Van Heerden takes field sprint for win

The atmosphere at the Shorewood Criterium was electric with more than 6,000 fans lining the café and bar strip. Additionally, a good number of residents had set up outside their homes along the residential streets to watch the action unfold; they were not disappointed as over 100 pro riders zipped around the 1.3-mile course at an average speed of 30 mph in the men's event. The speeds were kept high due to the shortening of the race by 30 minutes, fire-engines needed to come onto the course to put out a fire in one of the apartments, and the high number of cash primes towards the end.

Adam Mills (Mercy Cycling) said, "It was fun, fast and rough like a good Superweek race should be. Strangest thing happened, though. There was a fire in an apartment on the course during the race. Full halt for the race until all was resolved, and go again! The best thing about the race being shortened is that all the primes and points sprints are compressed, which makes for a really tough race. To make matters even more interesting, there are a lot of new guys that are way too tense here."

The primes and red jersey sprint points were hotly contested and this kept the pace very high and strung out. South Africa's Jay Thompson was on fire, winning the first two sprints on offer, in his bid to win back the sprint jersey after losing it to Rob White (Team Geargrinder) on Thursday when Team MTN opted to take a rest day at the Ray Basso Bensonville Criterium.

When the late breakaway of 10 riders had rolled away with 15 laps remaining, it halted Thompson's progress to win back the jersey and he now lies second overall, 12 points behind Rob White (Team Geargrinder) and just two points ahead of Chad Hartley, also of Team Geargrinder. It is shaping up to be an exciting battle between the two teams from South Africa (MTN) and the United States (Geargrinder).

The threatening breakaway contained a number of strong riders including Andrew Crater (Wheel & Sprocket), Heath Blackgrove (Team Hotel San Jose), Riccardo Van der Velde (Garmin-Slipstream), Spencer Beamer (Team Mountain Khakis), James Stemper (Team Geargrinder), Matthias Schroger (Gourmetfein), Carlos Vargas (Team Hotel San Jose), Jorge Alvarado (Kahala La-Grange), Frank Dierking and Bradley Potgieter (Team MTN) and they looked to have it in the bag provided they worked well together.

However, the break never advanced more than 15 seconds ahead of the field and a sudden injection of power surprisingly brought the break back just before the Super Prime with four laps remaining was announced. This increased the pace substantially with riders fighting for position near the front, but it was Hans Dekkers (Garmin-Slipstream) who rounded the final corner five seconds clear of the field to pocket the $1666 in cash.

Christoff Van Heerden (Team MTN) won the field sprint ahead Carlos Vargas (Team Hotel San Jose) while Dekkers was third. The win by Van Heerden was his first stage win at Superweek, the second for Team MTN, and it moves him into fourth overall. Fly V Australia's yellow jersey holder, Bernard Sulzberger, and the rest of his team were the notable absentees from the race as they were taking a rest day. However, Sulzberger's points lead was enough for him to retain yellow ahead of Hans Dekkers and Andreas Muller.

