins the Cat. 3 Illinois State Championship.
Women's open action.
Sarah Tillotson (ABD) on her way to a state title and second-place finish behind her teammate Kelly Benjamin.
The Men's Pro/1/2 event saw a few big names roll to the line.
The previous night's runner-up Frank Pipp (ABD) drives the field early.
A Spin City rider gets ready to rejoin the race after going down in an early crash on the descent.
The big names stayed near the front, watching for moves.
Jonas Carney (Prime Alliance) lurking on the outside of the field, waiting to make his move.
Jason McCartney (7up/Maxxis)
The two man break that got a little help from the local fire department.
A view from the top.
It's a good idea to be first at the top of the climb since the descent feeds right into the final corner.
"Where the devil did he come from?" Robbie Ventura (USPS/Berry Floor) bridges up to the break over just one-lap, letting them know they are not out of reach by any means.
Jonas Carney
The previous night's winner, Andrew Crater (DeFeet-LeMond-Kaptain Krazy Soap), leads the field into the turn. He also leads the field with the longest team name.
The USPS Master's Squad traveled from Master's Nationals to show the young kids that they still have what it takes.
Once the break was bridged by Ventura, many others came along for the ride, which had no chance.
Robbie Ventura sits comfortably in the pack awaiting the upcoming field sprint.
Todd Hancock (Higher Gear) sits in behind USPS's Kenny Labbe.
Jonas Carney sneaks by on the outside down the 500+ meter final straight to easily take the field sprint.
Jonas does his impersonation of Lance Armstrong, but is disappointed when he doesn't see Jan Ullrich.
Winfield Criterium IV Champion, Jonas Carney (Prime Alliance).

Results

Winfield criterium

Pro I/II
 
1 Jonas Carney (Prime Alliance)
2 Josh Carter (Spin City) - Illinois State Champion 1st
3 Robbie Ventura (USPS)
4 Frank Pipp (ABD)
5 Nicholas Reistad (IS Corp)
6 John Puffer (ABD) - Illinois State Champion 2nd
7 Shawn Willard (Colavita-Bolla)
8 Erik Tomlinson (Grove Dental) - Illinois State Champion 3rd
9 Todd Hancock (Lemond/Higher Gear)
10 Pete Hanna (Bianchi/Grand Performance)
11 Bryce Mead (Bianchi/Grand Performance)
12 Brian Hammer (Hampshire Cycling)
13 Gus Carrillo (Bianchi/Grand Performance)
14 Andrew Crater (Lemond Fitness)
15 Andrew Lister (Proctor)
16 Todd Miller (GDVC)
17 Billy Jones (Endeavour)
18 Andy Cicero (Trek VW)
19 David Polin (Turin)
20 Rob Kelley (North Branch)
 
Women Cat I/II/III
 
1 Kelly Benjamin (ABD)
2 Sarah Tillotson (ABD) - Illinois State Champion 1st
3 Missy Thompson (Vitamin Cottage)
4 Lisa Marie Dougherty (Jamba Juice)
5 Debbie Dust (Jamba Juice) - Illinois State Champion 2nd
6 Anne Meyer (ABD)
7 Francine Haas (Albertos Sport) - Illinois State Champion 3rd
8 Andrea Venteicher (Mercy Cannondale)
 
Men Cat III
 
1 Robert Quinn (XXX Racing) - Illinois State Champion 1st
2 Steven Driscoll (Team Mack) - Illinois State Champion 2nd
3 Ulric de Young (Trek VW)
4 Rick Rohret (Quad Cities) - Illinois State Champion 3rd
5 Marc O'Shea 
6 Adam Lesniahowski (Redline)
7 James Nowak (Arlington Flyers)
8 Matthew Racine (Univ. WI)
9 Kevin Vanucci (Road Dogs)
10 Ken Karston (SCW)
11 Rich Smott (PBF Cycling)
12 Brooks Porter (Higher Gear)
13 Kevin Flowers (Hinckley Springs)
14 Todd O'Hara (Mohawk Valley)
15 Jason Carr (IS Corp)
 
Women Cat IV
 
1 Trudy Van Der Straaten (C-U Racing)
2 Catherine Burnham (ABD)
3 Kim Morris (Team Apache)
4 Kristin Koury (Team Apache)
5 Allison Otruba 
6 Cynthia Dywan (Hinckley Springs)
7 Marcie Weiss (Team Mack)
 
