Cyclocross Racing

Katie Compton once again asserted herself as the top dog in the world of domestic cyclo-cross racing by easily grabbing the elite women’s title at the 2006 California Giant Berry Farms USA Cycling national cyclo-cross championships. As she has done all season, Compton didn’t necessarily attack the women’s field — she simply turned on the afterburners and said bye bye. After the race, Compton likened her performance to a joyride, focusing most of her comments on how fun the course was.

The 2006 California Giant Berry USA Cycling national cyclo-cross championships attraced a record number of ’crossers from around the nation to race on the grass of Roger Williams Park in downtown Providence, Rhode Island, proving yet again that in the United States, cyclo-cross is a participant sport first, and a fan-based sport second. [nid:37005]Between writing assignments, our man on the scene Fred Dreier strolled through the weekend's venue and was lucky enough to capture images of just some of the people who made the 2006 cyclo-cross championships a success.

New Englander Mark McCormak (Clif Bar) surged to an impressive second-place finish in the Strawberry Elite Cup on the final day of the 2006 California Giant Berry Farms USA Cycling national cyclo-cross championships. After the event, McCormack — a longtime veteran on the road and the 2003 USPRO champ — admitted that, while he would continue racing ’cross, his road racing days were over. VeloNews caught up with McCormack at the awards ceremony. VeloNews: Word on the street is that this is your last race as an elite today. Mark McCormack: Well, that’s the rumor. Nothing is confirmed yet,

Katie Compton took her third successive national cyclo-cross title Sunday, after riding in a solo breakaway for most of the day and the U.S. championships in Providence, Rhode Island.

As he has done all season, Ryan Trebon wasted little time in laying waste to the elite men’s field at the 2006 cyclo-cross national championship in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday. Along with his Kona teammate Barry Wicks and New Englander Mark McCormack (Clif Bar), the 6-foot-5 Trebon sprinted to the head of the men’s field from the gun. But midway around the first loop through Roger Williams Park, Trebon displayed the power output of his long legs, and sped away in a gear owned by no other man in the 114-strong field had.

Thousands of ’cross fans erupted in cheers as Ryan Trebon crossed the finish line to take his first elite ’cross stars and stripes, but none yelled louder than Brigadier General Gregory Trebon — otherwise known as “Ryan’s dad.” The elder Trebon is a retired General in the United States Air Force, and holds an impressive list of major awards and decorations for service to his country. But in Providence, Greg Trebon understood that he was proud father first and Air Force general second.

The bowl-shaped heart of Roger Williams park in downtown Providence, Rhode Island, turned into something of a one-ringed circus of ’cross Friday, as 692 masters, competing in 15 age-grouped races, kicked off the 2006 cyclo-cross national championships. Indeed, the master’s men 30-34, 40-45 and 45-49 age-group races bore the appearance of real circus processions, as all three boasted swollen 100-plus fields that could stretch halfway around the course if uninterrupted.

At 47, Steve Tilford is quickly approaching the “ageless wonder” category reserved for cycling’s best-known graying hero, his former Specialized teammate Ned Overend. It was no surprise to see Tilford wallop the men 45-49 age-group category to claim yet another national ’cross championship in Providence, Rhode Island on December 17, shortly after Overend took the jersey in the men 50-54 group. We caught up with Tilford as he was watching Overend lead the amateur race. When posed with the tough question (so who would win in a ’cross race between you and deadly Nedly?), Tilford — the pride of

A record number of mud-pluggers from throughout the United States will descend upon Providence, Rhode Island, this weekend for the 2006 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross national championships. The event, which will award 28 national titles and is sponsored by California Giant Berry Farms, runs December 15-17. On Monday, USA Cycling announced that 1940 amateur and elite athletes had registered for the 2006 nationals, a 14 percent increase from 2005. Last year, 1700 athletes competed at the nationals in Providence — an amazing 41-percent increase from 2004.

If there was any doubt that Sven Nys is on a seemingly endless roll this season, the Belgian 'cross phenom' put it to rest as he scored his fifth successive win cyclo-cross’s Superprestige series, taking Round 5 at Hamme-Zogge, Belgium, on Sunday. Nys further solidified his already formidable series lead over fellow Belgian Bart Wellens, who again finished second on Sunday. For North American ‘cross fans, the big news came in the form of a top-ten finish by Kona’s Ryan Trebon, who came across the line some four minutes back from the hard-charging Nys. Nys, who lost to Wellens in the

The calendar may say December but the weather said otherwise at Sunday’s final round of the 2006 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series, the Caster’s Cyclocross in Warwick, Rhode Island. The ’06 Series closed out just as it began, with temps in the 50s and Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) and Tim Johnson (Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com)stamping their authority all over the Elite Women’s and Men’s events. Bessette’s win, her fifth in five Series starts, cemented her position as the 2006 Verge NECCS overall champion while Mark McCormack (Clif Shot) took home the overall title

