Stage 5 - Stillwater Criterium

Sunday - June 12, 2005

Stillwater is a fabulous river town on the St. Croix River. It is Minnesota's very first town...and the hometown of Minnesota Dad. When Mike was growing up and visiting his Grandma...who's home was right on the race course, he remembers taking the garden hose and spraying the racer's with water as they raced around the circuit.

The 2005 Nature Valley Grand Prix came to a close today following the final stage-5 Criterium in downtown Stillwater, Minnesota. The terms "Criterium" and "downtown" are sort of a misnomer as the timed event (1 hour) is actually a 1.5-mile circuit that is either rising or falling, through the neighborhoods overlooking the waterfront shopping district. Depending on the source of information, the main climb on Chilkoot Hill is either 18% or 22%, but the first reaction from the racers is always the same: we have to go up that?

The guys were staying in St. Paul and so they rode over to Stillwater. I decided to ride in Plymouth since I knew the roads, and the day was lovely. This would be a good time to Thank our hosts, Terri & Bob and Bill & Ruth. They went so far above and beyond "hosts"...we were so lucky! (Side note: host Bill Johnson worked as a rep for Avocet in the early 90's---so he knew the Hoffackers...cycling is such a very small world!)

Back to the race----I won't bore you with how fast and hard it was. Not that it's boring...hardly, but I've been wordy enough. Devon was a rockstar and grunted up the hill. I don't think he planned on feeling so good in the race. No one dropped out and the usual fun-seekers were drilling it at the front. Richard England (I thought it was Menzies but I thought wrong), Ben Raby and Jonathon Page were the top 3 finishers (in that order), with Lieswyn taking the Overall win.

For once I will let the pictures suffice for the most part. It was a fun race. I am beat. I drove the messy team van home...and had to unload it when I finally got to home-sweet-home Marshall, MN. Happy to see Mike and the Scrapper. Good job guys!