Results - Cycling

April 18-20, 2008

Notre Dame’s cycling team traveled to Sheboygan and Madison this weekend to compete in the conference championship road race, team time trial, and criterium. For the second consecutive year, the Irish qualified for the Collegiate Road Nationals, to be held next month in Fort Collins, CO.

Over the weekend, Mike Lavery was crowned Division II Conference Champion, with Tim Campbell finishing a close second. This is the second consecutive year that the Irish have boasted the D2 Conference Champion. Notre Dame finished third overall among the D2 teams.

John Dailey was the first Irish rider Saturday in the men’s D road race. He placed 13th in the hilly 20-mile race. John McDonough and Kirk Post represented the Irish in the men’s C race. After a strong race, both men came in outside of points placing. Meghan Johnson and Jenn Perricone rode in the women’s A’s race, which started out at a slow clip for the 50 mile race. There was an attack after the first lap and the pack split up into several groups; Jenn stayed with the second group of women and sprinted to finish second in her group and 11th overall. Meghan also rode a strong race, working with a group of girls from Wisconsin in an attempt to catch the pack. After some of the girls she was riding with dropped out, Meghan outsprinted her partner for a top-20 finish.

Tim Campbell, Mike Lavery, and Matt Prygoski represented Notre Dame in the elite men’s A field, which rode a long, hard 80-mile race. Mike Lavery was in excellent position, but got a nail in his tire and flatted after 50 miles. After changing out his wheel, he hammered alone for one lap of the course before being unable to finish the race. Matt Prygoski stayed with the pack in only his second race of the season, but came in outside of scoring after the pace picked up for the final sprint. Tim Campbell also rode a strong race, sprinting to a place outside of top 20 after averaging over 27 miles per hour with the pack.

On Sunday, the Irish raced a team time trial and a criterium around the capitol building in Madison. Mike Lavery, Tim Campbell, and Kirk Post rode well in the men’s A team time trial to finish 7th overall. The criteriums today were longer than they have been all season, but the team still finished strong. John Dailey sprinted to a strong third in the men’s D race, earning a bronze medal. Kirk Post finished with the men’s C pack after dominating the front the entire race. John McDonough dropped off the fast pace of the C field and was pulled and placed after about half an hour. Ty Baker rode a strong and smart race with the men’s B field and finished with the pack for a top 15 placing.

Meghan Johnson and Jenn Perricone lined up with the larger-than-usual women’s A field. Both ladies got caught on the bad end of a split, and after working hard to catch back up, were pulled half way into the race. Tim Campbell, Matt Prygoski, and Mike Lavery raced the 75-minute men’s A criterium. The race was fast, and there were crashes and flats every lap. Mike and Tim were aggressive and launched some attacks, but none stuck. All three men stayed with the pack, and the race came down to a field sprint. Tim took 16th, and Mike and Matt finished outside of scoring.  

April 4-6, 2008

Good fortune shone down upon the Irish this weekend in the form of nice weather and good results at the Marian Midwest Cycling Classic. Saturday found the Irish facing the most technical criterium they will see all season, with it being a mile of windy roads through the Marian College campus. John McDunough started things for the Irish in the Men’s D race. McDunough was aggressive throughout the race and was rewarded with a top 10 placing. The Men’s C race saw Josh Johnson and Kirk Post toe the line. Josh was caught in the back end of a split in the field and came in behind the leaders. Post was on the attack throughout the race and pulled the field the duration of the race only to be out sprinted in the end, coming in 10th.

Caitlin Sullivan raced in the Women’s B race and continued to show improvement. Ty Baker started the men’s B race and rode a conservative race coming in with the pack. Jenn Perricone and Meghan Johnson started the Women’s A criterium. The corners were a little much for the two and they dropped off the pack early. Perricone continued to ride a strong tempo throughout the race and was able to catch all of those who dropped off the pace of the pack. Both rode strong races, but did not place. The only Men’s A rider to make the trip was Tim Campbell. Without a teammate Tim found himself in an unusual spot. He rode a conservative race as well and stayed in the pack. One group of riders managed to get away, but the 50-man field remained relatively intact despite averaging over 26.5 mph. Campbell was in poor position for the field sprint, but impressively took 6th in the sprint to finish 10th overall.

The parcours on Sunday included a short 4-mile loop with the finish at the top of one wall of a climb. The 6-mile TTT was a lollipop course featuring one lap of the course. Baker, Post, and Campbell blazed through the course in 15 minutes, with the placing unknown at this time. McDunough and Sullivan were the first to take the line for the road races. McDunough was once again very aggressive and attacked often. He blew the field apart and the result was a lead group of 6. McDunough attacked at the base of the final climb, but was reeled back in to take 6th. Sullivan showed more improvement on Sunday and finished with a chase group. Post rode a strong Men’s C race by attacking early. He was unable to catch the winning move, but rode solo for his entire race to come in 3rd. Perricone came into the circuit race extremely motivated and rode very strong. While unable to stick with the more experienced climbers, she once again hunted down the remnants of the shattered lead group. She organized the chase and was clearly the strongest of the chase group. It looked as if Perricone would sprint up the final hill for a 7th place finish, but a dropped chain mechanical failure caused her to lose her excellent position. She still came in 13th out of 40 in a very respectable performance. Baker started the Men’s B race but was unable to finish after a hard effort in the TTT combined with recovering from an illness earlier in the week. In the final race of the day Campbell was aggressive. The again large field was aggressive and attacks went right and left. Finally, Campbell missed a move of ten top ranked riders. He attempted to bridge up to the break and after a 2-mile solo effort he was able to join them. That effort took its toll, however, and Campbell was unable to hang with the lead group for long. He dropped off the pace and was reabsorbed by the peleton where he finished outside of placing.

