Cyclocross

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

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

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

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

Ph

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,

In Colorado bike racing, there’s the “fed” and there’s the “rebellion” and rarely the twain shall meet. But this past weekend, Heather Szabo and Travis Brown left no question as to who could claim the state’s cyclo-cross championship. On Saturday, Szabo and Brown both laid claim to the American Cycling Association’s Colorado state cyclo-cross championship, a feat the two repeated on Sunday when they took on the USCF’s Colorado state championship event. Szabo made it look easy Saturday as she led the women’s ACA event from the start, soloing to beat second-place Julie Emmerman on a

Sven Nijs locked up his 13th career World Cup cyclo-cross win on Sunday, taking round three of the six-race series in Wetzikon. Sunday’s win, narrowly ahead of fellow Belgian Bart Wellens, establishes a new World Cup record, an accomplishment all the more impressive considering that Nijs is just 27 years old. The win also means Nijs is undefeated in World Cup competition this season after he won the October 26 opening round in Torino, Italy and again on November 16, in St. Wendel, Germany. Nijs and Wellens fought a heated battle Sunday. The two Belgians shot off the front in the first lap

Sunday's fifth round of the Verge New England Championship Series has been rescheduled due to the snowstorm sweeping the Northeast, organizers said Saturday. The WE Stedman Grand Prix in Rhode Island has been rescheduled for December 20, creating a big double weekend with another category-3 race, the Patterson Construction/NEBC Cyclo-Cross and Series finals, slated the next day in Merrimack, New Hampshire. "We're up and ready to go with the race," said event organizer Joel Brown of Pavé Productions. "We have plows and snowblowers ready, as well as an alternate course from what we've run in

After the all-star fields at the past two stops in the Verge New EnglandCyclo-cross series, Sunday’s round four race in Farmington, Connecticut,seemed downright subdued. Right until the starter’s gun sounded. Despite smaller than normal fieldsand with none of the West Coast crowd in town, the cream rose to the topin Farmington and that cream had a distinctly New Englandy flavor. Saturn’sMark McCormack, the region’s undisputed bike racing hero, stomped awayin the elite men’s event, while Anna Milkowski, riding for the Maine-basedGearworks-Spin Arts squad, won the elite women’s affair. For

He sure isn't the "Lion King." Unlike the case in road racing, it appears as though there is no “curse of the rainbow” in cyclo-cross, as Bart Wellens continues to excel, even while toting the world champion’s jersey this year. Wellens took first in Sunday’s Superprestige in Gieten, in northern Holland. Wellens was the only rider able to stay with an early attack from fellow Belgian Tom Vannoppen. Vannoppen charged off the front in the opening lap, dropping most of the field. Once Wellens connected with the day’s early leader, the two stayed together for only a single lap as Wells took

The 2003 Vergegear.com Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-Cross Championship Serieswrapped up with racing action at Blue Diamond Park 'Cross in New Castle,Delaware. This first time venue scored a big thumbs -up from both Mid-Atlantic'crossers and spectators as it was one of the most interesting and diversecourses this season. The host team, First State Velo Sport, made greatuse of the BMX-moto-cross Park terrain while still keeping the course "cross-friendly". That said, good technical skills were still a must for the day. With the sound of moto-cross bikes in the background, the elite womencharged off the

The smart money was on Bart Wellens or Sven Nijs in Saturday's Bollekescross in Hamme-Zogge, Belgium – but it was Mario De Clerq who pulled off a surprise win, ahead of Ben Berden and Tom Vannoppen. Reigning world champ Wellens finished fifth, while Belgian champ Nijs had to settle for ninth after a last-lap spill with Richard Groenendaal. But regardless of finishing order, it was another banner day for the hometown crowd, with Italy's Enrico Franzoi the only non-Belgian to crack the top 10. American champion Jonathan Page finished 15th on the day, but said he wasn't feeling well and is

Bart Wellens easily took the third round of cyclo-cross’s Superprestigeseries in Gavere, Belgium, on Sunday.Wellens powered to a substantial lead, finishing nearly three minutes ahead of fellow Belgians Erwin Vervecken and Sven Nijs.The reigning world champion took control of the race within the first few meters after the start and never looked back, building his final winning margin over Vervecken to 2:50.Wellens’s win is his second of the series thus far, after he won the opener in Ruddervoorde and then lost to Nijs in round 2 at Sint-Michielsgestel in the Netherlands.Superprestige Round 3,

The big boys of European cyclo-cross tuned up for Sunday's Superprestige race in Asper-Gavere, Belgium, by tackling a 'cross in Hooglede. Our man Marcel Van Hoecke was on the job, and he forwarded some photos of the action. Results1. Bart Wellens (B)2. Sven Nijs (B)3. Ben Berden (B)4. Maxime Lefebre (F)5. Erwin Vervecken (B) For more, see Marcel's website.

