Northwestern Cycling Team

Notre Dame (Regionals) Race Report

Nathan Richards — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:11:35 +0000

This past weekend saw the conclusion of the 2012 MWCCC racing season as Notre Dame hosted the Regional Championships. Northwestern was out in force for the races, looking to overhaul the University of Kentucky for the 6^th and final conference qualifying spot for the collegiate national championships. Though the weather was a bit chilly for both days of action, it was a welcome respite from the driving rains of Purdue the previous weekend.

The feed zone for the road race

The MWCCC Championship Road Race was held Saturday morning over a 15 mile loop featuring rolling terrain and a few tight corners just outside of South Bend, Indiana. Junior Chris Sparace started the day for Northwestern with a third place finish in the men’s D road. After following a late attack of the front of the pack, he managed to hold on for third as the main bunch sprinted from behind. In the men’s B race, junior Joe Hooker and senior Tommy Peng were able to work together in the closing portions of the race to finish in seventh and fourth, respectively.

Tommy Peng and Joe Hooker ride in the pack during the men's B road race

In the women’s A road race, senior Axie Navas managed to follow a series of attacks by Marian University’s riders to end up in the winning five rider breakaway. She eventually finished fifth in her final MWCCC road race. Kaitlin Antonneau of Marian University was the women’s winner ahead of teammates Sinead Miller and Coryn Rivera. In the men’s A race, a three man breakaway consisting of Devin Clark (Lindenwood University), David Novak (Lindsey Wilson College), and Alex Wieseler (Marian University) attacked several laps into the 76 mile race. With the three strongest teams in the conference unwilling to give chase, the break had no problem staying away. Wieseler won the race in a sprint ahead of Novak and Clark. Northwestern junior Scott Rosenfield attacked the chasing pack in the closing miles and hung on to finish seventh.

Axie Navas follows a Marian rider during the women's A road race Saturday

Sunday morning saw the action move to downtown South Bend for the MWCCC Criterium Championship. Chris Sparace repeated his strong performance from the day before with a seventh place finish in the crit. The men’s C race saw graduating senior Taylor Hartstein fight hard for a 17^th place finish in his final race for Northwestern. In the women’s B race senior Yannell Selman also closed her NU racing career with a strong fifth place finish.

Chris Sparace competes in the men's D crit Sunday

In the women’s A criterium, four Marian riders went on the attack early in the race, dragging a Lindenwood rider along for several laps before dropping her. Their smooth collaboration continued for much of the race, and they finished in the first four places, with Coryn Rivera leading Kaitlin Antonneau and Sinead Miller home. Northwestern’s Axie Navas featured prominently at the head of the chase behind for much of the race and finished eleventh in the group sprint. In the men’s A race, a large breakaway with multiple riders from the conference’s three varsity programs went away early and once again stayed away to contest the win by a large margin over the field. Lindsey Wilson College had the most riders in the break, having placed three in the winning move. They used their numbers to their advantage, with Justin Lowe attacking with a lap to go and hanging on to win the championship crit ahead of the previous day’s winner, Alex Wieseler (Marian University). Scott Rosenfield (Northwestern) worked hard to chase down the break for much of the race before eventually finishing 26^th.

The winning break in the men's A crit

At the end of the weekend of racing, Northwestern had managed to pass Kentucky in the standings for 6th place in nationals qualification, thus qualifying the team’s A riders for the competition in Ogden, Utah in two weeks time. Senior Axie Navas and junior Scott Rosenfield will look to take their momentum from the end of the season to collegiate cycling’s biggest stage as they travel to Utah to take on the nation’s strongest riders. The rest of the team will now begin looking ahead to next season, either by taking some hard-earned rest or continuing to race in local USA Cycling races.

Marian Race Report

Nathan Richards — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:01:47 +0000

The heated competition of the MWCCC descended upon Indianapolis this past weekend as the region’s tops teams competed at the 16^th annual Midwest Cycling Classic, hosted by Marian University. The weekend saw Northwestern looking to continue to build on the strong performances the team had put up across the board a week prior at the races hosted by Michigan and Michigan State.

