Race team tastes success in Puerto Rico

Jonathan Baker pulls on the polka dot jersey of King of the Mountains. Photos by Sean Weide.

Three broken bicycles were not enough to stop Team Kaos from experiencing success at the inaugural Tour of Puerto Rico.

The Nebraska Medical Center, UNMC and UMA-sponsored team recently placed four of its seven riders in the top 30, captured the “King of the Mountains” title and finished fourth of 17 squads in the team standings.

“We overcame a lot of adversity,” said Marco Vasquez, Kaos team captain and perfusionist at The Nebraska Medical Center.

The race covered nearly 300 miles at an average speed of 26 miles an hour and featured five stages over four days. With temperatures reaching the upper 80s every day, the team’s seven riders drank an average of 10 water bottles each during every race.

Vasquez was one of three Kaos racers who had bicycle troubles. After posting the team’s third-fastest time in the opening 11-mile time trial through the streets of San Juan, his gear shifting mechanism broke halfway through the next day’s 100-mile race across the island. With no spare bike available, he was forced to withdraw.

The 41-mile mountain stage was where Kaos made its move, placing two riders in the top five to move up to second overall in the race.

Teammates Joe McWilliams and Chris Spence also had problems with their bikes the same day and chased the field for miles. But only Spence was able to catch back on, forcing McWilliams to abandon the race.

But the withdrawal of McWilliams and Vasquez would turn out to be a blessing in disguise the following day. Following a difficult 41-mile mountain race in which Kaos’ Jonathan Baker and Jarred Berger finished second and fifth respectively, McWilliams discovered a crack in Baker’s bike frame.

“We had to act quickly to keep Jonathan in the race,” Vasquez said. “We checked with other riders who were out of the race and even called some area bike shops. But no one had a bicycle big enough for a guy who’s 6-foot-3. So we put Jonathan on a teammate’s bike who was about the same size.”

That left Ian Robertson, the racer who gave up his bicycle, to ride McWilliams’ bicycle – which is six sizes smaller. But Vasquez and McWilliams took on the role of team mechanics and made the necessary adjustments.

Team Kaos finished fourth in the team standings and was the second-highest placed American squad of the 17 teams in the race.

With Baker in second place overall, it was left up to Robertson, Spence, Berger and Chris Brennan to help keep him out of trouble on the last two stages. Despite attacks by other teams — including the American squad TIAA-CREF, which will compete against Lance Armstrong at the Tour of Georgia — Kaos held to the finish.

“I’ve got to hand it to guys like Marco, Joe and the rest of the guys,” Baker said after pulling on a polka dot jersey designating him as “King of the Mountains.” “Everyone took on a role and did what they had to do to succeed. It was really teamwork at its best.”

Team Kaos’ final placings:
2. Jonathan Baker, 1:17 behind.
13. Jarred Berger, 4:28 behind.
22. Chris Brennan, 8:11 behind.
30. Chris Spence, 9:33 behind.
72. Ian Robertson, 31:19 behind.

Re-hydrating after the first of two stages in one day (left to right): Ian Robertson, Chris Spence, Jarred Berger, Chris Brennan and Jonathan Baker.

Final team standings:
1. TIAA-CREF, 21 hours, 26 minutes, 45 seconds.
2. Marco Polo, 1:03 behind.
3. Seleccion de Santiago, 4:27 behind.
4. Team Kaos, 6:08 behind.