By Press Release
2005 Verge New England Cyclo-Cross Series Ready to RollFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 10, 2005Building up to the crescendo of December’s National Championships inRhode Island, the 2005 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Serieswill provide a perfect season-long proving ground for regional and nationalcyclo-cross talent. As always, healthy purses and excellent UCI courseswill greet the legion of racers that flock to New England Series, startingOctober 15 in New Gloucester, Maine with the Downeast Cyclo-Cross. Allsix Verge NECCS races boast prize lists of at least $5,000, with overallElite Men’s and Women’s series winners splitting a $1,000 payday.In an effort to maximize the racing experience, the 2005 Verge NECCSoffers a set of “double dip weekends” – with series races on Saturday andSunday – allowing out-of-town and local riders alike to get the most fortheir travel effort. The series’ first “double dip weekend” – November12-13 in Farmington, Conn. and Northampton, Mass. – traditionally attractselite racers from around North America and this year will be no different.Connecticut race organizer Jan Tanner has even offered to help non-EastCoast racers find host housing for the two weeks between the US Gran Prixraces and the CT/MA “double dip weekend.” (Those interested can contactTanner through the event website.) The final “double dip weekend” – December3-4 in Rhode Island – introduces a new race to the Series, the Castor’sGrand Prix in Warwick. Coming less than a week before (and only a few milesaway from) the opening of the National Championships. As an exercise inpost-Thanksgiving racing, the November 26th Gear Works Bay State race inSterling, Mass. promises enough off-camber, high speed racing to snap eventhe most devout carnivore out of tryptophan enduced lethargy.THE RACERS
The continent’s best cyclo-cross racers line up weekend after weekendon the starting lines of NECCS races. While riders from across North Americaregularly travel to New England for a taste of the region’s high-end racing,it has been local riders who have historically taken home the overall seriestitles. Four-time defending Elite Men’s series champion Mark McCormack(Team Clif Bar) comes into 2005 with perhaps the best fitness of his careerand seems on course to tally a fifth Verge crown. However, the return oflocal legend Tim Johnson (Cyclo-Crossworld-Louis Garneau) to the cyclo-crossfold after a three-year hiatus could provide a worthy challenge to McCormack.As well, Maine’s Adam Craig (Giant), the series runner-up in 2004, willfollow up his highly successful summer of World Cup mountain bike racingwith another full slate of New England ‘cross racing. As for the out-of-townset, Todd Wells (GT-Hyundai), Ryan Trebon and Barry Wicks (Kona-Les Gets),and Ben Turner (TIAA-CREF) head the list of challengers slated to racein New England this fall. Six-time Canadian cyclo-cross champion PeterWedge (Kona-Les Gets) is also likely to drop down from his home in NewBrunswick to contest a race or two, as will Quebec-based mountain bikepro Mattieu Toulouse (Maxxis). New England-based racers looking to makean impression in 2005 include Noah Taylor and Justin Spinelli (RGM Watches-RichardSachs), Tyler Johnson (Redline), and Matt White, Jon Hamblen, and JohannesHuseby (Fior di Frutta).Six-time US National Champion Jesse Anthony (Team Clif Bar) will tryto defend his Under-23 National and Verge Series titles on home soil. Anthonyfigures to face challenges from Todd Wells (TIAA-CREF) and Tommy Magrath(Redline).As she will be based out of Massachusetts for the balance of the cyclo-crossseason, Canadian Lyne Bessette (Cyclo-Crossworld-Louis Garneau) figuresto be the odds-on favorite for the entirety of the New England series.The only North American to win a cyclo-cross World Cup, Bessette figuresto contest all six NECCS events after nearly three years out of the sport.A full field of local and regional racers will line up to take their bestshot at Bessette. The 2004 Verge Series runner-up, Maureen Bruno Roy (IndependentFabrication), will battle Anna Milkowski (Team Lipton), McKenzie Dickey(Bicycle Alley), Pauline Frascone (Independent Fabrication), Rebecca Wellons(Gearworks-Spin Arts), and Marianne Stover (Independent Fabrication) throughall six of the series races. The California-based pink-and-blue trio ofBarbara Howe, Sarah Kerlin, and Christine Vardaros (Velo Bella) will makean impression on the New England Series races they travel back to contest.The wildcard in the Verge Series remains two-time defending series championMary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven Cycles). After a rigorous World Cup mountainbike schedule, which saw her finish fifth overall in the season-long series,McConneloug has opted to throttle back on her ‘cross racing. However, McConnelougseems inexorably drawn to New England ‘cross and will likely make an appearancein some of the races.
Verge New England Championship Cyclo-Cross Series
October 15 – Downeast Cyclo-Cross, New Gloucester, ME
November 12 – ChainBiter 7.0 Cyclo-Cross, Farmington, CT
November 13 – Cycle-Smart International Cyclo-Cross, Northampton,MA
November 26 – Gearworks Bay State Cyclo-Cross, Sterling, MA
December 3 – W. E. Stedman Co. Grand Prix of Cyclo-Cross, S.Kingstown, RI
December 4 – Castor’s Grand Prix, Warwick, RIFor more information on the 2005 Verge New England Championship Cyclo-CrossSeries please go to www.necyclo-cross.com