Citizen Women
 
1 Amy Kuemmel 
2 Mary Roe 
3 Lisa D'Ambossio 
4 Marge Fielder 
5 Romona Kuna (ABD)
 
Citizen Men Under 39
 
1 Jason Pollack 
2 Edward Collier (Fitchburg Cycling)
3 Todd Buck 
4 Dan Kokes 
5 Tim Gehr 
6 Matt Goethe 
7 Yigit Yazicioglu 
8 Kevin Brown 
9 James McEneany 
10 Tim Kuehner 
11 Michael Mehnert 
12 Bryan Conley 
13 Mark Halvorsen 
14 Charlie Shikany 
15 Gary Peterson 
16 Mike Salela 
17 Matt Stalter 
18 Ray Mundo Rincon 
 
Citizens Men 40+
 
1 Robert Murphy 
2 Preston Keefe 
3 Scott Taylor (Wheel Fast)
4 Eddie Bartley (Active Endeavor)
5 Mark Hanna 
6 Richard Cummings 
7 Terry Fergoson (VCR)
8 Bisi Leonardo Tubic 
9 David Paton 
10 Mark Yurcheshea (ABD)
11 Jon Emrich 
12 Jose Cuiriz 
13 John Donne 
14 Jim Lewandowski 
15 Robert Hawco (ABD)
16 Elias Hernandez 
17 Peter Guzik (Redline)
18 Donald Glass 
19 Jossie Mendonca 
 
Junior Boys 17-18
 
1 Ben Damhoff (Nova)
2 Jason Carr (IS Corp)
3 Sam Brower (ABD)
4 Cassel Lessinger (Hinckley Springs)
5 Scott Dohr 
 
Junior Boys 15-16
 
1 Andy Smart (C-U Racing)
2 Paul Struebing (ABD)
3 Matt Kwapisz (Redline)
4 Ian Fijolek 
5 Matt Novak (South Chicago Wheelmen)
6 Chris Powers 
7 Brad Williams 
 
Junior Boys 13-14
 
1 Brenden Sullivan (ABD)
2 Shane Feehery (South Chicago Wheelmen)
3 Geoffrey Magoon 
 
Junior Boys 10-12
 
1 Adam Kosela (ABD)
2 Brandon Feehery (South Chicago Wheelmen)
3 Alex Novak (South Chicago Wheelmen)
4 Stuart Sankovitch 
 
Junior Girls 17-18
 
1 Jessica Tschampa (Hinckley Springs)
 
Junior Girls 10-12
 
1 Marcie Weiss (Team Mack)
 
Women 40+
 
1 Jean Tschampa (Hinckley Springs)
2 Marilyn Powell (Team Mack)
 
Women 50+
 
1 Nancy Beck (Midwest Masters Cycling)
 
Masters 30+ And 40+
 
1 Todd Metz (RDS Cycling) - Illinois State Champion 1st 40+
2 Peter Hanna (Bianchi Grand Performance)
3 Wayne Simon (PYOC) - Illinois State Champion 2nd 40+
4 Tom Doughty (USPS) - Illinois State Champion 3rd 40+
5 Mike Heagney (PYOC) - Illinois State Champion 1st 30+
6 Ron Dillow (Vision Quest) - Illinois State Champion 2nd 30+
7 Bill Jones (Endeavour)
8 Chad Martel (Team Mack) - Illinois State Champion 3rd 30+
9 Chris Bolling (2CC/Pony Sony)
10 Vynce Boyer (Redline)
11 Mike Farrell (ABD)
12 Rich Steinbrecher (Active Endeavour)
13 Dave Marcelletti (2CC)
14 Glen Hinshaw (USPS)
15 Pedro Ramirez (Hinckley Springs)
 
Masters 50+
 
1 Richard Adamczyk (Team Mack) - Illinois State Champion 1st
2 Joe Meis (Team VCR) - Illinois State Champion 2nd
3 Russ Damhoff - Illinois State Champion 3rd
4 Longin (Kusel)
5 Zbigniew Demel (Redline)
6 Mike Vohnamen (Team Mack)
7 Gary Campbell (ABD)
8 Mike Kurtz (ABD)
9 Eugene O'Shea 
10 Zbigniew Potylicki (ABD)
 
Masters 60+
 
1 Claus Gruner (Team Mack) - Illinois State Champion 1st
2 Bob Beck (Midwest Masters) - Illinois State Champion 2nd
3 Richard Weiss (Northwave)
4 Phil Wyatt (Velo Club Robais) - Illinois State Champion 3rd
5 Billy Wachholz (ABD)
 
