Race With a Friend! Cross the Rock Relay Aug. 30!

Some things are better done with a partner. 

And Team Velocause is giving you a chance to pair up with someone to race cyclocross at The Rock!

Velocause, one of the teams sponsored by Ben's Cycle, is promoting Cross the Rock, a cyclocross relay race on August 30. Each person does one lap, then dismounts from the bike, and high fives the partner who goes on to do the next lap.

Save time by registering early.

Plus, there is a patio bar at The Rock, in Franklin, laser-cut trophies, and a DJ putting out the sound on the hill! 

We will be there supporting the racers and perhaps sampling what the Umbrella Bar has to offer!

Skylar Schneider Gets Jersey Back, Sam, Nathan Keep Theirs

Samantha Schneider (TIBCO) increased her lead in the overall pro women series at the Tour of America's Dairyland by winning the Elkhart Lake Road Race at Road America.

Skylar and Samantha Schneider

Schneider, from West Allis, beat out Tina Pic (Fearless Femme) and Erica Allar (Colavita-Fine Cooking) in the sprint. 

Skylar Schneider

Schneider's 15-year-old sister Skylar regained the Cat. 2 series lead by placing sixth in the race. 

Nate Labecki keeps the jersey

Nolan Hoffman won the pro men's race from a seven-man break. Wisconsin native Cole House (Intelligentsia Coffee) finished 11th. 

Nathan Labecki (ISCorp), who lives in Milwaukee, finished 32nd and maintained his lead in the Cat. 2 overall series. 

Nathan in the Schlitz Park crit.

In the masters Cat. 1/2 race, Velocause rider Mario Medina finished 8th. Andy Feuersthaler is in seventh and Brian Leatherman in 10th overall in the 35 plus division. Michael Froh is 4th in the 45 plus.

In the masters 3/4 race, Milwaukee Bicycle Company Race Team rider Chad Tucker entered his one road race of the year and finished 12th. Benny Smith (Velocause) remains in eighth overall in the 35 plus series, and Ross Giese (Velocause) rose to fourth overall in the 45 plus category.

Schneider Narrowly Keeps Jersey at Schlitz Park Criterium

The Tour of America's Dairyland visited arguably the most challenging course of the series: the Schlitz Park Criterium. Racers climb a long, steep hill up Second Avenue, then a winding downhill.

A three-woman break got up the road and New Zealand rider Joanne Kiesanowski (TIBCO) took the win. Sam Schneider, also of TIBCO, took fifth and maintained a narrow one-point lead over Erica Allar (Colavita-Fine Cooking)

Schneider's 15-year-old sister Skylar (TIBCO) finished back in the field and lost her Cat. 2 series leader's jersey. Skylar is limited to "junior gearing" because of her age, which means she doesn't have the big gears needed to ride fast down hill.

As a testament to her positive personality, Skylar awarded the Oarsmn Capital Top Amateur Jersey to Laura Jorgenson (Mellow Mushroom). Skylar is now just two points behind Jorgensen.

Here is Tom Held's report in the Journal Sentinel.

Nathan Labecki (ISCorp-Intelligentsia Coffee) finished again as the top amateur in the Pro Men's field to maintain his lead in the Cat. 2 Oarsman Capital series.

Wisconsin natives Jordan Cullen (Hagens Berman Development Team), James Stemper (Kenda 5-Hour Energy) and Cole House (Intelligentsia Coffee) finished second, third, and sixth in the pro men's race respectively.

For Team Velocause, Benny Smith had a great result in finishing third in the Masters 3/4 race. Ross Giese also finished 13th. Smith is now fifth in the 35 plus overall series, while Giese is sixth in the 45 plus overall.

Brian Leatherman, Michael Froh, and Chris Zugel finished the Masters 1/2 race. Andy Feuersthaler, who took the night off, is still in seventh overall in the 35 plus series, while Leatherman moved up to ninth. Froh is now fourth in the 45 plus series.

