Once Again Barnacles Ruin A Break: The Vernon Hills Grand Prix

The team would like to thank the town of Vernon Hills and the RDS Cycling Team for once again hosting an excellent event just outside of Chicago. Only two of our riders, Chip Gray and Chad Chenoweth, made the event, but both of them raced with the aggression and strong tactics that are the hallmarks of Team Get A Grip Cycles. According to Chad, the move of the day was foiled from within:

"The Vernon Hills course is pretty flat, but there was enough of a wind to make things interesting. The plan was for me to be as aggressive as possible and for Chip to hang back and wait for a sprint. If either of us got into a good position, then the other would work for him by blocking, leading out, etc. Things were pretty much on from the start with a pretty high pace and lots of attacks. I attacked early in the race and drew out a rider from Trek-Vitawater and one from ABD. We worked well together, but it was just too early and we only lasted about one lap. After that it took me a little while to recover, but Chip was there to patrol the front in the meantime. With about ten or fifteen minutes to go the front of the field really started to get ragged and was splitting apart. Chip and I both found ourselves caught in the middle. We each did a big turn for the other and ended up making the split of about ten riders. I went straight to the front and did as much work as I could hoping to keep Chip as fresh as possible, and I believe he took a few turns also. In the end however, the split was just a little too big and there were too many guys trying to sit on. We got caught with about 2.5 or 3 to go. After that I was totally smoked and finished off the back. I think Chip ended up with a pack finish.

If anyone read the XXX race report, the writer had a good point that if XXX had not been attacking the break constantly we might have stayed away. I don't think anyone was strong enough at that point to stay away in a small group of 2 or 3. On the other hand, there WERE passengers so the best scenario would have been for one of us to go with one of those attacks. I just didn't have the legs, maybe next time."

Photo of the break courtesy of JK and Burnham Racing's Trek/Vitaminwater cycling team.

Winona Lake Recap

More results for Get A Grip!

Saturday Road Race

Men’s ¾ - 4^th
A break of two got away and Aspen continued to work hard through the gusty winds and dropping temperatures while the field slowly dwindled to about 7 people. Some quick legs got him second in the "field sprint" for a 4^th place finish overall. Well done!

Women’s Open - 1^st and 3^rd
The first half of the first lap crawled along behind the juniors’ race. Some strict yellow line rules and gusty winds made it tough to break up the group. After a quick team chat we (Devon and Lindsay) decided it was time to split. We jumped and started to put a gap on the field. Tracy from Texas Roadhouse came with us and the field strung out as some others tried to catch up. Devon gave me a little extra help but eventually we got the break to stick solid and start putting time on the field. Just before the start/finish line going into the last lap Devon flatted but the race had to go on. Tracy and I continued to work together…meanwhile, Devon managed to not only find a random spare wheel, and have it pumped up, but also rework her way back through the patchy field and rejoin us just before the finish. I attacked. Texas Roadhouse pulled it back and kept firing to drop me. Devon executed the finish perfectly and came around her for the win at the line! Awesome and fun race (it’s great to have such strong teammates ;)

Sunday Crit
Women’s Open - 2^nd
A few things went off the front early on but nothing was really sticking until Texas Roadhouse went. Since I was poorly positioned when she went and didn't grab a wheel I decided to wait since it was still early in the race. Then, the bell rang for a prime and I found myself in good position to take it, so I decided to make use of the sprint for the prize. The effort put a sizable gap between myself and the field so I kept going on up to the leader. After a lap or two we were joined by another strong rider (a fellow triathlete!) and the three of us got a great rotation going and managed to lap the field in the last lap. I positioned myself well for the sprint but then misshifted, so just barely missed the wheel of the TR woman, and fell a little short at the line giving me 2^nd, and a prime for the day. Great weekend!

Great results because Jon was with us in spirit.

PostRace Fuel - MMmmm

A key to a strong season is proper post race recovery.  We all know to get a good cool down and to let our bodies have adequate rest after a hard weekend of racing, but what is the perfect post race recovery food you may wonder?  What has the ideal blend of carbs, protein, fat, and deliciousness?  No - its not the latest supplement rich, protein filled, fruity flavored powder.

