June 16, 2006
Nebraska State Time Trial Championship
Gretna, NE
By Sean WeideThe winners of Saturday's Nebraska State Time Trial can claim something few have ever done while winning a bicycle race.
They intentionally stopped. Twice.
The unusual scenario came about when Sarpy County Sheriff's deputies withdrew their offer for traffic control assistance on the 16-mile course near the Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium. The two stops came at intersections with stop signs where riders had to make right-hand turns.
Team Kaos' Marco Vasquez, who won the Cat. I-II division, said the race organizers made an unthinkable situation fairly reasonable in order to make sure the event went off. Because of the lack of law enforcement help, a four-mile stretch of the course had to be eliminated.
"They (promoting team Ciao Baby Racing Club) were really clear about having to stop twice and shortening the couse," Vasquez said. "And we wanted to race, so we went along with it."
The two stop-and-go portions of the course made an already challenging course even more difficult, Vasquez said. His winning time of 35 minutes, 57 seconds was 35 seconds faster than second place and works out to an average of 26.7 mph.
"It was kind of a rhythm breaker to try and get going again after coming to a full stop," Vasquez said.
In addition to Vasquez, the other Nebraska state time trial champions were: Team Kaos' Morgan Chaffin (Women's Open), Fred Galata, Omaha Velo Club (Masters 55+), Bill Gottberg, unattached (Masters 45+), Marc Walter, Lincoln Plating-Lemond (Masters 35+), Allan Walton, Elkhorn Valley Race Team (Category V), Ian Gray, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Category IV) and Michael Munson, Lincoln Plating-Lemond (Category III).
Riders who are Nebraska residents and annual license holders were eligible to win state championship medals. In two divisions, the winner of the time trial was not the state champion: Bill Moraski of Bellevue in Category V and Dennis Weinbeck of Topeka, Kan., (Capps Rebound Cycling Team) in Category IV.
Click image for larger photo
Click image for larger photoStarting last, Vasquez had the advantage of chasing the rider who beat him for second place last year, Husker Road Club's Jeff Luedtke. The 2005 state time trial champion, Team Kaos' Jarred Berger, did not start.
"I couldn't see Jeff for the longest time until we got to the rollers on Buffalo Road," Vasquez said. "But I had decided to start slowly. At one point it looked like he was more than a minute ahead of me. But halfway up Buffalo Road, I started gaining on him. There was one big roller where I looked down and it looked like I had made up a good amount of time on him."
Vasquez also has a co-worker to thank at the Nebraska Medical Center for an 11th-hour assist that allowed him to participate in Saturday's race.
"I was on call," Vasquez said, referring to his job as a perfusionist. "I found someone to cover my shift and they ended up getting called in to work. So I have a big thank you to give."
A year ago, Luedtke was second and Vasquez was third. Defending champion Jarred Berger of Team Kaos did not compete Saturday.
Because of a lack of law enforcement support, competitors were forced to come to a complete stop at two points along the course, which wound its way north on Hwy 31 to Buffalo Road, east to Hwy 50 and back along Hwy 31.
"It was kind of a rhythm breaker to try and get going again after coming to a full stop," Vasquez said.
Saturday's other state time trial champions were: Team Kaos' Morgan Chaffin (Women's Open), Fred Galata, Omaha Velo Club (Masters 55+), Bill Gottberg, unattached (Masters 45+), Marc Walter, Lincoln Plating-Lemond (Masters 35+), Allan Walton, Elkhorn Valley Race Team (Category V), Ian Gray, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Category IV) and Michael Munson, Lincoln Plating-Lemond (Category III).
RACE RESULTS
Men Category 1/2 Name Team City, State Marco Vasquez Team Kaos/Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE Jeff Luedtke HRC Omaha, NE Cody Mccullough Powerade - Independent Fabrication Jefferson, SD Joseph Mcwilliams TEAM KAOS/NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER Lincoln, NE Ian Robertson Team Kaos Lincoln, NE Men Categorry 3 Michael Munson Lincoln Plating - Lemond Omaha, NE Nathanael Elmer Ciao Baby! Lincoln, NE Troy Krause Slimenundgrossen/Trek Of KC Lincoln, NE Stephen Griffin Team Kaos Omaha, NE Men Category 4 Dennis Weinbeck CAPPS REBOUND CYCLING TEAM Topeka, KS Ian Gray University Of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE Jeff Bergen Unattached Omaah, NE Tom Nider Ciao Baby Lincoln, NE Devin Bethune Elkhorn Valley Race Team Carroll, NE Tj Carmichael Trek Of KC/Localcycling.com Lincoln, NE John Spray Elkcorn Valley Cycling Norfolk, NE Greg Wollenhaupt HRC Omaha, NE James Buckley Unattached Bellevue, NE Fred Hinsley Cycling Club Of Nebraska Omaha, NE Shea Bergman BillyGoat-Midwest-Summit Kansas City, MO Chet Henry UNL Cycling Daykin, NE Joseph Savoie Team Kaos Omaha, NE Dan Spray Elkhorn Valley Race Team Norfolk, NE Men Category 5 Craig Moraski Unattached Bellevue, NE Allan Walton Elkhorn Valley RAce Team Wayne, NE Scott Blair Elkhorn Valley Race Team Pierce, NE Rich Anderson The Bike Way Racing Omaha, NE Mike Vance High Gear Multisport Omaha, NE Gary Nebeker Cycling Club Of Nebraska Omaha, NE Bob Stratton Unattached Omaha, NE Lance Zechmann Elkhorn Valley Cylcling Team Lincoln, NE Andy Atchison Unattached Omaha, NE Benjamin Kopecky Unattached Omaha, NE Masters 35+ Marc Walter Lincoln Plating/ Lemond Lincoln, NE Craig Schmidt LincolnPlating - Lemond Lincoln, NE Scott Applegate Unattached Lincoln, NE Don Raskey Unattached Lincoln, NE Masters 45+ Bill Gottberg Unattached Omaha, NE Michael Melton Ciao Baby Lincoln, NE John Vondracek Ciao Baby Cycling Lincoln, NE Randall Crist Omaha Velo Club Omaha, NE Ron Nelson Ciao Baby Lincoln, NE Eric Buhs Ciao Baby Racing Lincoln, NE Mike Reilly Unattached Omaha, NE Norman Grady THE BIKE WAY Elkhorn, NE Doug Semisch Team Kaos Omaha, NE Patrick Farrell Unattached Mccook, NE Steve Bowles Cycling Club Nebraska Lincoln, NE Masters 55+ Fred Galata Omaha Velo Club Omaha, NE Rich Pearson Team Kaos Fremont, NE Gary Schmidt Team Kaos Bennington, NE John Dean LBC Lincoln, NE Hollis Anderson Unattached Lincoln, NE Women Open Morgan Chaffin Team Kaos Omaha, NE Lindsey Heim Unattached Omaha, NE Marie Neville Kaos Lincoln, NE Cheryl Gerkins Ciao Baby Lincoln, NE Corinne Kolm Unattached Lincoln, NE