In two weeks the Irish find themselves in Wisconsin for the Conference Championships. Currently, Mike Lavery is the division two points leader with the team sitting in 3rd overall for division 2.  

March 28-29, 2008

Racing resumed this past weekend for our favorite spandex clad warriors at Michigan State and Michigan with racers in every category but Men’s B. The road race consisted of a 4.7 loop with a 1.25 mile section of dirt road. The C men had an all-star line-up looking to win the race, while the B entry women’s squad was looking to gain more experience. With numerous break away attempts from rookie Kirk Post, the pace of the race was high. The whole pack worked against Kirk, though, and always kept him on a short leash. The rest of the Irish benefited, though, with Nate Farley netting 5th place and Josh Johnson 8th. Kirk came in just behind in 12th place.

Laura Simons and Caitlin Sullivan competed in the B’s race and finished 18th and 22nd , putting in a very solid effort. Veterans Jenn Perricone and Meghan Johnson flew the argyle in the women’s A 45 mile race . The soft and difficult dirt section took its toll on the field, Jenn and Meghan included. Jenn came in 10th behind an old and experienced field with Meghan taking 13th.

The A men consisted of 35 riders which included Tim Campbell and Mike Lavery. The 55 mile race started off pretty tame, but the attacks started the 3rd lap of the race. Campbell and Lavery bided their time in the peleton, though, and waited patiently for the larger teams to pull back the breaks. Halfway into the race, Campbell was able to join a promising move and was away a short time. As the move was reeled in, Lavery, who is rarely on the offensive, counter attacked on the dirt section. The move looked promising, but misfortune hit and as the gap grew Lavery popped a flat. Tim hung out in the peleton for the remainder of the race and joined a move at the end, but that move, too, was reeled in and Campbell finished slightly behind the dwindled main field in 13th. The D men, who started right after the A men, had a short 20 mile race. The entire field was on the attack, but it was John McDunough and Adam Bee that joined another rider the make the 3 man break of the day. John drilled the pace hard and consequently dropped back from the group to rejoin the pack, finishing 13th. Bee went on to win the two up sprint for first, giving the Irish their first win of the season. John Dailey and Mike O’Connor also finished with the pack, not being placed. Sunday’s races started with a twilight D men’s criterium on the University of Michigan campus. The course was nearly two miles with a long, steep hill being the highlight of the course.

The D men had a short, but furious 20 minute race. All four of the Irish riders drilled the pace on the course and cause mass suffering in the peleton. McDunough went off the front in attempt for victory, but it was reeled back in. This set up Bee once again, except this time with Bee winning the group sprint after a lead out from Dailey. Dailey took 4th with O’Connor coming in slightly behind out of placing.

The women’s B race was another good experience builder for Sullivan and Simons, with both finishing slightly behind the pack. The C men had a 30 minute race that stayed together the entire race. Post was on the front nearly the entire race sacrificing himself for his teammates. When the sprint came, Farley sprinted to 7th with Post stealing 8th place with a well timed bike stab. Josh Johnson was stuck behind a giant C men spill on the steep hill, which took out nearly a third of the field, to come in behind the pack.

The A men and women had only one started in their races, with Meghan Johnson and Tim Campbell taking part in 45 and 60 minute criteriums. Meghan joined a chase pack and sprinted out of the chase. She won the sprint with a great bike stab, earning 13th. Campbell was aggressive throughout the race joining breaks, none of which stuck. He was dropped with a half a lap to go, but kept the pace high, placing 17th out of the elite group.

There was also a short prologue-esque time trial of 4 miles. Jenn Perricone and Mike Lavery rested their legs by not racing the morning race and it paid dividends for both. Both came across at provisional first place times for all men and women, covering the course at 11 minutes 20 seconds and 9:10, respectively. The rest of the Irish team also tackled the course. Other notable finishes are Campbell at 9:45, Farley at 10:10, and Post at 10:12. Racing resumes next weekend at Purdue and Marian in Indianapolis.  

February 22-24, 2008

The Notre Dame Cycling Team entered three riders in the race DePauw this weekend. Nate Farley, Adam Bee, and Michael Taylor all competed in the C's category, with Nate Farley the top finisher on Saturday's 24-mile, three lap race around Heritage Lake. Although placed in the middle third of the pack before the sprint, Farley skillfully drafted his way to 5th place.

