Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Dauphiné Libéré Photo ©: Sirotti |
International Cycling Classic - Superweek - NE
USA, July 13-29, 2007
Main Page Results Overall standings Next Stage
Stage 1 - July 13: Beverly Hills Cycling Classic presented by The McTigue Financial Group, Chicago, IL, 100 km
Superweek starts off fast in Chicago
By Mark Zalewski, North American Editor in Beverly Hills, Illinois
|
The annual summer classic, Superweek, returns to Wisconsin and Chicago in the American midwest - known as the oldest existing multi-day race series in the country. As in the past five years, the south suburban Chicago neighborhood of Beverly Hills (not the 90210 one) hosted the opening race, a fast 60 km professional criterium. The previous two years this race was won by international riders, but this year local Wisconsin rider Andy Crater (Wheel & Sprocket) made it into the large 16-rider break, took the lead in the sprint category and out-sprinted the field for the win.
"I was really cramping, as I usually do in these races every year," said Crater. "But we weren't going really hard and more guys kept coming up [to the break.]" The large size of the break allowed him to take shorter pulls and pick his moments, which he did when the sprint laps came around. "I was a little worried about the size of the break, being able to work - but I just tried to rest when I could," he said.
After the break lapped the field, the finish tactic had to change, dealing with 83 other riders instead of just 15. Bryce Mead (Jelly Belly) tried to increase his odds by attacking with two laps to go. "I got away with a couple of other guys, but Jonathan Clarke (Colavita-Sutter Home) brought us back pretty much by himself," he said. "I can't sprint, so I had to try it!"
With everyone together the field slowed to a crawl as the bell rang for the finale. On the back side of the course, before the downhill on the last two turns, Crater benefited from a veteran friend in the field. "I talked to Steve Tilford (Trek-Midwest) and he said he would slow and set me up with two turns to go," said Crater. "He hesitated a little and that was enough for me to get a gap and stay away."
The racing continues for the next sixteen days around Chicago and Wisconsin. More pros are expected to make their way to the races this week with NRC points on the line for the next 12 days - plus some good fast training.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mark Zalewski/Cyclingnews.com
- Andy Crater (Wheel & Sprocket) corners early in the break's life.
- Alexander Sharon (Athletes By Design) is followed by German Sebastian Frey (Team Sparkasse).
- The break, growing in size every lap, descends among the Beverly Hills (Chicago, that is) homes.
- Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefits) and Viktor Rapinski (Navigators Insurance) did not make the move.
- It was that fast.
- These two tried to bridge up, but waited too long.
- Even Jose from SRAM cannot fix everything.
- Jonathan Clarke (Colavita-Sutter Home) gives the crowd a scare.
- We are not sure if the little boy is more worried about the rider or the expensive bike…
- Not the best place to flat.
- Even with a front flat Sebastian Frey (Team Sparkasse) dives into the wheel pit at full speed.
- Peter Dawson's (South Australia.com) face shows how fast Superweek is.
- Alexander Sharon (Athletes By Design) has his eye on a cash prime.
- Andy Crater (Wheel & Sprocket) celebrates winning the race and the points jersey.
Results
1 Andrew Crater (Wheel & Sprocket Pro Development) 2 Jonathan Cantwell (Kahala-LaGrange) 3 Marco Rios (Kahala-LaGrange) 4 Robert White (PCW Cycling) 5 Sebastian Frey (Team Sparkasse) 6 Carlos Vargas (Team Hotel San Jose/Silicon Labs) 7 Jonathan Clarke (Colavita / Sutter Home) 8 Christian Lademann (Team Sparkasse) 9 Christian Grasmann (Team Sparkasse) 10 Paul Martin (Texas Roadhouse) 11 Ryan White (PCW Cycling) 12 Bryce Mead (Jelly Belly Cycling) 13 Brandon Gavic (A&F Pro Development Cycling Team) 14 Bennet van der Genugten (A&F Pro Development Cycling Team) 15 Alexander Sharon (ABD Cycling Team) 16 JD Bergmann (Kovarus/Squadra Ovest) 17 Steve Tilford (Trek/VW Midwest) 18 Darren Harry (Alliance) 19 Josh England (A&F Pro Development Cycling Team) 20 Jonathan Parrish (Team WM) 21 Jorge Alvarado (Kahala-LaGrange) 22 Joshua Carter (ABD Cycling Team) 23 Steve Sonheim (South Central Racing) 24 Mike Sherer (Team MetCycling) 25 Dan Ajer (Great Dane Velo Club) 26 Robert Kelley (Team Bicycle Heaven St Charles) 27 John Tzinberg (Kahala LaGrange) 28 David Sachs (Vision Quest) 29 Andreas Mueller (Team Sparkasse) 30 Viktor Rapinski (Navigators Insurance) 31 Devon Vigus (Cal Giant Berry Farms/Specialized) 32 Timothy Clark (Great Dane Velo Club (GDVC)) 33 Adrian Gerrits (Kahala-LaGrange) 34 Michael Lanyon (Turin Bicycle/Barker & Nestor) 35 Aaron Beardsley (Kovarus/Squadra Ouest) 36 Kenneth Delo (Bicycle Heaven Racing Club(BHRC)) 37 Phillip Mann (Team Rio Grande) 38 Randy Reichardt (Hauln Ass Racing Team (HART)) 39 Matthew Sherwin 40 Isaac Neff (Alderfor Bergen Cycling Team) 41 Michael Ebert (ABD Cycling Team) 42 Peter Dawson (SouthAustralia.com) 43 Andrew Armstrong (Matrix Cycle Club/RBM) 44 Corey Carlson (Rocky Mounts/Izze) 45 Andrew Daley (Team Clif Bar Midwest) 46 Cesar Correa (Team Clif Bar Midwest) Sprint 1 1 Andrew Crater (Wheel & Sprocket Pro Development) 2 Sebastian Frey (Team Sparkasse) 3 Carlos Vargas (Team Hotel San Jose/Silicon Labs) 4 Christian Lademann (Team Sparkasse) 5 Alexander Sharon (ABD Cycling Team) 6 Jonathan Clarke (Colavita / Sutter Home) 7 Marco Rios (Kahala-LaGrange) Sprint 2 1 Christian Grasmann (Team Sparkasse) 2 Andrew Crater (Wheel & Sprocket Pro Development) 3 Carlos Vargas (Team Hotel San Jose/Silicon Labs) 4 Christian Lademann (Team Sparkasse) 5 Robert White (PCW Cycling) 6 Brandon Gavic (A&F Pro Development Cycling Team) 7 Jonathan Cantwell (Kahala-LaGrange) Sprint 3 1 Christian Lademann (Team Sparkasse) 2 Carlos Vargas (Team Hotel San Jose/Silicon Labs) 3 Andrew Crater (Wheel & Sprocket Pro Development) 4 Sebastian Frey (Team Sparkasse) 5 Robert White (PCW Cycling) 6 JD Bergmann (Kovarus/Squadra Ovest) 7 Bryce Mead (Jelly Belly Cycling) Sprint 4 1 Andrew Crater (Wheel & Sprocket Pro Development) 2 Devon Vigus (Cal Giant Berry Farms/Specialized) 3 Christian Lademann (Team Sparkasse) 4 Andreas Mueller (Team Sparkasse) 5 Carlos Vargas (Team Hotel San Jose/Silicon Labs) 6 Christian Grasmann (Team Sparkasse) 7 Marco Rios (Kahala-LaGrange)