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Men
1Christoff Van Heerden (Team MTN)
2Carlos Vargas (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)
3Hans Dekkers (Garmin-Slipstream)
4Cole House (BMC Racing Team)
5Jay Thomson (Team MTN)
6Joshua Carter (ABD Cycling Team)
7Andreas Muller (No Radunion)
8Chad Hartley (Team Geargrinder)
9James Stemper (Team Geargrinder)
10Michael Van Eerd (Team YRC Now MS)
11Logan Loader (Team Mountain Khakis)
12Jonathan Atkins (Team Latino)
13Mike Tettleton (Team Bearclaw)
14Ryan Nye (Mvp Health Care Elite Cycling)
15Clayton Goldsmith (Team Wheel & Sprocket)
16Danny Kam (Team Bearclaw)
17Nicholas Martinez (Now MS Society)
18Wei-Cheng Lee (Team Exustar Taiwan)
19Max Taam (RD: Horizon Organic PB Prerace.com / MTN)
20James Flora (South Chicago Wheelmen)
21Darin Divine (Divine Electric Norcal)
22Randy Reichardt (Natural Grocers p/b XP Companies)
23Ricardo Van Der Velde (Garmin-Slipstream)
24Jerome Townsend (Fitness Together/IF pb Lionette's)
25Ronnie Strange (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)
26Anthony Bennett (Jittery Joe's U25 PB Kudzu.Com)
27Chun-Kai Feng (Team Exustar Taiwan)
28Eric Bennett (NOW-MS Society)
29Craig Streit (Carlos OBriens Racing)
30Derek Dixon (HDR P/B Lombardis Sports)
31Jason Lowetz (Team Bearclaw)
32Andrew Armstrong (Matrix/RBM)
33John Bergmann (Team Clif Bar)
34Ryan White (Team Geargrinder)
35Kevin Berger (Team Wheel & Sprocket)
36Oneal Samuels (Myogenesis.Com P/B United Healthcare)
37Connor Sallee (Williams Cycling)
38Juan Van Heerden (Team MTN)
39Aaron Beardsley (Team Clif Bar)
40Chris Arndt (Team Wheel & Sprocket)
41Brian Koeneman (Team Wheel & Sprocket)
42Christopher Mcgarity
43Aaron Whalen (Horizon Organic P/B Prerace.Com)
44Culyar Conly
45Matthew Holecko (Carlos OBriens Racing)
46Mac Brennan (Priority Health Cycling Team)
47David Williams (Priority Health U25)
48Robert Bush (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team)
49Christan Griego (Brones RVCC)
50Alex Martinez (Kahala La-Grange)
51Chris Wallace (Mercy Cycling Team)
52Spencer Beamer (Team Mountain Khakis p/b EP-NO)
53Brandon Trafton (Central Valley Cycling)
54Chris Black (Morgan Stanley/Specialized/24Hr Fitness)
55Patrick Briggs (California Giant Cycling)
56Brian Rach (Nova Cycle Sports Foundation Inc.)
57Robert Biard (Team Hotel San Jose)
58Mark Dolin (Lakes Area Physical Therapy)
59Martin Adamczyk (socalcycling.com)
60Adam Mills (Mercy Cycling Team)
61Joseph Schmalz (Mercy Cycling Team)
62Sean Sullivan (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)
63Heath Blackgrove (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)
64Ian Mclead (Team MTN)
65Shaun Harless (Above Category Racing)
66Mark Hughes (CZ Velo)
67Frank Rowley (South Chicago Wheelmen)
68Thomas Clark (Great Dane Velo Club)
69Jonathan Chodroff (Ouch Presented by Maxxis)
70Alex Wieseler (Nova Cycle Sports Foundation Inc.)
71Robert White (Team Geargrinder)
72Herman Johnson (BSA RACING)
73Emerson Oronte (IF/Lionette's Cycling Team)
74Brian Cornelius (Landis/Trek)
75Luis-Alejandro Zamudio (Kahala La-Grange)
76Joe Lewis (Synergy)
77Alex Voitik (Verizon Wireless Racing)
78Todd Yezefski (IF/Lionette's Cycling Team)
79Jason Svaldi (Great Dane Velo Club)
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Sprint 1
