Photos are available here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/run4central/sets/72157622510660280/

Complete series standings for the SCHEELS Central Iowa Cyclocross Series are at bikeiowa.com/cross.

Dirty Wooden Shoe - 10/3/2009
Whitebreast campground - Knoxville, Iowa

CX3
1  Carl Buchanan       WATERLOO        IA Rasmussen Death Squad 5000
2  Daniel Galles       IOWA CITY       IA Colorbiotics
3  Richard Wince       WEST DES MOINES IA Rasmussen Death Squad 5000
4  Steven Robinson     DES MOINES      IA ALL9Yards.com Cycling Team
5  William Greenwood   IOWA CITY       IA Bikes To You / World of Bikes
6  Adam Price          DURANT          IA Iowa City Cycling Club
7  Dennis Grelk        DONNELLSON      IA Unattached
8  Jeremi Walker       IOWA CITY       IA Unattached
9  Kyle Williams       IOWA CITY       IA Iowa City Cycling Club
--- Total  9  ---

Masters 35+
1  Chad Vande Lune     DES MOINES      IA All9Yards.com Cycling Team
2  Steven Bullerman    WATERLOO        IA Bike Tech Racing Club
3  Paul Deninger       IOWA CITY       IA Zoom Performance Racing
4  Norbert Koenigsfeld CEDAR RAPIDS    IA Atlas Cycling
5  Andy Zeiner         Des Moines      IA
6  Steve Fry           Des Moines      IA
--- Total  6  ---

Masters 45+
1  Todd Gillihan       CORALVILLE      IA Team Skin
2  Jim Robidoux        POLK CITY       IA ALL9Yards.com Cycling Team
3  Gerry Voelliger     BETTENDORF      IA DICE
4  Michael Shumway     WEST DES MOINES IA Zoom Performance Racing
5  Thomas Laughead     WEST DES MOINES IA Unattached
6  Kim West            DES MOINES      IA All9Yards.com Cycling Team
7  Randy Catron        URBANDALE       IA DMOS/RDMB Race Team
8  Paul Buchanan       WATERLOO        IA Bike Tech Racing Club
--- Total  8  ---

CX4
1  andrew fagersten    IOWA CITY       IA Bikes To You / World of Bikes
2  Steve Reynolds      ALTOONA         IA ALL9Yards.com Cycling Team
3  Jason Plunkett      WEST DES MOINES IA Rasmussen Death Squad 5000
4  Patrick Riley       Des Moines      IA
5  James White         WINDSOR HEIGHTS IA ALL9Yards.com Cycling Team
6  Chris Cornelison    WESTDESMOINES   IA DMOS/RDMB Race Team
7  Nickolas Chamberlin Ames            IA
8  herb hollwager      DESMOINES       IA ALL9Yards.com Cycling Team
10 Vance Fletcher      CHARITON        IA DMOS/RDMB Race Team
11 Thomas Behne        Iowa City       IA
12 Steve Clark
13 Scott Sumpter       ANKENY          IA MOB Racing
14 Mike Clark          IOWA CITY       IA World of Bikes
15 Robert Moural       Des Moines      IA
16 Paul Jensen         ALTOONA         IA ALL9Yards.com Cycling Team
17 steve flood         DES MOINES      IA Rasmussen Death Squad 5000
18 Kurt Benson         DESMOINES       IA Unattached
19 TJ Davis            Norwalk         IA
22 Tim Tripp           Pella
23 Marvin Van Wyk      Pella
24 Paul meyermann      Ashland         Ce
24 Perry Leysens       JOHNSTON        IA DMOS/RDMB Race Team
24 Cris Guevara        Des Moines      IA
--- Total  23  ---

Juniors
1  Tyler Rushing       Johnston        IA
2  Zach Vander Horst   Pella           IA Iowa Ortho
3  Jacob Vander Horst  Pella              Iowa Ortho
--- Total  3  ---

Women 1/2/3
1  Robin Williams      IOWA CITY       IA Iowa City Cycling Club
2  Lisa Vetterlien     Des Moines      IA Kenda
3  Darcy Sanford       NORTH LIBERTY   IA Team Skin
4  Cassandra Kessler   IOWA CITY       IA Team Skin
--- Total  4  ---

