After the Rib Falls TT I blasted up to my northern Wisconsin hideaway, grilled a steak and rested up for the Wheels on Willy crit in Madison. My plan was to use the 30+ for warm up and get to know the course some. It was a 100+ field, mix of masters, cat 1,2 and cat 3s. So in short; sketchy. I felt great and picked pockets and got the know the course in no time. I was super bummed to miss a break but I didn’t quite want to take a hard effort to bridge so I cherry picked a couple of primes and spun the legs mid-pack. 45 minutes had me concerned about the Pro 1,2 race as I had only 40 minutes to refuel. I managed a great starting slot and was the 2nd guy through the first corner which was key. I stayed up front and out of trouble and found myself off the front in an early break with Marcotte and Jordan Roessingh among others. But 2 laps later we were back in the battle at the front of the pack. I covered a couple more moves then the tank went empty. I got stuck in the wind on a couple of stretches and couldn’t recover. So i bagged it at the 20 minute mark and watched one of the most dynamic races unfold. Grandstay was present as well a couple of Penn guys, Dewey, Snide and of course a strong GP squad supporting Marcotte. I watched 3 or 4 strong breaks form but get realed back in and i think Marcotte was in each. But the one that mattered he wasn’t in. 5 guys managed to get a good rythm and bank 30 seconds in a couple of laps, a gap that would be secure despite GP’s combined efforts. Marcotte won the field sprint for 6th. WOW is the poster child for the American criterium.
Linda Sone pic.
and it was celebrating it’s 21st year…well beyond the legal drinking age in Wisconi.