The answer is Frozen Custard.  Any flavor will do... although I would suggest getting multiple flavors as one scoop usually doesn't suffice after a really hard race.  If you venture up to Wisconsin, there is no dearth of race refueling stations.  However, sometimes it's hard to find a a place to refuel in Chicagoland.  In these cases, ice cream is a suitable alternative.  Local homemade ice cream is usually the best, but Ben and Jerry will always come through if you can't find a local creamery.    

A few Get A Grip riders had a successful venture up to Wisconsin this weekend.  Two podium finishes by Devon and Aspen (Aspen in his first 3's race after upgrading from 4), a 6th place by Val, and a strong performance by Chad in the 1,2,3's after narrowly missing the early start of his 3's race.  The picture above shows that this should be no surprise given that they follow a good post race recovery routine.  

Female Riders Come to the Fore

A founding principle of Team Get A Grip Cycles is the idea that all members are treated the same, regardless of racing category or sex. After this past weekend, however, it has become abundantly clear that the team's female riders may once again win more races than the men.

Koren uses tactics and old men to podium at the Ceraland Road Race.
It was predicted on this website that Lindsay Koren would would be a cycling powerhouse in the early part of 2008. This past weekend she demonstrated the truth of that statement when she finished second in the Women's open race at the Ceraland Road Race. Koren used tactics ,strength, and some old guys to eliminate the advantage held by teams with a large number of riders. "There were a few teams there with at least 5 girls a piece but it didn't seem to hurt me." When the mens field that started one minute behind her own race passed her peloton, Lindsay remembered that the promoter said that the womens open field could mix with the men. "The men's field lapped us quickly because we crawled through the first two laps. When they went by no girls made a jump into their field. I let a sizeable gap open up ...and then attacked up to the men's field." Although a few women followed Koren across the gap, the move effectively eliminated the advantage in numbers held by other teams. Koren was able to mix it up with the men, but was unable to take the victory in a messy sprint.
"I felt strong (in the mens field) and had no problems riding right at the front of their group. I worked to close a few gaps and felt strong going into the final sprint. I didn't position myself all that great but was sitting second with respect to the women going into that last little pitch before the line. I ended up behind two guys from the same team who must have given a lead out or something because they sat up like a brick wall leaving me boxed in against the grass! Two girls passed me, but I was able to get enough speed to repass one of them after I got out of the clusterX&#4 (of the men's field). The same girl that beat me yesterday won and I think I had the juice in my legs to beat her today if I had been paying better attention. Lesson noted."

Brostrom closes a monster gap solo.

During the same weekend, Valerie Brostrom took an unintended break from medical school and found herself in Madison racing the Great Dane Velo Club criterium. At a certain point in the race, Val realized that the break up the road might actually stay away so she made the brave decision to cross the gap solo. I "killed myself to get on it, but after a few laps didn't have the juice to stay with the lead 5." She ended up taking 6th (the field sprint perhaps?) against stiff Wisconsin competition.

Haskell takes Midwest Collegiate Regional Road Race.

Although officially racing for the University of Chicago cycling team, it is worth noting that Devon Haskell won the Midwest regional championship road race in a two up sprint this past Sunday. Haskell broke away in the early miles of the race with two riders. As the race progressed one rider from Indiana University fell out of the break leaving Haskell and a rider from the University of Michigan to fight over the victory. In the final miles of the race, the Michigan rider conceded defeat and told Haskell that she was going to win the sprint. That sort of reassurance did not prevent Haskell from turning out a full-on sprint to win the race.

Jim Vandeven Crushes the Ozark Mountains and All Competition at the Dogwood Classic

Jim Vandeven established his winning move in the opening miles of the hilly, challenging roads of the Dogwood Classic Road Race. He bridged to the from-the-gun attack of Shawn O'Neal, traded pulls with O'Neal for fifty miles, then attacked his break-mate to take the win by himself ten miles later.


Jim's recollection was succinct: "After placing second in Hillsboro I was hungry for a win. Sean O'neal and I attacked from the start and stayed away for the entire race. Twelve miles from the finish I realized he was getting weak, and I road away and won the race. I put 1 1/2 mins on him and about 3 mins on the chase group."

