2004-07-25

 

Major Taylor Road Race – Michigan State Road Race Championships, Grand Blanc, MI 

 

Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC headed up to beautiful Grand Blanc for the 8th edition of the Major Taylor Road Race.  This race is also designated as the USCF Michigan State Road Race Championship. 

 

The team had a great turn out with Jeff Hamilton, Gary DeAngelis, Houston Petersen, Steve Geerligs, Ric Lung, Andy Weir and Dave Koesel taking the line in the Category 1,2 race.  Category 3 team members present were John Rigdon, Jeff Elam, Paul Kundrat, Mark Caswell, Joe Lekovish, and Randy Hermann.  Additionally, Alex Keomany was racing the Juniors 15-16 and Mark Lovejoy was racing the Masters 35+. 

 

As usual the team had a great presence with team vehicles parked just past the start finish line and the team tent set up with the team and sponsor banners prominent.  The tent was a flurry of pre-race activity as bikes were prepped, riders prepared and feedbags were filled.  The team was superbly supported by Marcia Richards, Ivy Lung, Katherine Meuting, Mindee Elam and the Keomany family. 

 

First off were the Category 1,2 racers who started around 8:00am for 6 laps of the 15 mile circuit, 90 miles total.  Five minutes later the Category 3 riders started for 5 laps, 75 miles, quickly followed by the Masters 35+ for 5 laps, 75 miles and then the Juniors 15-16 for 2 laps, 30 miles.

 

The race strategy for the Cat 3 team was to have Joe Lekovish and Mark Caswell riding the front covering early attacks and fulfilling domestique duties, John Rigdon and Paul Kundrat were to hold back and try to make late race break-away attempts.  Jeff Elam and Randy Hermann were to save as much energy as possible in the event of a sprint finish.  The field of 55 riders was one of the deepest so far this year.  Other teams strongly represented were: Ada Bike with Dave Baar and Charles Bultman, West Michigan Coast Riders with Nick Wierzba and Mike Workman, Saturn of Toledo with Jeff Crawford, Ron Gratrop and Jason Mishka, Team By Grace with Norm Zellers as well as Joe Moch of ABG Cycling and various other pairs of riders from Maple Leaf Cycling, Wolverine Sports Club and Flying Rhinos Cycling Club. 

 

The Category 3 race started after the first turn with Eric Jellum of Ford/Giant taking off on a solo flyer.  Joe Lekovish tagged on for about 3 miles.  The pair got a 30 second gap, but sat up as the pack closed in on their futile attempt.  At the turn into the westbound section of the course riders from Saturn of Toledo tried to split the field by forming a team time trial at the front of the pack.  The pack reacted violently to this break and quickly shut down the attack, but the action quickly incited more attacks with short breaks getting clear, then being chased down over the next 5 miles.  As the riders approached the start/finish for the first time the pace evened. 

 

As the riders settled in for the second lap the race began in earnest.  Serious break away attempts were made by riders from West Michigan Coast Riders and Team By Grace.  The riders from WMCR were impressive with riders repeatedly attacking in two’s and three’s.  Randy Hermann quickly threw the plan to wait for a sprint out the window and joined in several attacks and counter-attacks.  Over the next 3 miles the pack was strung out as riders broke free in two’s and three’s only to be quickly re-absorbed. 

 

At one point a promising break rode about 50 meters clear containing Mark Caswell, Joe Lekovish, Randy Hermann, 3 West Michigan Coast Riders and 2-3 others.  A punishing double pace line formed with everyone taking hard pulls at the front.  The pack behind reacted quickly and as the break fell apart from the fast pace, a counter attack containing 3 riders bridging up from the field and 2 riders from the break took off.  In the break were Eric Jellum of Ford/Giant, Norm Zeller of Team By Grace, Adam Slough of Saturn of Toldeo and Brad Hilton of Maple Leaf Cycling.  As the riders turned into the west bound head wind section the break only had about 30 seconds.  A little game of poker between the teams missing the break gave the leaders a 50 second gap as they rode through the start finish line to begin the 3rd lap.  At this point the major teams to miss the break, Ada Bike and Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC formed at the front.  Over the next 2 laps the chase was on.  At one point the break came back to 30 seconds and was dangling tantalizingly close off the front of the pack.  With an impressive show of cooperation, the riders in the break once again increased their lead until beginning the last lap they had a 1:30 lead on the pack.  As the pack began the last lap the chase ended with Ada Bike and Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC riders taking a breather.  As the pace slowed individual riders struck out on various attempts.  One notable rush came from Paul Kundrat who forced the pace up the last hill after the feed zone, splitting the pack and dropping 4-5 riders out of the race.  As the pack reformed going into the last 5 miles riders started to jockey for position.  Joe Lekovish worked to get the remaining Team Bikesport/Lifetime Fitness/AAVC riders up to the front.  Approaching the last turn before the start/finish line Joe was in second position on the wheel of a West Michigan rider helping to control the tempo.  As the pack slowed for a brief moment about 75 meters before the last turn John Rigdon jumped to the left of the pack with Jeff Elam close behind.  3 West Michigan Coast Riders quickly started to chase.  Performing a text book sprint finish lead out, John accelerated into the turn taking the pack across the road and onto the curb on the far right.  With 200 meters to go Jeff Elam jumped to the left of John Rigdon to begin the sprint.  In the drag race to the line Jeff took the center left of the road with Jakob Steefy of MSU taking the far left, and stand out junior Tucker Orlander and Nick Wiezba of West Michigan Coast riders on the right and other riders fighting for wheels behind.  Sprinting like a demon on his brand new Felt F-1 which he was racing for the first time, Jeff impressively held off the others to win the field sprint and take 5th place overall.   It was a great display of team work!  As a bonus, riders placing 2nd and 3rd were from Ohio and Ontario and were ineligible for the Michigan Championships, which gave 3rd place for a Michigan rider to Jeff Elam, along with a cool medal.

 

Overall it was a great race for the whole team.

 

Alex Keomany won the Juniors 15-16 and was crowned Michigan State Road Race Champion.

 

In the Category 1,2 race Jeff Hamilton placed 9th overall while Houston Petersen placed 13th.

 

The next 6 weeks form the core of the Michigan Challenge series with 8 races.

 

Next up, the Rose City Criterium in the streets of Jackson!!!