Spring 2014 Race updates

It has been a busy couple of months and the racing season is in full swing.  Here's what's happened so far...
King's Day Crit
We had a great showing in Cat 5 with new guys Jesse Kooistra and Andy Louwaert along with Henry Kuhnen taking the top three steps.  I could not have been more proud.

Willow TT
Some early season results were put up with teammates Sandy Reid taking 2nd in Masters 35+, Colleen Myers taking 4th in Cat 4 women's.
Calvin's Challenge 12 hour endurance race
Our ultra endurance team put up some great results in grueling, windy conditions with long distance specialists Ryan Hiedenfeld riding for 12 hours and taking 3rd in his age group, Valerie Litnerski taking 2nd in her age group and 4th in the womens division overall and Colleen Myers taking 1st in her age group and 3rd in the womens division overall. These three racers rode for over 600 miles combined. Way to go!
Cone Azaila
Unfortunately, the immense potholes at this race took out our very own John Wunderlin.  He suffered a broken collar bone and is in the process of healing.  Our collective hearts go out to him and we are all wishing him a speedy recovery.  We should have him back at full strength for the start of the cyclocross season.
Yankee Springs MTB TT
Here's what Andy had  to say about the race...
"Top step for Erin, Tyler, and Myself in the sport category.  Not sure how Joe finished in elite. Looked like Ray had a trophy as well.  Good turnout, and great fun. "
Ray also said "All totaled we had 4 CMSers on the podium today. Joe finished 9th in elite which is equal to first in any other category.Amazing trail conditions, temps in the 60's and the sun was actually shining in Michigan.
Sodus TT
Another great day for results at the races for the CMS Race Team! Sandy Reid and Colleen took 1st and 4th in the women's Cat 4 while Jamie Clark and Dylan Gonda were able to take 2nd and 7th in the Cat 4 men's. Dylan mentioned that his goal for the season is go over the top of Mr. TT Jamie Clark by the end of the season.  Game on! Perennial strong man Jim Kindle place 3 in the Eddy Mercks division.  Sandy Reid and Jamie Clark put a hurt on the mixed team TT field taking 1st with an average of 23.1 mph.  Way to go team!
Warsaw Road Race
Myself, Henry Kuhnen, Graham Barker-King, David Buick took a road trip to Indiana and met with Gabe Rice and Dylan Gonda to take part in race full of delays, rain and cold weather.  Considering the way day turned out, it's not surprising that there were no notable results.  It was still a blast traveling together and I learned about some great new music!
Frankenmuth Road Race
This was our most well attended race yet.  The women had a great showing with Sandy and Colleen taking 2nd and 3rd in the women's race with a big leadout by Erin Rumery, those strategy sessions are paying off ladies!  Jesse had a great lead out by Tyler Weston and Andy Louweart with Jesse just getting nipped at the line by 1/10 of a second.  In the ensuing chaos of the Cat 4 race, I lost touch with Derek Dalzell but we were able to take 6th and 12th.  Jeremy Vanspronsen was nearly taken out on the first lap and was unable to get back to the main group but valiantly finished the race nonetheless.  Joe Thomas had to fend for himself in Cat 3 but managed to pull off a 10th place finish.  We had a team dinner the night before the race and celebratory brews afterwards at the Frankenmuth Brewery.  Another great showing for the guys and gals in blue.  Great job team!

Barry Roubaix Race Report

The CMS Race Team racing season has started out with a bang this season.  Even though it has been a tough year to get out and ride, the team did not disappoint at the Barry Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race.  Conditions weren't great but at least there wasn't snow and ice covering the gravel roads of Barry County.  Instead, it was peanut butter mud in some sections which is better than ice any day in my book.  The conditions didn't make for an easy race but you wouldn't have been able to tell from the results that our team members put up this weekend.  This resulted in a 4th place finish in the team competition, narrowly missing the 3rd step of the podium by 4 seconds.

Here are the results for the 36 mile race:

Age group 19-29	15	Henry Kuhnen
Age group 30-34	17	David Buick
	35	Jonathan Ballema
Age group 35-37	1	Joe Thomas
Age group 38-39	35	Benjamin Clark
Age group 45-47	4	John Wunderlin
Age group 48-49	1	Peter Post
Age group 50-52	27	Paul Guimond
Age group 55-60	3	Ray Fulkerson
	54	Tom Noverr
Age group 61 plus	13	Jim Kindle
Single Speed	7	Jake Grevenstuk
Fat Bike	13	Jamie Clark
	29	Mark Wright
	32	Steve Prendergast

Here's what Ray Fulkerson had to say about the race... 

The Barry Roubaix...Mud, Sweat and Beers.

Spinning around the streets of Hasting's prior to my start time I couldn't control the smile that was spread across my face. Bikes and bikers of all styles, shapes and sizes filled the landscape

As start time approached I found my wave, 10 by the way, than we did the slow roll to the starting line.

GO!...like being shot out of a cannon the wave surged forward. I immediately placed myself in the front group of racers awaiting for someone to rip the pace even faster.

The pace was brisk but you could sense there was this understanding that just around the corner we were about to face "The Three Sisters."

I decided to lead up the third sister to find the best line because we were already encountering a road full of racers starting in the previous wave.

By the time the 55/60 lead group crested the top of Gun Lake road hill we were down to 5. From there to the bottom of the The Wall I thought I was not going to survive. Spongy roads, quicksand like sections and a constant weaving through a crowded race course were taking their toll.

Once The Wall was behind me I began to fell my legs again which I contribute to the knowledge that I only had ten miles to the finish.

In the end I finished third in my age group. All in all a fantastic finish to a fantastic race.

Putting a perfect punctuation point to the post race party...Great friends sharing races stories and of course, beverages by Founders.

Warming up in style at the team tent

Joe Thomas taking the top step once again

John Wunderlin proving that he is one tough racer

Yours truly taking his first top step

The ageless wonder Ray Fulkerson once again representing CMS

Melting Mann race report

What a great race!  No one would ever have known that this was the first edition of this race put on by fellow CMSer Mark Wright.  Way to go dude!  The volunteers were super helpful, the swag and race prizes were awesome.  The post race brews and lunch totally hit the spot.  What will next year bring????

Well hopefully next year it will really be the Melting Mann because it was definitely not Melting this year.  The day before it had snowed, blanketing the course in 3 inches of newly fallen snow, not ideal conditions for a bike race.  Those who chose non-studded tires were in for a day of slipping and sliding.

CMS had a great showing on the podium.  Check out these results....
SHORT ROUTE MEN AGE GROUP: 30-39
2 205 Justin Sprung 31 Portage MI 1:10:56 11.8

SHORT ROUTE MEN AGE GROUP: 60-99
1 111 Jim Kindle 63 Kalamazoo MI 1:12:51 11.5

LONG ROUTE FAT TIRE
3 32 Jamie Clark 43 Vicksburg 2:04:24 13.5

LONG ROUTE MEN AGE GROUP: 30-39
5 21 David Buick 30 Portage MI 1:57:43 14.3

LONG ROUTE MEN AGE GROUP: 40-49
2 173 Peter Post 47 Kalamazoo MI 1:47:21 15.6
19 110 David Keyte 46 Portage MI 2:14:16 12.5

LONG ROUTE MEN AGE GROUP: 50-59
2 61 Ray Fulkerson 54 Kalamazoo MI 1:51:37 15.1
3 74 Paul Guimond 51 Kalamazoo MI 1:51:43 15

Way to go CMS!  I was very proud to see so much representation at the first race of the year.  Next up Barry Roubaix, let's show em what we got!

The ageless wonder accepting a well deserved medal.  Way to go Ray.