What a day at the Tour of America’s Dairyland for Team Wisconsin/MC2! On the historic Road America race track, Frankie Dierking slipped into an early move and with one lap to go, promptly dispatched his counterparts to solo in for the victory. With the help of the MC2 squad working hard at the front and a lack of organization among teams, Dierking’s break was able to gain over a minute advantage on the field. At one point the field had nearly brought the break back when Dierking was able to advance again with a smaller group of five and from there make his move to the victory. It was Dan Ajer and Garrett McAllister finishing the day of attrition with the decimated field, but all smiles as whole squad celebrated the team victory!

cyclingnews.com article available here.

Results:
1. DIERKING, FRANKIE – Team Wisconsin/MC2
2. NAPOLITANO, RUDOLPH – Team Helen’s
3. SUNDT, JONNY - Kenda Pro p/b Gear Grinder

Overall Standings:
1. SHERER, MIKE – Verizon U-25 pb ABD cycling
2. HARTLEY, CHAD – Kenda Pro cycling
3. NAPOLITANO, RUDOLPH – Team Helen’s

Appleton welcomed the Tour of America’s Dairyland this year with a festive atmosphere of live music and a large spectator crowd that was full of energy. That energy was transferred to the riders as attacks launched and was certainly welcomed by Team Wisconsin-MC2’s Dan Ajer as he chased down another rider to steal an early sprint prime. At about the half way point, the crowd turned their attention to a group of three that had attacked and were starting to gain significant ground on the field. The Bahati Foundation organized a desperate chase at the front to bring the trio back but to no avail. With organization in the field crumbling, the three stayed clear with James Stemper jumping free to take the win.

Days Results:
1. STEMPER, JAMES – Kenda Pro Cycling pb Geargrinder
2. NAPOLITANO, RUDOLPH – Liquid Fitness/Adageo Energy
3. GONZALES, ANDREW – FCS/Metro Volkswagen

Overall:
1. HARTLEY, CHAD – Kenda Pro Cycling pb Geargrinder
2. BAHATI, RAHSAAN – Bahati Foundation
3. HOWE, ISAAC – Team Mountain Khaki’s

This years Giro de Grafton was integrated into the professional cycling National Racing Calendar. Joining the field were team representatives from The Bahati Foundation (including 2008 Criterium National Champion Rahsaan Bahati), Kenda Pro Cycling (including 2009 ToAD champion Chad Hartley), Mountain Khakis, and others including the former France national road racing champion. Team Wisconsin held strong with Dierking putting in a few digs as well as Frye and Paquette maintaining contact at the front. With primes being handed out constantly, speeds were consistently above 30mph and topping 35 on occasion. At five laps to go Paquette and Frye were able to move up into go position but coming through on the final lap Frye had some bad luck and flatted on the last corner. Off the front and giving it everything he had through the final corner was Team Aero Cat’s Andrew “the Volcano” Crater. For a moment it looked as if his late attack might hold but when Rahsaan Bahati flipped on the NOS, it was no longer even a contest. Behind, the sprint splintered due to a nasty crash and Paquette rolled across the line at 26th.

Giro de Grafton P/1/2:
1. BAHATI, RAHSAAN Bahati Foundation
2. HOWE, ISAAC Team Mountain Khaki’s
3. BARROWS, CLAYTON AXA Equitable Cycling Team
26. PAQUETTE, DAVID Team Wisconsin-MC2

Overall:
1. HARTLEY, CHAD Kenda Pro Cycling
2. HOWE, ISAAC Team Mountain Khaki’s
3. BAHATI, RAHSAAN Bahati Foundation

Day 2 – Thiensville Fiddleheads Coffee Criterium

About 30 minutes prior the start, a thunderstorm rolled through Thiensville and this flat, fast, 4 corner criterium began in the rain. Seconds after the official starting gun sounded and before most racers were clipped in, there was a crash. That seemed to set the tone for the day, as there were multiple falls early in the race. As predicted, the pace was furious from the start, with riders getting shed in the first 10 laps. A break of 3 rolled off the front early and established a sizable gap over the chasing field. The original break was caught and a second move consisting of 4 riders rode clear of the field with only a few laps to go and held it to the finish. The sprint was won by AeroCat Cycling. Attrition was high, as roughly half the field finished the race. Dan Ajer and Ben Anderson were among the many riders who kissed the pavement yesterday, but luckily they came away with minor injuries. Day 3 in Grafton promises to be fast and furious again, as it is part of the USA Crit series and more big pro teams are slated to start.

Stage Results:
1. Dotti, Juan Pablo – AeroCat Cycling Team
2. Grant, John – Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team
3. Howe, Isaac – Team Mountain Khakis
4. Stemper, James – Kenda Pro Cycling
5. Bezdek, Neil – Team Mountain Khakis

Overall:
1. Hartley, Chad – Kenda Pro Cycling
2. Grant, John – Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team
3. Barrows, Clayton – AXA Equitable Cycling Team

Tour of America’s Dairyland Stage 1: Shorewood Criterium Cycling Classic

The kick off to this years series started with a day for the men’s and women’s Pro, Cat 1 and Cat2 field. All category racing starts on stage 2, in Thiensville for the Fiddleheads Coffee Criterium.
The mens race took off with gusto as riders launched off the front in pursuit of early cash primes. The primes calls were never far between which kept the pace high for the first 40min or so. Our goal was to get Ajers and Anderson off for the primes while McAllister, Frye, and Paquette watched the front to follow counter attacks into a possible break. With the primes flying freely the field wasn’t letting the leash out too far and everything was pulled back quickly. With the group feeling the burn and only half way through the race, the pace dropped, causing the field to bunch coming into the turns. Physics in play, riders in the back were forced to nearly track stand on occasion and coming out of the turn was like trying to motor-pace a champaign cork rocketing out of a bottle after a podium celebration. With about 5 laps to go a crash coming into turn 3 help release a 4-man break. With 3 to go the gap was 15 sec. Holding on for the win was Ryan Freund (Verizon U-25 Cycling Team p/b ABD and Universal Sports) followed by the 2009 Tour of America’s Dairyland Overall Champion Chad Hartley (Kenda Pro Cycling p/b GEARGRINDER). Jumping from the field to round off the podium was 2008 US Criterium Champion Rahsaan Bahati (Bahati Foundation).

