On the day of the Perrysburg Grand Prix, Matt Thorout took his bike out for a 50-mile morning ride. The evening before, he had blistered the 43-kilometer Maumee Valley Wheelmen time-trial course at Otsego Park, finishing in 65 minutes, 30 seconds for a first-place finish.

So what was another 20-miles in a criterium featuring some of the best regional riders. Thorout stuck with the main group for most of the race, barely showing the hint of an attack. He waited until the 25th and final lap to make a move.

Thorout took the lead after the third turn on the 0.8 mile course. He was in front as the pack went through the last turn. However, Haehn, 34, pulled ahead in the stretch to win in a sprint finish.

"He was on my wheel as we took the turn and then he came right up with me. It was kind of easy pickings," said Thorout. Bill Matthys, of Kent, Ohio, who rides for Allied Health, finished third.

The event was the fifth race in the CriteriumAmerica. The 20-race series, which is sponsored by TeamCOLUMBUS, began June 16 in Gallipolis, Ohio. The final criterium is scheduled for Aug. 12 in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

The lead in the regional race changed more than a dozen times. Haehn, who finished fifth in the criterium for regional riders July 1 in the Groveport, Ohio, was among the early leaders. John Walter, of Saturn of Toledo, went to the front in the fifth lap, but was quickly caught.

With 18 laps to go, Haehn and Mattys broke away from the main group. They built as much as a 14-second gap. Dave Komives and Steve Sams, of the Wheelmen, helped to bridge the break-away attempt. With the six laps to go, the main group caught Haehn and Mattys.

Komives finished fourth.Tom Hanley, of Columbus, was fifth.

In the citizens race, Jeff Crawford, of the Maumee Valley Wheelmen, went in front at the last corner to win the 10-mile event. Mr. Crawford also did the club time trial the evening before, turning in a respectable 71 minute, 35 second performance.

Colby Moeller was second. Stephen Slabodnick, of Columbus, was third; Paul Fenton, fourth, and Wheelman Mike Iannone, fifth.

In the elite category 1-3 race, Greg Henderson, from the land of sheep, broke free from Paul Martin, a former member of the Navigators cycling team, just before the last corner to win the 28-mile criterium. Martin and Henderson went neck and neck for the last 25 laps of the race.

Hendersen,who rides for Grange Insurance/TeamCOLUMBUS, and Martin, of Gomart, broke away from the peloton, or the main group, in the 10th lap, gradually opening a 45-second gap. Pat O’Donnell, also of Gomart, took third.

MVW Veteran racer David Teall, watching the races, was inspired to offer some expert advice on criterium strategy. See Mr. Staniford's Opus.