Mike Taylor was unable to catch the break yet finished a respectable 14th. Adam Bee made a few bold early breaks but none were able to stick, and he was unable to finish. Mike Taylor and Nate Farley rolled to 8th and 11th place respectively at Sunday's Criterium in a 45-person field in the C category. The race was 16 laps around a 1.25 mile course, for a total of 20 miles. The roads were bumpy in places and the road was narrow at the forth corner, giving three Ohio State riders a chance to break away and work together to sweep the podium. Adam Bee gave another respectable effort but fell off the pack after a hard pull and was not able to rejoin the pack.

Due to several yellow line infractions and a crash within 200 yards of the Men's Category A race finish, no team points were scored in the Men's A's on Saturday.

The Irish will be traveling to Michigan State and Michigan over the next three weekends.

 April 27-29, 2007

The Notre Dame Cycling Team traveled to southern Indiana this weekend for the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference Championships where they secured starting spots for the USA Cycling Collegiate National Championships. Junior Matt Prygoski also earned an individual conference championship.

A road race and a 12 mile team time trial were held on Saturday in Morgan-Monroe State Forest. The road race finish was on top of Bean Blossom Hill, rated the toughest climb in Indiana by Bicycling magazine. In the Men’s B race Ty Baker competed for the Irish and finished with the pack. Meghan Johnson and Jenn Perricone lined up for the elite Women’s A race. Johnson and Perricone were with the pack for the first half of the race, but fell into chase groups as the pack split up after Bean Blossom Hill. Johnson finished outside of placing, with Perricone coming up just short of scoring points in 21st place.

The 60 mile Men’s A race saw Andy Steves, Matt Prygoski, Mike Lavery, Neil Griggs, and Tim Campbell take the line in the 65 rider field. The race consisted of 4 laps of a 15 mile circuit, requiring the riders to climb Bean Blossom four times during the race along with another tough climb in the middle of the course. Campbell kept the Irish represented in breaks that attempted to escape the peleton, but none of them managed to stay away. This allowed the rest of the Irish team to rest inside the peleton and exhibit their climbing skills for the hill finish.

Prygoski came on strong for a 5th place finish with Lavery getting caught behind a slow group but still placing 15th. Griggs came in right after Lavery at 18th place. Campbell was forced off the road into a ditch before the climb and finished with Steves, both a minute off the lead finishers and outside of placing. Three hours later, Prygoski, Girggs, Lavery, and Campbell started the 12 mile TTT. The course was difficult, being primarily uphill and into the wind. Speeds were slow for the A teams and the Irish were hitting the time checks ahead of the competitors. Misfortune hit the Irish, though, as time trial specialist Mike Lavery’s chain malfunctioned, causing the rest of the team to take off without him. Without Lavery’s powersticks, the team slowed and limped into an 8th place finish.

A mile loop at a small park in Mooresville, IN was host to Sunday’s criterium. Baker signed in for the Men’s B race and rode aggressive early, but fell to the back of the peleton and finished outside of placing. Perricone and Johnson started the Women’s A criterium and fell off the fast pace early. They chased hard, but were pulled towards the end of the race and unable to finish.

The 65 minute elite Men’s A crit had Campbell, Steves, and Prygoski take the line. The Irish did not make the winning move as at the time it was thought to be nonthreatening. Surprisingly the three man move stayed away, making the field sprint for 4th. Prygoski took 10th, while also collecting a prime sprint and securing his spot as the top rider in Notre Dame’s division. Steves raced extremely well, finishing 16th, with Campbell finishing behind Steves, just outside of placing.

The regular season is now complete for the Irish, but the Men’s and Women’s A riders will take this weekend off and then travel to Lawrence, Kansas to contest a 12 mile TTT, an 85 mile road race, and a 75 minute criterium at Collegiate Nationals. D2 conference champion Matt Prygoski and time trial specialist Mike Lavery will lead the Irish Men in the TTT and the road race, with Griggs, and Campbell riding in support. Prygoski and Steves will aim for the criterium win, with Campbell once again in support. Perricone and Johnson will work together to represent Notre Dame in the women’s field in all three events.  

April 20-22, 2007

The Irish women salvaged an otherwise lackluster weekend for the Notre Dame Cycling Team by scoring top 20 finishes in both races this weekend. Women’s A racers Meghan Johnson and Jenn Perricone with Men’s A racers Matt Prygoski, Neil Griggs, Mike Lavery, Andy Steves, and Tim Campbell made the trip to Wisconsin this weekend with Peter Nistler accompanying in support role.

Saturday’s race was a long road race through the rolling glacial deposits of Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. The Men’s A field departed on their 70 mile journey of pain at midday with clear skies, a mild wind, and warm temperatures. The Woman’s A field departed on their 50 mile excursion minutes afterwards. Perricone put in her best effort to date and showing the great strides she has made throughout the season by placing 12th while Johnson falling off the pace early, but dug deep to come back and finish 15th. The Men’s A field splintered apart due to the wind, aggressive racing, and a few well timed attacks. The first casualty of the race was Steves, who returned to the team car 40 miles in an attempt to save his legs for the next day. Campbell choked on a Powerbar in a feed zone and consequently fell of the pace. Griggs dropped off soon after. Campbell eventually caught Griggs and the two finished the race for the Irish coming in outside of placing. Prygoski and Lavery stuck with the pack for most of the race, with Prygoski falling off when the group counterattacked one of his moves. Prygoski also came in outside of placing. Lavery exhibited his Ironman endurance with the highest Irish placing at 17th.

