June 16th: Shorewood Criterium Cycling Classic

Title Sponsors: Tim Hart DDS and Rainbow Jersey Bicycles

The Tour of America's Dairyland presented by Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board kicked off 11 days at the Shorewood Criterium Cycling Classic p/b Tim Hart DDS and Jerry Pearce of Rainbow Jersey Bicycles before cowbell-clanging fans throughout the business district, massive lawn parties on the backside of the course, and a baby calf on turn 4.

Returning faces from ToAD 2010, some donning new kits, were called up to the line for the Women's Pro 1/2/3 race...Kori Seehafer (Team Type 1), Tina Schofield (Z-Motion), Carrie Cash-Wooten (Mellow Mushroom) and Kacey Manderfield (Pine Energy Cycling), to name a few.but in the end, it was Mellow Mushroom's Kristen Lasasso for the first win of ToAD 2011 in an absolute show of strength.

With seven laps remaining, Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) nailed down the hammer on the backside of the course and laid it all on the line, dominating prime after prime. But with one lap and 1.3 miles to go, the moving and shaking got underway...Manderfield off the front, Seehafer taking a move inside and ultimately, Lasasso grabbing the first victory of ToAD 2011 and slipping on the Becker Law Pink and White Leader's Jersey.

With 140 on the Men's Pro 1/2 start list, the competition was fierce from the crack of the deafening starter pistol. Primes were flying wild, and with 13 to go, visions of Ted Nugent guitar riffs danced through the air as the Aerocat Cycling team had a stranglehold on the field, driving hard, with Luca Damiani (Kenda 5-hour Energy pb Geargrinder) sitting on Andy Crater's (Aerocat) wheel.

As the remaining laps dwindled, sprinters at the back of the field were visibly few. Six to go, it was Pat Lemieux (Kenda 5-hour Energy pb Geargrinder) surging forward on a solo break and crickets chirping from the field. One lap later, Seghei Tvetcov (Aerocat) launched off the front, taking Lemieux and firmly gripping the driver's seat.

But a new tale unfolded on the backside of the course as Isaac Howe (Kenda 5-hour Energy), who crashed with six laps remaining and finished up using neutral support-provided handlebars, had a scintillating encounter with Australian Jonathan Cantwell (Fly V). The result.an absolute two-man drag race between Howe and Cantwell, with Howe hopping his wheel over the line for the win.

Tour of America's Dairyland presented by Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board continues tomorrow at the Thiensville Ski and Bike Cycling Criterium, where Cantwell, having a little time for his legs to loosen after his 18-hour trip to Wisconsin, will seemingly be up for revenge before Saturday's USA Crits race at Giro d' Grafton.

Leaders of the $10,000 Team Competition powered by 5-hour ENERGY are Mellow Mushroom for the Women and the Men's Kenda 5-hour ENERGY presented by Geargrinder.

View previous race reports in the archive.