Cyclocross Racing

There were plenty of pre-race favorites going into Saturday afternoon's under-23 race at the 2005 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in St. Wendel, Germany. And Czech Zdenek Stybar was neither at nor near the top of that list. But after soloing away from a select lead group with four laps to go, the 19-year-old from a small town near the German border showed he belonged on that list of chosen riders. Stybar wasn't even the best-known racer on the Czech squad coming into the championships. While Stybar had won his country's elite championship this year, against international

They may be racing in sleeveless jerseys at the Tour of Langkawi, but don't expect to see a lot of bare skin at the 2005 UCI cyclo-cross world championships this weekend in St. Wendel, Germany. Despite the cold, snowy conditions, however, the forecast is for plenty of sweat, if Chris Milliman's pictorial tour of the rolling, 2.8km course is any indication.

A High School English teacher from Helena, Montana and self-proclaimed “Europhile,” Geoff Proctor gives what most U.S. cyclo-cross racers will tell you is their greatest opportunity to gain valuable European racing experience in preparation for the international stage and especially for the world championships. Held over the Christmas-to-New Years holiday out of the USA Cycling U23 house in ‘cross-crazy Belgium, Proctor’s Euro ‘Cross Camp allows twelve Americans the chance to eat, sleep, breathe and race ‘cross. We caught up with U.S. National Cyclo-cross coach and former world-class

The local weather forecast for this Sunday in St. Wendel, Germany, host of the 2005 UCI World Cyclo-cross Championships, calls for near-freezing temps and snow, which should appeal to pre-race favorite Sven Nijs (Rabobank). A slippery, muddy track plays right into the hands of the most dominant rider on the elite ‘cross circuit; then again, Nijs has shown he can win in any conditions in the 2004-05 campaign. Snow, rain, sand, mud, grass, pavement: Sven Nijs can win, and has won, on everything. Having won a total of 20 ‘cross races this season, including six World Cups and the Belgian

Rabobank’s Sven Nijs padded his lead in the UCI’s cyclo-cross World Cup in fine style Sunday, winning the penultimate event of the 11-race series he’s led for most of the season. Nijs beat fellow Belgians Davy Commeyne and Sven Vanthourenhout in the 10th and World Cup race at Hoogerheide in the Netherlands. The win was his 20th major victory of the season. Just a week before the world championships in Saint Wendel, Germany, Nijs confirmed that he is a clear favorite in next Sunday’s race for the rainbow jersey. Nijs, who has made a habit of staying with the lead group until the final laps

Rabobank’s Sven Nijs led a five-up Belgian sweep at the ninth round of the UCI cyclo-cross World Cup in Nommay, France, on Sunday. Nijs, the current Belgian national champion, World Cup leader and a favorite to take the title of world champion in Germany at the end of the month, earned his 19th major win of the season, escaping from an elite group of leaders that included second-place finisher Tom Vannoppen, third-placed Sven Vanthourenhout, Erwin Vervecken and Davy Commeyne, who rounded out the top-five. Reigning world champion, Bart Wellens, who has never quite found his form this season,

The "Weekend 'Cross Wrap" is a service of VeloNews.com.Stories and results are provided by race promoters and are not producedby VeloNews or VeloNews.com. Promoters are welcome to submit race reportsthroughout the cyclo-cross season to Rosters@7Dogs.com.Reports may be edited for length and clarity. Muddy finale for SoCal seriesThe 13-race Southern California Cyclo-cross Cup concluded Sunday at Hart Park in Bakersfield, with more than 100 riders braving the treacherous and wet conditions. The fast, European-style course was turned into a slippery race of attrition with some riders even

Rabobank’s Sven Nijs has captured one of the cyclo-cross world’s most regardedtitles – that of Belgian national champion – for the third time in hiscareer on Sunday. Nijs dominated Sunday’s championship, finishing nearly a minute aheadTom Vannoppen and Ben Berden on the course in Wachtebeke. Defending nationalchampion, Bart Wellens, finished fourth at 1:21. The national title is the most significant in a discipline dominatedby Belgians on the world scene. Belgians consistently sweep the podiumat the world championships – even taking the top five spots at the world’sin Monopoli, Italy in

Enrico Franzoi won the Italian national cyclo-cross championship on Saturday. The 22-year-old finished more than a minute ahead of runner-up Marco Bianco on the course in Rovato, near Brescia in northern Italy. Third-placed Derik Zampedri claimed the U-23 title. In women's racing, Annabella Stropparo took the elite championship in 43:52, with Vania Rossi winning the U-23's in 47:40. Italian national cyclo-cross championshipsRovato, Italy. January 81. Enrico Franzoi, 1:01:492. Marco Bianco at 1:183. Derik Zampedri 1:47 Kupfernagel wins German titleHanka Kupfernagel won the women’s national

When Noel gave me the “time to go” nod from across our expansive 28-person table (all the riders, staff and their spouses/families) at the camp’s final steak-and-frite dinner, it seemed abrupt. The hour was early and we hadn’t yet seen the Belgian dessert tray. Ah, but this is cycling and late nights a la mode aren’t part of the plan. In fact, the end of Euro Cross Camp II took on very much the feel of unfinished business. In this case, some guys were staying on to prepare for a race in Spain two days later, and many of us were flying trans-Atlantic imminently, with the business end on our

Belgian Sven Nijs continues to lead the world cyclo-cross standings, according to world rankings released by the Union Cycliste Internationale on January 3. European-based American pro Jonathan Page is ranked 16th in the world. The rankings include points acquired at any UCI-sanctioned event, including a growing number in the U.S. UCI Cyclo-cross rankings – January 3, 20051. Sven Nijs (B), 2011 Points2. Sven Vanthourenhout (B), 14473. Ben Berden (B), 14044. Erwin Vervecken (B), 12105. Zdenek Mlynar (Cz), 11226. Richard Groenendaal (Nl), 9907. Tom Vannoppen (B), 9228. Petr Dlask (Cz), 9069.