Team Get A Grip Cycles Plays the Hillsboro Roubaix Cross Wind Lottery and Brings Home Three Podium Placings on Three Different Cannondale Bikes.

After revamping its core squad of category 3 riders, expanding its women’s line-up, and establishing its first presence in the category 2 ranks, Team Get A Grip Cycles entered the 2008 season with a new look and a wider presence. The Hillsboro-Roubaix Road Race on March 29th would determine if we could keep it together or would just devolve into a tribe of wild chimps. With three podium placings and an 82% finish rate, our fears of being shipped off to live with Cozi at Chimp Eden disappeared like most of the day's competition.

Podium #1: “I really, really wanted to win that one”

(Lindsay Koren Places Second on her 2008 Cannondale 6-13)

The fellas in Vegas are taking bets on the following: Lindsay Koren will podium in 66% of each race until she upgrades to the big leagues before the June transition. Koren made all of Saturday’s early splits, established the late-race break, and then dropped the remaining riders on the final climb. “I really didn't want to go through that patchy crap at the bottom of the hill in a bunch. I looked back a few times and just saw one girl in sight coming up. She caught me when I slowed too much going into the last turn and then I almost re caught her near the line.”

Podium #2: “Eh, I got Third:”

(Devon Haskell Places Third on her 2007 Cannondale System Six)

With four wins already this year for the University of Chicago collegiate team, it was time for Devon Haskell to display her club colors against tougher competition. As usual, the team’s #1 rider performed like the all-star she is and brought home a third-place finish, bested by just two of the Midwest’s toughest female racers.

Podium #3: “I Keep Getting Gapped By Slow Guys”

(Jim Vandeven Places Second on his Cannondale CAAD 9)

The final podium placing was built on the race strategy that “It is going to be a weeny ride until the third lap.” Unfortunately for most of the field that proclamation differed significantly from their own race experience as they were crushed by two sections of fierce cross winds and their own weakness. The crucial first two laps featured several long breaks and organized chases by Mesa Cycles, Barbasol, Get A Grip’s Charles Biro, and some fella on a Giant. Biro and Gorry maintained perfect position from the start of the race and their smart play guaranteed a place in the crucial final selection at the end of lap two, while Vandeven and Tenney ensured that they too would have a role to play in the final lap by repeatedly leaping across the gaps created by the weak and the dying. For Tenney (“I Keep Getting Gapped By Slow Guys”), the race ended when all the cross wind leap frogging blew out his L5-S1 disc and relegated him to pedaling with just one leg to the finish in 30^th place. From that point on, the team’s hopes rested on newly upgraded category 3 rider Aspen Gorry, hard man Charles Biro, and the deadly Vandeven. During the final miles Vandeven took the race in his own hands and attacked a late-race break in pursuit of a Mesa rider who was 4 minutes ahead of him. He towed a second Mesa rider to the final hill, rode him off his wheel, and finished in second place, having closed the gap to a single minute by the time he crossed the line. Gorry and Biro dug in and finished with the shattered front group in the 12^th and 23^rd places.

Jimmy says: "Better luck next time boys! Try drinking a Coke."

Jim Vandeven Tests Early Season Form At Froze Toes

Jim Vandeven narrowly missed out on a top-10 finish in the final sprint of the Elite Froze Toes Road Race, hosted by the Columbia Bicycle Club and Racing Team. Vandeven was forced to unleash his dirty alter ego not once, but twice, in order to pull himself back into contention after multiple flat tires threatened to ruin his chances on the harsh and salty roads of Missouri. Both solo efforts meant that there was not much strength left for the final field sprint and Jim narrowly missed the top-10 when he was passed a few meters from the line.

When not racing his bike, Vandeven spends his time pounding nails as a union carpenter in St. Louis and trying to keep his daughter Kirsten from flushing all of her toys down the comode.

Many thanks to The Columbia Bicycle Club for hosting an event on a blustery and miserable Sunday in February.

"Just raced the cherry pie crit...fast freddie was in it as well as other pros. Did not get dropped!"