Results:
1. FREUND, RYAN Verizon U25 p/b ABD
2. HARTLEY, CHAD Kenda pres. by Geargrinder
3. BAHATI, RAHSAAN Bahati Foundation
4. CRATER, ANDREW Aero Cycling
5. ALEDIA, MARCO Inferno Cycling

After a week of rain, the WORS XC course proved to be very challenging. Tim, Jason, and Andrew made it out to the race following the Trek 100 on Saturday. The course was made up of a series of climbs and descents along the Sunburst Ski Slope, constantly moving from small ring to big ring to keep pace (except for Jason who was stuck with one gear). Tim and Jason posted second in their categories. Next WORS race is the Subaru Cup June 26-27, featuring a Pro XCT, Short Track, and Downhill races.

Sport Singlespeed (top 3)

1. William Hausdoerffer
2. Jason Kayzar
3. Jeff Bernaeyge

Comp 19-24 (top 3)
1. Spence Cone
2. Tim Racette
3. Andrew Wiesner

It was from the gun for Dan Ajer and Kip Spaude as they left the field just moments into the race. The two worked together until the last lap when Ajer started in on the attacks but was unable to shake Spaude. Breaking free before the field made its catch, Spaude was able to solo home for the win. Coming in with the field, Frank Dierking rolled in for 6th.

Pro/1/2
1 Kip Spaude WI Nova Cycle Sports Foundation Inc.
2 Jordan Roessingh WI ISCorp Cycling Team
3 Tristan Schouten WI ISCorp Cycling Team
4 Adam Koble WI Speedfix Racing p/b Zubaz
5 David Sachs IL Vision Quest
6 Frank Dierking WI Team Wisconsin / MC2

Hot and dry conditions made for a fast and dusty Big Ring Classic held at 9-mile recreational area. Racing the comp field (Cat 2) Tim and Kevin finished 3^rd and 4^th respectively in their age groups.

Top 5 finishers (19-24)

1. Joseph Maloney
2. Michael Wenzel
3. Tim Racette
4. Joshua Heinecke
5. Spence Cone

Top 5 finishers (30-34)

1. Patryk Limanowicz
2. Chris Cook
3. Jason Boynton
4. Kevin Pomasl
5. Erin Sikora

The course layout was a mix of fast rolling fire roads, double track climbs, and tight technical single track. The Comp racers completed 3 laps for 25 miles. Pacing plus adequate hydration was the key factor. As temperatures pushed 90 degrees, many riders lost steam, flatted, and got tossed around in the singletrack. Other than a short navigation mishap that took the 19-24 riders up a steep technical climb off course, both Tim and Kevin put in a solid race with no mechanical issues and stayed strong into the finish.

Kevin Pomasl 4th Place

Wheels turned on Willy street again this year after missing out in 2009 due to construction. Relentless explosive attacks and surges kept the pace at blistering levels for the entirety of every race. In the 3’s field, McAllister turned himself inside out trying to make multiple moves stick but to no avail. It was the same story for the P/1/2 guys as Ajer, Anderson, and Dierking launched into breaks or fought to bring them back. With everything together with one lap to go it was all about who had the legs for the long uphill sprint. Colton Barrett of Texas Roadhouse Cycling proved to be the man of the day.

Pro/1/2:
1 Colton Barrett Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team P/B Motorex
2 Alex Wieseler ISCorp Cycling Team
3 Dave Hackworthy Bianchi/Grand Performance
9 Dan Ajer Team Wisconsin / MC2

Cat 3:
1 Charles (Chazz) Martin ISCorp Cycling Team
2 Joel Friedman Bicycle Heaven
3 Ryan Zook Club Bicicletta
13 Brian Stoveken Team Wisconsin / MC2

In classic LaRue-Denzer style, the hills played a major role in the selections today. In the Cat 3 field, Doug Baily set up Garrett McAllister nicely on the last lap by pulling back a break just before the final climb. McAllister and a group of 7 then established a gap and rolled away off the climb. McAllister grabbed 3rd in a tight finishing sprint. In the pro/1/2 field, Ben Anderson established himself in a solid break of 8 that flew away from the main field, gaining more than 3 minutes before the completion of the first lap. Coming into the finish, the break shed a few riders and Anderson finished the day in 4th. Solid performances were also thrown down today by Dave Eckel and Mike Hulen in the masters fields.

Pro/1/2:
1 Alex Wieseler ISCorp Cycling Team
2 Dave Hackworthy Bianchi/Grand Performance
3 Kip Spaude Nova Cycle Sports Foundation Inc.
4 Ben Anderson Team Wisconsin / MC2
5 Robert White KENDA Pro Cycling p/b GEARGRINDER
10 David Paquette Team Wisconsin / MC2
15 Frank Dierking Team Wisconsin / MC2

Cat 3:
1 Brandon Meinke Team Pegasus
2 Darrell Kohli Team Geargrinder
3 Garrett McAllister Team Wisconsin / MC2
4 David Ziehr U of Wisconsin/Madison Cycling Team
5 Jacob Teitelbaum Iron Cycles