Greetings, all, again,Not a whole lot of time to write when you're doing the Cyclo-cross Warped Tour. "Hellooooo, Surheisterveen ... thanks for coming to the show!" No, really, guys like Groenendaal are in the midst of a 1-3-3 block, as in seven races in nine days! Cyclo-cross stage racing, they call it over here. Tuesday, December 28 (race #3)The Hofstade World Cup was huge. Huge weather (as in Belgian "hard"); huge crowds (for weather that snotty); and huge for the impression it made on its participants. By that, I mean it was a day where you realize how far you've come and how far you've

Series leader Sven Nijs won the seventh round of the UCI’s expanded cyclo-cross World Cup in Hofstade, Belgium, on Tuesday. Nijs, who has dominated the discipline for much of the season, finished ahead of compatriot Erwin Vervecken and Italian Enrico Franzoi. Reigning world champion Bart Wellens and the Netherlands’ Richard Groenendaal finished in fourth and fifth respectively. Nijs dominated the race from beginning to end in classic Belgian conditions: mud, rain and a touch of ice. "It was a true cyclo-cross race,” Nijs remarked. “For me, it means a lot to do well in these conditions and

Hello all,Thanks for the all the emails back! I really am just writing these reports quickly for your general interest, maybe offering a few details that you won't find elsewhere in all the race articles. But these are written hastily, so sorry if I neglect equal coverage of all riders and if I forget a few things... Everything is going well! Yesterday, Diegem SuperPrestige, one of the oldest venues, which obviously holds sway over the UCI rules like the double-pit mandate (there two separate pits a long long ways from each other). I was reckoning that winner and good friend Erwin Vervecken

Two years ago Jonathan Page was in limbo, his up-and-down career as a bike racer was on another upswing, but he was still struggling to keep doing what he loved, and seemed destined, to do. In the winter of 2002, and without a pro contract, Page moved to Belgium to race cyclo-cross, the biggest gamble he’d taken in a cycling career that started in his teens. But the gamble paid off when the New Hampshire native won that year’s rain-soaked U.S. ‘cross nationals in California. The win, along with steadily improving results on the European circuit, earned Page a professional ‘cross contract

Erwin Vervecken Sunday's edition of the SuperPrestige series in Diegem, Belgium, finishing ahead of the formidable Sven Nijs, who maintains a lead in the series. Belgian Sven Vanthourenhout finished third and Dutchman Richard Groenendael took forth. Americans Ryan Trebon, Erik Tonkin, Barry Wicks and Ben Turnerfinished 18th, 27th, 28th and 35th respectively. U.S. 'cross champ, Jonathan Page did not finish. Photographer Marcel Van Hoecke was on scene.Photo Gallery Below1. Erwin Vervecken (B), Fidea 1:02:312. Sven Nys (B), Rabobank, at 0:023. Sven Vanthourenhout (B), Quickstep-Davitamon, at

The "Weekend 'Cross Wrap" is a service of VeloNews.com.Stories and results are provided by race promoters and are not producedby VeloNews or VeloNews.com. Promoters are welcome to submit race reportsthroughout the cyclo-cross season to Rosters@7Dogs.com.Reports may be edited for length and clarity. Armstrong, Cruz come to SoCalThe growth and success of the Southern California Cyclocross Cup continues to draw big names(Daniello Pontoni, Andy Jacque-Mayes, Jackson Stewart and Kris Kringle) , big fields and great races, but today's race at Pierce College in Woodland Hills featured 6 time tour

USA Cycling has announced seven automatic nominations and 11 discretionary selections to the U.S. team headed for the 2005 UCI cyclo-cross world championships January 29-30 in St. Wendel, Germany. Automatic selections include elite men Jonathan Page and Ryan Trebon; under-23 Jesse Anthony; junior men Bjorn Selander and Charles Marzot; and elite women Katie Compton and Ann Knapp. Compton, who also races as the sighted half of a Paralympic team, declined her nomination. Page, the top-ranked American in the UCI standings, captured his third consecutive elite men’s championship title December

In an attempt to unseat two-time defending national cyclo-cross champion Jonathan Page (Cervelo-Hot Tubes-Adidas-Mavic), rising 23-year-old talent Ryan Trebon (Kona) put up the fight of his life in a thrilling showdown Sunday afternoon at the 2004 cyclo-cross national championships in Portland, Oregon.

