Published October 12, 2007 11:00PM
By Wendy Booher
After a two-year hiatus, the Gran Prix of Gloucester rejoined the Verge New England Championship Cyclocross Series Saturday with Round 1 of a doubleheader race weekend, with victories by Cylcocrossworld.com’s Jeremy Powers and Lyne Bessette.
Fending off attack after attack by a quartet containing Jesse Anthony (Jamis), Germany’s Multe Urban (Focus) and Chris Jones (NERAC), it was Powers who outsprinted them all in the final kilometer of the men’s race to win his second Gloucester ‘cross.
“At the start there was a group of probably ten guys and I don’t think I ever went past third or fourth place,” said Powers. “I just wanted to stay up front all day and I knew it was windy so I was pretty confident that there wouldn’t be anyone just riding away.”
At the halfway mark Powers’ big move to forge a gap got closed off by Anthony, who is racing in the elite category this season after a successful run as a U23 racer. After losing contact with the group at one point, Jones was able to climb back on and even respond to another one of Powers’ attacks.
“I definitely planned to do well here,” continued Powers. “I didn’t know if I could win because it’s always a bike race but I was hoping to be good – that’s all you can ask for. You can’t really count on what the other guys are going to do. I knew Multe would be here; I didn’t expect Jesse Anthony to be as good as he was today but he really stepped his game up this weekend and I was impressed.”
Anthony’s aim to clinch a top three spot got shattered when a lapped rider closed off an escape that would have put him into position for a place on the podium.
Local pros each cited an additional layer of stress that comes with racing in front of a hometown crowd and with family, friends, and general supporters all in attendance, the race pulse quickened 10 minutes into the men’s race when local favorite, Tim Johnson (Cannondale/Leer/Cyclocrossworld.com), rolled a tire. After making a bike switch, Johnson slid back to somewhere in the mid 20’s but was able to claw his way back to a respectable sixth place in the end.
Lyne’s a local
Although a Canadian citizen, Bessette is married to Johnson and a big favorite of the local ‘cross crowd. After warming up her legs by racing in the Cat 2/3 men’s race, Bessette lined up alongside the elite women to race a half hour later.
“I know my level and I know the level of the field so I go by that,” explained Bessette. “I like to race with the men because you always have somebody around you and that gives me opportunities to learn how to corner, how to pass people, and how to pick a place where you’re going to pass. Like today, there were two guys in front of me who crashed. I had a great start; I was maybe fifth or sixth wheel and then they crashed so I’m back at 30th place and I have to come back toward the front. The good thing about the B’s is that there are so many guys that there are always groups. So you go from group to group so you always have a goal in front of you.”
A $100 prime on the first lap of the women’s race gave Bessette a chance to earn a few bucks and, more importantly, to stretch an early five-second gap into a 1:05 lead by the time she pocketed the win as well.
In a race for second place, Rebecca Wellons (Ridley), Amy Wallace (RGM/Richard Sachs), and relative newcomer, Natasha Elliott (Stevens) cast about for every chance to pull away from the others and when opportunity knocked, Wellons and Elliott answered.
“We had a group of four – maybe five – at that point,” said Wellons. “We knew Lyne was up the road and Natasha and I wanted to break away from the group so up the hill she went, I followed and we opened up a gap going into the last lap. She and I were working together, we were able to split the work and stay away from the other girls.”
Cyclocrossworld.com teammates Powers and Bessette will each start Sunday’s races wearing the Series leader’s jersey. There’s a good chance they might hang on to them too since the fast, minimally technical course should change little overnight, according to race director Paul Boudreau.
“We’re going to make minimal changes to the course,” said Boudreau. “We may tweak a section here or there but this is a brand new course for us and we’ve been getting a lot of good feedback, the racers love the course so we’re not going to mess with it too much.”
#2 of the Gran Prix of Gloucester gets underway starting at 9 am with the Cat 4 men.