Beautiful weather was also provided for the Irish in Sunday’s criterium around the Capitol Building in downtown Madison, Wisconsin. The one km square was fast and had one decent rise which put the hurt on riders. Perricone and Johnson lined up first for the Irish in their 45 minute elite Women’s A race. Johnson and Perricone suffered sore legs from the previous day’s effort, but still managed respectable 17th and 19th place finishes, respectively. The one hour Men’s A race was fast, completing nearly 28 miles in their one hour race. Griggs and Steves were gapped early in the race and chased hard, but were pulled from the race 30 minutes in and not allowed to finish, Lavery, Prygoski, and Campbell worked hard throughout the race, launching attacks and making moves, none of which lasted. With 3 laps to go, Campbell went off the front in an effort to win the race solo. No one from the pack organized the chase and Campbell opened up a sizeable gap. With 2 laps to go the peleton became motivated to chase and Campbell was caught with three quarters of a lap remaining. Prygoski and Lavery contested the field sprint coming in 17th and 19th with Campbell coming in outside of placing.

The Irish will compete this weekend in the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference Championships in Indianapolis, the last regular season race weekend.  

April 13-15, 2007

Notre Dame cycling club competed at both Marian and Purdue this weekend. The Irish were at Marian College in Indianapolis on Saturday for the Marian Cycling Classic Criterium. The one mile loop around the college campus was challenging enough, but rain and 35 degree temperatures made conditions nearly unbearable. Paul Carlson was the first racer for the Irish, making his debut in the Men C category. Carlson dropped off the pace early, and finished behind the peleton. In the Women’s B race, Jenn Perricone and Meghan Johnson rode strong throughout the entire race, while Elizabeth Israel finished in the middle of the pack. Perricone finished 11th in the sprint while Johnson flatted the second to last corner of the race. Only Tim Campbell and Matt Prygoski started the elite Men’s A race for the Irish, as conditions deteriorated to below 30 degrees and snow, deterring many racers from starting. After the start of the race, officials shortened the race for the safety of the racers. Campbell finished 18th, while Prygoski, who wrecked out of the leading break on the last lap, showed heart to come in with the highest finish of the day at 11th.

Two races took place Sunday near Purdue University. The first race of the day was an early team time trial, a race against the clock with a team of up to four riders. The course was a flat 3 mile out and back course, totaling 6 miles. Meghan Johnson and Jenn Perricone upgraded to Women’s A, making themselves eligible for the National Cycling Championships. Their effort earned them a 10th place finish.

Prygoski, Lavery, Griggs, and Campbell started their assault against the clock in the Men’s A race. Lavery powered the team to a time of 13:38, putting them at 6th place and only 20 seconds off the winning pace. The following circuit race was a four mile loop with a brutal half mile climb. Dedicated Irish cycling fans made the trip to line the slopes to root on their beloved racers. Carlson raced hard again in the Men’s C field, finishing just off the pace of the peleton. Israel put up nice results finishing 6th in the Women’s B field.

The elite Woman’s A and Men’s A fields lined up next, with the women doing 5 circuits and the men 8. Perricone and Johnson finished with a chase group, taking 16th and 18th, respectively and made a great first showing in the Woman’s A field. Griggs, Campbell, Prygoski, Steves, and Lavery lined up for the Irish in their 32 mile race. Lavery was forced to abandon after only 50 meters due to total bike failure. The 4 remaining Irish were unable to make the winning break, and had a few failed break away attempts. They were forced to remain with the peleton and take their chances with the field sprint. Prygoski, Steves, and Griggs took 4th, 9th, and 13th in the field sprint placing them 11th, 16th, and 20th overall. Campbell blew up during the sprint and finished just outside of placing.

Next weekend sees the Irish competing at the Universities of Wisconsin-Sheboygan and Wisconsin-Madison.  

March 30-April 1, 2007

Notre Dame’s cycling club had another outstanding weekend of racing at Western Michigan, as it remains on track to qualify for the Nationals.

The first of two races was a long, flat road race on Saturday with 12 Irish riders competing. Strong winds, cool temperatures, and rain made racing conditions difficult. Bryce Hummer placed 6th in his Notre Dame debut in the Men’s D field. Barry Kessler also made his debut in an Irish uniform, placing with the pack in Men’s C.

The Men’s B field included Andy Steves, Ty Baker, Mike Ryan, and Matt Byrnes. Steves instigated a three man break late in the 57 mile race, taking the sprint for his fourth win of the season. Ryan, Baker, and Byrnes all finished with the front of the pack for top 25 finishes. The 35 mile Women’s B race included Jenn Perricone and Meghan Johnson for the Irish. Building on last weeks results, Johnson and Perricone finished 3rd and 5th respectively.

The final race was the elite 70 mile Men’s A race. Matt Prygoski, Mike Lavery, Neil Griggs, and Tim Campbell all lined up in the sub-par conditions for the Irish. Prygoski made an early break away with five other strong riders. The break had only a ninety second lead on the pack, but thanks to Lavery’s, Griggs’, and Campbell’s efforts to slow the pack and prevent any attacks, the break stayed secure. Prygoski was rewarded with a 6th place finish while Griggs and Lavery placed 13th and 17th . Campbell flatted at mile 60 and was unable to finish the race.