What was expected to be a mano-a-mano battle for the under-23 national cyclo-cross championship between reigning national U23 ‘cross champ Jesse Anthony (cyclocrossworld.com) and the World Cup experience of European-based Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly-Aramark) turned out to be a demonstration of singular skill as the 20-year-old Anthony won his sixth straight national championship, beating Powers by a convincing 1:21 margin on a cold winter day in Portland, Oregon.

When USA Cycling announced that the 2003 and ’04 cyclo-cross nationals would be hosted by the popular Cross Crusade series in Portland, Oregon, images of epic mud-spattered battles immediately sprang to mind. Last year’s championship weekend did nothing to sway that image, as continuous rains turned the course around the Portland International Raceway into a thick, soupy mess.

You get what you pay for, and if you paid your entry fee at the 2004 U.S. National Cyclo-cross Championships, which opened Friday at the Portland International Raceway, you got mud and muck, and plenty of it. For a city that averages almost seven inches of rain during December, Portland was a predictably soggy host to the first race of the weekend, the championship for collegiate and under-23 women. UC-Berkeley Ph.D.

He’s a New England kid with the initials JP, he’s been racing cyclo-cross in Belgium all fall and he will definitely be a factor in this weekend’s U.S. Cyclo-cross National Championships. While two-time defending elite national champion Jonathan Page meets all of the above qualifications, so does Jeremy Powers. Powers, 21, will line up in Portland as one of the favorites for Saturday’s Under-23 national title, but since he’s spent the vast majority of the 2004 ‘cross season in Europe, he could be one of the most overlooked ‘cross specialists in the U.S.

Reston, Virginia - The racers who showed up for the final Verge Mid-Atlantic Series cyclo-cross race, the Fitness Concepts Capital ‘Cross Classic in Lake Fairfax park, Reston, Virginia were winners before the race even started. With just a handful of elite men and women on the start line, virtually everyone who finished was guaranteed a chunk of the prize list. With that in mind, the only thing left to race for was bragging rights, a handful of UCI points and to get in a good workout before next week’s cyclocross nationals. Unless, of course, you were Ryan Leech or Betsy Schauer of the

The "Weekend 'Cross Wrap" is a service of VeloNews.com.Stories and results are provided by race promoters and are not producedby VeloNews or VeloNews.com. Promoters are welcome to submit race reportsthroughout the cyclo-cross season to Rosters@7Dogs.com.Reports may be edited for length and clarity. Frischknecht, Hall Collect Wins at Bianchi ‘CrossSan Mateo -The first half of California’s UCI cyclo-cross doubleheader thisweekend belonged to Gina Hall and Thomas Frischknecht with Hall runningaway from the Women’s field to score a solo victory while the three-timeSwiss Olympian sat with a

As racing goes, cyclo-cross is straightforward – the objective is crossing the line first. But when you get to the final race of a season-long series, as in Saturday’s WE Stedman Grand Prix of Cyclo-Cross in South Kingston, Rhode Island, sub-plots and alternative motivations can come into play. When the day was done, Mark McCormack (Clif Bar-Colavita Olive Oil) and Mary McConneloug had won their respective races and Verge New England series titles, respectively. But more was afoot than met the eye. McCormack entered the final event of the seven-race Verge New England series with a lock on

The "Weekend 'Cross Wrap" is a service of VeloNews.com.Stories and results are provided by race promoters and are not producedby VeloNews or VeloNews.com. Promoters are welcome to submit race reportsthroughout the cyclo-cross season to Rosters@7Dogs.com.Reports may be edited for length and clarity. Brown Wins Colorado 'Cross SeriesBoulder, Co (November 28, 2004 — Travis Brown won the Boulder Racing Cyclo-Cross Series Sunday, closing out the season with five straight wins for a season total of eight wins. Colorado offered three cyclo-cross series to Front Range competitors this season: The

Sven Nys has added another to his growing list of Superprestige cyclo-cross victories, handily taking the win at the series’ stop in Gieten in the Netherlands on Sunday. Nys’s win – his 25th career victory in a series that ranks second only to the UCI World Cup – adds to an already formidable lead in the overall standings. Among the day’s most pleasant surprises was the return to form of reigning world champion, Bart Wellens, who has been struggling throughout the early part of the season. Wellens, also last year’s World Cup winner, finished second Sunday, suggesting that that the

Erwin Vervecken won the fourth round of the cyclo-cross World Cup on Saturday in Koksijde, outsprinting compatriots Sven Nys and Ben Berden. It was the 32-year-old Belgian’s first victory of the season, and the fourth time he has won in Koksijde. Belgian racers dominated on the sandy circuit, led by a six-rider group that included Vervecken, Nys, Berden, Tom Vannoppen, Sven Vanthourenhout and world champion Bart Wellens. Wellens fell victim to a puncture, while Vanthourenhout simply fell off the pace. Unwilling to trust his chances in a sprint finish, Nys tried to make a break in the

Belgian Sven Nys continued his winning ways as he won the fifth round of the Superprestige cyclo-cross series in Gavere, Belgium, on Sunday. Nys successfully attacked an elite group of world-class ‘crossers in the closing meters of Sunday’s race to take his ninth win of the year – his second in the series – and to further solidify his hold on the overall lead in the Superprestige. The win is also the 24th Superprestige victory of Nys’s career. Belgian Erwin Vervecken made an early attack, charging off of the front row not long after the start. His Fidea teammate, defending world champion