Schneider Dominance in Women's Pro Field at ToAD

Samantha Schneider (TIBCO) took both the win and overall lead Saturday in the pro women's field at the Giro d' Grafton event of Tour of America's Dairyland.

Schneider, from West Allis, WI, sprinted to a huge win in Grafton and came away with a slight lead in the overall standings. Her 15-year-old sister Skyler finished 11th and is still on top of the category 2 series.

More than 60 women finished in the field, one of the largest women's races in the country.

In the pro men's event, the United Healthcare juggernaut came away with first and second with Ken Hansen and Luke Keough finishing ahead of the field. Overall series leader Daniel Holloway finished third.

Chad Hartley (Athlete Octane) continued to shine as a teammate and still ended up 20th in the race.

In the Masters 1/2 event, Velocause team rider Andy Feuersthaler finished 10th and now sits in fourth place in the overall.

Local riders Chris Hill (KS Energy/ Team Wisconsin), Brian Kaker (LAPT), and Nathan Labecki (ISCorp) are at the top of the category 2 series.

Racers converge today on Waukesha for the Carl Zach Cycling Classic.

Schneider Third in East Troy ToAD Race

West Allis native Samantha Schneider (Team TIBCO) placed third in the East Troy stop of the Tour of America's Dairyland. Tina Pic (Fearless Femme) won the second round of the ToAD series Friday while Schneider's teammate Kendall Ryan took second.

Here's the story at the ToAD site.

Schneider, Pic, Ryan, and Erica Allar (Colavita-Fine Cooking) are all tied for points in the series. Schneider's 15-year-old sister and teammate Skylar finished 15th and kept her lead in the Oarsman Capital Category 2 competition.

Andreina Rivera of Kenosha finished 10th.

Andrew Dahlheim and Daniel Holloway of the Athlete Octane team finished first and second in the pro men's race. Their teammate Chad Hartley of Fox Point finished 19th.

James Stemper (5-Hour Energy/ Kenda) of Wauwatosa finished 10th. Chris Hill (KS Energy) of Racine leads the Category 2 series competition, while Milwaukee native and friend of Ben's Nathan Labecki (ISCorp) is in third.

In the Masters 35 plus Category 1, 2 race, Velocause racers Andy Feuersthaler placed fourth and Andy Ohlsson eighth.

Benny Smith of Velocause finished 6th in the Masters 3/4 race.

Tour of America's Dairyland Kicks Off in Shorewood

The Tour of America's Dairyland began Thursday night in Shorewood in the Shorewood Criterium Cycling Classic presented by Shorewood Business Improvement District just before the skies opened and the rain fell. 

Erica Allar (Colavita-Fine Cooking) won the women's race in a field sprint, beating out West Allis native and niece of Ben's Cycle IT guy Dan Schneider Samantha Schneider (Team TIBCO) took second. Schneider won the overall ToAD women's series last year and is looking to repeat her win. Skyler Schneider, Sam's 15-year-old phenom sister also riding for TIBCO, took 7th. 

Daniel Holloway (Athlete Octane) won the men's race out of a four-man break. Wisconsin riders Max Anderson (Lakes Area Physical Therapy), Chad Hartley (Athlete Octane), Cole House, and Dan Teaters (Team Wheel and Sprocket) finished in the top 20. 

Matt Kelley (Quantum Mesa Cycles) won the category 2/3 race. Local riders Al Krueger and Fred Derocher both of KS Energy/ Team Wisconsin finished 6th and 8th, respectively.

Full results can be seen here. Racers travel to East Troy today for a full day of racing in all categories. Watch for Velocause team, sponsored by Ben's Cycle, in the results!

Spotlight: Team Velocause Donates

 Team Velocause not only rides and races their bicycles in events all over the state, but they also donate their time and money to non-profit organizations across the community.  As seen in the photo above their recent endeavor was painting at the Penfield Children Center.  Their mission is unlike any other cycling team, so be watchful of these guys on and off the race track!  Ben's Cycle and Milwaukee Bicycle Co. is also a proud sponsor of this very passionate group of Masters bicycle racers.