Women 4
1  Cindy DuBois        ANKENY          IA DMOS/RDMB Race Team
2  Julie Vardaman      Ames            IA
3  Kristen Burgess     URBANDALE       IA Unattached
4  Nancy Leysens       JOHNSTON        IA DMOS/RDMB Race Team
5  Michelle Pohlmeyer  URBANDALE       IA DMOS/RDMB Race Team
6  Rebecca Fletcher    CHARITON        IA DMOS/RDMB Race Team
7  Maria Ruhtenberg    DES MOINES      IA Punk Rock Cycling
--- Total  7  ---

CX 1/2/3
1  Tony Nichols        URBANDALE       IA Rasmussen Death Squad 5000
2  John Bailey         DES MOINES      IA Zoom Performance Racing
3  Camden Kirkpatrick  URBANDALE       IA Rasmussen Death Squad 5000
4  Nathan Kullbom      IOWA CITY       IA ATLAS/ECOLIPS
5  Kyle Sedore         Des Moines      Ia
6  Matt Gumm           ANKENY          IA All9Yards.com Cycling Team
7  Lane Anderson       ALTOONA         IA All9Yards.com Cycling Team
8  Robert Versteegh    ANKENY          IA Zoom Performance Racing
9  Jerome Rewerts      NEVADA          IA ALL9Yards.com Cycling Team
10 Jeremi Walker       IOWA CITY       IA Unattached
11 Brent Hauser        STATE CENTER    IA Colorbiotics
--- Total  11  ---

The course is in great condition considering the rain we have had, and we will be racing rain or shine.

Schedule:

Category/Entry Fee/Start Time
CX3/$25/10:30 a.m.
Masters 35+/45+/$25/10:30 a.m.
CX4/$25/Noon
Juniors/$20/Noon
Women 1/2/3/$25/1:30 p.m.
Women 4/$25/1:30 p.m.
CX 1/2/3/$25/3 p.m.

Complete details and door-to-door directions to the race venue are available on the Pella Bike Racing Web site: www.pellabikeracing.com/dirtyWoodenShoe/. Complete details and series standings for the SCHEELS Central Iowa Cyclocross Series are posted at www.bikeiowa.com/cross.

Lee Current rolled out of the start house just after 7 p.m. looking to set a fast time.  Moving quickly across the flat course, he came through to finish just under 19 minutes at 18:57, an average speed of 23.6 mph. Current’s performance marked an eight second improvement over last month.

Thirty seconds after Current took the course, Jacob Oyen took off on a season’s best performance coming to the line in 18:21. His time was fourth fastest in his category with an average speed of 24.38 mph.

Both Current and Oyen competed in the Eddy Merckx category, which limits the riders access to aero equipment.

Rick Gritters was the last of the Pella riders to take to the course. Gritters, using his streamliner recumbent, put down a blistering pace, averaging 28.67 mph and tied the fastest time of the night at 15:36.

The team will take the following weekend off in preparation for the Memorial Day weekend bike races on the east coast of Iowa.

Scattered showers make for a scattered peloton
The road race kicked off the weekend of racing for Current as he rolled up to the start line. With rain falling off and on most of the day, the course would prove to be exceptionally challenging given the conditions.

At the end of the first of three laps, Steve Reynolds (all9yards/Bike World) made his move to separate the field. Current missed the break, and spent the remainder of the race bridging the smattering of riders.

Current caught the tail end of the lead group as they started the third and final lap when another attack was made. Spending time between groups, he made caught on to a small group to make their way to the finish. Current finished the day in 28th.

A slippery Sunday
The Old Capitol criterium has been a racer favorite for years however, this year the racers were greeted with rain showers holding on from the previous day.

Current made his way to the line for the Cat. 4 race. After a slow start he climbed his way up through the pack just in time to get caught up in a mid-race crash. Missing out on the field sprint, Current grouped up with other crash victims and chased the field to come through in 17th.

The race team team will take a short break before heading to regional races on Mother’s day weekend.

Lee Current kicked off the racing on the winding one mile course in the the cat. 4 race. With the race staying together most of the way, the peloton kept things in order as they made their way to the finish. Staying in the group to the finish, Current came through in seventh in the field sprint.