In cyclo-cross, the combination of a flat course and wet ground means only one thing: a hard muddy slog. With its sapping mud pits, Sunday’s final round of the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross, run on the shores of the Raritan River in Highland Park, New Jersey, may have provided the best course preview for December’s national championships in Portland, Oregon. And if that’s the case, race winners Ann Knapp (Kona) and Todd Wells (GT-Hyundai) will lick their chops if the Portland race serves its expected helping of leg-breaking slop. While the Highland Park course offered little

The "Weekend 'Cross Wrap" is a service of VeloNews.com.Stories and results are provided by race promoters and are not producedby VeloNews or VeloNews.com. Promoters are welcome to submit race reportsthroughout the cyclo-cross season to Rosters@7Dogs.com.Reports may be edited for length and clarity.NEW JERSEY: Trebon, Knapp rule Beacon Cyclo-crossIf there were any doubts about just how good Ryan Trebon (Kona) is when he’s on form, they were banished Saturday at the Beacon Cyclocross in Bridgeton, New Jersey. Trebon flattened the field in the fifth race of the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of

Round five of the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross, run Saturday in Bridgeton, New Jersey, could be used in coming years by Kona as a how-to video in the finer points of winning a difficult ’cross race. Kona riders Ann Knapp and Ryan Trebon swept to wins on the fast, twisting and sandy Bridgeton course, though each rider took a different route to their ultimate destinations on the top step of the podium. There can be no doubt that Trebon has been riding a sweet patch of form for the past month. The lanky mountain biker won the fourth USGP race in Gloucester, Massachusetts, at the

Ben Berden (Saey-Descacht) won the Hooglede cyclo-cross on Saturday in Belgium, outracing Enrico Franzoi (Saeco) and Erwin Vervecken (Fidea). A lead group of seven formed quickly after the start of the race, including Berden, Franzoi, Vervecken, MrBookmaker.com teammates Mario De Clercq and Davy Commeyne, Sven Vanthourenhout (Quick Step), and American Jonathan Page (Cervelo-Hot Tubes-Adidas-Mavic). At midrace, Page could not match the pace of the others and began to fall back; he would eventually finish seventh. Four laps before the finish, De Clercq and Comeyne also had to let the others

It's showdown time in the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross. Going into the final two races this coming weekend, Canadian Geoff Kabush has a slight advantage in the race for the final podium's top step, leading perennial American favorite Marc Gullickson (Redline) by just 34 points. Three other Americans - Ryan Trebon (Kona), Adam Craig (Maxxis Giant) and Mark McCormack (Clif Bar-Colavita) - are each within striking distance and have plenty of motivation to do well. If an American can clinch the series victory, he's assured of a spot on the U.S. team headed to the World

To keep herself motivated in races she’s comfortably winning, Mary McConneloug (Seven Cycles) often imagines racing against her top competition from the West Coast. “Ann Knapp is just around the next corner,” she thinks to herself, “and Gina Hall is right behind me. I have to keep it pegged.” Sunday’s fifth stop on the Verge New England Cyclo-cross Series looked like another day for McConneloug to race against imagined opponents, but a racer on loan from Colorado ended up giving McConneloug a real run for her money. While she spends most of her time racing multi-hour mountain bike events,

Dutchman Richard Groenendaal (Rabobank) won Thursday’s Jaarmarktcross Niel, the second round of the Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee Veldrijden, and took the series lead as well. Groenendaal crossed the line with a large margin on runner-up Erwin Vervecken (Fidea), who outsprinted Sven Vanthourenhout (Quick Step), Wim Jacobs (Fidea) and Ben Berden (Saey-Deschacht). Sven Nys (Rabobank), who won the series opener at the Koppenberg, finished seventh. A first-lap crash split the field, Nys, Groenendaal and Tim Van Nuffel (Saey-Deschacht). They gave all they had, though, and succeeded in regaining the

The American Cyclo-cross Foundation, which debuted in 1999 with the mission of helping unfunded U.S. racers travel to the world cyclo-cross championships, has mailed its last check. ACF board member Patrick O’Grady, a contributing editor to VeloNews, said the final check was sent November 10 to U.S. ’cross guru Geoff Proctor, who will once again be running a pre-world’s cyclo-cross camp in Europe from December 23 through January 4. “Geoff said he knew of a couple potential U.S. team members who wouldn’t be able to attend both his camp and world’s if they didn’t get a little financial aid,

The "Weekend 'Cross Wrap" is a service of VeloNews.com.Stories and results are provided by race promoters and are not producedby VeloNews or VeloNews.com. Promoters are welcome to submit race reportsthroughout the cyclo-cross season to Rosters@7Dogs.com.Reports may be edited for length and clarity.MISSOURI The fourth round of the Mid-America Cross Cup had a familarfeel with Shadd Smith (HRRC/Maclaren Racing) edging LBC/Highgear rider,Tony Wilhelm Sunday afternoon at Riverside Park in Kansas City, MO. The2-mile circuit featured a varied mix of terrain including a sand pit, plentyof muddy