Verge titles on the line this weekendComing into the final weekend of the 2006 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series, the race for the elite championships hangs in the balance. Both races of the Rhode Island doubleheader, Saturday’s W.E. Stedman Grand Prix in South Kingston and Sunday’s Caster’s Cyclocross in Warwick, offer very different race experiences in which series titles will be decided. The W.E. Stedman course, a fast, open, and often blustery tour around the grounds at the Curtis Corner Middle School, favors sheer strength over technique while Sunday’s Caster’s track

Picking up where they left off two weeks ago, the wife-husband duo of LyneBessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) and Tim Johnson (Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com)won Saturday’s W.E. Stedman Grand Prix in South Kingston, Rhode Island,the sixth round of the 2006 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-CrossSeries. Less than 20 miles from the site of next week’s U.S. national Championships,the penultimate Verge NECCS race went to form, with Bessette dominatingthe Elite Women’s field and Johnson forming an early breakaway and thensoloing in for the Elite Men’s win.On a dry afternoon with temperatures

When Steve Tilford crashed his bike into an icy lake on the second lap of Sunday’s KLM Marketing UCI Cyclocross Race, his first instinct was to get back on and start racing. A warm blanket and some dry clothing would have to wait. The Trek-Volkswagen rider from Topeka, Kansas, had another epic chapter to write in his already-storied career, which includes five world mountain-bike and four national cyclo-cross titles. Tilford tossed his waterlogged bike out of the lake and after just one lap on the 2.5km course had chased down and passed Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific-Salsa) en route to

KLM ’cross to preview 2007-08 nationals courseThe second KLM Marketing Solutions UCI Cyclocross is slated Sunday at Wyandotte County Park in Kansas City. The race, which will double as the Missouri State Cyclocross Championships, uses the same venue that will host the 2007-08 USA Cycling cyclo-cross national championships. "KLM Marketing Solutions has been working with the Unified Government for two years to ensure that the venue has the capabilities to host nationals," said Wayne Burns, director of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County Parks and Recreation Department. Four-time

Chi’ series concludes December 3The fourth and final race of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup racing series on December 3 will double as the Illinois State Cyclocross Championship. The race will be held at Montrose Park; lead sponsor is Turin of Evanston. The course makes use of the many natural and manmade areas of the park. Riders can expect a well-rounded course using pavement, gravel track, grass and sandy areas with off-camber and running sections mixed into each lap. Race flyers and information for the 2006 Chicago Cyclocross Cup can be found at www.chicrosscup.com. Nashville series headed

While the sunny skies and high temperatures made it feel more like an early-season race, Saturday’s Gear Works Bay State Cyclocross packed all the punch of a classic East Coast ‘cross throwdown. Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) and Tim Johnson (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com), won their respective races in round 5 of the 2006 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series, though under very different circumstances. The flowing Chocksett School course offered few technical challenges, instead rewarding flat-out strength and speed. Those requirements fit perfectly into Bessette’s skill

Sven Nys (Rabobank) displayed his dominance once again in round six of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup on Saturday, riding away from an elite lead group to a solo victory in Koksijde, Belgium. The World Cup leader and Belgian national champion had been at the head of a lead group containing teammates Gerben De Knegt and Sven Vanthourenhout, Bart Wellens (Fidea), and John Gadret (Ag2r Prevoyance). With five laps to go, Nys had begun chipping away at the group, and a lap later it was three Rabobank riders off the front through the start-finish area. Then Nys stepped on the gas, leaving his

At the final race of the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross series, held Sunday near Portland, Oregon, race organizers finally got the muddy conditions ’cross is known for. The series final, the Scion Stumptown Cup, held on the grounds of the Hillsboro Stadium, provided the wet, slippery conditions mechanics dread and photographers embrace. "If every day is a fair-weather day, these guys can’t go to Belgium and expect to be ready to race," said series director Bruce Fina. "To be honest with you, if I could race any single day of the series, I would race on this day, because of the

It takes a lot to keep Kona’s Ryan Trebon from winning a cyclo-cross race in the U.S in 2006. Thus far it’s happened twice this season: at the UCI-sanctioned Whitmore's Super Cross Cup in Southampton, New York, on October 1, when a week spent at Interbike and a hard-charging Tim Johnson got the better of him; and at the November 5 Boulder Cup, round four of the 2006 Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross, when mechanical problems sent Trebon into the pits five times. The latest attempt to derail Trebon’s nearly spotless domestic ’cross campaign was a bad sushi roll eaten for dinner

The national Crank Brothers U.S.Gran Prix of Cyclocross heads to the Pacific Northwest this weekend,and to no one’s surprise, rain and muddy conditions are expected. Whilethe forecast for Saturday’s RadCup Presented by Seasoned Skewers in Tacoma, Washington, is mostlycloudy with a high of 50 degrees, rain is expected at Sunday’s ScionStumptown Cup in Hillsboro near Portland, Oregon. With 11 inches ofrainwater in the past 16 days soaking up both courses, conditions are expectedto favor riders with a taste for mud. On a weekend that favors those with superior handling and running skills, riders