1Jay Thomson (Team MTN)
2Robert White (Team Geargrinder)
3Chad Hartley (Team Geargrinder)
4Craig Streit (Carlos OBriens Racing)
5John Bergmann (Team Clif Bar)
6Dan Ajer (Great Dane)
7Jorge Alvarado (Kahala La-Grange)
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Sprint 2
1Jay Thomson (Team MTN)
2Chad Hartley (Team Geargrinder)
3Robert White (Team Geargrinder)
4Juan Van Heerden (Team MTN)
5Christoff Van Heerden (Team MTN)
6Carlos Vargas (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)
7Dan Ajer (Great Dane)
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Sprint 3
1Bradley Potgieter (Team MTN)
2Matthias Schroger (Gourmetfein)
3James Stemper (Team Geargrinder)
4Spencer Beamer (Team Mountain Khakis p/b EP-NO)
5Carlos Vargas (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)
6Jorge Alvarado (Kahala La-Grange)
7Frank Dierking
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Sprint 4
1James Stemper (Team Geargrinder)
2Andrew Crater (Wheel & Sprocket)
3Frank Dierking
4Heath Blackgrove (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)
5Jorge Alvarado (Kahala La-Grange)
6Ricardo Van Der Velde (Garmin-Slipstream)
7Spencer Beamer (Team Mountain Khakis p/b EP-NO)
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Women
1Nicky Wangsgard (Colavita Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light)
2Jenette Williams (Altarum Women's Cycling Team)
3Karlee Gendron (Woodcock Cycle Works)
4Trish Black (Morgan Stanley/Team Spine/Specialized)
5Josephine Giddens (Hub Racing)
6Jeannie Kuhajek (Team Mack)
7Gina Voci (Juice Plus)
8Elizabeth Morse Hill (Hub Racing)
9Emma Petersen (Team Ultralink)
10Sheba Farrin (Hub Racing)
11Julia Farell (Team Ultralink)
12Leah Kirchmann (Team Manitoba)
13Mei-Yu Hsiao (Team Exustar Taiwan)
14Christine Roettger (Team Revolution)
15Karla Kingsley (SUGARCRM)
16Amy Mcguire (Hub Racing)
17Julia Lafranchise (NOW-MS Society)
18Kristin Wentworth (Team Kenda)
19Arley Kemmerer (Hub Racing)
20Kate Ross (Lip Smacker)
21Ho-Hsun Huang (Team Exustar Taiwan)
23Dale Tye (Altarum Women's Cycling Team)
24Janel Bedard (MVP Health Care Elite Cycling)
25Jessica Helmlinger (Cafe Hollander RDC)
26Lauren Liscinski (NOW-MS Society)
27Carrieann Kopernik (Nova Cycle Sports Foundation Inc.)
28Liz Leyden (Hub Racing)
29Antonia (Toni) Musto (Priority Health)
30Veronica Martinez (Hub Racing)
31Jennifer Johansen (NOW-MS Society)
32Monique Karlen (Team Kenda)
22Greta Neimanas (XXX Racing-Athletico)
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Sprint 1
1Jeannie Kuhajek (Team Mack)
2Kate Ross (Lip Smacker)
3Veronica Martinez (Hub Racing)
4Elizabeth Morse Hill (Hub Racing)
5Nicky Wangsgard (Colavita Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light)
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Sprint 2
1Jennifer Purcell (Colavita Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light)
2Mei-Yu Hsiao (Team Exustar Taiwan)
3Veronica Martinez (Hub Racing)
4Elizabeth Morse Hill (Hub Racing)
5Leah Kirchmann (Team Manitoba)
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Sprint 3
1Hsiao-Chia Tseng (Team Exustar Taiwan)
2Jennifer Purcell (Colavita Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light)
3Veronica Martinez (Hub Racing)
4Jeannie Kuhajek (Team Mack)
5Elizabeth Morse Hill (Hub Racing)