France’s Jon Gadret surprised a field of strong Flemish ‘cross men to take a last-lap victory in Vosserm, Belgium, on Sunday. Gadret took advantage of a well-timed attack from Belgian Ben Berden and a tumultuous final lap to scamper off with a victory. The action started early as Dutch champion Richard Groenendaal took a hard fall on a dangerous descent on the opening lap. The 2000 world champion fought back hard, though, and successfully rejoined an elite group of eight leaders, led by his Belgian Rabobank teammate, Sven Nys. Sven Vanthourenhout, winner in Saturday’s race in Eernegem, also

Sven Vanthourenhout won the Flemish Houtlandcross in Eernegem (West-Flanders) on Saturday over Sven Nys with Czech Kamil Ausbuher third. The three racers escaped early, with a group of 11 in pursuit. At midrace, Ausbuher fell off the pace. Then, on the final descent, Nys slowed down and had to put a foot out – Vanthourenhout took his chance and put a gap of 50 meters between himself and Nys that held until the finish. "I had to strike hard, I did not get this victory for free," said Vanthourenhout. "I forced the race from the beginning on, joined by Nys and the Czech. When Nys made a

The "Weekend 'Cross Wrap" is a service of VeloNews.com.Stories and results are provided by race promoters and are not producedby VeloNews or VeloNews.com. Promoters are welcome to submit race reportsthroughout the cyclo-cross season to Rosters@7Dogs.com.Reports may be edited for length and clarity.NEBRASKA: Wilhelm, Neville impressiveDespite a frightful beginning that included two spills in the opening lap, Tony Wilhelm (LBC-Highgear) continued to show impressive form with his third victory of the season and second in the Nebraska Cyclo-cross Series at Pioneers Park on Saturday. The

Tom Vannoppen took Sunday’s round of the Superprestige cyclo-cross seriesin St-Michielsgestel, the Netherlands, out-sprinting Sven Nys in the closingmeters of the race. World champion Bart Wellens, while performing better than earlier thisseason, was still not able to stay with the two leaders at the decidingmoment of the race. Belgian Bart Aernouts began the day’s action with an early attack, ashe gained a few seconds on the field before Nys and Vannoppen charged afterhim and counterattacked. Dutchman Richard Groenendaal and Belgian SvenVanthourenhout gave chase, but the two leaders held

Davy Commeyne (MrBookmaker.com) soloed to victory in the Grand Prix de la Région Wallonne cyclo-cross on Saturday in Dottenijs, Belgium. Teammate Mario De Clercq won the sprint for second place over Sven Vanthourenhout (Quick Step-Davitamon) Commeyne escaped three laps before the finish, leaving behind a group of 10. De Clercq and Vanthourenhout kept Commeyne in sight, but could not keep up and wound up battling for the runner-up spot. Sven Nijs (Rabobank) had another spot of bad luck, taking a big fall in midrace. Luckily, he only suffered a few scrapes. Sunday brings the next round of

The "Weekend 'Cross Wrap" is a service of VeloNews.com.Stories and results are provided by race promoters and are not producedby VeloNews or VeloNews.com. Promoters are welcome to submit race reportsthroughout the cyclo-cross season to Rosters@7Dogs.com.Reports may be edited for length and clarity.CALIFORNIA: Pontoni rules Candlestick Point 'crossFormer world champ Daniele Pontoni hammered the field on Sunday during round two of the Bay Area Super Prestige Cyclo-cross Series at San Francisco’s Candlestick Point Recreation Area. Pontoni marked Justin Robinson, David Wyandt, John Funke and

Sven Vanthourenhout (Quick Step-Davitamon) won the second heat of the Superprestige cyclo-cross series on Sunday in Hamme-Zogge, Belgium, outsprinting Tom Vannoppen (MrBookmaker.com) and Sven Nys (Rabobank) during the sprint to the finish. Nys, the series leader, had a bad start, hitting one of the iron barricades with his shoulder. It seemed to slow him somewhat initially, but soon he was back to his old self, bunny-hopping the barricades. Only Vanthourenhout and a very strong Vannoppen could keep up with Nys. The last three laps they stayed together, and it was Vanthourenhout taking a

The "Weekend 'Cross Wrap" is a service of VeloNews.com.Stories and results are provided by race promoters and are not producedby VeloNews or VeloNews.com. Promoters are welcome to submit race reportsthroughout the cyclo-cross season to Rosters@7Dogs.com.Reports may be edited for length and clarity.PENNSYLVANIA: Fort-GPOA rules Evo CrossFort-GPOA teammates Betsy Schauer and Mike Yozell rode to wins in round two of the 2004 Verge Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-Cross Championship Series on Sunday in Buckingham, Pennsylvania. Thunderstorms Saturday night heralded a cold front that brought low temperatures

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Belgian Sven Nijs scored his 23rd victory in the famed Superprestige cyclo-cross series, taking an event in Ruddervoorde, Belgium, on Sunday. Nijs fought hard after an early strong start by Belgian rival Sven Vanthourenhout. But Vanthourenhout lost momentum when he misjudged his line, crashed and saw Nijs scamper past him. Vanthourenhout teamed up with Ben Berden to give chase and the pair was soon joined by a surprisingly strong Richard Groenendaal. Still, even with that kind of horsepower in the chase, Nijs managed to stay off the front, crashing only on the final lap, a mishap that did

