Baraboo RR and LaCrosse Criterium

(Baraboo Circus Musuem--Quality local attraction for the kids while they waited for our road race to end.)

(Start of the Women's Open RR--nice field!!)

All stateside BH teammates were present for the scenic, "must do", Circuit of Sauk RR in Baraboo, WI on Saturday and the LaCrosse Criterium on Sunday. The RR was only 30 miles but it had a nice sized hill, some rollers, and strong cross winds. The race lived up to it's reputation; beautiful scenery, lovely roads, and a fine day, just gorgeous. It was good to see some of our Chicago friends. The Cuttin Crew, Pegasus and XXX (congrats to Luke on his win!!) were "representin'". About 30 women lined up which is a nice sized field for us. We hit the hill for the first time about 5 minutes into the race. At the top of the hill there were 8 of us left including one of the best road racers in the midwest, Kristin Wentworth, from Kenda. At the top of the hill Wentworth kicked it up a notch for the rollers taking her teammate and 2 others making a break of 4. Both Madeleine and I as well as a few others were popped off the back of this group. I chased with fellow Chicagoan Heidi Sarna (XXX). I was holding out hope that someone would get popped from the break and we could race for 3rd or 4th, but it was not to be. Madeleine and another rider caught Heidi and I and we traded pulls until the fourth rider pulled off at the s/f with a mechanical. Our group of 3 finished uneventfully, well ahead of any other chasers. Madeleine took the sprint in our group and I followed giving us finishing places of 5th and 6th. My husband and kids had watched the start of our race and then spent a couple hours at the Baraboo circus museum. After the race they picked me up we headed out as a family to the Dells for a waterpark!!! Found a super deal on a cheap (only slightly scary) motel that gave us passes to one of the big waterparks. I’ve never “Done the Dells" before and I was a little suprprised at how Vegas-in-Wisconsin it was. But we had a super great time. Our kids are at just the right age and Jason and I really got a kick out of watching them. We were a tired family that night!

The next morning after an all-you-can-eat Encampment Family Style Breakfast at Paul Bunyan’s Lumberjack Shanty the family and I headed up to Anne’s hometown of LaCrosse. The team was really excited to race in front of our sponsor, the Washa Chiropractic Clinic, as well as all of Anne's hometown admirers. Not to mention LaCrosse is a wonderful place. I really could live there. We had over 25 riders lined up including several strong WI and MN riders. The Flanders rider who had ridden away from Anne and I at the RR a couple of weeks ago was there, and sure enough at the gun she strung it out seeming not to care who was on her wheel. After a couple of laps she went for a prime and only Kaitie from IS Corp and I were there and just like that we had a break of 3. The gap went up to 30 seconds indside of 3 laps. Flanders was driving it and I had nothing to lose by riding along, but I was hoping for more of my teammates to bridge up so I wasn't totally committed to the break sticking and didn't work too hard. Later I found out both Anne and Madeleine did not want to risk dragging any other riders up so they stayed in the field taking primes and getting some "sponsor love" every time they went by the s/f. At two to go Flanders cranked it up and I was feeling great and was ready for the finish line. Unfortunately she overcooked corner two and wiped out with me on her wheel. It was a tense moment but I managed to do a bike messenger skid and avoid running over her neck. Somehow IS Corp avoided crashing into me and the two of us rode fairly easy until a half a lap to go. Our Flanders break-mate was back on her bike and gaining. IS Corp attacked going into the final two corners. It was a perfect lead out for me and I was able to come around Katie for our first domestic win of the year!! Anne and Madeleine finished 5th and 7th overall after cleaning up on the primes. We also did some hot laps in the men's races later in the day as it is good training for the NRC racing we plan on doing this year. It was a great weekend of midwestern racing at it's finest.

(final sprint at the LaCrosse Criterium)