2004-04-24 Cone-Azalia Classic, Cone, MI

 

The 2004 Michigan road racing season took off with a bang (literally) at the Cone-Azalia Classic road race.  The C-A circuit lived up to its reputation as the toughest course in Michigan.  The circuit consists of 7 flat, windswept, miles, beginning with 1 mile of smooth asphalt.  This is followed by 3 miles of horrendous Michigan pave’.  This is best be described as a road on which pot hole after pot hole have been individually patched over and over again so that they now resemble very uneven and irregular cobble stones.  Occasionally the patchwork gave way to small, deep pot holes.  Even worse, the shoulder of the road would be so deteriorated at times that riders would be faced with a 1-2 inch drop off into the gravel shoulder. 

 

The “paved” section was then followed by 2 ½ miles of gravel covered dirt roads.  New this year was a present from the Washtenaw County Road Commission, a fresh layer of road foundation gravel, which was actually large, sharp, pointy rocks that covered nearly the complete dirt road section of the course.  These large, and in some cases razor sharp, rocks devoured bike tires.  Nearly all racers experienced multiple flats.

 

Finishing out the circuit was a smooth 2 mile long section leading back to the start finish line. 

 

Purists were disappointed as the race started in clear skies with temperatures in the high 60F’s/low 70F’s.  No rain this year, but some nice headwinds, which partly made up for the otherwise perfect weather. 

 

In the B Race Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC was well represented.  On the line were: John Rigdon, Tom Kelly, Alex Keomany, Mark Caswell, Paul Kundrat, Jeff Elam, Vince Roberge, Joe Lekovish, James Whitesides, Jordan Stohl, and Travis Stebbins.  In the A race were: Gary DeAngelis, Andy Weir and Ric Lung.  Also present was Dave Koesel, whose responsibilities as promoter of the event prevented him from racing.

 

Racers staged at the parking lot of Milan Middle School and rolled out the 6 miles to the start line in front of the Cone Country Store.  Each year this race is plagued with racers stopping during the neutral roll out for nature breaks along the road, only to catch up with their group when they would be stopped at the “official” start/finish line before the true start.  Sneaky promoter Paul Alman immediately started the race as riders rolled through the corner of Dennison and Cone roads, ½ mile before the start/finish line.  Anyone who had stopped for a “nature” break was immediately dropped!   The quick start also temporarily split the field as riders immediately hit the front going through the start/finish area.   As in the Paris-Roubaix classic, being at the front of the race at Cone-Azalia helps you to avoid crashes and the general chaos that this race leaves in its wake. 

 

In the “B” race the Ada Team set a quick tempo through the Michigan pave’ section preceding the dirt section on Far Road.  Leading the “B” racers onto the dirt were James Whitesides and John Rigdon who immediately laid the hammer down and tore into the gravel.  Unfortunately James flatted with a loud bang only ¾ mile into the dirt.  Next to go was John Rigdon with a flat only 200 yards later.  At this point sheer pandemonium broke loose as riders hit the front, flatted and came to a stop, only to be replaced by more riders.  Riders from the “A” race already lined the sides of the road awaiting their team vehicles, which the “B” race was now weaving in between.  As the “B” pack drove through the course these riders were joined by scores of “B” racers suffering flats. 

 

After the initial round of flats in the “B” race, Ada rider Steven Howard hit the front and accelerated away from the survivors at a suicidal speed.  Miraculously avoiding a puncture Steven drove at the head of the race being chased by the remnants of the pack.  As the last ½ mile of the dirt section unfolded a chase group emerged.  These riders merged together as they exited the dirt.  In the lead group were Steven Howard of Ada, one other Ada rider, Craig Webb of West Michigan Coast Riders (WMCR), 2 other WMCR riders, one Saturn of Toldeo/Shell rider and Joe Lekovish of Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC.  Sensing an opportunity to make the race at this moment, the 7 leading riders immediately set to work pressing their advantage.  With 3 riders in the lead group WMCR took the initiative and were literally sprinting at the head of the group.  A 20 second lead became 40 seconds within 2 miles.  First a WMCR rider was dropped, then an Ada rider and most unfortunately, the second Ada rider, Steven Howard, who flatted on the smoothest paved section.  Onto the dirt for a second time were 4 riders, Craig Webb and one other WMCR, a Saturn of Toledo/Shell rider and Joe Lekovish of Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC.  The second passage through the dirt helped the leaders extend their advantage, but also laid claim to the other WMCR rider who flatted, leaving 3 in the front.  Craig Webb, Joe Lekovish and the Saturn of Toledo/Shell rider continued to work together smoothly. 