Sunday provided the Irish riders with sunny, but once again windy weather. The circuit race was a 2.75 mile loop with two steep climbs, one of which led to the finish. Hummer was up first again for Notre Dame in the Men’s D field and placed 3rd , completing an outstanding debut weekend. The Men’s B field saw only Ty Baker, who was unable to finish after he was unable to keep the high pace set by the pack. Jenn Perricone was the only Women’s B racer on the day, and once again put up solid results with a 4th place finish.

The 36 mile Men’s A race proved to be tough for all riders involved. Lining up were Campbell, Prygoski, Lavery, Griggs, and Steves, who upgraded categories. All Irish riders missed an early break and paid for it by setting tempo for the pack. Griggs was unable to finish after dropping off the pace, while Campbell suffered mechanical problems after pushing the tempo for his teammates and finished outside of placing. Prygoski finished 13th while taking the field sprint with Steves right behind in 15th , an exceptional debut in the A field. Lavery finished once again at 17th .

Notre Dame cycling will take Easter weekend off and will be in action again at Marian College and Purdue University on April 14th and 15th.  

March 23-25, 2007

The Cycling Team had a stong showing this past weekend at races hosted by Michigan State and Michigan. Saturday's race near East Lansing featured a 4.4 mile loop with over a mile of dirt road each lap, an oddity for road racing. The muddy, rough dirt section tore the races apart but proved to be exciting and fun for those racing. Jenn Perricone and Meghan Johnson rode very strong in the Women's B race. They stayed at the front of the pack and sprinted across the line for 5th and 7th, respectively.

Next up was the Men's B race featuring strong performances from Peter Nistler and Andy Steves. Steves unleashed his trademark closing sprint, and posted yet another first place for the Irish. Nathan Menendez raced next in the Men's D category. Menendez crossed the line with a chase group, still managing to finish a grueling race.

The 52 mile Men's A race was the last of the day, featuring Neil Griggs, Mike Lavery, Tim Campbell, and Matt Prygoski. Griggs was forced to pull out early due to mechanical problems. Prygoski helped instigate a five man breakaway after two miles of racing. The break held off the shrinking main pack for the next 50 miles. Prygoski was edged out in the sprint and took 2nd . Lavery and Campbell stuck with a hard chase group, often times doing solo efforts. They placed 15th and 17th respectively.

Sunday's race included repeated steep climbs that broke up the main packs much as the dirt section did the day before. Notable results from the day included Johnson's 10th and Jenn's 12th in the Women's B race. Prygoski finished 10th in the elite Men's A field. In what has become a regular occurrence, Steves again won the Men's B race with a powerful sprint. This weekend's results almost guarantee the Irish a qualifying spot for the Division 2 Nationals.  

March 2-4, 2007

The cycling races at DePauw were cancelled this weekend due to inclement weather. 

February 25-26, 2007

The Cycling Team took 10 racers to Ohio State University this past weekend to compete in the opening race of the year. Saturday featured a Criterium, a style of race best described as NASCAR on bikes.

Meghan Johnson, Jenn Perricone, and Elizabeth Israel competed in the 30 minute Women's B's race. A breakaway went up the road but Johnson rode strong with the first chase pack and crossed the line with an impressive 9th place finish, gaining conference points for the team. Perricone and Israel finished farther back, but still rode strong for their first race experience.

Andy Steves, Peter Nistler, and Ty Baker lined up next for the start of the 45 minute Men's B's race. Nistler and Baker missed some key moves which prevented them from finishing the race with the pack, although both rode strong for their first B's race. Steves rode well but a flat tire in the last laps prevented him from contesting the field sprint.

Matt Prygoski, Mike Lavery, Tim Campbell, and Neil Griggs lined up next for the Men's A's race. The race got off to a fast start with speeds often over 30 mph. Campbell and Griggs got caught behind slower riders at the beginning and couldn't catch up to the main group. Prygoski and Lavery hung with main pack for the entire 60 minute race. Prygoski finished in 16th place earning Nationals qualifying points. Lavery crossed the line a few seconds later.

The road race on Sunday was canceled due to poor weather and road conditions.  

April 21-23, 2006

Eight members of the Notre Dame cycling club competed at the regional championships hosted by Illinois this weekend. The event consisted of a nine mile team time trial and a criterium on Saturday, and a road race on Sunday.

Mike Lavery, Tim Campbell, Matt Prygoski,and Geoff Gisler raced as the four man team in the B division, finishing in 3rd place.

The criterium was hotly contested as NCAA points were at stake, and numerous crashes marred the race. Andy Steves took points in two prime sprints and rode to a 5th place finish. Prygoski, Gisler, Lavery, and Campbell finished 13th, 15th, 19th, and 32nd respectively in the 52 man field. Freshman Ben Johnson raced in the D division, winning a prime sprint on his way to a 7th place finish.

Sunday’s road race featurded several steep hills and a stream crossing. Prygoski finished 3rd to pace the Irish contingent.

