Tour of America’s Dairyland: Stage 7 Report

Trek Waterloo Classic

Trek Bicycles welcomed riders with open arms of generous primes to their corporate headquarters city of Waterloo for Stage 7 of the Tour of America’s Dairyland presented by Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, where both Carrie Cash Wooten (Team Vera Bradley Foundation) and Rahsaan Bahati (Bahati Foundation) stole their respective shows.

It was a hot and sticky day at the Trek Waterloo Classic, and although the rain clouds refrained from bursting until after the seventh and final race, the day was not without its share of lightning.

Trek was tossing out primes left and right, including two sets of Bontrager Classic Wheelsets, inciting some fires in the belly throughout the day. Jacqueline Crowell (Team Type 1) who took home two back-to-back stage wins in Thiensville and Grafton, pounded hard for a well-deserved wheel prime win. The final lap of the women’s race saw one rider off in the clear and two others challenging. In the end, it was Carrie Cash Wooten (Team Vera Bradley Foundation) digging in on the inside and gunning toward the line for the win, edging out Sarah Caravella (Team CARD), who stays in the yellow leaders jersey, and Jessie MacLean, last year’s Overall champion.

Stage 4 in Appleton saw original 7-Eleven rider and U.S. Olympian Tom Schuler, a ToAD co-founder, kitted up for the Masters race prior to the Pros taking the line. Today in Waterloo, riding for Kenda Pro Cycling pb GEARGRINDER, it was nine-time Tour de France cyclist Frankie Andreu making the Masters start list for some added fan frenzy.

But once the Pros took the line, the day turned into a scorcher. With eight to go, Bahati bolted from last to first in a blink, after which Rubicon Orbea took the lead for a couple to reap some coveted Trek primes. But being the longest crit on the 2010 ToAD schedule at 1.6 miles, the climb on the backside of the course was like a game of Gnip-Gnop.

With two to go, Aerocat had a handful of guys lined up from the top through fifth, with Texas Roundhouse staging three in the top 10 and Aurelion Passeron (Garneau) and teammate James Langedale on their wheel. Four Rubicon Orbea riders took control with one to go, as Texas Roadhouse came around on the outside.

Once the International Autos MINI pace car pounded around the final turn, it was an all-out field sprint. Announcer Todd Busteed likened Bahati, who had not been on the front for the last five laps, to a cat just waiting at the door for that right moment. At the 100 meter mark, the field was spread out five wide with Rubicon Orbea on the inside and Aerocat down the middle but out of nowhere, the cat came home as Bahati defined the moment and snatched the win from Juan Pablo Dotti (Aerocat) and Emile Abraham (Aerocat) who settled for second and third.

With the win, Bahati rockets to the top of the Overall podium, with James Stemper (Kenda Pro Cycling pb GEARGRINDER) a mere three points back. Bahati will race Tour of America’s Dairyland thru the ISCorp Downer Classic this Saturday, before leaving early Sunday for the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix. This contest is far from over.

Tour of America’s Dairyland heads to Greenbush on Thursday for a twisting and winding, 9.8 mile road race loop through the Kettle Moraine Forest before making a Stage 9 stop at the Fond du Lac Bicycling Gran Prix on Friday.