Cane Creek trio sweeps Munson ParkThe Cane Creek trio of Rob Foshag, Jon Card and Jeff Weinart went 1-2-3 at the Jack’s Bicycle & Fitness Munson Park Cyclocross November 12 in Monroe, Michigan. Hometown favorite Foshag took the hole-shot, quickly followed by teammates Card and Weinert, and the Cane Creek trio began a team time trial, trading pulls as the remnants of the field fought for their wheels. A lap and a half later, the three were on their own. At the finish, their lead secure, Rob Foshag got the go-ahead to take the win in front of his family, friends and neighbors. Best of the

Bruno-Roy, White win HPCXMaureen Bruno-Roy (Independent Fabrications) and Matt White (Fiordifrutta) won the HPCX Cyclocross on Sunday at Highland Park in Jamesburg, New Jersey. The race was round five of the 2006 Verge MAC powered by Hammer Nutrition. Conditions were slick and slow as warm temperatures lingered throughout most of the day, finally yielding as a steady rain swept in for the marquee event. In the women’s race, Bruno-Roy took control in the early going, increasing her lead and taking the win as course conditions deteriorated under a steady rain. MAC Series leader Deidre

When a mid-November cyclocross in Pennsylvania has a forecast calling for clear skies and 70-degree temperatures, it has the potential to be a special day. When that same event has a pre-registration list that includes riders from two continents, five UCI cyclo-cross winners, the winner of one of the richest criteriums in the world and a Pro Tour team leader — it’s pretty clear that the race is a cut above the ordinary. But when the announcers at Saturday’s Verge MAC powered by Hammer Nutrition Lower Allen Classic started the race day by paying homage to VeloNews editor at large Patrick

Greg Reain (Stevens Racing) flew all the way from Germany to Vancouver Island to finally grab the national cyclo-cross title which has eluded him until Saturday. Reain rode from the front all race win ahead of the chasing Maxxis duo of Geoff Kabush and Mat Toulouse. In the women's race, Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) successfully defended her title against local favorite Wendy Simms (Kona). Organizer Normon Thibault (Frontrunners) designed a technical and demanding circuit of 2.8 kilometers, which favored riders who rode from the front. From the start, the riders zig-zagged their

Verge MAC slates UCI double-headerRacing continues in the Verge MAC Cyclocross Series this weekend with a pair of UCI C2 International events — Saturday’s Lower Allen Classic at Lower Allen Township Community Park near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Sunday’s HPCX Cyclocross in Jamesburg, New Jersey. The winner of the last Verge MAC race, Trek-VW-Michelin’s Tristen Schouten of Wisconsin, will join Italian Davide Frattini (Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home Wine), Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly), and Fiordifrutta teammates Michael Cody and Matt White as 2006 international race winners on the start

Dickey, White triumph at Cycle-SmartA new generation of New England cyclo-crossers broke through at round four of the 2006 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series, the 16th Annual Cycle-Smart International in Northampton, Massachusetts, Mackenzie Dickey (Verge) and Matt White (FiordiFrutta), both under 25, turned in dominant performances on the Look Park course, which featured endless twists and turns. Dickey rode a nearly flawless race, pushing the pace from the first lap and forcing her rivals into mistakes along the way. Amy Wallace (RGM Watches-Richards Sachs-Rex Chiu) looked

Schneider, Foland take Georgia raceJed Schneider (Alan Factory) and Kim Foland (Travel Girl) won round four of the Georgia Cross Series in Monroe. The course at at Criswell Park was primarily flat with some fast pavement sections, off-camber turns and plenty of headwinds. Schneider took an early lead only to bobble in one of the off-camber sections and be overhauled by the charging field. But he escaped once again, establishing a gap over an eight-man chase and holding on for the victory ahead of series leader Michael Cummings (KHS-Cycleyouth). The Travel Girl team dominated the women’s

Katie Compton (Spike-Primus Mootry) had to dig a little deeper in Sunday’s Boulder Cup to shell a gritty Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com), intent on avenging her loss on Saturday at Longmont’s Xilinx Cup. Team Kona repeated its victory of the previous day, too. But it was not the white-clad U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross series leader, Ryan Trebon, crossing the line first at Boulder’s Harlow Platts Park — it was teammate Barry Wicks, collecting his first win in the 2006 USGP. After simply riding away from the field on Saturday, U.S. national champion Compton was clearly the woman to beat

One can forgive the thick crowds at the third round of the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross if they were hoping for more competitive battles in the elite men’s and women’s races Saturday at the Xilinx Cup in Longmont, Colorado. Instead, spectators bore witness to a pair of dominating performances by two of the strongest Americans perhaps to ever race cyclo-cross. The day’s winners, series leader Ryan Trebon (Kona) and U.S. women’s national champion Katie Compton (Spike-Primus Mootry), took wins in similar fashion, riding away from their respective fields early to finish alone by

Verge series resumes SaturdayRounds three and four of the 2006 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series are slated this weekend with the Chainbiter 8.0 on Saturday in Farmington, Connecticut, and the 16th annual Cycle-Smart International Sunday in Northampton, Massachusetts. Saturday’s Chainbiter takes place in Farmington’s Winding Trails Park, while Sunday’s Cycle-Smart International uses the two-tiered Look Park course. "We’re on target for record fields this weekend," said Cycle-Smart International organizer Adam Myerson. "This will be our 16th edition and it’s come to be

National-level cyclo-cross racing returns to Colorado’s Front Range this weekend as the second round of the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross lands in Longmont and Boulder, 30 minutes north of Denver. Round 3 of the USGP, the Xilinx Cup, will be held Saturday in Longmont, with round 4, the Boulder Cup, slated Sunday in the talent-rich racing community of Boulder. This weekend marks the first national-level cyclo-cross event held in Boulder, home of VeloNews, since the November 2000 round of the former SuperCup, when then-national champion Marc Gullickson defeated Tim Johnson.