 

Half way through the dirt section the third time with several minutes on the chasers the Saturn of Toledo/Shell rider suffered an agonizingly ill-timed flat.  This left Craig Webb of WMCR and Joe Lekovish of Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC to work together and ride a two-up time trial to the finish, knowing that if they could avoid a mechanical, 1st and 2nd place were assured.  The remaining 2 passages through the dirt Craig and Joe eased up and delicately glided over the gravel and dirt as best they could, praying not to flat.  Exiting the dirt section the last time the riders shook hands.  At this point Craig Webb shifted into his big chain ring and quickly dropped Joe Lekovish, putting 30 seconds between them by the finish and earning a well deserved solo victory.  Joe Lekovish rolled in ½ minute later.  Incredibly 11 minutes passed before the third rider finished. Vince Roberge of Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC finished 8th with the third chase group.  Riders continued to finish in 2’s and 3’s for the next 20 minutes.

 

In the “A” race Andy Weir and Gary DeAngelis of Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC rode strongly to finish 5th and 9th, respectively.  The victory went to Jake Rytlewski and Brian Sheedy of ABG Cycling who rode together to demolish the rest of the “A” race field.

 

Final Placings:

 

“A” RACE – 100km, 42 riders (24 finishers) – 2:27

1 Jake Rytlewski                         ABG Cycling

2 Brian Sheedy                           ABG Cycling

3 Tom Archer                               Ford Giant/AAVC

4 Jon Card                                   Saturn of Toldeo

5 Andy Weir                                 Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC

6 Stan Andrie                              West Michigan Coast Riders

7 Chris Gottwald                         Ford Giant/AAVC

8 Jason Swiatlowski                   Breakaway Cycles

9 Gary DeAngelis                       Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC

10 Jason Lummis                       Bell’s Beer

Other Finishers: Jer Walker, Jeff Weinart, Tom Burke, Robert Herriman, Ray Dybowski, Todd Elenz, Ben Whitehead, Fred Anderson, Dan Klein, Rob Daksiewicz, Nick Durrie, Paul Winocour, Rob Selley

 

“B” Race – 60km, 41 riders, (22 finishers) – 1:40

1 Craig Webb                              West Michigan Coast Riders

2 Joe Lekovish                            Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC

3 Dave Boblitz                             Western Michigan University

4 Mark Viergutz                           AAVC

5 Dave Barr                                 Ada Bike

6 Colin Riker                                AAVC

7 Mike Workman                         West Michigan Coast Riders

8 Vince Roberge                         Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC

9 Don Lee                                    Alger Racing

10 Jon Heeringa                         Ada Bike

Other Finishers: Ron Gratop, Steven Howard-Ada Bike, John Rigdon-Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC, Dave Linden-AAVC, Jack Spitler, Nick Wierzba-WMCR, Travis Stebbins-Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC, Mark Caswell-Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC, Brian Sedik, Jeff Elam-Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC, Alex Keomany-Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC, Adam Slough.

 

“W” Race – 38km, 12 riders (10 finishers) – 1:15

1 Lisa Markley                             Wolverine Sports Club

2 Liz Gentner                               Wolverine Sports Club

3 Juli Van Abbema                     Ada Bike

4 Michael Beard                          AAVC (1st Junior Men)

5 Ann Grovert                              AAVC

6 Sara Manning                           AAVC

7 Alicia Davis                              AAVC

8 Jeannie Dodge                        AAVC

9 Marcy Halik                               Ada Bike

10 Whitney Kroll                          AAVC (1st Junior Women(

 

“C” Race – 25km, 6 riders, (3 finishers) – 53:00

1 David Starling                          Team Hampsten Bikes

2 Greg Johnson                           Flying Rhinos Cycling Club

3 Bob Wydra                               Wolverine Sports Club