Sven Vanthourenhout (Quick Step) won the Cyclocross Middelkerke in Belgium on Saturday, nearly a lap up on his nearest competition. Davy Commeyne was second with Peter Van Santvliet third. World champion Bart Wellens (Fidea) took a fall and stopped during the race. Wellens wasn’t seriously hurt, and will start Sunday’s Superprestige race in Ruddervoorde. Frank Vanderbroucke (MrBookmaker.com) started his first cyclocross today, finding himself lapped after three go-rounds, along with Nico Mattan (Relax-Bodysol). After his strong showing today, Vanthourenhout clearly is on the right track to

After the summer she had on the racecourse and in the courtroom, you could pardon Mary McConneloug (Seven Cycles) for taking some time off from racing. But the 2004 Olympic mountain biker finds cyclo-cross in New England too fun to miss. In her first race on home soil in 11 months, the two-time defending New England series champion led the opener of the 2004 Verge New England Cyclo-cross Series in new Gloucester, Maine from start to finish. Showing the fitness that won the her the lone cross-country starting position for the U.S. at the starting line in Athens, McConneloug rocketed off the

Amber Itle (Yellow Breeches Racing) and Ryan Leech (Fort-GPOA) claimed victory on Saturday as the 2004 Verge Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-Cross Championship Series kicked off in New Castle, Delaware. Rain on Friday made the Blue Diamond Park course even more treacherous in its second running, and a multi-rider pile-up in one of the muddy turns caused a split in the elite women’s field that sent Itle, Melanie Swartz (Squadra Coppi), Betsy Schauer (Fort-GPOA), Caroline Hacker (Evolution Racing) and First State Velo Sport teammates Josie Shew and Lisa Vible off the front. Itle took the lead on the

MAINE: Verge New England series starts SaturdayThe 2005 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series kicks off Saturday in New Gloucester, Maine. The difficult course designed by Tom Stevens provided a shocking introduction to last year’s series, but a slightly modified version should make for a friendlier but still challenging event this year. Last year’s elite men’s winner, Mark McCormack (Clif Bar-Colavita Olive Oil), will line up alongside third-place overall Ben Turner (TIAA-CREF-Clif Bar), under-23 world’s team member Matt White (NCC-BikeReg.com), and former Canadian national

At 4:45 a.m. Sunday morning, 23-year-old cross-country sensation Adam Craig woke up in Lake Tahoe, California, after a long night spent as the best man at his high-school friend’s wedding. Less than 12 hours later, the Maxxis-Giant rider crossed the finish line as the winner of the Grand Prix of Cyclo-Cross held at Fort Steilacoom Park in Tacoma, Washington. Clear skies and warm weather marked a contrast to Saturday’s Cannondale Stümptown Gran Prix, held in Portland, Oregon, as did the fast, spread-out 4.4km course that differed from the muddy hairpin turns found surrounding the Alpenrose

It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. With the new 10-racecyclo-cross World Cup kicking off on Belgian turf and Belgians sweepingthe world’s podium for the past three years, one might suspect that itwould be a Belgian who would take top honors at Wortegem-Petegem,Belgium, on Sunday. But the Czech Republic’s Zdenek Mlynar emerged at the front of a 20-ridergroup to take the first round of the 2004/05 World Cup. Because it hadn't rained for days in the usually wet environs of thisFlemish hamlet, the course was unusually hard and fast. Indeed, coupledwith the UCI’s recent aversion to tough

[nid:29504]If the standard perception of Northwestern cyclo-cross racing conjures images of mud splattered riders battling it out in the driving rain, then the opening round of the inaugural Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross did nothing to change that image.

The six-race Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross kicks off Saturday, with top 'cross racers from across the country convening in Portland, Oregon, for the first event, the Cannondale Stümptown Gran Prix. Racing continues Sunday in Tacoma, Washington, at the Clif Bar Grand Prix of cyclo-cross. "We're excited that the first weekend of the inaugural Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross has finally arrived,” said Paul Salvucci, director of operations for the series. “It's expected that there will be a great turnout of racers cranking up the competitive heat to the delight of the

The "Weekend 'Cross Wrap" is a service of VeloNews.com.Stories and results are provided by race promoters and are not producedby VeloNews or VeloNews.com. Promoters are welcome to submit race reportsthroughout the cyclo-cross season to Rosters@7Dogs.com.Reports may be edited for length and clarity.

Crank Brothers cyclocross series takes on European flairBOSTON – Reigning Italian national champion Daniele Pontoni is planningto race all six events in the inaugural Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix ofCyclocross, bringing all the luster of a former two-time world championto the series, which kicks off on Saturday Oct. 9th with the CannondaleStumptown Cyclocross Classic, in Portland, Oregon.Pontoni, who finished fourth in the World Championship last February,is no stranger to either the American cyclocross scene or the North Americanfavorites. He raced here in Supercup events in 1999 and 2000,

You may think of cyclo-cross as a winter sport, but while you were sweating your way around a crit course somewhere in America, Sven Nijs (Rabobank) was winning the GP Eric De Vlaeminck, the summer edition of a winter sport. During a warm race in Zolder, Belgium, Nys had no competitors. Ben Berden finished second after a big gap while Wim Jacobs finished third. Bart Wellens, who won the race this year, abandoned due to the enormous heat. Now, Wellens leaves for a monthlong training camp in St-Moritz, Switzerland, before the real cyclo-cross season begins in September . . . when the weather