Jacob Oyen toed the line for the cat. 3 race next. A small group of just 14 riders joined him for the 20 mile race. After a quick start the attacks began with four riders getting up the road just a few laps into the race. As the peloton struggled to work together, the gap steadily increased through the course of the race. The lead group lapped the main field on the last lap and Oyen caught a tow to the line to take sixth.

The racers head to Iowa City next weekend for the Old Capitol Criterium and Iowa City Road race.

Averaging 26.10 mph, Rick Gritters put down a time of 17:10 over the mostly flat course.  Although he was the only person in the recumbent class, his time was good enough to place him sixth fastest for the night. Gritters also put out a call to open the class up to anything that is pedal powered. His call was answered by the race organizers and he looks forward to new challengers.

Lee Current has built a solid foundation for the start of his season with a time of 19:05. Current’s time placed him fifth in the Eddy Merckx category which restricts riders to using non-aerodynamic equipment.

The racers have a short break before heading up to Dubuque for the Eagle Point Criterium this weekend. Mother Nature will continue to harass the riders with the forecast calling for rain. The adverse conditions look to make the race interesting for the riders and exciting for the spectators.

While there may be fewer riders for the 2009 racing season, the goals have been set high. Lee Current and Todd Toom are looking forward to racing in the category 4 races as well as giving the masters racers a run for their money.

Rick Gritters will continue to compete in HPV races with his stable of recumbent bicycles. Gritters returns to racing after spending much of the 2008 season riding across the United States to raise money in the fight against poverty.

Jumping up to the category 3 races for 2009 is Jacob Oyen. Oyen has a diverse schedule of events throughout the midwest planned.

Dave Vander Horst looks to tackle the cyclocross scene. His passion for racing doesn’t end there though. Vander Horst is planning a much anticipated cyclocross race on the shores of Lake Red Rock.

Renewed support
The Iowa Orthopaedic Center continues their commitment as the title sponsor of the Pella team. Digital Solutions Inc. and Iowa Bike and Fitness have also committed to the team’s 2009 campaign. All of the racers thank these gracious sponsors for their support.

A new race
The team is making plans to host the Dirty Wooden Shoe cyclocross race on the shores of Lake Red Rock on October 3. The cyclocross race will offer a new challenge racers young and old. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.

The 2009 roster includes the following racers:
Lee Current
Rick Gritters
Jacob Oyen
Todd Toom
Dave Vander horst

Cool temperatures greeted Fleener as he lined up in the second row of a 70-plus rider field. Once the gun went off, Fleener wasted no time in getting to the front of the field. A crash 150 meters into the race also helped to separate the field.

The challenging Mt. Krumpit helped to further seperate the field and allowed Fleener to showcase his climbing strength. The 150-meter run-up provided spectators a chance to see riders suffer and challenge their bike carrying skills. After completing six laps Fleener came to the line in fourth place.

Fleener plans to wrap up his season at the Illinois state cyclocross championships on the shores of Lake Michigan next weekend.

A strong start helped Fleener to his second cyclocross victory of the year. The relatively dry course and challenging terrain made for exciting racing all day.

“I knew I had to put in a solid start since there are so many strong riders. Once I got into a rhythm, I just kept the hammer down. ” Fleener said.

His first place finish puts him fifth in the series points out of 96 competitors. Fleener plans to attend Jingle Cross in Iowa City and then will wrap up his season at the Illinois state championship on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Fleener races in Chicago cyclocross series
Kyle Fleener came away with a victory at the Prarie ‘Cross race in  Prarie du Chien, Wisc. early in the season. The following weekend he placed second in the Carpenter Park cyclocross race. After a weekend off, Fleener took another second place at the St. Charles cyclocross race.

Vanderhorst at Cross Out Chrons
Dave Vanderhorst made the trek to Newton for the ‘Cross out Chrons race at the beginning of October. The challenging race was a benefit for Chrons disease. Vanderhorst placed 13th on the hilly course in Newton.

Oyen at Iowa cyclocross state championships
The state championship race, benefiting the Iowa SIDS foundation, was a relatively flat and fast course in Altoona this past weekend. After 30 minutes of racing, Oyen found himself battleling with Dave Mable (all9yards.com) for the final two laps. After playing possum most of the way to the finish, Oyen outlasted Mable and crossed the line in sixth.