June 23rd: Sheboygan Harbor Centre Bike Race

The 8th Stage of the Tour of America's Dairyland presented by Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board traveled along the Lake Michigan coastline to Sheboygan, a community with a personality as colorful as the racers' kits.

Some might say the day officially started with the grilling of the bratwurst at 9:00am, which were then paired with a double-decker all-beef burger to form the "Oostburger", a play off the neighboring community of Oostburg. Adding to that local flavor and flair was a guy wandering the course dressed as an oversized spongy red lobster, a foam Cheesehead-wearing dignitary in the local race, and a Dixieland band near turn 4.

While much of the day was water-logged, all races started on time, and those fans lining the streets at the Sheboygan Harbor Centre Bike Race didn't seem to mind the downpours one iota. Rain or shine, even the seagulls were lined up atop high peaks, ready for a solid day of racing, and none in attendance were disappointed.

Mellow Mushroom continued their domination. Becker Law Pink Jersey Leader Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) teammate Kristen Lasasso lead for several laps during the race but Van Gilder herself was hanging with the crickets, nowhere to be found. Then came a prime lap with seven to go, which catapulted Van Gilder out of hiding to take the prize and an immediate retreat to once again silently watch and wait.

Kori Seehofer (Team Type 1) and Kelley Hess (Team Kenda pb Geargrinder) spent a few moments near the front before the field all came back together. Then it was Jennifer Greenberg's (Team Kenda) turn to launch off the front but with two to go, it was back to being anyone's race as Lasasso and Starla Teddergreen (Vanderkitten-Focus) sat at the front. But whipping around the corner on that final turn was the all-powerful Van Gilder who reared her head then tucked it down for the incredible win and another day in the Leader's Jersey. Colleen Gulick (Team Kenda) and Holly Matthews (ISCorp) finished second and third, respectively.

Mellow Mushroom remains atop the 5-hour Energy Team Omnium Overall Standings. In the Oarsman Capital Amateur Cat 2 Green Jersey race, the competition is fierce, as Wednesday's recipient Teddergreen handed it off Thursday to Kelley Hess (Team Kenda) with just one point separating the two.

Thursday marked the entry of the Men's Garneau Test Team into Tour of America's Dairyland, who lent their far share of excitement to 90 minutes of racing. With 26 to go Brett Tivers (Garneau) and Colton Barrett (Kelly Benefit Strategies) just blew the field apart, with the Aerocat and Kenda 5-hour Energy pb Geargrinder trains never far behind the breakaway at any time. With a dozen to go, a field prime lit things on fire, with Dylan Knutson (Bianchi Grand Performance) escaping to the front. As the lap counter went down, the rider at the front changed, with a different race forming each time.

Another hefty prime with a perfect 10 remaining motivated Sam Witmitz (Garneau) front and center with Matt Gorter on the chase a couple later.the field scattered like jitterbugs before falling into a single file formation with six to go. Now an 8-man break with Daniel Holloway (Kelly Benefit Strategies) charging, the break was caught on the backside as yet another story unfolded. This time, it was Brian McVey (ABD Cycling) with four to go.

Like a line dance, with everyone taking turns to show off their moves, three to go saw Wisconsin native Zachary Davies, racing for Fly V Australia, at the front with Aerocat and Kenda 5-hour Energy at 1-2-3 and 4-5. Davies, on a solo breakaway, going into overdrive with the field nowhere in sight with one to go seemed destined to be the darkhorse upset of the day. But as the field launched its attack on the backside of the course cutting the gap in half to just 6 seconds, it was U.S. Pro Crits Champ Holloway who screamed to the front in the final half lap for the wild ride of a win. Serghei Tvetcov (Aerocat), who stays in the Overall Yellow Leader's Jersey, and Rafael Meran (Foundation CRCA) rounded out the top three.

Chad Hartley (Kenda 5-hour Energy) took fourth, as his team trails Aerocat by just five points in the 5-hour Energy Team Competition. Another close race involves Nick Vetter (Bianchi Grand Performance) and James Bird (Nova ISCorp), who are separated by just six points in the Oarsman Capital Cat 2 Amateur Green Jersey competition.

Katie Wirkus, the 64th Alice in Dairyland, riding a bike in high heels lent to the fun, quirky nature of the day's activities outside of racing...as did announcer Todd Busteed interviewing the ToAD Dog of the Day, who was wearing a yellow rain jacket, on the podium while noshing on a MILKbone. Only champions stand on the ToAD podium - "Fritz" is slated to race the Wiener Dog Nationals in San Diego this December.

The stakes are high for both Men and Women in multiple categories as they head into the final three days of the Tour of America's Dairyland presented by Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. There's a lot of cash, primes and recognition up for grabs as we head into the Prime-a-pa-moooooo-za Cash Cow weekend beginning tomorrow at the Fond du Lac Gran Prix. ToAD heads back to Milwaukee for the ISCorp Downer Classic on Saturday before the finale in Madison around the State Capitol at the Madison Capital Criterium on Sunday.

View previous race reports in the archive.