When most of the 190 riders who will compete in the four events at this weekend’s world cyclo-championships had departed the circuit Friday afternoon, one man remained on his bike, plying a lone furrow around the hillside course. You might guess that it was a junior or under-23 participant making the best use of late-afternoon sunshine to take one more look at the 2.65km Coët-Roz course in Pont-Château, France. But, no, it was the oldest rider here: three-time world champ Mario De Clercq, who will be 38 next month. De Clercq had toyed with the idea of retiring last year, but the stone-faced

“This is the strongest I’ve been for a ’cross world’s … ever,” said Alison Dunlap Friday night, “and that’s because this is the first season that I’ve actually raced a full season, starting in September.” The reigning U.S. national cyclo-cross champion was both confident and relaxed when she spoke with VeloNews at the Ibis-St. Nazaire Hotel, where the American team is based for this weekend’s world cyclo-cross championships in Pont-Château, France. “It’s a really fair course,” Dunlap said. “It’s wide-open, not super technical, only two short runs, and so the strongest person will win.

Spaar Select’s Erwin Vervecken won the sixth round of cyclo-cross’s Superprestigeseries in Hogstraten, Belgium.Vervecken beat a trio of fellow Belgians in this final major event beforenext week’s world championship race in Pont-Château, France.Defending world and Belgian champion Bart Wellens came back from mechanicaldifficulties but was too exhausted to contest a three-up sprint, satisfiedwith third and a victory by his Spaar Select teammate.American Jonathan Page finished 18th, while his U.S. teammate Jackson Stewart trailed in at 40th and Andy Jacques-Maynes did not finish. American Jeremy

Photos from Saturday's race in Zonnebeke, Belgium.

World cyclo-cross champion Bart Wellens won the fifth round of the six-raceWorld Cup series in Nommay, France, on Sunday, easily beating Holland’sRichard Groenendaal and fellow Belgian Erwin Vervecken.Belgian Sven Nijs, who finished seventh on the day, holds on to theoverall lead in the series, which closes out in Pijnacker in the Netherlandson February 15. Wellens win leaves the overall World Cup race up in theair with four riders – Wellens, Nijs, Groenendaal and Belgian Ben Berdenall capable of winning the title in the final round when double pointsare awarded.Wellens has set his sites

Reigning world champion Bart Wellens added another victory to an alreadyimpressive streak this season as he won the Belgian nation cyclo-crosstitle on Sunday in the Belgian/French border town of Lille. The 25-year-old Wellens finished well ahead of fellow Belgian super‘crossers Mario De Clercq and Sven Nijs on the day when all of Europe holdsits national cyclo-cross championships. Wellens was the first to attack on the 2.7km loop that consisted 710meters of asphalt, 440 of meadowlands, 735 of wood and a tough 895-meterstretch of sand. The course also included three bridges and a staircase

USA Cycling has fleshed out the team it will be sending to the cyclo-crossworld championships January 31-February 1 in Pont-Château, France,adding 12 discretionary selections to its six automatic qualifiers.The team will include:Elite menJonathan Page (Selle Italia-Guerciotti)Jackson Stewart (Clif Bar)Andy Jacques-Maynes (Clif Bar)Elite womenAlison Dunlap (Luna)Carmen D'Aluisio (Clif Bar)Gina Hall (Clif Bar)Ann Knapp (Kona)Rachel Lloyd (Redline-Ritchey)Under 23Jesse Anthony (Hot Tubes)Jeremy Powers (NCC-Bikereg.com)Alan Obye (Balance Bar-Devo)Matt White (NCC-Bikereg.com)Michael Cody

How apropos – Sven Nijs won the GP Sven Nijs on New Year’s Day, and easily, too. His biggest competitor, world champion Bart Wellens, who was five for five in the seven-race Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee series going into today’s race in Baal-Tremelo, in Belgium, was no threat in the snowy weather. Nijs took off very fast from the gun, leaving the pursuing peloton behind after the first lap. Wellens had chosen the wrong tires for the conditions – but even with the right rubber, he could not compete with the flying Nijs. Wellens and Ben Berden refused to abandon the chase, but Nijs had the

World champion Bart Wellens is five for five in the seven-race Gazet van Antwerpen Trofee series after winning the Azencross on Tuesday in Loenhout, Belgium. Wellens attacked on the first lap, and only Sven Nijs could match his pace. It was a two-man race that finally was settled when Nijs went astray in the final corner, leaving the door wide open for Wellens to win his fifth straight race. Nijs hung on for second, followed by Ben Berden in third. American Jonathan Page crossed in 18th place. Results1. Bart Wellens2. Sven Nijs3. Ben Berden4. Erwin Vervecken5. Peter Van Santvliet6. Sven

Belgian Ben Berden soloed to victory on Sunday in the Grand Prix of Belgium, the fourth round of the cyclo-cross World Cup. Dutchman Richard Groenendaal took off on the first lap in Koksijde, pursued by a host of Belgians. Sven Nijs took a spill and lost about 10 seconds, but first Bart Wellens, then Berden were able to join Groenendaal at the front. With three laps remaining, Groenendaal and Berden left Wellens behind – and during the last lap, Berden took off alone to win. Groenendaal hung on for second, followed by Erwin Vervecken, Wellens, Nijs and Sven Vanthourenhout. Nijs, winner of

Our man in Belgium, Marcel Van Hoecke, was on the job in Koksijde at the fourth round of the World Cup. A gallery of the usual Belgian battlers, along with a resurgent Richard Groenendaal and the tenacious Jonathan Page, is presented below. For the story, click here.

