Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Kurt Hough was leading until he suffered a broken shift shaft and dropped out. Phil Converse led early in the event, but tired and faded to fourth overall. Jeff Fredette rode consistently to win the challenging event (or the fifth time. Kelly Getz survived a couple close calls to finish in the runner-up position. Fredette untouchable By Merle Acord MORRISON, IL, ocr. 18 eteran rider Jeff Fredette employed his racing savvy and all 13 of his years of ISDE experietJ,ce to score the oyerall win at the 17th Annual Illinois Cross Country Championship. It was the Kawasaki Team Green rider's fifth win in the event, and he finished 10 minutes ahead of runner-up Kelly Getz, mounted on a Husqvarna. V Before the traditionally challenging race, riders got a hint of what to expect when event promoter Bill Gusse warned, "It'll be a tighter course this year. The farmers, because of the weather, haven't picked their cornfields and that means we have to ride ·the fence rows instead of going across an open field. That will take away a little of the advantage of riding a big bore." The course was 60 miles in length, and all riders had to complete it twice. Early on in the race, camera buffs got a perfect photo opportunity when riders had to negotiate a standing cornfield just off the start. One early casualty was Jimmie Eriksson, who won the event two years ago. The transmission on the Swede's four-stroke Husaberg failed before he left the spectator area, and he was relegated to the sidelines. At the head of the pack of riders were Phil Converse, Fredette and Kurt Hough. The trio splashed through a creek crossing together about 20 miles out, and they were still dicing it out as they entered the first gas stop at the 26-mile mark. The brutal course was taking its toll. Larry Sullivan did a world-class getoff early on and dropped out of the race. Larry Bergquist, a favorite in the A class, executed a £lying Wand injured his left hand. Riders continued to drop, and mere survival became the number-one priority. At the completion of the first loop, Hough and Fredette were still riding wheel to wheel. Fredette's forte is a strong finish, so the odds were tipped in his favor. "The game plan (for the first loop), like always, was to ride clean, not get stuck, and don't do anything stupid," said Fredette. "You've got to look ahead to the second loop. The second time around is always a little different, the mud 'holes are deeper and there are tracks everywhere. " About 12 miles into the second loop, however, it looked as though it might be Hough who would have a strong finish. He and Fredette entered a swamp together and Fredette got temporarily stuck. "The guys at the check were saying go left, which I did, and I got stuck, and of course Hough went down the middle and zipped through," said Fredette. "He got away from me there, but I caught up at the next creek crossing. I didn't make a clean crossing, and he got away again." . Fredette again reeled in the leader, but Hough jumped a creek crossing that Fredette elected to ride through, and Fredette was nearly a minute down at the gas stop. The course soon got the better of Hough, however, as he sheared off his shift shaft soon after the gas stop. Fredette inherited the lead and rode conservatively for the remaining distance to nab the overall victory. "I'm happy to win of course, but I don't like to see anyone have troubles like that, especially so close to the ena," said Fredette. "If Hough hadn't had problems, I'd have had problems catching him." Hough wasn't the only one to have his day end prematurely. Only 17 riders actually completed both loops. Getz finished in second overall, despite his poor start. "I didn't think (my bad start) was all that important because this race is so long and so many things can happen that it is usually won by riding fast and steady and staying out of trouble." Mounted on a Honda CR250, Dave

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