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Standings-Men
1Bernard Sulzberger (Fly V Australia)146pts
2Hans Dekkers (Garmin-Slipstream)112Row 1 - Cell 3
3Jay Thomson (Team MTN)111Row 2 - Cell 3
4Andreas Muller (No Radunion)111Row 3 - Cell 3
5Jonathan Cantwell (Fly V Australia)108Row 4 - Cell 3
6Christoff Van Heerden (Team MTN)98Row 5 - Cell 3
7Carlos Vargas (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)88Row 6 - Cell 3
8Joshua Carter (ABD Cycling Team)85Row 7 - Cell 3
9Chun-Kai Feng (Team Exustar Taiwan)73Row 8 - Cell 3
10Ricardo Van Der Velde (Garmin-Slipstream)66Row 9 - Cell 3
11James Stemper (Team Geargrinder)57Row 10 - Cell 3
12Chad Burdzilauskas (Kenda Pro Cycling presented by Spinergy)51Row 11 - Cell 3
13Robert Bush (Texas Roadhouse Cycling Team)47Row 12 - Cell 3
14Chad Hartley (Team Geargrinder)47Row 13 - Cell 3
15Andrew Bradley (Gourmetfein)41Row 14 - Cell 3
16Juan Van Heerden (Team MTN)41Row 15 - Cell 3
17Andrew Dahlheim (Metro Volkswagen Cycling Team)38Row 16 - Cell 3
18Hector Pastorino (ZMOTION)36Row 17 - Cell 3
19Toby Marzot (Team Mountain Khakis)35Row 18 - Cell 3
20Robert White (Team Geargrinder)35Row 19 - Cell 3
21Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies)33Row 20 - Cell 3
22Michael Van Eerd (Team YRC Now MS)31Row 21 - Cell 3
23Will Hoffarth (Team Mountain Khakis)30Row 22 - Cell 3
24Duane Dickey (Iowa City Cycling Club)25Row 23 - Cell 3
25Oneal Samuels (Myogenesis.Com P/B United Healthcare)24Row 24 - Cell 3
26Matthew Busche (ISCorp Cycling Team)23Row 25 - Cell 3
27Juan Gaspari (ZMOTION)22Row 26 - Cell 3
28Zachary Davies21Row 27 - Cell 3
29Sean Sullivan (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)19Row 28 - Cell 3
30Nick Frey (ciclismo racing)19Row 29 - Cell 3
31Spencer Beamer (Team Mountain Khakis p/b EP-NO)18Row 30 - Cell 3
32Ryan Freund (ABD Cycling Team)18Row 31 - Cell 3
33Nicholas Martinez (Now MS Society)18Row 32 - Cell 3
34Edgardo Richiez (Puerto Rico Cycling Team)18Row 33 - Cell 3
35Gustavo Rullo (ZMOTION)18Row 34 - Cell 3
36Cole House (BMC Racing Team)17Row 35 - Cell 3
37Ben Kersten (Fly V Australia)17Row 36 - Cell 3
38Andrew Crater (Wheel & Sprocket)16Row 37 - Cell 3
39Isaac Howe (Team Mountain Khakis)16Row 38 - Cell 3
40Jorge Alvarado (Kahala La-Grange)15Row 39 - Cell 3
41Anthony Bennett (Jittery Joe's U25 PB Kudzu.Com)13Row 40 - Cell 3
42Matthias Schroger (Gourmetfein)13Row 41 - Cell 3
43Mike Tettleton (Team Bearclaw)13Row 42 - Cell 3
44Bryan Mcvey (Vision Quest)13Row 43 - Cell 3
45Jason Short (RBM Matrix)13Row 44 - Cell 3
46Gabriel Acaba (Puerto Rico Cycling Team)13Row 45 - Cell 3
47Joseph Schmalz (Mercy Cycling Team)12Row 46 - Cell 3
48Jason Lowetz (Team Bearclaw)12Row 47 - Cell 3
49Alex Martinez (Kahala La-Grange)11Row 48 - Cell 3
50Curtis Gunn (Fly V Australia)11Row 49 - Cell 3
51Logan Loader (Team Mountain Khakis)10Row 50 - Cell 3
52Charles Huff (Jelly Belly Cycling Team)10Row 51 - Cell 3
53Jonathan Atkins (Team Latino)10Row 52 - Cell 3
54John (Jackie) Simes (Team Mountain Khakis)9Row 53 - Cell 3
55Wei-Cheng Lee (Team Exustar Taiwan)9Row 54 - Cell 3
56Andreas Graf (Gourmetfein)8Row 55 - Cell 3
57Chris Uberti (Panther/RGF Solutions PB Felt)8Row 56 - Cell 3
58James Flora (South Chicago Wheelmen)8Row 57 - Cell 3
59Ryan Nye (MVP Health Care Elite Cycling)7Row 58 - Cell 3