Bart Wellens won the latest round of the Superprestige cyclo-cross series on Christmas Day in Diegem, Belgium. It was his fourth win in five outings, and his 16th victory this season. In the early going, a lead group formed containing Wellens, Mario De Clercq, Sven Nijs, Tom Vannoppen and Erwin Vervecken. During a tactical game of “Who’ll take the lead?”, Wellens kept a low profile, but in the fifth lap he went for it, accelerating through a turn. Only De Clercq was able to keep up, but soon even he fell off the pace, eventually finishing second. Vervecken crossed third. American champion

Bart Wellens scored his 15th victory of the season on Sunday at the Vlaamse Druivenveldrit, a Category 1 cyclo-cross in Overijse, Belgium. The only question on his competitors’ minds these days is when Wellens will leave them behind. In Overijse, Wellens waited until the second lap to take off. “I didn't really start all that well,” said Wellens. Regardless of how well he started, Wellens finished just fine – the gap quickly grew too big for the pursuit to close, leaving Mario De Clercq and Sven Nijs to settle for second and third, respectively. Meanwhile, the newly crowned U.S.

Marc Gullickson (Redline) and Mary McConneloug (Seven Cycles) made it two for two this weekend, each winning the final weekend’s worth of racing in the Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series. Today, in the Patterson Construction-NEBC Cyclo-Cross, riders were greeted with a course that was shockingly slick with ice, snow, and mud, pushing riders' abilities to the limit. In the men’s series, Mark McCormack (Saturn) held the lead in the overall standings over last year's series winner, Marc Gullickson (Redline), winner of the previous day's race in Rhode Island. Meanwhile, in the

Last year's Verge New England Cyclo-cross Series champions – Marc Gullickson (Redline) and Mary McConneloug (Seven Cycles) – returned to the fore on Saturday as the series moves into its final weekend. From the starting whistle in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, the men's elite race was on fire. Series leader Mark McCormack (Saturn) got the hole shot on theuphill sprint start, with newly crowned under-23 national champion JesseAnthony (Hot Tubes) right on his wheel. By the end of the first lap, a leadgroup containing McCormack, Anthony, Gullickson, Ben Turner(7UP-Maxxis), and Zak Grabowski

Pro shooter Rob Karman of Roadbikephotos.com, who captured more than 3000 images from this past weekend's mud-splashed national cyclo-cross championships in Portland, Oregon, is selling those shots – along with a pledge to donate $1 from every 5-by-7 print and $2 from every 8-by-10 to the American Cyclo-cross Foundation (ACF). If you'd like a reminder of what it felt like to wear a few soggy pounds of Oregon real estate on your jersey, this is your chance. And you'll be helping the ACF with its annual drive to help send the U.S. cyclo-cross team to the world championships, which will be held

USA Cycling has released its list of automatic qualifiers for the 2004 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Pont–Château, France (January31-February 1, 2004).By virtue of their elite victories at the national cyclo-cross championshipsthis past weekend in Portland, Oregon, Jonathan Page and Alison Dunlap received automatic nominations in their respective categories.In the U23 men’s category, Jesse Anthony received an automatic nominationas the newly crowned national champion while Jeremy Powers was nominatedon the basis of his UCI cyclo-cross rankings.In the junior men’s category, national

There was no stopping reigning world champion Bart Wellens as he easilywon the third round of Belgium’s Gazet van Antwerpen-trophee series inKalmthout on Sunday.Wellens attacked early in the race and was quickly joined by Sven Nijs,Sven Vanthourenhout and Tom Vannoppen. The foursome managed to elude some big guns in the field, including Mario DeClerq and Richard Groenendaal.In the third lap Wellens showed his strength and rode off alone. Hewas in leading position with more than one minute when a hard-chasing Nijs had a mechanical and was forced to run to the pits, losing any advantage he had

The 2003 U.S. National Cyclo-cross Championships kicked off Friday in Portland, Oregon, as collegiate and under-23 women and several masters categories slalomed through the soup toward the stars and stripes. It being December in the Pacific Northwest, the weather was gray and damp, and the course at Portland International Raceway slick and muddy in spots. Still, the track was relatively fast and flat, with a few off-camber bits to keep things interesting.

On Sunday, December 14, one man and woman will be crowned elite national cyclo-cross champions in Portland, Oregon. And while nothing is ever guaranteed in bike racing, there are three near-certainties for the weekend: The race will be contested in wet, muddy conditions; the crowd will be downing plenty of race sponsor Portland Brewing Company’s beer; and the winners of both events will likely have been previously crowned national ‘cross champion. The forecast for the weekend is rain followed by rain and then more rain. Local Cross Crusade promoter Brad Ross is known as a beer-drinking,