April 7-9, 2006

Eleven members of cycling team traveled to Kalamazoo, MI to compete in a pair of races at Western Michigan University. Building on last week’s success, the Irish again claimed more wins and top finishes.

Saturday's race featured a long flat road race that finished with multiple loops. Three team riders competed in the 27 mile Men’s D race, as sophomore Peter Nistler, in only his second race, unleashed a strong sprint and rode away with the victory. Three Irish riders started in the 40 mile Men’s C race. Freshman Andy Steves once again won the race, claiming his 4th individual victory this season. The final four Irish riders on raced in the 55 mile Men’s B race. Sophomore Matt Prygoski appeared as if he would win as he approached the finish line, but crashed hard after the rider in front of him slid out in the final corner. Tim Campbell was not far behind, taking 4th place overall, and Mike Lavery finished right on his wheel in 5th place out of 60 riders.

Sunday’s circuit race, an extremely hilly 2.75 mile loop featured two hard climbs on every lap. In the 45 minute Men’s C race, Andy Steves garnered his second win of the weekend as he sprinted clear of all other racers up the finishing climb. Steves has claimed five wins in nine races this season. The Mens B race was an hour in duration. The team plan was to put Matt Prygoski in a situation where he could use his hill climbing power. Three laps into the race, Prygoski was able to breakaway from the main pack with an IU rider. The rest of the ND team worked with IU at the front of the main field, slowing the pace in Prygoski's favor, and chasing down any threatening attacks. Prygoski blazed up the final climb, taking his first NCAA win. Lavery, Gisler and Campbell came in one minute later at the front of the main pack, taking 7th, 8th, and 10th in the 45 rider race.

The team races again in two weeks at the regional competition, being held at the University of Illinois. This will be the final race of the season, and the team hopes to take away a few more victories and finish the year ranked in the top 10 in the 35 team conference.  

March 31-April 2, 2006

Mike Lavery, Matt Prygoski, Tim Campbell, and Andy Stevens represented the Notre Dame cycling club at Purdue this weekend in the individual and team time trials on Saturday and a criterium on Sunday. It proved to be one of the most successful events ever for the Irish. Lavery bested the field by 50 seconds to claim first place, and the Irish also captured first in the team event. The Irish also took a first and a second in the criterium.

The time trial course on Saturday was a 10.25 mile out and back style course, with a climb to the turn around point, and strong cross winds. Riders were sent out on 30 second intervals for their solo race against the clock. The Mens C Time Trial went off first. Freshman Andy Steves rode hard and took 9th place, adding to his growing tally of NCAA points. The Men's B racers lined up one by one soon thereafter. Matt Pygoski and Tim Campbell brought home 3rd and 14th place times in the 40 man race. Team Captain Mike Lavery had the strongest ride of the day, posting the fastest Mens B time by 50 seconds, and taking his first NCAA victory.

The afternoon brought stronger wins and colder temperatures as ND lined up for the 4 man team time trial on the same course. Following team strategy Steves and Campbell gave it their all until the turn around, and then fell off, leaving Lavery and Prygoski as the two riders required to finish in order to post a time. Once again, ND proved their strength, posting the fastest time by almost 30 seconds, and taking home another victory as a team.

Notre Dame headed into Sundays Criterium with high spirits and confidence. Steves raced in the 45 minute Mens C race, staying towards the lead riders for the entire time. On the last lap Steves moved to the front, and with 400 meters to go, sprinted away to his second victory of the season. Lavery, Pyrgoski and Campbell raced in the Mens B race two hours later. Lavery, fired up from Saturday’s races, got himself into an early 3 man breakaway, while Prygoski and Campbell stayed in the main pack, working to slow the pace in Lavery's favor. With two laps to go, heavy rain set in, and Lavery and another rider in the breakway slid out in a corner and crashed. Thanks to a commanding lead on the main field, both riders were able to remount their bikes, and Lavery was able to ride on to a 2nd place finish.  

March 24-26, 2006

Notre Dame’s improving and growing cycling club participated in two criteriums this weekend, hosted by Marian College. The first was staged in Indianapolis, the second raced on Marian’s campus. Veteran cyclists Geoff Gisler, Matt Prygoski, Tim Campbell, Ty Baker and Meghan Johnson were joined by Jonathan Weyerbacher, Peter Nistler, and Nathan Menendez in representing Notre Dame.

Prygoski, Gisler, and Campbell raced the men’s B Division and all finished in the middle of the pack, while teammate Johnson had the club’s strongest showing in the women’s B event, finishing among the front riders. Weyerbacher, competed with Nistler and Menendez in the D Division, and finished among the top ten, with Menendez not far behind.

Sunday’s course was a very technical layout, and Prygoski led the team with a top 20 finish. Campbell and Gisler both finished with a chase group in the low 30’s.  

March 3-5, 2006 

Seven cyclists represented Notre Dame at the Ohio State Invitational Road Race and Criterium this weekend. The team members were Mike Lavery, Geoff Gisler, Matt Prygoski, Tim Campbell, Andy Steves, Meghan Johnson, and Ty Baker.