Chris Sparace follows two Wisconsin-Platteville riders during the men's D race

Saturday morning saw the members of the team competing in the MWCCC criterium on a moderately hilly 1.3 mile course around the Major Taylor Velodrome at the heart of Marian’s main campus. Junior Chris Sparace posted the first strong result of the day for the Wildcats by finishing 10^th in the men’s D criterium. Junior Matt Weathered appeared to be on his way to posting an equally strong result in the men’s C race before a last-lap crash took him out of contention. Senior Taylor Hartstein managed to finish the race in 17^th position despite the disruption the crash caused in the main field. In the men’s B race, strong teamwork by junior Joe Hooker and senior Tommy Peng saw Peng finish 9^th. His third top 10 finish in two weeks confirmed his status as one to be watched in the B’s field.

Tommy Peng corners during the men's B race

Given their status as the host school, Marian was eager to put on a show of force in the Cat A races, and they did not disappoint in the women’s A race. Marian swept the podium behind the strength of winner Kaitie Antonneau while Northwestern senior Axie Navas battled to an 8^th place finish. In the men’s A race, junior Scott Rosenfield hung with the pack to take 23^rd in a very fast race. Crowd favorite Matt Brandt (Lindenwood) appeared to be powering away to a second consecutive criterium win coming out of the final corner before his tire rolled off its rim, taking him out of the sprint. This meant that Justin Lowe (Lindsey Wilson) was able to hold on for the win, continuing the frustration for Marian in the men’s A criterium for another week.

Following a short break for the riders, many returned to the course that afternoon for a second race, this one sanctioned as an amateur race by USA Cycling. The addition of local amateur and professional riders changed the dynamic of these races, as did the fact that many of the fastest collegiate riders were representing their non-collegiate sponsored teams in these races.

Matt Weathered takes the sprint win in the men's 5's race by mere inches

The men’s 5’s race saw Matt Weathered bounce back from his misfortune in the morning’s race to take the win by no more than several inches ahead of a local rider in the finishing sprint. In the combined Cat ¾ race, Joe Hooker repeated his strong performance from the morning’s race, finishing in the middle of the main pack. In the women’s A race, Kaitie Antonneau (Exergy/Marian) repeated her school’s dominance of the morning’s race while Axie Navas helped an ISCorp Cycling teammate to a second place finish in the sprint.

With just two weekends remaining in the 2012 racing season, Northwestern will be looking to close out the season strong. This coming weekend sees the team take on its familiar foes on two hilly road races at Purdue University. The team continues to look to make up its gap on 5^th ranked Notre Dame in the conference standings before the year’s end.

Michigan/Michigan State Race Report

Nathan Richards — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:17:18 +0000

The 2012 racing season continued for Northwestern Cycling this past weekend with a pair of race days at Michigan State and Michigan. Despite a weekend of frigid weather, the events saw Northwestern capture a series of solid results.

Tommy Peng finished the road race in 7th

Saturday’s road race, hosted by Michigan State, was held just outside of Lansing on a course that featured four and a half miles of dirt road on each nine mile lap. Sophomore Alex Cheatham started the day strong for Northwestern as he took 13^th place in the men’s D race. Junior Carra Binkley followed up her strong performances in Ohio the previous weekend as she stayed with the main field in the women’s B race before taking 6^th place in the bunch sprint. Senior Tommy Peng kept the team’s momentum rolling with a solid 7^th place in his first men’s B road race.

Senior Hannah Iezzoni competes in the women's A time trial

Later Saturday afternoon many members of the team took part in the individual time trial, held on a course similar to that of the road race. Despite a small directional mishap that required half of the field to start the time trial twice, Northwestern brought in some strong results against the clock. Carra Binkley took 2^nd in the women’s B event while grad-student Vesselin Velev made up for a flat tire in the road race with a strong 5^th place in the men’s C race. Senior Axie Navas rounded out the day for the team with a 6^th place finish in the women’s A ITT.

Carra Binkley competes in the women's B criterium

Sunday saw the race action move to Ann Arbor for a criterium hosted by Michigan. In the men’s D race, freshman Nathan Richards managed to hang with the main pack to secure a 10^th place finish behind the winning two man break. Carra Binkley was again a strong performer in the women’s B race. Though her attack on the penultimate lap was brought back by the main pack, she secured her second 6^th place finish of the weekend. In the men’s B race, Tommy Peng once again found himself mixing it up in the sprint with the first chase group, this time on his way to his second 7^th place finish. In the men’s A race, junior Scott Rosenfeld took 9^th place to round out the weekend for the team.