MABRAcross finale a double-headerThe BikeReg.com MABRAcross Series concludes this weekend with a double-header: Club Squadra Coppi’s Tacchino Ciclocross on Saturday in Leesburg, Virginia, and the Race Pace Cyclocross on Sunday in Sykesville, Maryland. Traditionally run near Thanksgiving, Saturday’s Tacchino (that’s Italian for "turkey") Cyclocross gets a new location in Leesburg’s Ida Lee Park. "The park staff are very supportive of our efforts, and I get the feeling when dealing with them and the town management that they would like to see this event become even more closely tied with the

U.S. champs rule Boulder CyclocrossA pair of U.S. national champions took top honors on Sunday at the Boulder Cyclocross race at the Boulder Reservoir. Todd Wells (GT) won the open men’s race, attacking halfway through the hourlong race to finish solo. A minute later, Danish ’cross champion Joachim Parbo edged Boulder’s Jonathan Baker (Harshman Wealth Management) for second in the sprint to the finish. Wells was the only guy bunny-hopping the boat-dock obstacle, and it paid off. "[The barrier] was the only place to really open up a gap, because there were so many straight, paved sections

Michigan CX circuit visits the ‘Devil’s Soup Bowl’Michigan cyclo-crossers will be in for an extra helping of pain and suffering on Sunday as the state series visits the "Devil’s Soup Bowl," better known as Veterans Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The park, with its natural amphitheater layout, has featured run-ups of 75 to 100 meters, sections incorporating deteriorated flights of cement stairs, off-camber switchback climbs with 15 percent grade, and muddy sections of soft grassy soil. Sunday’s race promises more of the same, including last year’s "L’Alpe d’Huez" section of

Ryan Trebon (Kona) and Katie Compton (Spike Professional-Primus Mootry) did it again on Sunday as the Verge MAC Cyclocross Series moved north for round two of its 2006 campaign. The Wissahickon Cyclocross, held at Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show and Country Fair Ground, offered a course that was more windswept and less steep than the one the two ruled on Saturday at Granouge Estate near Wilmington, Delaware. And the racing proved different, too — in the women’s race, at least. Canadian champ Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) and Compton quickly gapped U.S. mountain-bike champion Georgia Gould

Katie Compton (Spike Professional-Primus Mootry) and Ryan Trebon (Kona) overpowered their respective fields on Saturday at the UCI C1 Cyclocross at Granogue Estate near Wilmington, Delaware. The start at Granogue is a long, slightly uphill paved driveway, and it proved decisive. Georgia Gould (Luna) got the hole shot with Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld) on her wheel — but Compton shot by on the right and that was all she wrote. "I should have jumped on her wheel right away, but I didn’t and Katie got a gap. I would have had to ride much faster than her to catch up, but she is so strong I

The eight-race Verge MAC Cyclocross Series kicks off this weekend with the UCI-C1 Cyclocross at Granogue on Saturday and the UCI-C2 Wissahickon Cyclocross on Sunday. Granogue promoter Tom McDaniel is excited about the field for this year’s races. "This is the best field we’ve had at Granogue and Wissahickon for several years. Geoff Kabush is coming, (Ryan) Trebon and (Barry) Wicks are coming, and so are Tim Johnson and both Todd and Troy Wells." The women’s field is equally strong. Two-time U.S. national champion Katie Compton will face Canadian champ Lyne Bessette, who won both races last

Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) and Tim Johnson (Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com) doubled up in Maine on Sunday, winning day two of the Downeast Cyclocross in New Gloucester, Maine, the second round of the Verge New England Championship Cyclo-cross Series. Bessette was well warmed and ready to go for the women's race, having competed in the men's B race just beforehand. After the start and the first tour in the woods, she and Katerina Nash (Luna) reprised Saturday’s battle at the front, leaving the rest of the riders to chase. Unlike Saturday, however, Bessette could not get rid

Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) and Tim Johnson (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) rode to convincing wins on Saturday during day one of the Downeast Cyclocross at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine. Bessette has been dominating this season, though she is coming off a stinging loss in last week's race in Gloucester, Massachusetts. So it was no surprise that she went off from the gun at the start with Rebecca Wellons (Gearworks) and Mackenzie Dickey. After the first course through the woods, it was Bessette in front with only Melissa Thomas (Maxxis) and Katerina Nash (Luna) on her

