Gallery: Compton and Hyde shine at KMC Cross Fest

Frame builder and cycling impresario Richard Sachs was in the pits to support his riders Daniel Chabanov and Britlee Bowman at KMC Cross Fest in Thompson, Connecticut. Photo: Wil Matthews

The Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com team prepared for the day in the dry comfort of the trailer. Photo: Wil Matthews

Katie Compton, the most successful ‘cross racer in US history, found a quiet corner to prep for her race. Compton is something of a privateer this season, though still consistently winning or placing on the podium at the highest levels. Photo: Wil Matthews

Ellen Noble before the start of the Elite Women’s race. With her second-place finish Saturday, Noble now holds second overall in the USAC Pro CX standings. Photo: Wil Matthews

Race Director Richard Fries managed the search for a larger venue and the conversion of the Thompson Motor Speedway into a ‘cross arena for the KMC Cross Fest, which changed the character of the event and allows it to expand in the future. Photo; Wil Matthews

Katie Compton in her familiar stars-and-stripes kit. Photo: Wil Matthews

Soupy mud was found in several locations on course. Photo: Wil Matthews

Caroline Mani awaited staging before the Elite Women’s event. Photo: Wil Matthews

Thompson Motor Speedway is a new venue for the KMC Cyclocross Festival, and comes with plenty of handy course construction material. The CX course crossed over or traveled along the raceway tarmac in several locations in a Zolder-like fashion. Photo: Jake Orness

Emma White led the Elite Women’s field out of the start during Saturday’s event. Photo: Wil Matthews

Katie Compton and Ellen Noble provided the crowds with some close racing in the opening laps. Photo: Wil Matthews

Katie Compton grabbed a clean bike from Mark Legg as Matt Roy turned to the bike wash. The mud wasn’t sticky enough to necessitate bike exchanges more than every couple of laps. Photo: Wil Matthews

Mindy McCutcheon made her UCI Elite debut in Iowa following wins in both the USAC and Wheelers and Dealers races at Cross Vegas. A crash during course inspection left her with a possibly broken hand, but she was able to hang on for 11th. Photo: Wil Matthews

Katie Compton left her chasers far behind by the time she crossed the line at the end of the fifth lap. Photo: Jake Orness

Amy D Foundation rider Rebecca Fahringer grabbed third, and less than 30 seconds out of second place, a career-best finish for a UCI C1 event. Photo: Wil Matthews

With over 2000 race registrations for the weekend, the racing scene in the Northeast remained robust. Photo: Wil Matthews

The rains in northeastern Connecticut on Friday turned to a steady drizzle throughout Saturday. Photo: Wil Matthews

The elite men’s field charged around the first corner at KMC Cross Fest led by Travis Livermon and Kerry Warner, with the Cannondale duo of Curtis White and Stephen Hyde in close pursuit. The start and finish were positioned in the raceway infield. Photo: Jake Orness

Thompson Motor Speedway was in use for race car training as well as cyclocross on Saturday. Photo: Wil Matthews

Kerry Warner made his first UCI C1 podium appearance with his new Kona team on Saturday after a fast start and a smooth race. Photo: Wil Matthews

The field pushed up one of the steep run-ups on the Thompson course. Photo: Wil Matthews

Though not on the front during the first laps and then taking a dramatic tumble down the steepest hill, Stephen Hyde was able to take control of the race and finished with a 20-second advantage. Photo: Wil Matthews

The runups were steep enough to require three-point climbing technique, and were all positioned one after another in close succession. Photo: Jake Orness

After a catching his front wheel in a hole on this sandy descent and flying into a spectacular over-the-bars crash in the third lap, Stephen Hyde retook this hill on the following laps like an enduro rider. Others didn’t fare so well: one rider crashed down this hill four times during the Elite Men’s event. Photo: Wil Matthews

Jamey Driscoll is known for coming on strong in later laps, and he did just that to secure second step on the podium. Photo: Wil Matthews

With precious little else nearby the venue, the raceway concessionaires had a captive audience. Photo: Jake Orness

The juniors learn at an early age in the Northeast to leave it all on the race course. Photo: Wil Matthews

Spencer Petrov, left, and Cooper Willsey tried to clean up for their U23 podium. Petrov finished eighth overall in just his fourth UCI C1 Elite race. Photo: Wil Matthews

Danny Summerhill simultaneously rinsed off and grabbed a drink following the elite men’s race. The combination of mud and dark conditions meant eye protection was of limited use, as many competitors shed theirs in the first lap. Photo: Jake Orness

Though teams race against one another, there’s always a helping hand off the course when needed, as Stephen Hyde got a pre-podium pressure wash from the neighboring Raleigh Clement camp after the Cannondale mechanics ran out of water. Photo: Wil Matthews

Curtis White returned to the team trailer following the Elite Men’s race, which he at first led by twenty seconds before later trading places in the top three. In the end, he missed the last step on the podium in a sprint with Kerry Werner, but retained the U23 win. Photo: Wil Matthews

Stephen Hyde was presented with the KMC Cross Fest trophy before spectators following the Elite Men’s race. Photo: Wil Matthews