Page, Elliott, win a muddy Gloucester GP

• Photos
• Results

By Steve Frothingham

2009 Gloucester Grand Prix, day 1: Page says hello to his kids on the last lap before his victory.

Photo: Dave Kraus

Jonathan Page (Planet Bike) scored a rare win on this side of the Atlantic on Saturday, riding away from all challengers on a muddy course in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Earlier, Canadian Natasha Elliott (Louis Garneau) calmed her nerves before the upcoming Canadian championships, pulling away from a group of five on the last lap to take the win ahead of ’cross newcomer Amanda Carey (Kenda/Trainwitheric.com) of Idaho. Third place went to Elliott’s fellow Canadian Lyne Bessette (October Factory Racing), a former winner at Gloucester. Bessette has come out of retirement this year to compete in a few New England cyclocross races ahead of a planned assault on Hawaii’s Ironman triathlon.

The first day of the two-day Great Brewers Gloucester Grand Prix of Cyclocross was held under warm but rainy condition with occasional gusty winds coming off the Atlantic, which is just feet from the course. The Gloucester venue is the most popular ’course in New England for its scenery and fast grassy corners. Mud is a rarity.

“I had to laugh this morning when I woke up to a downpour,” said Page, who favors difficult conditions. “You can’t not have too much fun when you are a grown man riding around in the mud. And I get paid to do it so it’s a hell of a job.”

2009 Gloucester Grand Prix, day 1: Page leads the charge off the line.

Photo: Dave Kraus

Page calls neighboring New Hampshire home, but can’t remember the last time he raced in Gloucester, as he focuses on European racing.

This early season he’s been racing a bit more than usual in the U.S., but has been frustrated by his results, despite evident good form. Last week’s USGP races in Wisconsin were especially frustrating, when he rolled two tires. He said he spent a lot of time the past week gluing and re-gluing tires.

At Gloucester he charged off the front almost from the gun, taking Tim Johnson (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) along for part of a lap. Page had a gap on Johnson by the end of the first lap and Johnson’s teammate Jamey Driscoll bridged up to Johnson and then pulled ahead. Driscoll briefly got to within ten seconds of Page, but never made contact. The two raced separately for the rest of the race, as Page steadily increased his gap, to the cheers of a van load of supporters and family who came down from New Hampshire.

Page’s winning margin was 1 minute, 47 seconds.

2009 Gloucester Grand Prix, day 1: Bessette (left) and Elliott charge up the run-up.

Photo: Dave Kraus

Behind, Johnson was joined by Chris Jones (Champion System) and Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) for much of the race. With two laps to go Jacques-Maynes was dropped and on the last lap Jones took advantage of a small bobble by Johnson to attack and take the last spot on the podium.

Johnson was still suffering from a shoulder injury from a crash in Seattle two weeks ago, and said he couldn’t stand up to sprint out of corners. “Makes it kind of hard to race cyclocross,” he said.

In the women’s race, Elliott got caught in traffic at the start, but took the lead before the end of the first lap. She was soon joined by Bessette and Carey, an endurance mountain biker trying cyclocross for the first time this season. Maureen Bruno-Roy (Seven) and Sue Butler (Monavie-Cannondale) were close behind.

The five came together for the start of the last lap, and Bessette and Carey tried several attacks, but Elliott waited for a greasy off camber section, about a half kilometer from the finish, before throwing in a huge attack, opening a 40-bike length gap by the end.

Photo Gallery

Results

Men’s results | Click for: ( Women’s results )