Jonathan Page faces surgery and months of rehabilitation after dislocating his left shoulder and tearing his rotator cuff while warming up at the October 1 World Cup in Aigle, Switzerland. In a posting on his website, www.thejonathanpage.com, Page wrote that he tore his left rotator cuff "completely off the bone." Surgery is scheduled for October 16, followed by three weeks in a brace and physical therapy. "I couldn't wait to do the surgery until after the season because each day that goes by now, the detached tendon retracts further, and so each day is doing more harm and each day

Novakovich, Gasaway win Alaska seriesMatt Novakovich and Heather Gasaway wrapped up overall victories in the 2006 Alaska Cyclo-cross Series with convincing wins at a windy ArcticCross No. 6 in Anchorage. Novakovich (Team Bicycle Shop) and Josh Yeaton (Team Kaladi) wasted no time in leaving the rest of the men’s field behind on the first run-up. The two spent most of the race, as they had all season, in front of a chase group containing Andy Duneow, James Stull (Kaladi) and Tony Brugliera (Bicycle Shop). At only 16 years old, Yeaton is sure to be a force in coming years. By the end of a

Cross Crusade nears 800-rider markThey do like their cyclo-cross in Oregon. The Cross Crusade series organizers report that the October season-opener at Alpenrose Dairy in Portland drew 798 racers, making it the largest one-day ‘cross race ever held in the United States. Some 760 racers tackled the Alpenrose course last year, organizers say. "The popularity of cyclo-cross racing in the Northwest continues to amaze us," said Brad Ross, director of the 15-year-old series. "The turnout speaks to the accessibility and fun of cyclocross, despite how physically demanding the sport is." The

Each Monday, throughout the season, VeloNews.com will happily post race promoters' news releases regarding cyclo-cross races from around theU.S. and Canada. Please send releases and results to "Weekend 'Cross Wrap"in care of VNInteractive@InsideInc.com.Promoters are responsible for the content of those releases.2006 BikeReg.com MABRAcross Series “Ed Sander Memorial CyclocrossBuckeystown, Maryland - Lilypons Water Gardens inBuckeystown, Maryland, is renowned for its expertise in water gardeningand the wide variety of water lilies it grows. It also a beautifulgarden in its own right,

On Sunday, just as his Colavita-Sutter Home teammates were starting their 2006 road campaign on the streets of San Francisco in the Tour of California prologue, Jonathan Page was cleaning the last bit of Belgian dirt out of his teeth after the final UCI cyclo-cross race of the 2005-06 season in Oostemalle, Belgium. While Page (who races 'cross for Liberty Seguros-Cérvélo) finished 12th in Oostemalle, the GVA Series finale, his 7th place result from Saturday in the eighth and concluding SuperPrestige Series race in Vorselaar vaulted the former three-time U.S. Elite champion into some

Belgian pride was salvaged at the cyclo-cross world championships on Sunday when Erwin Vervecken led home countryman Bart Wellens to claim the elite men's title. Defending champion and pre-race favorite Sven Nys (Bel) did not finish, crashing on the final lap while in the lead group. American Jonathan Page put in a strong performance, moving up through the field to finish 10th. The Belgians were expected to dominate the men's 60-minute, nine-lap race, but the first half of the race was wide open, with riders from France, Holland and the Czech Republic all coming to the front. The

Ryan Trebon (Kona) has resigned his position on the U.S. team bound for the UCI cyclo-cross world championships January 28-29 in Zeddam, the Netherlands, according to USA Cycling. "He informed us yesterday that his grandfather (Paul S. Trebon) passed away, and that he decided to resign his spot on the team," said USA Cycling’s Andy Lee on Thursday. Contacted via e-mail, Trebon said: "I wasn't going to be able to make it back to Belgium until Wednesday or Thursday next week. My head wasn't gonna be right to race anyway. So I thought it was best if I stayed home and let someone else

Belgian Erwin Vervecken (Fidea) won the Grand Prix Lille Métropole cyclo-cross on Saturday, outsprinting Frenchman John Gadret. Netherlander Gerben de Knegt took third spot on the podium, ahead of Czech Radomir Simunek and world champion Sven Nys of Belgium. American Jonathan Page finished sixth at 48 seconds back. Results1. Erwin Vervecken (B), Fidea, 1:02:252. John Gadret (F), at 0:013. Gerben de Knegt (Ned), at 0:254. Radomir Simunek (Cze) same time5. Sven Nys (B), s.t.6. Jonathan Page (USA), at 0:487. David Derepas (F), at 1:268. Marco Bianco (I), at 1:319. Camiel van den Bergh (Ned),

Kona riders from Oregon fill three of the five slots on the elite men’s team bound for the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships January 28-29 in Zeddam, The Netherlands. USA Cycling announced its elite men’s picks on Friday, filling out its 20-rider roster for the world’s. The team includes Kona riders Ryan Trebon, Barry Wicks and Erik Tonkin, all of Oregon. Trebon was an automatic selection based on his top-50 slot in the UCI rankings; Wicks won automatic selection as top American in the 2005 Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross series; and Tonkin was a discretionary

