“Crit specialists” take Sunday race
LA CROSSE — Just seconds stood between Alex Martin and the overall omnium victory after a weekend of intense racing. His second-place finish followed racing, which included a Saturday morning road race, evening hill-climb time trial, and a criterium in downtown La Crosse Sunday.
In Saturday’s road stage, Martin, and his only teammate for the weekend in the men’s Elite 3 category, Andrew Hellpap, raced wisely by staying together and at the front to mark any attacks on the hilly course west of Winona, Minn. The field of about 40 stayed together for most of the race, before Martin took the pace up on the final climb of the four-lap race.
The climb came just a few miles from the finish, and following the surge on the hill, Martin just missed overall victory at the line in a sprint with Michael Michetti, from the Lakes Area Chiropractic Therapy team. Hellpap finished 18 on the day.
Later that night, after a significant thunderstorm blew through La Crosse, the sun came out to shine on a raucous event at the hill-climb time trial up Grand Dad’s Bluff in southern La Crosse. Using no equipment to gauge his effort, Martin stormed up the 2.37-mile climb in less than 9 minutes, to claim third on the stage. Unfortunately, Michetti piped him by two seconds, setting up an epic battle in the Sunday criterium.
Also, in the time trial, Hellpap finished in the top 10.
Finally, with the threat of rain looming, Hellpap and Martin took to the tarmac of the pancake-flat crit course along the Mississippi River on Front Street in downtown La Crosse. The mission was clear for the KS Energy Services riders: Mark any attack by Michetti, and the other podium contenders for the overall omnium, and try for the win.
Hellpap played the role of spoiler for the omnium contenders, and bodyguard for Martin. At the gun, Martin tried a daring solo attack, and his lead grew on the field to 13 seconds at one point in the first five laps, with Hellpap chasing at least four bridge attempts and blocking. But, reality set in that the wind-free, flat fast-track would not allow a breakaway to stick.
With Martin back in the fold, Hellpap clung to Michetti’s wheel, as well as the wheel of an omnium contender from the Brone’s team. Attack after attack flew, but were quickly caught by Hellpap. With two laps to go, Martin and Hellpap, who had stuck together all afternoon, shot to the front to be in safe position for a win.
Martin, yelled, “Andrew (Hellpap) I need you on the front.” With the call to action, Hellpap drove the pace on the front of the field to catch the lone remaining breakaway of three heading into the final three-quarters of a lap, with speeds reaching 32 miles per hour.
Hellpap gave way with less than half a lap remaining. Martin did the rest. The slender Team Wisconsin climber dug hard with about 100 yards to go and held off all challengers to take the win. After the race, an opposing rider congratulated the KS Energy
Services “crit specialists” — Hellpap and Martin both weigh around 140 pounds and climb — on a well-executed strategy. However, the win wasn’t enough to take the omnium overall. Michetti garnered second place to edge Martin by a meager two points, which essentially came down to a few seconds in the time trial, in which Michetti had edged Martin.
Hellpap finished in the top 15 in the overall ominum.