For the second year in a row, the Chicago Cross Cup has hosted a UCI C2 race weekend in Bloomingdale, IL and for the second year, KS energy Services/ Team Wisconsin has been there laying down the pain. Racing is held Saturday and Sunday with all levels represented from masters to juniors, to elite. The course is held at the Hilton Indian Lake Resort on a beautiful golf course just behind the lodge. It is characterized by flat, fast and twisty corners with long pedaling sections in between.
Saturday started off with the masters. Usually used to late morning starts, the crisp and cold morning presented a significant challenge to the riders with an 8am start. In the 40+ race, Tyson Hausdoerffer had a great start but suffered 2 flat tires in a row pushing to the rear of the field. Close behind him was Tom Winkel who passed Tyson after his issues. Tom ended up 15 with Tyson in 19th. Dave Eckel battled hard in the 50+ race yo-yoing off the front group for a spectacular 6th place finish.
The big success continued in the Cat 4 and Juniors 15-18 races. Harrison Winkel’s name was in the air as he was all over the front end of the two races, which not to mention were almost back to back. He overcame near last row starts to catch to front group. In both races however, by the time to catch was made the race was almost decided. This resulted in a second place in the cat 4 race and a 3rd place in the Juniors race.
With the morning haze burning off as the sun rose in the sky, the elite races were looking to be fast with a touch of mud. Everything seemed set for a throw down with the nation’s best riders ready to toe the line. 10 minutes before the Women’s start, the snow started to fall. Big thick and wet flakes covered the ground. With the men lining up with barely any practice on the ever changing course, the race was up in the air. Alex Martin, in his UCI debut showed off what a skilled bike handle can do when conditions go south placing 15th in the race, a big result for both Alex and the team. His excitement was clear after his sights were set on just finishing. But once in a group he said “it became a real race.” Joe finished 25th after some difficulty in the conditions.
Sunday was predicted to be the colder of the two days, but as the sun began to rise, it became clear that without the wind and the snow from the day before, it would likely be warmer. But this was of no consequence to the Master’s riders again starting at 8am. Tyson Hausdoerffer had a trouble free race and came home with a 5th place finish. Dave Eckel raced with the young guys and showed them how it’s done with a 6th place finish. Tom Winkel wasn’t far behind in 8th place, making sure there was red all over the front of the field.
Harrison Winkel was back at it in Sundays Men’s cat 4 race with another top finish. After an exciting last few laps, Harrison was set to sprint it out with Alexander Dorschner, another Wisconsin rider. Harrison won the battle out of the barriers but lost the war after a long sprint to the finish, he finished 3rd.
The men’s UCI Elite race started fiercely, but with a few of the technical features removed from Saturday, and the conditions much faster, buy the end of the first lap, the field was still together in one long line. As the splits began to form, the course only got faster with the afternoon sun and the riders drying out the course. Some corners were dry and fast, while other remained muddy, icy, or some combination of the two. Joe Maloney had a better day than Saturday, finishing just off the back of the main chase group for a 15th place. Alex Martin was also chasing hard just behind Joe for a 22nd place finish.
With only a week before nationals to be held in Madison, WI, the Red Train has been packed up and will be set up all week long at Badger Prairie Park. Come out to cheer on your favorite racers, and celebrate a successful season with the team. Racing starts on Wednesday, and continues all the way through Sunday. Conditions have been changing over the past few days, so come prepared. See you there!