Following the weekend’s races, Northwestern sits at 6^th place in the MWCCC team rankings, ahead of Indiana University and just behind Notre Dame. The team will look to continue to move up this weekend at Marian University’s annual criterium.

Winter Activities Update

yselman — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:08:30 +0000

Winter in Evanston can get a bit overwhelming, and sometimes it is hard to stay motivated. That is why the team makes sure to provide members with many group activities to stay fit, social, and happy this winter!

Computraining at Higher Gear

Every Wednesday and Sunday of this quarter, the team takes a trip up to Highland Park for some high intensity training. These sessions, which last anywhere from one to two and a half hours, are based on a sophisticated training plan designed especially for our team by our coach and sponsor Doug Close. Higher Gear and the DDC Institute make these sessions possible through their generous sponsorships, but make sure to sign up early, since space is limited!

Patten Gym Workouts

Every Thursday night, the team meets at Patten Gym on campus for additional training. This workout focuses less on measuring power and more on the “good sensations” of riding a trainer. These sessions are open to all members so don’t miss out!

Social Activities

Throughout the quarter, the team will get-together for various social events, including team dinners, movie nights, and potlucks. We have already had one team dinner at Cozy Noodle in Evanston, and will be heading up to Bluegrass, one of our sponsors, later in the quarter.

Racing

During the last weekend of February, the MWCCC racing season will commence in Columbia, Kentucky! During almost all of the following eight weekends, the team will travel throughout the Midwest to participate different conference races. This is the most exciting time of the year for our team, so stay up-to-date on team performances via Facebook or Twitter. For news on collegiate road cycling both throughout our conference and the country, check out Collegiate Cycling News, a collegiate news source start by two of our very own team members.

If you have any questions or want to get involved, email NUCycling@gmail.com

2012 MWCCC Racing Schedule

yselman — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:08:20 +0000

Below is the official road racing schedule for the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference for 2012.

February 25/26 Lindsey Wilson
March 3/4 Mizzou
March 17/18 Lindenwood (also part of NCCCC season)
March 24/25 Ohio State
March 31/April 1 Michigan/Michigan State
April 7 Marian
April 14/15 Purdue
April 21/22 Notre Dame (Regionals)

View the MWCCC page for more information, such as race fliers and results.

October 2011 Newsletter

Joe Hooker — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:22:05 +0000

This is the team’s October version of our monthly newsletter. The newsletters include team happenings to keep sponsors, friends, and alumni updated about all things related to cycling at NU. Thank you for your support.

September 2011 Newsletter

Joe Hooker — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 05:34:42 +0000

This is the team’s second monthly newsletter. Our newsletters include team happenings to keep others updated about all things related to cycling at NU. Thank you for your support.

Dues Paying Meeting

yselman — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 04:07:00 +0000

DUES PAYING MEETING

Wednesday, Oct. 12th, 8pm

University Hall Rm. 121

Officially join the team!

Come meet some of our sponsors, learn about our discounts, and be there for the unveiling of the final kit design!

Dues are $175–which includes a jersey, bib, race hotel fees, race transportation fees, and many many discounts.

We’ll also be placing bike orders, group orders, and ordering extra apparel. Get excited!

General Interest Meeting

yselman — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:44:31 +0000

Come learn about cycling at Northwestern! No commitment required and everyone is welcome. Here are the details:

Wednesday, September 28th
8pm
University Hall, Room 101

Fall Quarter: What to expect

yselman — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 21:42:02 +0000

Beautiful weather

September-November usually offers some of the best riding weather of the year. Make sure to get involved early to be able to fully enjoy all the sunshine and warmth available during the beginning of the quarter! Still, Chicago weather is always erratic so stock up on arm warmers, gloves, and leg warmers from our online store or Higher Gear, our favorite bike shop, just in case.

Pancake rides

In the fall, the Walker Bros ride tradition is always in full-swing. Every Sunday at 11am the team meets in front of Kellogg (at the intersection of Foster and Sheridan) for a 30ish mile ride to Fort Sheridan. This ride is completely “no-drop” and riders of all skill levels are invited to join! On the way back, we all stop at the famous Walker Bros pancake house for a delicious team breakfast.This is about as close to a full team practice as we get, so make sure to come along and get to know the team.

