In attempt to finish off a large base period I opted to head north to the inaugural La Flech du Nord, the final race of the UP Classics. Earlier in the week I had no desire to finish base with a race but the hype built up from the brilliant marketing of Chris Schmidt and the void I was feeling from missing the Ronde, it could not be ignored. I packed the family, the dog, and of course the bike and headed North.
As usual on my blog I write a detailed race report. I'm refraining from the usual this time around because I have come across a brilliant rendition of La Fleche du Nord which explains every detail of the race to near perfection. Hold on to your handlebars for this one.
Sunny skies, warm temperatures and clam winds were a welcome change to a spring that has been slow in coming to the northwoods and sent spirits high among the field of 30+ riders who had congregated in the scenic town square for the start. Plied with fresh baked goods and lithium by race organizers, smiles and good cheer came easy to the riders. Few knew, however, of the march of pain that awaited them on the long forgotten and rarely traveled back roads of Michigan's northernmost and least populous county.
The Favorites
On hand were some familiar faces from the U.P. classics circuit as well as those of numerous Houghton-based riders, all eager to leave their mark on what has been one of the most challenging classics seasons to date. Tyler Gauthier (Culver's Cycling) of Ishpeming, coming off of a 9th place finish in the first Wisconsin Off Road Series event of the season in the pro class, was certainly the man to beat. Ronde van Skandia champion Derek Anderson, backed by Marquette's powerful Chocolay Ace squad, was to be a marked man as well. The local hopeful was Flyer Cycles rider Ryan Tervo of Hancock who demonstrated fine form with a second place finish in last week's Ronde. A trio of other Marquette riders, all riding for the Ace team, had been given fair odds by the bookies as well: Paul Johnston, who fueled the winning break in the Ronde; David Grant, allegedly capable of imparting femur-snapping attacks at the blink of an eye; and another hometown hopeful, Mik Kilpela, originally of Atlantic Mine, now of Marquette.
How it Happened
As the bells in the nearby cathedral tolled ten times, riders returned their bidons to their holders and set off for the finish on Brockway Mountain, a dizzying 700 feet above Lake Superior. Chatter coursed through the field during the 15 mile neutral start, riders eager to predict victory during the precious few minutes of the race when anyone could still be crowned champion. As muscles warmed and minds focused, however, an ominous quiet, punctuated only by the staccato of clenbuterol inhalers, descended upon the field, the end of the three mile gravel climb that marked the start of the race now in sight.
The long descent to Lake Superior on Tamarack Waterworks Road discouraged any early attacks. Lone Cross Country Sports rider Pat Szubielak of Calumet, with muscle mass on his side, made the first attempt at a break but was quickly reabsorbed by a nervous field. The day's first true test was just around the corner, and came in the form of an eye-popping, four mile, dirt climb. Tyler Gauthier wasted no time in setting tempo, leaving behind a wake of flotsam and jetsom. An initial selection was made immediately, with just 10 riders making the cut. As the grade steepened, fans lined the course, two deep in places, offering water and food to anyone able to take a hand from the bars. Ace rider Derek Anderson again pushed the pace, taking with him five other riders: Gauthier, Tervo, Grant, Johnston and Kilpela. Four others, Ace D.S. Tom Mahaney, Priority Health rider Peter Lawrence, Culver's rider Glen Lerlie, and Red Jacket Chris Schmidt, struggled to maintain contact. Quickly, however, the quartet was stranded in no-man's land, the leaders well up the road, behind them only a cloud of dirt. Further back, the field worked hard to rejoin the head of the race. The efforts of Red Jackets Tim Kostner, Mark Klein, Dave Watkins and John Gershenson , Flyer Cycles riders Paul Belknap, Bill Marlor and Mike Abbott, Chocolay Ace rider Nicole Alexander and independent riders Bob Carpenter and Tony Schwennn, among others, were untiring and well organized, but ultimately unsuccessful in bringing down the gap.
For their efforts, riders were rewarded with a breathtaking view of the Keweenaw as they negotiated the idyllic, one-lane descent from Bumbletown towards the next secteur of dirt. The long winters had left their mark on the pavement, however, and a pair of riders suffered punctures in the long, thin shadow of the Allouez radio tower: favorite in the women's division, Nicole Alexander, saw chances at victory deflated and Red Jacket rider Chris Schmidt was separated from his group of chasers.
Following an uneventful passage through the Copper City secteur and ascent of the, mile-long Fulton climb, the race turned south for a mile before again heading north on flat, wind-prone Cliff Drive. At the front, the leading quartet had become somewhat complacent, allowing the next group to move within two minutes. Schmidt, having repaired his puncture, was given permission to bypass secteur three by race commissars and rejoin the quartet of chasers, which now included Kilepla, who had been dislodged form the group of leaders on Bumbletown hill.