With a fresh blanket of snow on the ground, and temperatures toppingout in the 20s, Boulder Racing’s final series race proved to be classiccyclo-cross in all forms. Freezing temps, snow, ice and mud brought thetrue cyclo-crossers out to test their skills. As the day progressed thesnow on the well-ridden track turned the dirt to mud, making clipless pedalsa disadvantage. Indeed, the master’s winner claimed the victory on a veryretro’ pair of toe clips and straps. Both pro races proved to have it abit easier, with the mud refreezing during the races and making it muchless sticky and making the

Sven Nijs and Hanka Kupfernagel both won the second round of the cyclo-cross World Cup series in St. Wendel, Germany on Sunday. Thriving in what can best be described as Belgian conditions; Nijs bettered a surprisingly strong Jiri Pospisil of the Czech Republic. "I was surprised by Pospisil but these conditions favor him," said Nijs, "What remains to be seen is if he can race like this on different types of courses." Nijs, racing in a continuous cold downpour and heavy mud was relieved of his strongest competitor when world champion Bart Wellens crashed in the midpoint of the race and was

If things get any better for Clif Bar riders during their forays to EastCoast cyclo-cross races, they may relocate from their balmy base in SanFrancisco’s Bay Area to the colder, but welcoming air of New England andthe Mid-Atlantic. Clif Bar’s Carmen D’Alusio and Jackson Stewart won theirrespective races at Sunday’s Cycle-Smart International ‘Cross race in Northampton, Mass., the second day running that the NorCal team swept the top spots at an eastern ‘cross event. Fresh off her commanding win in New Jersey, D’Alusio and teammate GinaHall wasted no time making the Northampton race, stop

Team Clif Bar won both elite events in the Highland Park (N.J.) Cyclo-Cross on Saturday, round eight of the Vergegear.com Mid-Atlantic Championship Cyclo-Cross Series. Clif Bar teammates Carmen D’Aluisio and Gina Hall established the early pace in the women’s race, with Hall on the front. D’Aluisio eventually overtook her teammate and rode the remainder of the race solo, increasing her lead with each lap and cruising in for the victory. Hall crossed a minute behind D’Aluisio for second. Anna Milkowski (Gearworks-SpinArts) who had two strong races in the Mid-Atlantic series last weekend,

Northern California cross fans were greeted to a great day of 'cross racing Sunday at the third round of the Bay Area Super Prestige Series. Cyclo-cross powerhouses Travis Brown, Todd Wells, Marc Gullickson, Jackson Stewart and Andy Jacques-Maynes all wore each other down trading for the lead. For most of the race, Brown made concerted efforts to get to that front group and was repeatedly forced to close gaps. With four laps to go, Brown caught the lead group of Gully, Wells and Maynes and attacked in a technical uphill section. The group was back together a lap later and with two laps

ASI/Fuji America has announced plans to offer neutral support servicesat several U.S. cyclo-cross venues this season. The new Fuji Neutral CrossSupport Program will be offered through Northeast Racing Services.This season, Fuji's neutral 'cross support will initially be focused onEast Coast events, but is available to any promoter in North America. Theprogram remains in effect for the remainder of the 2003 cyclo-cross seasonand Fuji expects to offer a full schedule next year.The Fuji Neutral Cross program will be operated and run by Northeast Racing Services director, David Fike. The

There were both new and familiar faces on the podium at Canada’s national cyclo-cross championships in Vancouver on Sunday. Peter Wedge (Kona Factory) took his sixth national title in the men's race, while Wendy Simms (Steed Cycles-Frontrunners) won the women's competition in only her fifth-ever start in a cyclo-cross race. Mountain bike national champion Max Plaxton (Gears Racing) won the junior men's competition, while Kris Sneddon (Kona) took the Under-23 men's title. Wedge dominated the men's race, immediately breaking away from the field. After one lap he was 15 seconds ahead of a

After weeks of racing in unseasonably mild conditions, riders were finally greeted by cold, windy cyclo-cross weather as they arrived in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, for the Saturn Classic, the first day of a double-header weekend in the Vergegear.com Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-Cross Championship Series. The elite races started with a long road prologue that enabled Marianne Stover (Gearworks-Spin Arts) to establish a small gap by the time the women hit the pits for the first time. Sarah Uhl (Saturn) sat in second, a small gap between her and the rest of the field. While Stover and Uhl worried about

Belgian Sven Nijs (Rabobank) won the second round of the Superprestige cyclo-cross series on Sunday at Sint-Michielsgestel, the Netherlands. The champion of Belgium beat countryman and world champ Bart Wellens, the runner-up at 10 seconds back. It was Nijs's 21st Superprestige victory, tying the record of compatriot Roland Liboton. Nijs and Wellens, winner of the series opener October 19 at Ruddervoorde, Belgium, are now tied for the overall series lead going into round three November 23 at Asper-Gavere, Belgium. – Copyright 2003/AFP Results from round two of the Superprestige series:1.