Saturday's Road Race, a very hilly 20 mile loop through the pristine Zaleski State Forest, slowed all but the strongest riders in the race. Steves and Baker racing in the Mens C category, completed one lap of the course, and finished 23rd and 34th in a field of 84 riders. The rest of the men raced in the B category, completing two loops of the 20 mile course. In another large field of 81 riders, Lavery placed 15th, Prygoski 17th, and Campbell 29th. Geoff Gisler placed 52nd after getting knocked off his bike by a reckless rider about 35 miles into the race. He suffered only minor scrapes and bruises, but a cracked helmet prevented him from racing in the Criterium on Sunday. Meghan Johnson placed 32nd among 47 riders in the Women’s B race.

Sunday's Criterium was a half mile square loop near the campus of Ohio State in Dublin, Ohio. Once again, Steves and Baker raced in Men’s C Division. The main field broke apart quickly after about half of the riders were caught behind an early crash. Both Steves and Baker were caught in the back half of riders, and were eventually pulled from the race. A similar fate struck Johnson in the Women’s B race as well.

Sixty racers entered the Men’s B race, including Lavery, Prygoski, and Campbell. A fast pace of 25 mph was maintained for the 45 minute race on the tight track. Although final results are not yet posted, it is believed Lavery and Prygoski are among the top twenty, and Campbell among the top thirty.

February 24-26, 2006

A blend of veterans and first year racers represented Notre Dame at Depauw University this weekend. Freshman Andrew Steves captured first place in the men’s C road race, topping a field of 135 racers over the 26 mile course.

Captain Mike Lavery, Matt Prygoski, Geoff Gisler and Tim Campbell raced in the 36 mile men’s B road race, and stayed with the main pack until the last lap when multiple crashes caused by battles for position dropped the team behind the leaders. Campbell placed 20th, Lavery 32nd, and Gisler 47th in a field of 115. Prygoski was victim of a crash that damaged his bike and he was unable to finish.

Meghan Johnson placed 40th among 70 racers in the women’s B division. Stuck behind a slower group, Johnson managed a very respectable finish in her first race for the Irish.

In Sunday’s Criterium, Steves was the top Irish finisher in 30th place. Criterium races involve a large number of sprints on a very technical course, including a tight 180º turn.  

September-October 25, 2005

Cycling captain Mike Lavery trained for the spring road races this fall by competing in the US Half Triathlon Championships September 25 in Smithville, MO, and in the Chicago Marathon on October 9th.

In the US Half Triathlon, Lavery placed first in his age division (ages 20-24), and seventh overall nationally. Nineteen qualifying events were held nationwide to determine the field for the national championship. Lavery competed against the best from across the country.

In the Lasalle Bank Chicago Marathon, Lavery finished in 2 hours, 49 minutes and 23 seconds to place 290th among over 40,000 registered runners. With these two exceptional finishes, Lavery is well on his way to an outstanding season in road racing.  

April 22-24, 2005

Five Notre Dame Riders attended the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference Regional Championships at the University of Illinois this past weekend. Saturday afternoon's race was a criterium, while the road race was held Sunday morning.

Mike Lavery, Matt Prygoski, Geoff Gisler, and Dan Arlandson competed for the Irish in the Men's B criterium. Light snow fell at the start, and coupled with strong winds to challenge the field of 45 riders. The race started hard, with many riders falling to the back of the pack early on. Others were caught in crashes throughout the course. All of Notre Dame's riders stayed with the main field to the finish, and even took top spots. Geoff Gilser proved his dominance on the team in the criterium, following up his win at Purdue with a 5th place finish. Mike Lavery took fourth place points on the second prime sprint and came in 10th at the finish line. Matt Prygoski and Dan Arlandson took 25th and 27th spots respectively. Jeff Medina chose to race the 35 min Men's C criterium for his debut on the criterium scene. Unfortunately, Jeff was caught behind a pack of slow riders when an acceleration at the front of the pack split the field, and he was eventually pulled from the race.

Sunday's road race was met with equally unpleasant weather conditons. Jeff Medina raced the 18.8 mile Men's C race at 9:00 am. The race was 6 laps of the hilly 3.3 mile loop. With the race being such a short distance, the pace was intense from the start. Jeff fell off the main field on one of the steep climbs on lap one, but managed to finsh the race. Lavery, Prygoski, Gisler, and Arlandson rolled out with the Men's B pack for their 33 mile race at 10:30. A breakaway separated the front of the field on lap two. Underestimating the strength of the attacking riders, the main field did not react. The three-man breakaway led until the finish, with over a 6 minute lead when they crossed the line. The finish line followed a steep hill climb, spreading out the racers as they approached the finish. Lavery flew up the hill, sprinting to the finish and taking the 6th place points. Gisler and Prygoski finished a few places back in 8th and 10th positions. Arlandson experienced bad luck, as a leaky rear tire forced him to drop out on the 8th lap of the race.

Overall it was the most successful race weekend on the season for ND, and a great way to close the season.  

April 15-17, 2005

Mike Lavery, Dan Arlandson, Matt Prygoski and Jeff Medina represented Notre Dame at Miami Ohio's Invitational this weekend. Lavery led the club with a strong 3rd place finish behind riders from Marion and Ohio State. In a fast paced and aggressive 45 mile race, teams from Purdue and Michigan, and a lone rider from the Michigan State team, attempted to break from the pack at the nine mile and six mile marks. At the base of the final hill, a Michigan rider attacked, but Lavery passed him with a strong finish for third.

