Wolverine Sports Club Elite Team: Superior Bike Fest

It was a long drive up to Marquette (7 hours 20 minutes from the Pontiac area) but well worth the trip. This one will definitely be on the calendar for next year.

Danny, Topher (short for ChrisTopher, I just found that out), and Ray

The 3 day Omnium race format started Friday night with a down town Marquette twilight crit. We started off in the light, but it wasn’t long before we were in the dark. Not having raced in the dark in a while, a lot of us were tentative going through the corners at first, but most of us quickly became comfortable with it. The pack stayed together for the first few laps the hill started taking its toll and riders started dropping off the back. Two riders were able to get off of the front of the pack. Danny was able to make it into the chase group, but because of some confusion on the laps remaining he did not sprint for the finish and ended up 8th just being past on the line by Luke taking 7th. Cruise out sprinted John and Ray for 18th, 19th, & 20th respectively. Although the Cat 3’s got to race in the light, they did have to deal with rain that started falling half way through there race. While Cody and Scott were held up by a crash on the final lap, Alan Smith was able to pull out a 7th place, Scott ended up 11th, Cody 12th, and Doug was able to hold onto 14th.

John and Cruise under the lights

Saturday found us toeing up to the line for the start of a 107 mile road race with a 2 mile climb just after a 2-1/2 mile neutral start. The race conditions were perfect with temps in the low 70’s, partly sunny, and a very light breeze. The hill and the course took its toll on our team with only Danny and Cruise able complete the whole 107 miles taking 11th and 14th. Once again Danny was able to get into a small chase group, and Cruise did a great job staying with the big boys in what was left of the pack. The Cat 3 road race was over the same roads, but one lap instead of 2. As with the 1-2 field, the first hill caused a large split in the field, Cody and Alan managed to stay with the lead 11. Cody took home a fine second place in a photo finish against winner Mark Hotchkin from Grand Rapids. Alan finished in 7th, just one second slower in the tight sprint. Scott out sprinted the second group for 14th, and Doug rolled in for 19th.

Sunday was a 2 mile circuit race at the Sawyer International Airport. (Formerly Sawyer Air Force Base) The course had one hill, not big enough to break up the field, but that didn’t matter because the field broke up anyway, only not on the hill. It broke up before we hit the first turn, 200 meters from the start. Danny and Ray made it into the break along with about 6 other riders, so there was no need for Cruise, Luke and I to chase. Apparently the rest of the pack thought the same way because as soon as that group had a couple hundred meters on the field, we all just sat up and watched the disappear out of site. They quickly had a two minute lead over the field and looked destine to lap the pack before the end of the race, but eventually the pack picked up the pace to hold off from being lapped. Meanwhile, upfront, Danny and Ray were both working hard in the break to assure it’s success, Ray was even putting the hurt to them on of all places, the hill. The break stayed together for a sprint finish with Danny taking 5th and Ray grabbing 6th. Back in the pack, Luke finished 14th, Cruise got 20th, and John finished 24th. The 3’s field found themselves chasing one lone rider for most of the race, only to be caught in the last lap allowing them to set up for another bunch sprint to the line. Only 1-1/2 seconds separated the top 11 riders in this one with Cody grabbing another podium spot in 3rd and Scott finishing on his heals in 4th.

John and Cruise leading Frank Pipp and the rest of the pack

A special thanks to all involved in putting on this great event and an even bigger thanks to Tyler Jenema & Topher Chase’s families for Feeding, putting up with, giving us a place to stay, and making us feel welcomed while we were up there. Hope to see all of you again very soon. Also a thanks goes out to Tom for hosting a great party Saturday night. I want to go back already.