After spending most of Saturday’s Granogue Estate ‘cross race dangling in second place behind winner Todd Wells (Mongoose-Hyundai), Ryan Trebon (Kona-CCA) exacted his revenge on Sunday at the Prophecy Creek ‘Cross in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. Trebon took his first elite ‘cross win in the second race of an East Coast UCI double-header, taking the win ahead of Wells. Trebon and Wells comprised half of a four-man break that went away early on the flat, fast course. Clif Bar duo Jackson Stewart and Andy Jacques-Maynes comprised the other half of the break, and looked set to take advantage of the

In another Belgian podium sweep, Sven Nijs drew first blood in the 2003-2004 World Cup with a two-centimeter sprint victory over world and defending World Cup champion Bart Wellens. Fellow Belgian Ben Berden led in the chase group, finishing this World Cup opener in Torino, Italy, ahead of Dutchman Richard Groenendaal and Belgian Sven Vanthourenhout. “I felt very good today, but I knew from the start that I must be tactically perfect and must have great luck," the new World Cup leader told VeloNews. "If I am not the winner, I could easily be 10th.” Wellens told VeloNews that he was not

When Nico Vouilloz and Anne-Caroline Chausson bowed out of the mainstream gravity scene, the possibilities opened back up for riders who carried something other than a French passport. But, at the inaugural Jeep King of the Mountains event, which paired male and female racers into “national” teams, Cedric Gracia (Siemens-Cannondale) and Sabrina Jonnier (Intense) recaptured the glory of yesteryear for France, taking both the men’s and women’s titles and a commanding lead in the country standings. The made-for-TV event, held in Wintergreen, Virginia on June 29, was the first of a three race

Enrico Franzoi said he had a lot of reasons to ride his heart out in the under-23 men’s world cyclo-cross championship on Saturday, but one was more important than all the others. To be sure, Franzoi said riding in front of the home crowd in Monopoli, Italy, offered ample motivation. But Franzoi said he was driven by a promise he made to his late mother this past August, and as it turned out, he had little difficulty keeping it. Franzoi was among the first to reach the critical first turn after a fast start up a slightly rising 600-meter stretch of pavement. “I started strong, like I

This weekend, a sandy, wind-blown stretch of beach right at the top of the heel of Italy’s “boot” will play host to cycling’s oddest annual pilgrimage: The world cyclo-cross championships. As always, the two-day bash will be heralded by bass bands, beer, frites and mayonnaise and the usual assortment of funny hats. Hotels and campgrounds around Monopoli, Italy have been filling up all week and caravans of those and giant European tour buses are filling parking lots throughout the area. The attraction is a grand total of three-and-a-half hours of racing, spread out over two days. And, as has

Bart Wellens led yet another Belgian sweep in cyclo-cross, this time at the fourth round of the UCI World Cup in Wetzikon, Switzerland on Sunday. Wellens - who won here two years ago, before the Swiss ‘cross classic earned World Cup status – was the first of a five-man group Belgians to take the top spots at one of the final warm-ups before the world championships in two weeks. With his win, his second World Cup victory of the year, Wellens takes over the top spot in the World Cup standings, leading defending world champion Mario De Clerq by 15 points. Wellens finished 29 seconds ahead of

National cyclo-cross championships were held throughout Europe on Sunday. As is usually the case, the most closely watched titles were up for grabs in Belgium and Holland, where Sven Nijs and Richard Groenendaal scored wins in the men’s events and Hilde Quintens and Daphny Van den Brand took the women’s titles.With Belgians taking four of the last five elite men’s world titles, Sunday’s race in Wielsbeke, Belgium, may be an indicator of the finishing order at the world championships in Monopoli, Italy on Febrary 2. Sven Nijs outsprinted fellow escapee Ben Berden, finishing 17 seconds ahead of

Belgian Sven Nijs took the third round of the UCI’s World Cup cyclo-cross series in Liévin, France on Sunday, after his Rabobank teammate, Dutchman Richard Groenendaal, encountered difficulties in the second half of the hour-long race. Groenendaal maintains the overall lead in the series and appeared set to win his second World Cup race of the season on Sunday as he powered out of an elite group of riders that included Nijs and world champion Mario de Clerq. Fast start-tough course The race began with a fast charge out of the field by Dutch champion Gerben de Knegt, but the Rabobank man

Richard Groenendaal finally broke the Belgian grip on international cyclo-crossSunday as he won the second round of the UCI World Cup in Kalmthout, Belgium.Racing in front of a crowd of 6000 spectators, the Dutch Rabobank ‘crossspecialist brought an element of suspense back into the discipline’s topseries, leaving the World Cup standings in a three-way tie between himself,Bart Wellens and world champion Mario de Clerq.Groenendaal celebrated his 12th ever World Cup in muddy conditions that areto said to be his specialty. Bart Wellens, winner of the opening World Cupround last month in

It’s been a long and active season on the American cyclo-cross scene this year. Despite the absence of a national series like the SuperCup, the U.S. schedule has offered a full selection of UCI-sanctioned races, leading up to this weekend’s Shimano-USCF Cyclo-cross National Championships at the Domaine Chandon vineyards in Napa, California. The UCI points earned at those events are a valuable commodity for riders hoping to make the U.S. team traveling to the world championships in Monopoli, Italy on the first weekend of February. Topping the list on the women’s side is ClifBar’s Carmen