 Gretna, Neb. — Team Kaos’ Morgan Chaffin captured her third consecutive Ak-Sar-Ben Time Trial while enjoying the best weather conditions of the series.
Chaffin clocked a time of 54 minutes and 39 seconds under sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 70s. However, her time Saturday was 24 seconds slower over the 20.32-mile course than when she won the second Ak-Sar-Ben Time Trial in the midst of a thunderstorm on June 25.
"I thought it was windier today, especially coming back at the end," Chaffin said. "It seemed like there was more traffic out here, too."
In the Cat. I-II-III division, Husker Road Club’s Jeff Luedtke scored his third straight victory by clocking the fastest time of the day, 44:16, eight seconds slower than his performance at the second time trial of the series.
However, Luedtke was nearly two minutes faster than his nearest competitor, Jon Randell of Lincoln Plating-LeMond. Randell covered the course in 46:08, while LBC Highgear’s Mike Munson was third in 46:51.
Marco Vasquez of Team Kaos, riding a new Hed AeroLab VO4 frame (of which only 100 were produced), turned in a 47:22 in his first appearance of the series.
"I still need to make some adjustments, but it felt pretty fast," Vasquez said. "I got mistakenly paged for work at 2 a.m. last night and couldn’t get back to sleep until 4. So I didn’t get the best night of sleep, either."
Most Team Kaos riders, including Chaffin, will next be in action at the two-stage Tour of Kansas City, Aug. 12-13.
Ak-Sar-Ben Time Trial #3
July 30, 20.32 Miles At Gretna
Conditions: 77 degrees, northwest wind 15 mph, clear skies
USCF Women: 1, Morgan Chaffin, Team Kaos, Omaha, 54:39.
Masters 40+: 1, Bill Gottberg, UPMC Cycling Performance, Gretna, 47:29. 2, Mike Melton, Ciao Baby, Ashland, 49:52. 3, Eric Buhs, Revolution Cycling, Lincoln, 52:52.
Category V: 1, Tom Stuhr, LBC Highgear, Lincoln, 51:35. 2, Duane Blair, unattached, Norfolk, 51:47. 3, Mark Lavin, unattached, Lincoln, 52:19.
Category IV: 1, Nathanel Elmer, Lincoln, Ciao Baby, 49:37. 2, Tom Nider, Ciao Baby, Lincoln, 50:29. 3, Steve Leuty, Ciao Baby, Lincoln, 51:15.
Category I-II-III: 1, Jeff Luedtke, Husker Road Club, Omaha, 44:16. 2, Jon Randell, Lincoln Plating-LeMond, Bellevue, 46:08. 3, Mike Munson, LBC Highgear, Omaha, 46:51. Team Kaos finishers: 4, Marco Vasquez, Team Kaos, Omaha, 47:22. 7, Chad Headlee, Team Kaos, Lincoln, 50:12. |
