Norfolk - A miniature version of the Tour de France will take shape in Norfolk this weekend during the two-day, three-stage Norfolk Classic Stage Race.

More than 100 professional and amateur bicycle racers from several Midwest states are expected to compete in the inaugural event, which is sanctioned by the United States Cycling Federation and part of the Nebraska “Rider of the Year” series.

The favorite in the women’s race is Norfolk Senior High graduate Morgan Chaffin, the reigning state time trial and criterium champion. The 23-year-old spends several hours a day training – often riding more than 50 miles at time - while working to complete her exercise science major at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The weather-shortened race took Kingsbury and teammates Ryan Feagan, Larry Kintner and Roxzanne Abbott 19 hours and 18 seconds to complete. Riding as team "Nebraskacyclingnews.com," they finished 32 minutes and 58 seconds behind the winner, Terry's Birthday Bash. The Hayward, Wisc., team was comprised of Billy French, Jeff O'Gara, Michelle Flanagan-Haas and Terry Tansey.

Even before the race began, a strong storm poured rain onto the course and knocked down trees. By the time the 806 riders took to the start line, the temperature had dropped to 64 degrees.

But the course dried out by the third lap of the 13.5-mile course and the racing was nearly as fast as the rising mercury. But as the competition thundered into its 19-th hour, the skies opened up again, unleashing a fierce wind, lightning and driving rain. At 5:30 a.m., after reviewing radar and storm warnings, promoters and officials neutralized the race, stopping all riders at the three safety check points on the course and at the finish line.

The race was briefly restarted after 75 minutes but a second storm front moved in. With a wall cloud in the area, a decision was made to cancel the event and get all riders off the course. The decision was made to make the results official as of the last lap completed of the original race neutralization at 5:30 a.m.

Chris Eatough (Trek/VW) of Ellicott City, Md., and Rebecca Rusch (Red Bull Specialized) of Ketchum, Idaho, won the men’s and women’s solo division crowns.

As a Cat. A official, Weide is eligible to receive national-level race officiating assignments. He is the second Nebraska resident to achieve this status, joining veteran national commissaire Sue Hefle of Lincoln.

Weide, who has 25 years of experience in the sport as a competitor, race promoter, club officer, team director and cyling official, offered a local perspective on American Floyd Landis' positive doping result after Stage 17 of the Tour de France.

When asked why professional cyclists at the upper echelon of the sport would consider doing something that would potentially end their career, Weide responded with an analogy.

"People who rob banks don't believe they will ever get caught," he said. "The same holds true for athletes who are doping. They believe they can cheat the system - and sometimes they get away with it. Unfortunately, they are only hurting themselves. And when they get caught, it casts the entire sport in a bad light."