While a strong wind out of the northwest Iowa brought cold temperatures, cyclists bundled up and rolled out of the Cumming Tap for the high noon start. Riders came from near and far to tackle the 5.7-mile loop of hilly gravel, just off the Great Western Trail south of Cumming. Don Asaacs made the drive from Beloit Wisconsin. "I came down for the CIRREM race a couple of weeks ago, and liked the vibe," he said after the race.
Half a dozen men and a sole woman took on the long course in the A-Race, six laps for a total of 35 miles, into the wind at times and pushed by the breeze others. Fingers, toes, cheeks and nose, all protected from the below-zero wind chills. "It wasn't that bad once you got going," said rider Jeff Anker. Jason Scholbrock agreed, "The first leg was up a long hill, and your adrenaline all helped you warm up." Steve Faulk used the breeze to help regulate his body temperature, "You'd zip up going into the wind, and working hard would heat you up," he said once back in the warmth of the Cumming Tap. "Then you'd turn and have a tail wind, and unzip to cool off. It really wasn't that bad."
Trevor Arunsiripate, "Trevor A," he said at the podium presentation, climbed to the third step of the A-Race. Kyle Bredesky of Polk City finished second while All The Wattz rider Ryan Tweeted took off solo in the first lap to earn the $50 cash prize for first place. In the women's race, Sakari/Smart Honda rider Lisa Vetterlein battled the winds and hills to take the first place cash.
In the four-lap B-Race Steve Crann of West Des Moines took the victory, followed by Skyler Gartlin and Jason Scholbrock. Tracy McIntosh and Meghan Can took first and second in the women's B-Race.
The race was sponsored by BIKEIOWA.com and the Cumming Tap and organized by the BIKEIOWA.com Racing Team.
Photos by Dave Mable are available at GoSportsPhoto.com or by
clicking here.