Homecoming Parade

If you´ve spent a fall quarter at Northwestern, you have undoubtedly heard of the Homecoming Parade. Every year, the team participates by riding in the parade wearing our kits and lots of flashing lights. We pre-celebrate the parade with a team pot-luck dinner and follow this event with a pretty great party. We like to have a lot of people, so even if you haven´t ridden with us ever, please please join us.

Tuesday and Friday INTRO rides

At 4pm every Tuesday and Friday, team members meet in front of Kellogg for slow pace rides. Whether you´re an advanced athlete looking for a recovery ride or are on a road bike for the first time, this ride is for you. We go as fast as the slowest rider and welcome people of all abilities. If you are not sure you want to join just yet or have never done a group ride, this ride series is an excellent opportunity to ease into the sport.

Local fast rides

The north shore has some pretty quick riders, and some of our more trained cyclists usually participate in local-area rides. Some are sponsored by bike shops while others are just universally known. If you´re looking for a challenge, one of these could be a good place to start. Almost all of these rides stay above 20mph and have anywhere from 15-50 participants. If you´re not experienced, it might be safe to skip these until you´re more comfortable on the roads.

WEDNESDAY

Turin Ride, 6pm, leaves from Turin Bike Shop on Davis in Evanston, approx. 40miles, 22-32 mph, usually about 50 participants

THURSDAY

Higher Gear Ride, 5:30pm, leaves from the Higher Gear shop in Wilmette, approx. 32miles, 20-28 mph, usually about 20 participants.

SATURDAY

xXx Ride, passes the arch at around 7:45am, technically “no-drop,” anywhere from 30-70 miles (depending on the group you choose to ride with), 18-25mph, approx. 50 participants
Judson: passes the arch at around 7:30am, 50-70 miles, 22-32mph, 50 participants

Note: this information varies depending on the season, so ask the Listserv if you´re not sure about the details.

Skills workshops

Every Fall, the team hosts a series of rides that work on building skills. We work on riding in groups, pace-lining, race etiquette, etc. Some concentrate on sprinting or cornering, while others involve practicing low-impact crashes in slow motion in a patch of grass. If you´re new to the sport, please consider coming to these sessions.

Trail Rides

If you´re not too interested in intense road biking and just want to go for some nice local rides, join us for our monthly trail ride. This is simply a safe, easy, slow, no pressure group ride that takes you through the Greenbay Trail. Bring your commuter bike, mountain bike, or whatever else you have on two wheels. Remember to always wear a helmet!

Activities Fairs

Come by one of our booths at either the ASG Activities Fair, Fall Fitness Fair, or Graduate Student Resource Fair! This is a great chance to meet some people on the team (without having to be in full spandex), ask questions, and learn what we´re all about.

RACE: Fall Fling

On the weekend of October 1st, the team participates in a race sponsored by ABD. If you like group riding but have never raced, this is a great chance to jump in to the bike racing scene. If you are curious about racing but have never even seen a real race, come along as a spectator! Everyone is welcome.

Cyclocross

Fall is the season for this crazy sport that combines road racing and mountain biking. If you´ve never heard of ´cross, dont worry, neither have most people when they first join. A few NU Cyclists have always participated in cyclocross which is a great way to improve bike handling skills and have fun. Spectating and heckling ´cross races is one of the most entertaining ways to get involved, so look out for invites to downtown Chicago races on the weekends.

DUES Meeting

In mid-October, the team will hold a meeting to collect dues (usually around $150 for the year). This covers the team kit, all lodging expenses during the race season, and includes you in all the hefty team discounts. You can also order other team merchandise, including T-shirts and cycling accessories. Alumni sometimes attend this meeting to give a brief background on the team history and we unvail the official kit design. This is mandatory, so don´t miss out!

Social Events

Whether we´re sitting in someone´s apartment watching TV or at our favorite team bar (Hopleaf), you will always find team members hanging out together. Expect big parties and also chill get-togethers this fall. Most events are not advertised on the Listserv though, so make sure to come out on a few rides to get in touch!

Questions? Don´t hesistate to contact us!

Can´t wait to get started? Check out our Summer Cycling activities.