Transitions

• The team was started a couple of years ago as a handful of misfit cyclists with a wool problem. It's taken some twists and turns along the way, with dormant periods, high turnover, each time emerging from the chrysalis a little different than before. Not all of the members race, but among those that do, I've always tried to instill a strong and old fashioned sense of shared sacrifice and loyalty. We had a tongue-in-cheek ban on upgrades past category 4 -- and until now, that really wasn't an issue. The riders capable of upgrading have moved on, and we've built a solid core of folks who've raced together dozens of times.

  But as early as last autumn, it was clear that things were changing. Following a quiet road season, Tatitos were suddenly competitive in cyclocross, and this success has spilled over into the spring road races. Recent recruit John Whipple scored the first ever Hillsboro-Leland double, and earned himself a forced upgrade into category 3: a lonely place for the moment. But while we've lost a few of our 4s this season to work and school, I'm confident that the current squad is ready to join John. Adam Kaye, having taken a break from cycling to return to cross country and indoor track, has returned with a bang -- making the podium at will in collegiate Bs. Jesse Williams capped a credible off-season program with three of his own during the Gaper's Block week. So now it's just a matter of collecting the final few points to regroup in the 3s.

  But our window is a brief one, alas. Adam will be graduating and leaving Chicago before long, and so we're looking to add a couple more 3s before Superweek. The hope is that our fledgling 3s will get their feet wet in late spring, and join Alex Gilliam (our sole Cat 2) for a handful of 123 crits, earning some crucial high level racing experience whilst getting dropped.

  It's all a bit bewildering for sure, but it's the right change at the right time. Matriculating a few 4s will make room for some of our novice riders to upgrade, and it would be nice to field complete squads in three categories this summer.

  Now, as for the women's program...