This past Sunday, Eric Wiecek popped the top on the 2008 Team Get A Grip Cycles road racing season at the 2008 Cherry Pie Criterium, hosted by the Eagle Racing Team in California's Napa Valley. Wiecek held his own against some of the nation's top professional teams (BMC, Colavita-Sutter Home, California Giant Strawberries), and even granted Rock Racing's Fred Rodriguez his wheel at a critical point in the race.

Afterwards, Eric was succinct in his comments: "Just raced the cherry pie crit...fast freddie was in it as well as other pros. Did not get dropped!"


And, you saw it here first (almost*). Fred Rodriguez in Rock Racing colors. Seems like one of the nations leading fashion moguls feels that green, white, and black make for a fashionable ensemble.


*Actually, the team's west coast transplant, Angelo Digiovine (the source of these photos), beat us to the punch by just a few, scant hours.

Cyclocross Nationals

I had a good ending to the 'cross season this past weekend at the Cyclocross National Championships in Kansas City. I headed down to Kansas last Wednesday through the aftermath of the midwest ice storms. The first day of racing took place on an ice-cube covered course. The sun then came out on Friday, melting the ice and turning the course into a massive mud pit (i really wanted to race that day!). Friday night saw cold temperatures and snow which turned the course into a path of frozen ruts on Saturday. The course remained frozen and grooved for my races on sunday. I've raced on lots of surfaces this cross season: mud, snow, dirt, sand, but frozen grooves was a new one for me.

Collegiate Nationals were up first at 9 am on Sunday morning. I had a good spot on the starting line and when the gun went off I was up the paved climb in the front group. Then we hit the ice grooves... its tough riding your bike when the course grabs your wheels and throws you every which way. People went down all over the place. I'm sure it was quite a sight to watch. I held strong during the brief straightaways where short paths of smoothness had formed, but had some troubles around the tight rutted turns and sections of ice fields. Maneuvering became even more difficult as I began to lose feeling in my hands (it was 9 degrees out!), but I remained focused and stayed mostly upright. I was getting much better at riding in the ruts by the end and finished for a fourth place podium finish.

After the race, I had two hours to thaw out and get ready for race number two of the day in the elite women's field. By the time the race started, the sun had come out and melted just enough of the ice to create a slick muddy covering on the ice rutted course. I was ready for another round of fun! Unfortunately my start wasn't nearly as successful in this race. I found myself boxed in and being passed on all sides up the initial climb (oh no!). I hit the ice quite a ways back and had my work cut out for me. It wasn't easy to pass people given the course, but it was a good challenge and I was able to make up ground for most of the race. I took a few wipeouts in the process, lost my chain a couple times, and fell right on top of my bike once (ouch!), but I still had a blast and avoided getting lapped by the leaders. Thanks to all the IL/Wisc crew for cheering me on out on the course and to Aspen for running half the course with me in the process of cheering. 'Cross has super fans who create a great racing atmosphere.

Overall, I had a fun cross season and am sad that it is over. I know that it wouldn't have been nearly as fun or successful without all the support I have received over the season. Thanks to Get A Grip for the team support and for keeping my bike in one piece. A whole cross season with no mechanicals! No wonder the shop is known as Chicago's best. Thanks to my teammates for cheering me on at the races and being supportive all season. And another big thanks to my coach, Brian Conant, for making my first year of racing so successful. I've come a long way over the year with my super training program.

I can't wait until the racing starts again next year!!

Haskell Earns A Midwestern Hat Trick

Devon Haskell, the team's Fall and Winter news maker, led wire-to-wire at this past weekends Illinois State Championship to take a gold medal and another champions jersey. This win, combined with victories in the Indiana and Wisconsin State Championships, gives Haskell a Midwestern hat trick of State Championship Cyclocross wins.

Haskell now heads to Kansas City to compete in the Collegiate and Elite Women's National Championships of Cyclocross. She will be accompanied by rising cyclocross power house Aspen Gorry, also a gold medalist at the Illinois Championships and a future member of Team Get A Grip Cycles. Expect Gorry to leap-frog categories and race in the Pro/1/2 division next year.

We would like to extend a special thanks to all the sponsors and organizers of this year's Chicago Cross Cup. Since its inception in 2004, the series has grown in size and quality with each edition. We wish it even more success in the future.