Prygoski finished a strong fifth in the field of over forty riderts, while Arlandson squeezed into the top ten riders at 10th place. Medina, in his debut race, finished back in the pack in the 27 mile Men's C race. The club will compete next weekend in the two day regionals at Illinois.  

April 8-10, 2005

Four valiant Notre Dame racers headed to Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo to race in Saturday's Road Race. Geoff Gisler and Matt Prygoski raced the 30.6 mile Mens C race, while Mike Lavery and Dan Arlandson raced the 51 mile Mens B race. The race course had one long steep climb right near the start, and then was downhill most of the rest of the loop.

The Irish didn't enjoy last weekend's success, in part due to some questionable riding tactics of a few competitors, which resulted in many crashes that made racing much more challenging. All of the club's riders finished in the middle of the field. The team will travel to Miami of Ohio and Marian College next weekend, determined to improve upon its league standing.  

April 1-3, 2005

Five members of the Notre Dame Cycling Team traveled to Purdue this weekend to compete in the two day Purdue Road Race and Criterium. Law Student Geoff Gisler, Freshman Matt Prygoski, and Sophmore Sean Calloway competed against a field of fifty riders in the Men's C road race on Saturday. The race was 4 laps of the race loop, totaling to 33.6 miles. Winds of up to 40 mph made this a very difficult race. Sean Calloway was involved in a crash on the first of the four laps, and pulled out of the race with minor injuries, while Gisler and Prygoski, in his first races, held strong to finish third and tenth respectively.

Mike Lavery and Dan Arlandson racedvthe Men's B road race, a 6 lap race of 50.5 miles. By lap 3, the winds had broken the pack of 60 riders, many dropping out, or riding the rest of the race solo, or in groups of 2 or 3, while a break away group of 20 riders was well in front. Lavery managed to stay with the lead pack, which diminished in numbers as the race progressed. At the finish, Lavery rolled through in 10th place, with Arlandson coming in 9 minutes later in 25th postion. This proved to be a solid performance overall for the opening road race.

Sunday's Criterium was a short course with many sharp curves and corners, raced on time rather than distance. In the 45 minute Men's C race, the speeds were fast, and the riding was agressive. Matt Prygoski and Geoff Gisler were the only two members to race, while Sean Calloway sat out due to nagging pain from his previous day's crash. Both riders rode with the pack the entire race. Gisler was feeling strong, and out sprinted another rider on the line to take the win, something only one other Notre Dame cyclist has ever done. Prygoski finished in the middle of the 30 man field, not taking any chances in his first Criterium.

The Men's B pack raced soon afterwards in a 55 minute race, Lavery and Arlandson were the Irish representatives. Once again, the speeds were fast, averaging over 24 mph, and the riding was aggressive, with many riders attacking the field throughout the race in attempts to break away. Mike Lavery was part of a three man breakaway at 45 minutes, that held their lead for 2.5 laps, allowing Lavery to take second place points at an intermediate sprint. Overall, Mike finished 12th among 45 riders. Arlandson was forced to drop out after 30 minutes, due to a recent bout with the flu.  

April 23-25, 2004

Notre Dame's cycling club posted its best showing of the year this weekend at the U. Illinois Invitational.  On Saturday, the Irish placed two racers third and fifth in the field of forty elite racers in the criterium.  In Sunday's road race, the Irish top three performers finished 7th, 8th, and 12th competing against some of the best racers throughout the Midwest.  Grant Kleiber  John Kurtz, Mike Lavery, and first year sensation Geoff Gisler were top performers for the weekend.

April 2-4, 2004

The cycling club traveled to Purdue for a road race and a circuit race this weekend.  Saturday's road race was 51 miles through 30 mph winds on wide-open roads.  The pack of 60 stayed together for 35 miles until it was cut into four groups by the strong crosswinds.  The Irish' Mike Lavery found himself in the second group and went on to take 21st  place in the sprint finish.  Grant Kleiber and John Kurtz ended up in the 3rd  group, placing 35th  and 36th.  In the 30 mile novice race, first timer Geoff Gisler placed a strong 17th  out of 42 racers.
 
Sunday's race was 35 laps on a 0.7 mile course with six sharp turns.  The fast, crash-marred race was split into two groups midway through, with all of the Irish racers trapped in the second group.  John Kurtz was lapped by the leaders and removed from the race, while Mike Lavery narrowly held off being lapped until the end, when he took 34th  place out of 58 riders.  In the 25 lap novice race, Geoff Gisler took 20th  place out of 35 racers.

March 26-28, 2004

Notre Dame's cycling club opened its spring competition at Miami Ohio this weekend with four racers placing in the top 25 of the event.  The racer enjoyed sunny 74º temperatures as they attacked 36 miles of hilly terrain and closed the race with a field sprint.  Mike Lavery placed 4th overall to pace the club while John Kurtz finished 9th.  Team captain Grant Kleiber narrowly missed a top 10 finish as he closed to 11th, while Morgan Gick took 24th.  The club will compete in a pair of races this weekend at Purdue.