This event served as the State of Michigan Road Racing Championships. The original event which was cancelled while in progress due to lightning, thunder and monsoon like rain was scheduled in July at a completely different venue. So racers would be faced with a couple of challenges: a new very challenging course and a struggle for late season form. The course featured rolling terrain, windswept flats and 6% grade .75 mile in length. Each lap would be 12 miles in length.

Elite Men Cat. 1 / 2 event:
This was a tough battle from the start with attacks splitting the field on the first climb. David Mullins rode a strong support roll for the squad keeping Bruce Rivera in touch with the main bunch. The leaders kept the heat on and many of the field were unable to finish. Bruce Rivera rode to a 15th place adding one more point to his series total.

Bruce Rivera - 15th place
David Mullins - DNF

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Masters 35+ event:
On lap 4 of the 5 lap, 60 mile event, the attacks began to happen in earnest. The stronger teams were intent on breaking the race up and causing a selection. The team rode a defensive role, covering the attacks as they were out numbered by some of the other participating teams. Paul Rivera and Scott McLarty kept an eye on the competition, but eventually two racers slipped off the front. Paul Winocur rode at the front and tried to organize the chase, but the content peloton would not chase. Coming to the finish of the last lap, Winocur made his jump and grabbed 4th place! Congrats to Paul...and a very nice job by all members.

Paul Winocur - 4th place (MI resident/age group - 2nd place - Silver medal)
Paul Rivera - 9th place (MI resident/age group - 5th place)
Scott McLarty - DNF

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Masters 45+ event:
Bill Gilboe rode as a marked man (what else is new??) and was closely watched by every team in the field. The pace of the race and the terrain took its toll on the peloton and as the field thinned after the first two laps of the 12 mile circuit. On lap three, Gilboe punched it and after cresting the big hill, descended away from the a group of three. Gilboe rode the last lap solo chasing an earlier established break which was up the road. Bill landed on the second step of the podium and secured his lead in the Championship Series. Good job Bill.

Bill Gilboe - 2nd place

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Masters 55+ event:
Ed Reid added a few more points to his series tally with a solid result on this very challenging course. Another fine performance!

Ed Reid - 6th place

The 41st annual Debaets-Devos Pro-Am Criterium was Michigan Challenge Points Series event #14. One of the oldest races in the country. The start/finish line is located in front of the historic Cadieux Cafe'. The course is a flat, four corner rectangle, 0.9 mile in length. Road surface is very rough (the section between corners three and four is better suited for a cyclocross bike). The holiday weekend and big prize money bring many pros from the Midwest and Canada. Another fast weekend for the Essex Brass boys.....................

Pro / 1 / 2 event:
Huge field, huge talent and most of all huge horsepower. Jet Fuel Coffee, Jelly Belly, Sharper Image/Mathis Brothers, Collegiate National Criterium champion, US Military champion, past US National Road Champion,  past US National Criterium champion, Canadian Provincial Road Race champion, on and on............

The field took off like it was shot out of a cannon. Things were strung out nose to tail, lap after lap. Each attack was gathered back and was a stepping stone for the next attack.  After much suffering, the boys were going to settle of a finish in the bunch. Great effort guys. That was a real battle royal.

David Mullins - field
Bruce Rivera - field

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Masters 35+ event:
The Masters 35 event was a barn burner as well. Several hard efforts stretched the field, before tired legs gave way to the race's first successful attacks. The team executed well, but came up just short when a solo break by Paul Winocur was swallowed up on the last lap. As the field swarmed, Scott McLarty emerged as the best placed team member. A very close near victory for the squad. Good effort by all!

Scott McLarty - 20th place
Paul Rivera - field
Paul Winocur - field

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Masters 45+ event:
Bill Gilboe was looking to stack a few more points on this series total with a top finish at this event. Gilboe and Chuck Powell rode a smart race by staying on the front end, out of trouble and in control of any attacks. The pace wound up on the last couple of laps, stretching the field from corner to corner. Gilboe emerged third out of the last corner and was able to hold that position despite the unrelenting pressure from the field for the last 500 meters of the sprint to the line. Great teamwork between Bill and Chuck.

Bill Gilboe - 3rd place
Chuck Powell - 10th place

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Masters 55+ event:
Ed Reid showed the field why his racing resume is packed with numerous titles and race wins. Reid managed to rough up the field a bit and then scamper away to capture a win in grand style. Beautiful job Ed!

Ed Reid - 1st place