Results
1. Jeremy Powers, Cyclocrossworld.Com, 0:57:27
2. Multe Urban, Team Focus, at 0:01
3. Christopher Jones, Nerac Pro Cycling, at 0:02
4. Jesse Anthony, Jamis, at 0:06
5. Adam Myerson, at 0:59
6. Tim Johnson, Cannondale/Leer/Cyclocrossworld, at 1:00
7. Matt White, Fior Difrutta, at 1:32
8. Davide Frattini, Colavita/Sutter Home Presented By Cooking Light, at 1:36
9. Matt Shriver, Jittery Joe’s/Sonic Cyclocross, at 1:36
10. Mark McCormack, Clif Bar, at 1:55
Results
1. Jeremy Powers, Cyclocrossworld.Com, 0:57:27
2. Multe Urban, Team Focus, 0:57:28
3. Christopher Jones, Nerac Pro Cycling, 0:57:30
4. Jesse Anthony, Jamis, 0:57:33
5. Adam Myerson , 0:58:26
6. Tim Johnson, Cannondale/Leer/Cyclocrossworld, 0:58:27
7. Matt White, Fior Difrutta, 0:58:59
8. Davide Frattini, Colavita/Sutter Home Presented By Cooking Light, 0:59:03
9. Matt Shriver, Jittery Joe's/Sonic Cyclocross, 0:59:03
10. Mark McCormack, Clif Bar, 0:59:22
11. Jamey Driscoll, Fiordifrutta Elite Cycling Team, 0:59:27
12. Greg Reain, Ride with Rendall / Colnago / Time, 0:59:37
13 .Mathieu Toulouse, Maxxis, 0:59:41
14 .Alec Donahue, Joe's Garage, 1:00:04
15. Troy Wells , 1:00:24
16. Osmond Bakker, Stevens Cross, 1:00:26
17. Johannes Huseby, Cannondale, 1:00:27
18. William Dugan, Ccb/Volkswagen, 1:00:30
19. Daniel Neyens, Hagens-Berman Cycling Team, 1:00:49
20. Toby Marzot, Fiordifrutta, 1:00:50
21. Jon Hamblen, Rgm Watches- Richard Sachs, 1:01:09
22. Derrick St John, The Cyclery, 1:01:24
23. Danny Summerhill, Clif Bar Development Cx Team, 1:01:24
24. Matt Kraus, Rgm Watches- Richard Sachs, 1:01:25
25. Jerome Townsend, Ridley Factory Team, 1:01:59
26. Benoit Simard, Specialized/Bluberi/Martin Swiss, 1:02:08
27. Kevin Wolfson, Cl Noonan/Coast To Coast/Kam, 1:02:09
28. Ward Solar , 1:02:10
29. Mike Garrigan, Jetpower / Epic Ride, 1:02:38
30. Dan Wilson, Monstr Health Cycling, 1:02:46
31. Nathaniel Ward, Joe's Garage, 1:03:34
32. Adam Snyder, 3-D Racing, 1:03:35
33. Ethan Gilmour, Jittery Joe's / Sonic, 1:03:37
34. Christian Favata, Alan North America Cycling Team, 1:03:39
35. Daniel Coady, We Love Bicycles, 1:04:45
36. Dan Langolis, The Hub Bicycle Club, 1 Lap
37. Jamie Belchak, North Atlantic Velo/ Pedros/ Classbook.Com, 1 Lap
38. Ryan Fleming, Everactive.Com/Workers Comp Solutions/Legal Sea Foods, 1 Lap
39. Nicholas Keough, Jittery Joe's/ Sonic Cyclocross, 1 Lap
40. Adam Sullivan, Nbx/Narragansett Beer Cyclocross, 1 Lap
41. John Burns, Bikeman.Com, 1 Lap
42. Michael Norton, Verge Sport/Test Pilot, 1 Lap
43. Hunter Pronovost, Anthem-Cccc, 1 Lap
44. Damien Colfer, Mechanical Services/Cyclemania, 1 Lap
45. Marc-André, Daigle Team Daigle Apogee, 1 Lap
46. Dylan O'sullivan, Housatonic Wheel Club, 1 Lap
47. Aaron Oakes, Van Dessel, 1 Lap
48. Jamie Pair Alan, North Atlantic Cycling Team, 1 Lap
49. Olivier Bordeleau, Xprezo/Solid Edge, 1 Lap
50. Morgan Macleod, Mechanical Services/Cyclemania, 1 Lap
51. Zac Daab Hup, United, 1 Lap
52. John Fee, The Cyclery, 1 Lap
53. Alex Whitmore, Cambridge Bicycle / Igleheart Frames, 1 Lap
54. Thierry Laliberte, Sportif Bromont, 1 Lap
55. Michael Nash, Ride With Rendall, 1 Lap
56. Evan Hyde, Nashvillecyclist.Com P/B Bike Pedlar, 1 Lap
57. Alexander Jackson , 1 Lap
58. Brian Hayes, Rgm Watches- Richard Sachs, 1 Lap
Women
1. Lyne Bessette, 0:39:53
2. Rebecca Wellons, 1:05
3. Natasha Elliott, 1:06
4. Amy Wallace, 1:13
5. Megan Elliott, 1:15
6. Megan Monroe, 1:18
7. Christine Vardaros, 1:36
8. Sally Annis, 1:36
9. Melanie Swartz, 1:39
10 Maureen Bruno-Roy, 1:39
11. Cris Rothfuss, 1:49
12. Jennifer Tilley, 2:09
13. Marie-Pier Bédard, 2:50
14. Rebecca Much, 3:07
15. Marci Titus Hall, 3:11
16. Jennifer Maxwell, 3:19
17. Kate Northcott, 3:23
18. Sara Cushman, 3:37
19. Joanie Caron, 3:42
20. Karine Travaillaud, 3:46
21. Alie Kenzer, 3:50
22. Stephanie White, 3:55
23. Lauren Costantini, 4:03
24. Jennifer Stebbins, 4:04
25. Melody Chase, 4:14
26. Kathryne Carr, 4:24
27. Kim Blodgett, 4:27
28. Alex Jospe, 4:28
29. Anna Milkowski, 4:32
30. Lisa Vible, 4:45
31. Hannah Kirshner, 5:03
32. Linnea Koons, 5:07
33. Brenda Bahnson, 5:10
34 Erin Duggan, 5:34
35. Ann Hansgate, 6:20
36. Virginie Gauthier, 7:23
37. Andrea Myers, 1 lap
38. Laura Jensen, 1 lap