Sven Nys (Rabobank) defended his Belgian national cyclo-cross title on Sunday in Tervuren. The reigning world champion collected his fourth Belgian crown ahead of Erwin Vervecken and Bart Wellens. It was his second consecutive triumph. In other racing over the weekend: Netherlands — Gerben de Knegt outsprinted Richard Groenendaal to take the Dutch ‘cross crown Sunday in Huijbergen. It is the second title for Knegt, who first won in 2002. Wilant Van Gils was third at three seconds back. In the women’s race, Daphny van den Brand handily defeated Marianne Vos and Reza Hormes, who finished at

Completing what must be the strangest week of his cycling life, Jonathan Page (Cervélo-Mavic-adidas) became the first ever American to win an Elite UCI cyclo-cross race in Europe with a victory in Sunday’s event in Pétange, Luxembourg. Page’s win comes on the heels of solid third-place result in Thursday’s Nordzeecross in Middelkerke, Belgium, but as has been the case all during the month of December for Page, bad luck always seems to accompany any stretch of good fortune for the former three-time U.S. champ. Page’s week started off on a low note, with his return to the European

Jonathan Page (Liberty Seguros-Cervélo), who saw his national-championship string snapped by a stomach bug earlier in December, has found a little something to ease the pain — a podium finish on Thursday at the Noordzeecross in Middelkerke, Belgium. Page finished third, just 30 seconds behind Sven Vanthourenhout. Gerben De Knegt took the runner-up spot at 17 seconds back. It was a solid performance, considering the stomach ailment that has plagued Page since before the U.S. Cyclo-Cross National Championships December 10 in Providence, Rhode Island. "I have some kind of infection growing in

Ben Jacques-Maynes (Kodak-Sierra Nevada) and Barbara Howe (Velo Bella) won round five of the Central Coast Cyclo-cross Series on December 18 near Monterey, California. The course at Fort Ord should have been a fast one, with a long, runway-like paved section, a stretch of open field, a trip around a small pond, and some tight and off-camber turns. But torrential rain and high winds turned the circuit into a sea of mud and slime. In the men’s A race, Jacques-Maynes and his brother Andy (Cal Giant Inc.-Specialized) established a early break after one lap, joined by CCCX series leader Simon

You just can't keep Katie Compton in the back of the bus. The reigning national elite women’s cyclo-cross champion - who started in 41st position after being denied a call-up at Sunday's race during the Liberty Mutual U.S. Cyclo-cross National Championships due to her lack of UCI points - tore straight through the field on the first lap, seized the lead and never let it go.

There was no shortage of themes to come out of the second day of the 2005 Liberty Mutual U.S. Cyclo-cross National Championships in Providence, Rhode Island. On a day when, among others, collegiate men, under-23 men, junior men 17-18 and elite men all raced for stars-and-stripes jerseys, there was a handful of constants overlapping the day’s most prestigious races.

Slush, snow and speed. Chris Milliman was knee-deep in cyclo-cross nats on Saturday, and here's what he saw.

"So why should this weekend be any different? Snow." That was Chris Milliman, in an e-mail promising photos from this weekend's Liberty Mutual U.S. Cyclo-cross National Championships in Providence, Rhode Island. He's seen his fair share of the white stuff while covering 'cross races this fall, and from the look of the shots he sent our way today, he's not seen the last of it yet. The weather was bad enough that two categories – men 30-34 and collegiate men – had to be postponed until Saturday. So take a good, long look at the gallery posted below – and then go throw another

Break out the cowbells, wool socks and long underwear, the second weekend of December has arrived, meaning the most important cyclo-cross race of the North American calendar is about to take place. Held in the natural amphitheater of the Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island, the 2005 Liberty Mutual U.S. national cyclo-cross championships is expected to host some of the most tightly contested battles for the stars-and-stripes jerseys in recent memory.

In the perfect send off to what has been a cyclo-cross series with its fair share of bad weather and challenging conditions, the Caster’s Grand Prix, run Sunday in Warwick, Rhode Island as the final round of the 2005 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series, presented racers with the most challenging conditions yet, a lethal combination of fresh snow, freezing temperatures, and even sleet. But if the race day conditions seemed utterly miserable and treacherous to most riders, they were the perfect storm for noted bad weather specialist Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld.com-Louis Garneau)

Racers from 15 states and the District of Columbia converged on the Washington, D.C., suburb of Reston, Virginia, on Sunday for round seven of the $30,000 Verge Mid Atlantic Cyclocross Series. The Capital Cross Classic presented by The Bike Lane was the largest cyclo-cross race ever held in Virginia or the district area, with 250 entries comprised of seven classes competing in five events. The featured DARCARS Chrysler International figured to be a wide-open affair with many of the national riders deciding to skip this UCI C2 event for races in Europe or Thanksgiving at home. Stepping into

Tim Johnson knows he’s living right because his decision to come back to cyclo-cross after a three-year absence has Mother Nature’s seal of approval. Johnson (Cyclocrossworld.com-Louis Garneau) is famous for an uncanny knack to ride at a whole other level when the conditions include snow and ice, and that’s just what the 2000 U.S. elite national champion found Saturday at the Gearworks Bay State Cyclo-cross in Sterling, Massachusetts, round four of the 2005 Verge New England Championships Cyclo-Cross Series. With four inches of cold, dry snow covering the tricky course, Johnson was in hog

