The following letter to the editor was printed in the Aug. 25 edition of the Lincoln Journal Star, Nebraska's second-largest daily newspaper.

I was disappointed to read the letter by Derald E. Gottsleben (“No rules for bicyclists,” Aug. 18) criticizing the behavior of bicyclists in Lincoln.

It is unfortunate that a very small percentage of commuter cyclists are ruining the image of those who are obeying the traffic laws. However, the same runs true for motorists. For every 200 cars that pass me on my commute, there is usually one that nearly clips me with its side mirror, cuts me off at a turn or honks at me as if I have no business riding in the street.

As a member of one of Nebraska’s largest bicycle clubs, Team Kaos, we constantly preach to our members to follow the rules of the road, ride defensively — and to always wear a helmet. The majority of us also own cars, so we are paying for our right to ride on city streets.

Sean Weide, Omaha

Team Kaos' Morgan Chaffin (left), Ian Robertson and Emily Farnham lead their respective divisions in the Nebraska Rider of the Year standings.

Omaha, Neb. – With only two events remaining, three racers from Team Kaos lead their categories in the Nebraska Rider of the Year (ROY) competition.

Morgan Chaffin has mathematically clinched the Women’s Cat. I-II-III title for the second consecutive season. Chaffin has won six of seven ROY events and holds a 410-point advantage over teammate Marie Neville. Team Kaos’ Theresa Blume is third in the Women’s Cat. I-II-III category standings.

In the Women’s Cat. IV standings, Team Kaos’ Emily Farnham holds a 105-point lead over Ciao Baby Racing’s Cheryl Gerkins heading into the final two ROY events: the Nebraska State Road Race (Sept. 9) and the Nebraska Cycling Association Grand Prix (Sept. 10).

Team Kaos’ Ian Robertson holds onto a slim 15-point lead over Lincoln Plating-Lemond’s Jon Randall in the Pro-I-II standings. Two other Team Kaos racers, Tim Farnham and Joe McWilliams, are in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Morgan Chaffin (riding for the women’s “Carter Lake Swim Team”) and Matt Pavlovich (competing as a member of the men’s team, “Team Nebraska”) each rode impressively during the 56-mile time trial leg of the half-Ironman race at Pleasant Creek State Park near Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Pavlovich blazed to the 10th fastest cycling leg, averaging 23.9 miles an hour over the two hours and 20 minutes it took him to complete three-and-a-half laps of the 15.5-mile course through some scenic countryside. Team Nebraska finished nearly 21 minutes ahead of the second place team, Vermeer Mfg. Multisport.

Chaffin (pictured) clocked the fastest cycling leg by any woman, averaging 22.8 miles an hour while making up a 27-minute deficit after her teammate swam 1.2 miles. The two-time Nebraska state women’s time trial champion even passed three-time Ironman Champion Health Gollnick, who finished second overall to Malaika Homo of Salt Lake City.