Men Cat IV/V
 
1 Andrew Walton (ICCC)
2 Andy Smart (CU Racing)
3 Jamie Kimberley (CU Racing)
4 Greg Gohman (Redling)
5 Mike Stevens (Team Mack)
6 Timothy Henry (Project 5 Racing)
7 Brandon Antoniewicz (XXX Racing)
8 Dave Racine 
9 Douglas Moss 
10 Alex Voitik 
11 Tom Zurawski (Hinckley Springs)
12 Jason Pollauk 
13 Lee Turley 
14 James Siegele (North Branch Wheelmen)
15 Steve Holeczy (North Branch Wheelmen)
16 Cale Fick (Project 5 Racing)
17 Cercy Niedbala (Project 5 Racing)
18 Steve Feehery (South Chicago Wheelmen)
19 Brandon Hodge (Spokes)
20 Peter Tampa (XXX Racing)

Brian's Charhouse Twilight Criterium

Category 1 / 2
 
1 Andrew Crater (DeFeet-LeMond-Kaptain Krazy Soap)
2 Frank Pipp (Athletes By Design)
3 Jason McCartney (7Up-Maxxis)
4 Shaun Willard (Colavita Bolla)
5 Gustavo Carillo (Bianchi-Grand Performance)
6 Frank Dierking (ABD Cycling Team)
7 John Puffer (ABD Cycling Team)
8 Josh Carter (Spin City Cycles)
9 Pete Hanna (Bianchi- Grand Performance)
10 Eric Tomlinson (Grove Dental Team)
11 Ryan Nenninger (Team Mack)
12 Thomas Kalstrup (PYOC)
13 Dave Polin (Team Turin)
14 John Faul (C-U Racing)
15 Mystery Rider 
 
Category 2/3
 
1 Karl Stover (Grove Dental)
2 Adam Lesniakowski (Redline)
3 Derek Witte (LeMond/Higher Gear)
4 Andy Cicero (Trek/Volkswagon)
5 Brian Dziewa (Grove Dental)
6 Rob Kelley (North Branch)
7 Tim Elebaut (Celestrial Seasoning)
8 Ulric de Young (Trek/Volkswagon)
9 John Faul (CU Racing)
10 Andy Lister (Proctor)
11 Mike Farrell (Athletes By Design)
12 Ruan Calilung (Higher Gear)
13 Tim Shotts (Team Mack)
14 Ara Oggoiem (North Branch)
15 Sam Brower (Athletes By Design)
16 Jason Sonneborn (Higher Gear)
17 Rich Steinbrecher (Active Endeavor)
18 Sarah Tillotson (Athletes By Design)
19 Jim Nowak (Arlington Flyers)
20 Matt Racine (University of Wisconsin)
 
Category 4/5
 
1 Ron Dillow (Vision Quest)
2 Jamie Kimberley (CU Racing)
3 Carlos Garcia (Redline)
4 Ludger Roedder (Higher Gear)
5 Scott Jacobson (Club Bicicletta)
6 Mike Stevens (Team Mack)
7 Kevin Flowers (Hinckley Springs)
8 Jason Carr (IS Corp Cycling)
9 Shawn Mullen (Spin City)
10 Dan Rudrud (2CC Pony Shop)
11 Rich Adamezyk (Team Mack)
12 Cale Fick 
13 Alex Voitik 
14 Andrew Walton (International Christian Cycling)
15 William Perry (Road Dogs)
16 Zbigniew Demel (Redline)
17 Bartosz Gawron 
18 Pedro Ramirez (Hinckley Springs)
19 Anthony Roth (CU Racing)
20 Rob Paturen (CU Racing)
 
Citizen Men
 
1 Andy Smart (CU racing)
2 Douglas Moss (North Branch)
3 Tom Zurawski 
4 Greg Gohman (Redline)
5 Marc Moeller (North Branch)
6 Jefferey Angstadt (South Chicago Wheelmen)
7 Jason Pollack 
8 Gary Bentz (North Branch Cycling)
9 Darren Monico (North Branch Cycling)
10 Pete Hill (Salsa Cycles)
11 Loch Miwa (Team Apache)
12 Longin Kusal 
13 George Ganas (Team Mack)
14 Brown William (South Chicago Wheelmen)
15 Brian Uthgenannt (Washington Cycle Club)
16 Joel Feinborg (Clif)
17 Marilyn Powell (Team Mack)
18 Rich Mstowski (Athletes By Design)

Past winners

2002 Robbie Ventura (US Postal Service)
2001 Robbie Ventura (US Postal Service)