The 1999 Winter Olympic Road Race
The Pope of Albertville
The Church of the Flahute
Once again there was snow in the forcast, so once again I made the trip to the chapel of Notre Dame du Grand Plateau(*) to make an offering of tubulars in the hope that divine intervention might alter this prognostication. As I sacrificed the sacred rubber I could feel the sky lighten. "Could be a little warmer", I tentatively murmured. The walls seemed to vibrate "Don't push it".
As I left I wondered if it was possible to maintain a demanding job and training schedule without neglecting my family while also achieving a full and satisfying love life. The stained glass appeared to chuckle.
The 1999 Winter Olympics were staged under partly cloudy skies with cool temperatures and enough of a breeze to make you wish the course were more sheltered. The Hard Men of the area gathered in the memory of saints Museeuw and Kelly to elect their pope. We're a strange cult. If we were a little less strange our entry fees might be tax deductable. We don't wait for our leaders to get old and die before we depose them. It is enough that their legs weaken, their tactical skills fade. Thus it was that Pope Roger was warmly greeted by many with smiles on their faces but daggars in their souls.
(*) If you run this through Babelfish it will point out the difficulty automated translators have with idioms. Sheldon Brown can help.
About the video: I took my camera to the race and handed it to whoever would agree to shoot film. Beggars can't be choosers. The first person I gave it to took some time to figure out how it worked so the mornings races didn't pan out. The second guy had to dive after his kid just as the B race was finishing so that one's a little shakey too.
Jay Sammon of the Chippewa Falls Herald was gracious enough to provide prints of the pictures he took. He had a deadline so he only shot the morning races but we're grateful for pictures taken with a real camera.
 Downtube shifters!! |
 Gotta go up... |
 Before you can come down |
- Master 35+ - 36 miles, 14 riders
Mark Skarpohl and Roger Parenteau picked up our inagural Master's event and rode off down the road with it. At least it appeared that way until Skarpohl showed up in the field sprint leading out a teammate. That left His Holiness alone at the front. Jeff Thompson claimed the field sprint.
Dave Cihasky animated the chase. He knew from his days as a triathelete pro how to put his head down and grunt. Unfortunately for him the run leg never came. 
Chris Kerr is sheltered and at peace with the pace.-
Roger Parenteau, St. Croix B&S, Hudson, WI
- Jeff Thompson, Squadra Corsa, Apple Valley, MN
- Robert Mairs, Grand Performance, St. Paul, MN
- Brian Gitar, Grand Performance, White Bear Lake, MN
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- Master 45+ - 29 miles, 18 riders
Cleve Pettersen and John Pugh battled it out in the other old guys race. John is more at home riding off-road and I have to admit that I wrote Cleve's name on my score sheet in anticipation as he led out the sprint. While Dewey didn't defeat Truman he came pretty close as John was able to look across at Cleve as they crossed the line, about a wheel back.
David Asp took the sprint from the chase group.
No one gets lighter...
as they get older
Cleve & John
The pursuit- Cleve Pettersen, Flanders, Minneapolis, MN
- John Pugh, Grand Performance, Apple Valley, MN
- David Asp, Grand Performance, Red Wing, MN
- Mike Lyner, Loon State, Stillwater, MN
- Dan Meyer, Loon State, Lake Elmo, MN
- Mike Spengler, Grand Performance, Minneapolis, MN
- Bruce Beattie, Hopkins, MN
- Senior C - 18 miles, 24 riders
The C race opened up pretty quickly into a three way battle. Terry Beenken went away with local riders Kevin Potter and Dan Borgenheimer. After several years of good finishes Kevin finally took the Gold Medal pizza.
A critical moment, Kevin Potter and Dan Borgenheimer-
Kevin Potter, CVCC, Eau Claire, WI
- Dan Borgenheimer, CVCC, Chippewa Falls, WI
- Terry Beenken, SMBC, Mankato, MN
- David Myers, ADSP, Lake Elmo, MN
- Barrett Zoltai, St. Croix B&S Stillwater, MN
- David Zimmerman, Hutchinson, MN
- Kelly Yadon, Stuart's, Lake Nebagamon
- Matt Speirs, St. Croix B&S, Hudson, WI
- Shawn Brick, St. Croix B&S, Eagan, MN
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- WOMEN - 22 miles, 15 riders
This edition of the Olympics saw another good turnout in the Women's field. Marla Husnik outdistanced a strong field. A future Pope perhaps?