Tara Ross (Diet Cheerwine) and Jon Hamblen (Fiordifrutta) won the North Carolina Grand Prix Saturday in Hendersonville’s Jackson Park. The UCI event featured a fast, spectator-friendly 3km course dotted with many off-camber sections, a steep "wall," and a set of double natural step-ups. In the women’s elite field, Ross immediately strung out the field immediately. A chase group including teammate Laura Bowles, Samantha Williams (Alan Factory) and Kim Sawyer (Travel Girl) faded over the next few laps as Betsy Schauer (Fort–GPOA!) took over the pursuit. Cara McCauley (CCA-Kona) and Melanie

Four top cyclo-cross racers celebrated victories Sunday night after the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross series finale in San Francisco’s renowned Golden Gate Park. Two riders, Todd Wells and Wendy Simms, enjoyed victories at the scenic Clark Natwick Grand Prix, while two others, Barry Wicks and Lyne Bessette, were awarded overall series titles. Perhaps the biggest winner of the day was the Kona Cyclocross team, which scored both the elite men’s overall series win with 24-year-old sensation Wicks and also took an upset race victory when Simms became the first woman this season to

While it won’t make for the epic imagery usually associated with cyclo-cross, sunny, warm weather is expected in the San Francisco Bay Area this weekend, the site for the finale of the 2005 Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross series. Instead of the snowstorm conditions racers faced at race 3 of the series October 29 in Gloucester, Massachusetts, competitors will revel in the sunbathed tradition of West Coast cyclo-cross. Saturday’s Surf City Cyclocross, at the Watsonville Fairgrounds just outside of Santa Cruz, and Sunday’s Clark Natwick Grand Prix, in San Francisco’s Golden Gate

Johnson and Bessette tops in ConnecticutFarmington, Connecticut -An a ending as rare as it was exciting,Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld.com-Louis Garneau) closed out the Elite Men’srace at ChainBIter 7.0 in Farmington, Conn. with a narrow sprint finishwin over Todd Wells (GT-Hyundai). Stop two on the 2005 Verge New EnglandChampionship Cyclo-Cross Series presented by Cycle-Smart, Farmington’sfinal race came down to the final meters with Johnson leading out Wells,racing in his first UCI categorized event of the year, and just barelyholding off the 2004 mountain bike Olympian.“We were trying to

The Southern California Cyclocross Cup reached its halfway point in grand fashion on Sunday as nearly 100 riders took to the European-style course of Hart Park in Bakersfield, California. The course, designed by race director Sam Ames, featured pavement, grass and one short, steep run-up. Two high concrete curbs were a crowd favorite - a few riders were able to bunny hop them, but most stuck to the traditional dismount. In the women’s A race series promoter Dorothy Wong (Kelly) took the win from rival Carolyn Popovic followed by Amy Bowen in third. "It was a tough race but such a good

A day after its national cyclo-cross championships, Canada’s first-ever UCI sanctioned C2 cyclo-cross event took place in Aurora, Ontario, just south of the Saturday’s championship site. While the majority of the field consisted of riders who had ridden the day before, there were a number of Americans, including one significant addition to the men's field: Lyne Bessette's husband and teammate Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld.com - Louis Garneau). The pair showed why they are considered among the top riders on the continent this season by riding away from their respective fields to

World champion Sven Nijs of Belgium won round two of the UCI cyclo-cross World Cup on Saturday at Tabor, Czech Republic, and photographer Graham Watson was on hand to capture the action. Nijs, who took the series opener last weekend in Kalmthout, Belgium, narrowly beat Czech Petr Dlask, who finished three seconds behind. Dlask’s countryman Kamil Ausbuher was third at 14 seconds back. Dlask, Ausbuher and Netherlander Gerben de Knegt lit the race up early on, seizing a lead of 20 seconds and forcing the Belgian team to chase. Nijs and Bart Wellens eventually retrieved the leaders, and the

The Michelob ULTRA Grand Prix of Cyclocross races this weekend at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester, Massachusetts, marks the East Coast debut of the 2005 Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross. The traditional seaside venue, long one of the highlights of the New England circuit, attracts riders from throughout North America with its guarantee of big crowds, fast racing, and a grab bag of autumnal weather conditions. Whether soaked in late-October sun or blasted by ocean-driven rain, Gloucester’s sweeping, sandy course never fails to foster back-and-forth racing with thrilling sprint

Lynn Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com-Louis Garneau) and Ryan Trebon (Kona) won the Wooden Wheels Cyclo-cross on Saturday. The race at A.I. DuPont’s Granougue estate near Wilmington, Delaware, part of the Verge Mid-Atlantic Cyclocross Series, was a slippery, muddy mess. Bessette took the lead by the end of the first lap, accompanied only by Maureen Bruno-Roy (Independent Fabrications). Idaho’s Georgia Gould (Kona Bikes) got a slow start, but made steady progress through the field, working her way into second place and then setting off after Bessette. As the last lap began, the light rain that