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• 1. Jonathan Page Planet Bike in 0:55:44
• 2. Jamey Driscoll Bikereg.com / Cannondale in 0:57:31
• 3. Christopher Jones Champion System in 0:58:00
• 4. Timothy Johnson Cannondale/cyclocrossworld.com in 0:58:10
• 5. Andy Jacques-Maynes Bissell Pro Cycling in 0:58:38
• 6. Joachim Parbo Ccv Leopard Cycles in 0:59:19
• 7. Jesse Anthony Jamis Bicycles in 0:59:36
• 8. Luke Keough Champion System in 0:59:43
• 9. Tim Van Nuffel Rendementhypo Cycling Team in 0:59:49
• 10. Jeremy Powers Cannondale/cyclocrossworld.com in 1:01:04
• 11. U23:1 Jerome Townsend Bikereg.com / Joe’s Garage / If in 1:01:07
• 12. Davide Frattini Team Fuji in 1:01:10
• 13. Osmond Bakker Emd Serono-Specialized in 1:01:41
• 14. U23: 2 William Dugan Team Type 1 in 1:01:44
• 15. Derrick St John Garneau Club Chaussure Ogilvy in 1:01:56
• 16. U23: 3 Dave Hackworthy Plan C in 1:02:07
• 17. Adam Myerson Team Mountain Khakis in 1:02:07
• 18. Dylan Mcnicholas CCB Racing in 1:02:45
• 19. U23: 4 Ethan Gilmour in 1:02:56
• 20. Dan Timmerman Bikereg.com/cannondale in 1:03:31
• 21. Justin Lindine Bikereg.com / Joe’s Garage / If in 1:03:48
• 22. Joshua Dillon Richard Sachs – Rgm Watches – Radix in 1:04:07
• 23. Gavin Mannion Hot Tubes Junior Development Team in 1:04:27
• 24. Christian Favata Favata’s Tablerock Tours And Bikes in 1:04:34
• 25. Andrew Wulfkuhle C3-Athletes Serving Athletes in 1:04:53
• 26. Mike Garrigan La Biccletta in 1:05:09
• 27. Hugo Rus Martinez Sanse-Spiuh in 1:05:29
• 28. Justin Spinelli Svelte Cycles in 1:05:37
• 29. Nathaniel Ward Bikereg.com / Joe’s Garage / If in 1:06:01
• 30. U23: 5 Patrick Bradley Rutgers University Cycling Team in 1:06:33
• 31. Andrew Crooks Nyc Velo in 1:06:46
• 32. Aroussen Laflamme Garneau-Clubchaussures-Ogylviereneault in 1:07:25
• 33. Richard Visinski Echappe Equipment Elite Team in 1togo
• 34. Emmanuel Goguen Bikereg.com / Joe’s Garage / If in 1togo
• 35. John Burns Bikeman.com in 1togo
• 36. Corey Lowe Stage 1 / Cannondale in 1togo
• 37. Philip Wong Seaside Cycle in 1togo
• 38. Wayne Bray Syracuse Bicycle / Spokepost.com in 1togo
• 39. Colin Reuter International Bicycle Mtb Team in 1togo
• 40. Michael Loranty Spooky/wells Fargo in 1togo
• 41. Peter Bradshaw Embrocation Cycling Journal in 1togo
• 42. Mathew Ankney Mercy Cycling Team in 1togo
• 43. Kevin Wolfson Bikereg.com / Joe’s Garage / If in 1togo
• 44. John Hanson If/lionette’s in 1togo
• 45. Peter Hurst Rapha Racing in 1togo
• 46. Thierry Laliberte Probikepool / Kuota in 1togo
• 47. William Elliston Van Dessel Factory Team in 1togo
• 48. Joshua Bartlett Land Rover-Orbea in 1togo
• 49. Ted Willard Team Bearclaw in 1togo
• 50. Ryan Kelly Noreast Cycling in 1togo
• 51. Bill Marshall Jr Mercy Elite Cycling in 1togo
• 52. J Gabriel Lloyd Echappe Equipment Elite Team in 1togo
• 53. Matthew Green Spooky Bikes in 1togo 6
• 54. Matthew Spohn Dynaflo Racing in 2togo
• 55. Michael Norton Ysg Racing: Team Metra/wendy’s P/b Cycle 54 in 2togo
• 56. Daniel Zotter Team Rog in 3togo 7
• . Trenton Ashburn Wheelworks in dsq

Women’s results | ( Men’s results )

• 1. Natasha Elliott Garneau Club Chaussure Ogilvy in 0:34:58
• 2. Amanda Carey Kenda/trainwitheric.com in 0:35:02
• 3. Lyne Bessette October Factory Racing in 0:35:10
• 4. Maureen Bruno Roy Mm Racing P/b Seven Cycles in 0:35:15
• 5. Susan Butler Monavie-Cannondale.com in 0:35:23
• 6. Laura Van Gilder C3 Athletes Serving Athletes in 0:36:05
• 7. Andrea Smith Minuteman Road Club in 0:36:12
• 8. Nicole Thiemann Human Zoom Pabst Blue Ribbon in 0:36:31
• 9. Amy Dombroski Richard Sachs/rgm Watches/radix in 0:36:53
• 10. Rebecca Wellons Team Plan C in 0:37:07
• 11. Anna Milkowski Bikereg.com / Joe’s Garage / If in 0:37:10
• 12. Kristin Gavin Human Zoom/pabst Blue Ribbon in 0:37:15
• 13. Sara Bresnick-Zocchi Pedalpowercoaching.com/landry’s Bicycles in 0:37:49
• 14. Gesa Bruechman Stevens Racing Team in 0:37:52
• 15. Karen Potter Zanconato in 0:37:56
• 16. Crystal Anthony Minuteman Road Club in 0:38:17
• 17. Cris Rothfuss Seven Cycles in 0:38:18
• 18. Anna Barensfeld Minuteman Road Club in 0:38:22
• 19. Sally Annis Hub Racing in 0:38:46
• 20. Linnea Koons October Factory Racing in 0:39:08
• 21. Perri Mertens Embrocation Cycling Journal / Mad Alchemy in 0:39:28
• 22. Lauri Webber Secret Henry’s Team in 0:39:46
• 23. Ann D’ambruoso Minuteman Road Club in 0:39:54
• 24. Arielle Filliberti in 0:40:16
• 25. Katrina (trina) Baumsteiger Team Rambuski Law in 0:40:23
• 26. Anna Mcloon Altarum Women’s Cycling Team in 0:40:26
• 27. Emma Bast Cycle-Smart / Ncc in 0:40:40
• 28. Rebecca Blatt Us Army/ Central Wheel in 0:40:43
• 29. Kate Harris October Factory Racing in 0:41:11
• 30. Sarah Krzysiak Syracuse Bicycle/spokepost.com in 0:41:58
• 31. Melissa Ross Landry’s Bicycles in 0:42:27
• 32. Christina Tamilio Minuteman Road Club in 0:42:48
• 33. Callie Gordon Cyclocrossworld.com in 0:43:32
• 34. Kristine Church Human Zoom/ Pabst Blue Ribbon in 0:44:05
• 35. Natalie Dumont Gearworks / Spinarts in 0:44:30