Brass Tacks and Steel Staples
Though now halfway over, the race was only just beginning. Ahead awaited three climbs, each longer and steeper than the last. Near the base of the first of the three, misfortune befell Ace rider David Grant when a rogue staple penetrated the Kevlar armor of his rear tire. Derek Anderson still had the benefit of one teammate, and Paul Johnston worked tirelessly to protect the team leader.
With speeds in excess of 45 miles per hour, the racers breezed through Eagle River. Leaving town, was a much slower, more painful affair: a blind turn sent riders onto the Garden City secteur, which featured a 15% ramp of soft dirt followed by three more miles of gradual climbing. With standing on the pedals all but impossible, riders assumed contorted positions to gain traction and inch up the steepest parts of the climb. As the elevation increased, the road surface gradually transformed into a slurry of mud and sand. The finely tuned racing bikes sung a song of despair, gears and bearings penetrated by dirt and grime. The cacophonous line of cyclists, lungs wheezing in the pollen-filled air, made slow progress before finally turning north on the smooth tarmac of the Eagle Harbor Crosscut.
A hide speed descent into Eagle Harbor set the stage for one of the day's toughest tests: the DelawareShortcut. This final secteur of dirt covered four, soul-sucking, miles of hell. Cavernous, man-size potholes were a constant hazard, wind-fallen trees rested on power lines, threatening all who dared to approach them, and packs of ravenous wolfs circled riders with hungry eyes as they struggled to make ground, pedal stroke by arduous pedal stroke. The road, which only days before had been impassible to all but the most rugged of vehicles was again navigable by bike, if only barely. Riders were faced with soft mud, deep snow, and flowing water as they entered the upper reaches of the climb. Sensing opportunity, it was Gauthier made a move through the snow on one of the steep ramps that dotted the col. Quickly, he opened a gap of 10m. Behind him, Tervo and Anderson opted for a different line and were nearly brought to a standstill by the tenacious mud and the lead grew by another 20m. Johnston faltered as well, and it appeared as though Gauthier may have established the lead he was looking for, but Tervo was able to recover from the mistake and bridge back up to Gauthier near the end of the secteur. Behind them Anderson fought hard to keep from losing more time. Johnston, now alone, was joined at the end of the secteur by Grant, who had missed a turn and inadvertently bypassed two secteurs. A determined Mik Kilpela pursued the leading five alone, having broken away from his compatriots on the Garden City secteur. His position seemed safe, however, the trio of Lawrence, Lerlie and Schmidt resigned to their fate. Behind them, thought was only on survival.
The narrow, tree-lined, final 10 miles of pavement leading to the base of the Brockway Mountain climb in Copper Harbor coaxed riders forward, no matter how tired. Gentle ups and downs, minimal traffic and the promise of one final descent into Copper Harbor were all it took to keep the legs turning.
Fire on the Mountain
The reality of the final climb hit riders like a brick wall. A pair of 20% pitches in quick succession and 700 feet of climbing after the 70 miles that preceded it took every bit of energy the riders could muster. Entering Copper Harbor together at the front of the race were Tyler Gauthier and Ryan Tervo. The pair shook hands to commend each other on a job well done and to wish each other a solid ride to the finish. The duo crested the first steep section together, handelbars and cranks creaking with each pedal stroke. Gauthier made his winning move on the final switchback, opening a gap on the tiring Tervo with 1500m to go, which he held to the finish. Derek Anderson, despite his best efforts, settled for third place ahead of Paul Johnston and David Grant.
Taking top honors in the women's division was Nicole Alexander.
Event organizer Chris Schmidt would like to thank everyone who came out to ride and everyone who volunteered time to help make the day a success, especially Chris and Tammi Lehto, who provided unlimited limited support; Steve Webber, who made sure everyone had plenty to eat and drink; event photographer Adam Griffis; Ryan Tervo, who assisted with marking and teardown; John Gershenson, who helped with course recon; and Bob and Jan Haase for spectating. A big thanks as well to the Red Jacket Cycling Team for supplying food, The Bike Shop of Houghton, Copper Harbor Trails Club for securing use of the Copper Harbor Community Center, and Bulldog Brewing of Houghton for post-ride brews.
For more photos from the day, head over to adamjoon.smugmug.com.
Thank you to Chris Schmidt and everyone else involved for a great day of riding and for all the efforts to make this ride feel like a true Belgium classic. If the stars align again next year you have my word, I will be back.
Story courtesy of Chris Schmidt www.bikethekeweenaw.com
Pictures courtesy of Adam adamjoon.smugmug.com
Story courtesy of Chris Schmidt www.bikethekeweenaw.com
Pictures courtesy of Adam adamjoon.smugmug.com
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