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Marla Husnik, Minneapolis, MN
- Katherine Strong, Powerbar/Midwest, Ironwood, MI
- Barb Quade-Harick, Park Tool, Minneapolis, MN
- Helen Jacobse, Grand Performance, St. Paul, MN
- Angela Reinke, Penn Cycle, Minneapolis, MN
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- Senior B RACE - 29 miles, 64 riders
The B race followed tradition in that everyone waltzed for an hour or so before terminating the race in a mad dash for the line. Dan Cummings led from a long way out, and while he may not have the timing of a Zabel or Cippollini he held his advantage as long as he needed to.
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John Cummings, Minneapolis, MN
- Josh Bushland, Chippewa Falls, WI
- Dan McConnell, Squadra Corsa, Minneapolis, MN
Aaron Voreis, GIS, Eden Prairie, MN
- Mike Johnson, Lighthouse, Chippewa Falls, WI
- Oscar Schefers, Squadra Corsa, St. Paul, MN
- Harry Anderson, Pearl Izumi, Superior, WI
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- Senior A RACE - 50 miles, 74 riders
The ascetics gathered in St. Johan's Square in the holy city of Albertville. As they left for a 14 lap journey of self discovery the assembled throng watched the chimney at the kitchen in the tavern. Race officials gathered the entry forms looking for a consensus over who should be elected to the papacy. With each lap they burned the ballots. As the race progressed the crowd watched with anticipation, would the next puff of smoke be white?
Inside the peloton the debate raged. Many riders thought they were God's gift to cycling, only to face the harsh reality of the chase. Concluding that was better to be chased than chaste, a group of eight formed with a little under half the race passed. Heads bent over the handlebars in prayer they widened the gap. Almost a minute down at the halfway mark, the peloton succumed to the power of the lead riders. I put my stopwatch away as the leaders advanced out of sight of the chasers. Pope Roger had missed the decisive move and the combined force of blocking teammates and the heresy of negative racing thwarted his many attacks. But still the smoke was black.
The prophets and their 16 wheels continued the journey, until at last 3 proved themselves to have exceptional devotion. With one lap to go Dewey Cardinal Dickey, Dale Cardinal Sedgewick, and Jeremy Cardinal Sartain were making their cases for ascencion to the saddle of St. Sean as the lead group fractured. Each felt he was papabile but the ascension of the final climb was too much for Sartain. That left Dickey and Sedgewick, and as they approached the finish line the official declared "Habemus Papam!!" while the assembled throngs cheered.
- Dewey Dickey, 3-D, Plymouth, MN
- Dale Sedgewick, Uptown, Minneapolis, MN
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Jeremy Sartain, Grand Performance, Minneapolis, MN
- Matt Gates, Croll, Cottage Grove, MN
- Adam Bergeman, Minneapolis, MN
- James Cullen, Loon State, Hudson, WI
- Peter Everett, FCCC, Minneapolis, MN
Of the original 8, the first to suffer a crisis of faith was Brian Koeneman. With one lap to go he had a lonely journey but still a huge lead on the main peloton. But not huge enough as he was overtaken at the line by two ambitious clerics.
- Kenny Krawza, Loon State, Eagan, MN
- John Wallace, St. Croix B&S, Bay Port, MN
- Brian Koeneman, FCCC, Mankato, MN
Six years ago the inagural conclave came down to a two up sprint between Pope Roger Parenteau and the Heretic Dave Metza. Neither would direct the Holy See this day but Metza gained a measure of revenge.
- Dave Metza, CVCC, Chippewa Falls, WI
- Roger Parenteau, St. Croix B&S, Hudson, WI
- Ron Raymond, Flanders, Roberts, WI
- David Wesner, Grand Performance, Eau Claire, WI
- Rod Lewis, FCCC, Northfield, MN
