June 24th: Fond du Lac Gran Prix

Stepping foot in Fond du Lac Friday morning for Stage 9 of the Tour of America's Dairyland presented by Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, you just sensed the day was destined for great racing. The rain had vanished but not before power washing the beautiful Bike Art hanging from the trees and light poles along the Fond du Lac Gran Prix race course. The city's inviting spirit brought about good energy for a day of intense competition.

Some sizable cash primes kept the Pro Women's field active for much of the day, bringing to the forefront some riders who haven't had much face time off the front. Red Racing's Michelle Melka took a pull with under 10 to go, taking Carrie Cash-Wooten (Mellow Mushroom) and Cari Higgins (Peanut Butter and Co) with her. Soon after, Melka teammate Janelle Kellman got into a groove up front with five to go, as a $300 prime was called, leaving Kellman visibly frustrated. Laura Van Gilder (Mellow Mushroom) who started and finished the day in the Becker Law Pink Leader's Jersey slipped by on the inside for the prize, as she had done just 5 laps earlier.

With three to go, it was Cori Seehafer (Team Type 1) on the inside with Kristen Lasasso on the outside as the field converged. Fighting the head wind and battling for position, the field was responsive yet started to crumble as speeds increased. Then, as if launched from a rocket, Kristen Meshberg (ABD Cycling) came out of nowhere with one lap remaining. But coming around the final turn, head down and pushing hard, it was Van Gilder for yet another massive win. Higgins put up a tremendous effort in the sprint but fell short, landing in second while Katie Spittlehouse (ISCorp) rounded out the podium.

The crowd was thrilled by every moment as Van Gilder not only received the black and white cow print winner's jersey to maintain a firm hold on the Becker Law Pink Leader's Jersey but Van Gilder and her teammates remain atop the 5-hour Energy Team Omnium standings. Starla Teddergreen (Vanderkitten) takes back the Oarsman Capital Cat 2 Amateur Jersey, in a closely watched competition, leading Kelley Hess (Team Kenda pb Geargrinder) by just one point.

Friday afternoon after racing, all Cat 3/4 and Pro Women riders were invited to a special dinner reception honoring the ToAD women of cycling, which was hosted by Don Becker of Becker Law, title sponsor of the Pink Overall Leader's Jersey for both ToAD women's racing categories. Co-sponsored by the Fond du Lac Convention and Visitors Bureau, over 60 women mingled and laughed with riders of other teams in a casual environment at a restaurant along the course, for easy viewing of the Men's Pro Race.

From the gun, the pace of the Men's Pro race was up there. The mostly flat, fast 0.6 mile course was the perfect layout for change-ups on the backside and attacks exceeding 35 mph. Most laps brought a new game with Bissell, Foundation CRCA, Aerocat, Garneau, and Kenda 5-hour Energy pb Geargrinder, among others, all rising to the various occasions throughout the day. Things were moving fast and furious in a leap frog fashion for much of the race until the 17th lap when Brett Tivers (Garneau Test Team) flew off the front, with Chad Hartley (Kenda 5-hour) and Euris Vidal (Foundation CRCA) on the chase. Aerocat then made a mad dash from the field toward the party of three but was held off.

The three-man breakaway stuck together but then had to make room for Cole House (Realcyclist.com) and Thursday's stage winner Daniel Holloway (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Optum Health) with 10 to go. Holloway had pulled the field for three or four laps during the course of the race. Now with no clear leader but with a storm brewing, the 5-man break was Velcroed together with a 14 second gap as the Aerocat train was once again chasing the breakaway hard.

The break growing and field conceding, a $250 field prime was thrown out as things let loose, with Garneau's Shaun McCarthy snatching the prime. One to go.Tivers, rolled off the front and went for it as the narrow gap increased on the backside. Tivers pushed hard for the win with an absolute all-out effort, besting Holloway and Vidal, in at two and three, respectively. Colton Barrett (Kelly Benefits) edged out Isaac Howe (Kenda 5-hour Energy) and Aerocat's Emile Abraham in a wicked field sprint. Every position matters as, with just two days of intense racing to go, Kenda 5-hour Energy trails Aerocat in the 5-hour Energy Team Omnium by just four points.

In another close race, (ISCorp's James Bird gets back the Oarsman Capital Cat 2 Amateur Leader's Jersey from Nick Vetter (Bianchi/Grand Performance).

The final two days of the 2011 Tour of America's Dairyland presented by Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board will be Saturday's ISCorp Downer Classic and Sunday's Madison Capital Criterium, featuring an enormous amount of prime money for the Pros during the Prime-a-pa-moooooo-za Cash Cow Weekend.

View previous race reports in the archive.