60Kevin Berger (Team Wheel & Sprocket)7Row 59 - Cell 3
61Clayton Goldsmith (Team Wheel & Sprocket)6Row 60 - Cell 3
62Matthew Brandt (Mesa Cycles Racing Team)6Row 61 - Cell 3
63Cory Hickman (Project 5 Racing)6Row 62 - Cell 3
64Danny Kam (Team Bearclaw)5Row 63 - Cell 3
65Ronnie Strange (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)5Row 64 - Cell 3
66Heath Blackgrove (Hotel San Jose/RGM Advisors)5Row 65 - Cell 3
67Derek Laan (Panther/RGF Cycling p/b Felt Bicycles)5Row 66 - Cell 3
68Nick Housley (Myogenesis P/B United Health Care)5Row 67 - Cell 3
69Derek Dixon (HDR P/B Lombardis Sports)4Row 68 - Cell 3
70Joe Lewis (Synergy)4Row 69 - Cell 3
71Jerome Townsend (Fitness Together/IF pb Lionette's)3Row 70 - Cell 3
72Robert Kelley (Team Bicycle Heaven)3Row 71 - Cell 3
73Ryan Baumann (Trek Livestrong)3Row 72 - Cell 3
74Max Taam (RD: Horizon Organic PB Prerace.com / MTN)2Row 73 - Cell 3
75Todd Yezefski (IF/Lionette's Cycling Team)2Row 74 - Cell 3
76Calixto Bello (ZMOTION)2Row 75 - Cell 3
77Connor Sallee (Williams Cycling)1Row 76 - Cell 3
78Craig Streit (Carlos OBriens Racing)1Row 77 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Standings-Women
1Nicky Wangsgard (Colavita Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light)127pts
2Shontell Gauthier (Colavita Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light)111Row 1 - Cell 3
3Jennifer Purcell (Colavita Sutter Home P/B Cooking Light)98Row 2 - Cell 3
4Emma Petersen (Team Ultralink)97Row 3 - Cell 3
5Mei-Yu Hsiao (Team Exustar Taiwan)89Row 4 - Cell 3
6Jeannie Kuhajek (Team Mack)82Row 5 - Cell 3
7Elizabeth Morse Hill (Hub Racing)80Row 6 - Cell 3
8Amy Mcguire (Hub Racing)71Row 7 - Cell 3
9Sheba Farrin (Hub Racing)69Row 8 - Cell 3
10Nicole Freidman51Row 9 - Cell 3
11Jenette Williams (Altarum Women's Cycling Team)48Row 10 - Cell 3
12Julia Farell (Team Ultralink)48Row 11 - Cell 3
13Trish Black (Morgan Stanley/Team Spine/Specialized)40Row 12 - Cell 3
14Kate Ross (Lip Smacker)40Row 13 - Cell 3
15Julia Lafranchise (NOW-MS Society)39Row 14 - Cell 3
16Josephine Giddens (Hub Racing)36Row 15 - Cell 3
17Gina Voci (Juice Plus)36Row 16 - Cell 3
18Anna Young (Team Lip Smacker)35Row 17 - Cell 3
19Veronica Martinez (Hub Racing)34Row 18 - Cell 3
20Christine Roettger (Team Revolution)33Row 19 - Cell 3
21Leah Kirchmann (Team Manitoba)29Row 20 - Cell 3
22Ho-Hsun Huang (Team Exustar Taiwan)28Row 21 - Cell 3
23Marie Rosado (Puerto Rico Cycling Team)28Row 22 - Cell 3
24Karlee Gendron (Woodcock Cycle Works)18Row 23 - Cell 3
25Arley Kemmerer (Hub Racing)15Row 24 - Cell 3
26Deborah Dust (Pact- DISH Network Cycling)14Row 25 - Cell 3
27Liz Leyden (Hub Racing)14Row 26 - Cell 3
28Karla Kingsley (SUGARCRM)12Row 27 - Cell 3
29Jennifer Johansen (NOW-MS Society)11Row 28 - Cell 3
30Julie Jerue (IS Corp)9Row 29 - Cell 3
31Luz E. Rodriguez (Puerto Rico Cycling Team)8Row 30 - Cell 3
32Lauren Liscinski (NOW-MS Society)8Row 31 - Cell 3
33Kristen Meshberg (BH USA)7Row 32 - Cell 3
34Francine Haas (Alberto's Sport)5Row 33 - Cell 3
35Kristin Wentworth (Team Kenda)3Row 34 - Cell 3
36Ashley Anderson (Proman Hit Squad)3Row 35 - Cell 3
37Dale Tye (Altarum Women's Cycling Team)2Row 36 - Cell 3
38Melissa (Missy) Erickson (Fort Lewis College)2Row 37 - Cell 3

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