The 1996 Summer Olympic Road Race
Ex-pro triathelete Dave Cihasky animated the action in the citizen race. Making a rare appearance on a bike with normal handlebars, Dave moved clear with several laps to go, accompanied by 3 other local riders. Power is the name of Dave's game, not acceleration, which left him in 3rd place after an unsuccessful attempt to dislodge his companions on the final lap.
Citizen - 27 riders 32 miles
- Dan Borgenheimer, Chippewa Falls, Wi
- Dave Wesner, Eau Claire, Wi
- Dave Cihasky, Chippewa Falls, Wi
- Michell Page, Madison, Wi
Jeff Baker rolled gently off the front on the final lap of the USCF B race. Defending champion Tom Krenz saw the danger and attacked the next-to-last climb, but a chorus of brakes sounded on the trip down the other side as riders became nervous about pulling through that close to the end. The lethargic pursuit gave Jeff all the gap he needed to cross the finish line alone.
USCF B - 40 riders 50 miles
- Jeff Baker, Burnsville, Mn
- Joshua Christenson, Wabasha, Mn
- Aaron Christmann, Afton, Mn
1st Place Woman
- Claire Olsen, Minneapolis, Mn
The winning move has been made within 6 miles of the start in each of the last two runnings of this event, and Jeremy Sartain gambled that history would repeat. Attacking from the start of the 17 lap event, he was a minute clear after 2 laps. A lap later he had stretched his lead to 25 seconds over a chase group of Dave Shulman and Scott Leith and 1:15 over the peloton. The pursuit organized and 50 seconds of that lead evaporated on the next lap with Jeremy rejoining the peloton soon after. Randy Peterson was active with 12 to go, making a move with Shulman. He was still off a lap later except with Steve Mach, but with 10 to go everyone was together again. Jeremy Sartain gave it another go, a move that generated ennui in the field, and he gained 1:20 in the space of one lap. His lead reached a peak of 1:40 at the halfway point of the race. The field then responded and the amount of road between Jeremy and the peloton began to shrink. The early aggression didn't pay off for Jeremy any more than it did for Lance Armstrong as he was reabsorbed shortly after they came through with 6 laps to go.
Pascal Dalseth and Paul Holm counterattacked as Sartain came back. With 5 laps to go the duo had a 30 second gap. As expected, Blaze Pascal easily mastered the triangular course, riding to a 40 second lead as Holm dropped back to the field. Pascal theorized that he was the strongest, and the series of laps did not disprove his theory. He derived a maximum lead of 50 seconds with 2 laps left, and made it clear he was not Turing. At this point the pack developed a counter proof and Pascal's lead fell to 20 seconds as the bell sounded one lap to go. Pascal had reached his limit.
The final lap was an active one but to no effect, until Scott Leith made his bid. He crested the final climb alone but with a hard charging pack at his heels. The finish came soon enough for him but just barely as he held on for the win. Dave Metza aced the field to take second, ahead of Eric Fleming and Steve Mach. That was the limit of the undisputed places. This course does not easily produce a large field sprint, but it did today. After much discussion the remaining places were recorded as below.
USCF A - 30 riders 61 miles
- Scott Leith, Appleton, Wi
- Dave Metza, Chippewa Falls, Wi
- Eric Fleming, St. Paul, Mn
- Steve Mach, La Crosse, Wi
- Don Schmeichel, Maple Grove, Mn
- Darrin Homme, Hudson, Wi
- Paul Holm, Minneapolis, Mn
- Sean Doyle, Granger, Ia