Reigning world champion Sven Nijs (Rabobank) took the opening round of the cyclo-cross World Cup Sunday, beating fellow Belgian Bart Wellens by 42 seconds in Kalmthout, Belgium. Czech `crosser Peter Dlask took third, outsprinting Belgian Erwin Vervecken and Tom Vannoppen just a few seconds behind Wellens. Out of a group of nine riders to slip off the front of the filed early on in the race, only Dlask and Wellens could respond to a powerful acceleration by Nijs. Dlask faded back as after he was forced to change bikes due to a mechanical. Wellens himself encountered troubles and changed

There’s no ProTour in the mud. Unlike its counterpart on the road, cyclo-cross is sticking with the World Cup format, which kicks off this Sunday in Kalmthout in Belgium. After experimenting with the number of races and length of the schedule the UCI has finally settled upon a 10-race series that wraps up January 22, in Hoogerheide in the Netherlands, a week before the world championships in Zeddam. Half of the World Cup races will be in Belgium (three events) and Holland (two). The remainder will be spread out among the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and France. It makes

Wicks, Gould tops in Verge Mid AtlanticOctober 16, 2005, Bridgeton, NJ, USA-Kona riders dominated Sunday’s second race of the $30,000 Verge Mid Atlantic Cyclocross Series with wins in both UCI Elite races, and a convincing podium sweep in the UCI Elite Men’s event in Bridgeton, New Jersey. The three-century-old river port town is the county seat and boasts a city park almost as large as the town itself. Within the park, residents can find a riverside beach, an amphitheater and even a small zoo. Unfortunately for the eastern regulars of the Verge Mid Atlantic Cyclocross Series, the zoo wasn’t

Imagine escaping a weekend of cyclo-cross racing in the Pacific Northwest with nary a raindrop having fallen on your head. You’d feel pretty lucky, right? Well, that luck ran out, way out, for any racer that showed up for Saturday’s opener of the 2005 Verge New England Championships Cyclo-Cross Series, the Downeast Cyclo-Cross in New Gloucester, Maine. Fields already sodden from a week of rain greeted racers, and the rain grew steadier and heavier as the day went on, peaking in intensity for the most anticipated events: elite men and women. But even the hub-deep puddles and wheel sucking

Two very different race stories developed at the Rad Racing Gran Prix of Cyclocross, held at Fort Steilacoom Park in Tacoma, Washington, on Sunday, the second round of the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross The first scenario, in the elite women’s event, held a similar plotline to that of one day earlier, as Canadian Lyne Bessette charged to the front of the race and never looked back, crossing the finish line comfortably ahead of an outclassed field. The second, in the elite men’s event, offered up more plot developments than a bestselling-mystery novel, as a six-man lead group

One winner of the opening round of the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross was last year’s defending series champion; the other was the only competitor, man or woman, to have won a World Cup cyclo-cross event. So when Ryan Trebon (Kona) and Canadian Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com-Louis Garneau) took convincing solo victories at the Cannondale Stumptown Classic in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday, it shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise — except that both brought to the start line extenuating circumstances that led many to question whether either rider could dominate a

The second Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross kicks off Saturday with a pair of Northwestern races – Saturday’s Cannondale Stumptown Cyclocross Classic in Portland, Oregon, and Sunday’s Rad Racing Gran Prix of Cyclocross in Tacoma, Washington. The six-race national series rewards overall winners in the elite-men, elite-women, under-23 and junior-men categories with automatic selection to the U.S. team that will contest the world cyclo-cross championships on January 28-29, 2006, in Zeddam, The Netherlands. All six races will be held under UCI regulations, and leaders’ jerseys will

Redmond, WA - What do mail carriers and ‘cross racers have in common? Rain, hail, and unwavering dedication to their chosen courses. Nearly a thousand spectators proved just as passionate to the sport as true northwest-style (read: “muddy”) cyclocross reigned at the Group Health Velodrome Saturday night.Despite the drenching downpour on the early races at King County’s MarymoorPark in Redmond, WA, our hardy bell-clanging fans still packed the windingcourse and Toña Cerveza Beer Garden, letting riders know they wereall in it together.In stark contrast to last year’s balmy event, this year’s

After two years in Portland, Oregon, the U.S. Cyclo-cross National Championships are moving clear across the country for 2005 – all the way to the 430-acre Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island. The race is scheduled for December 9-11. “As America’s most up-and-coming city, Providence is a natural to host the national championships of one of America’s most up-and-coming sports,” said Mayor David N. Cicilline. “I wholeheartedly welcome the hundreds of cyclists and fans who will converge on Roger Williams Park, and I look forward to spectacular competition against a beautiful New

In light of his recent domination of the sport, Sven Nijs might have expected he’d have an easier time of things in Sunday’s UCI World Cyclo-cross Championships in St. Wendel, Germany; but if the 28-year-old’s winning ride wasn’t easy, it was certainly thrilling. Nijs led home yet another Belgian sweep of the elite men’s podium after a last-lap attack freed him of countrymen Erwin Vervecken and Sven Vantourenhout, good enough for Nijs’ first elite title after a series of past frustrations. Many figured Nijs would ride off the front early, as he had in many recent wins, but after a fast