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North American Trophy # 6 - Boulder - C1
Boulder, Colorado, USA, November 2, 2008
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Race 3 - November 2: Elite Men/Under 23
Johnson back on top in Boulder
Trebon still hold series lead after six
By Mark Zalewski, North American Editor in Boulder, Colorado
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One would assume that coming from sea level in Massachusetts to the altitude of Colorado would be a disadvantage for Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld-Cannondale). While it is an anaerobic challenge, smart riding and good timing made the difference for the second day of the Boulder Cup, as the current United States of America champion bettered his third place on day one with a solo win ahead of Todd Wells (Team GT) and North America Cyclo-cross Trophy series leader Ryan Trebon (Kona).
"I always seem to do better the second day at altitude — the last couple of years I have, so I was hoping that would happen today," Johnson told Cyclingnews. "But it was just so much back and forth out there — Todd kept hitting it and Ryan did too. Every time there was a punch it is so hard to jump right on it and hold it, because if you go too deep at altitude you have to recover much longer. So I tried to keep it steady."
The lead changes were frequent and elusive to the huge crowds assembled at Hollow Flats Park in south Boulder. One lap there would be a solo leader with the other two chasing, then the next it would be the other two leading with a solo chaser. But one thing was for sure, the winner was coming out of this trio.
With less than four laps to go Todd Wells led out of the sand with Trebon close behind, but Johnson was quite a ways back. "I messed up in the sand," said Johnson. "It is so hard to follow in there because the line just disappears. I had to get off and run for it and then my chain fell off. I only lost like 30 lengths but it took me a whole lap to chase back on."
"With this sand pit it's a crap shoot," said Todd Wells. "Whoever goes through there first seems to save some energy and get some time on the other guys. So we would be swapping through the sand pit quite a bit."
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Over the next lap Johnson slowly made up the gap, catching Trebon and Wells just before the long, uphill finish straight. "Johnson caught us with two to go and then as soon as he got on he nailed it," said Wells. "I was hoping Trebon would pull it up the finish straight but he was obviously tired already. I was pretty much one speed then and Tim was able to up his speed and get a good gap."
Normally Trebon would be able to cover a move like this, but a nasty cold has taken toll on the series leader, especially late in the 60 minute races. "My body just locked up with four laps to go," Trebon said. "It was the same thing as yesterday but I suffered more today...The last two laps I just suffered a lot."
Johnson capitalised on this and Wells leading much of the previous lap. "I saw that Ryan wasn't holding his usual top speed," he said. "Todd is riding really well but I figured I would take a shot and see what happens. I really thought it was going to come down to a sprint — it's what I was planning for."
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But the gap that opened between Wells and Johnson never closed, and was 20 seconds with one lap to go. "Yesterday the last two laps was the same speed the whole time," said Johnson. "So I figured if I could chase those guys for two laps yesterday I could start the thing today and have them chase me."
Trebon suffered long enough to hold on for third, keeping him ahead of Johnson in the overall standings, with just one weekend of racing in Southampton to go. But Johnson recently found a little extra motivation to do well there — the monetary kind of motivation. "I would love to get it, especially now that I found out about the overall prize list," he said.
For Wells the weekend was his best outing of the season so far, with a first and second. His plan is like many of the other racers, go home and rest with a weekend off. "I'm going to do some training down in Durango... play some golf and then head out east for the USGP," he said. "Hopefully we'll get some mud out there, but it's been cool having a mix of everything — that is what makes 'cross great!"
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by
Jonathan Devich/
- Ryan Trebon (Kona) leads a group early in the race.
- Riders could get up to speed on some of the flatter grass sections.
- Taylor Phinney (Garmin/Chipotle) broke out the cross bike today for some winter training.
- Big crowds came out to enjoy the warm weather and good racing.
- Ryan Trebon (Kona) jumps to re-mount after making his way through the sand.
- Todd Wells (GT) found it faster to just ride through the sand sections.
- Luckily the sand is nice and soft.
- Ryan Trebon (Kona) keeps the pressure on at the front.
- Tim Johnson (Cannondale / Cyclocrossworld) gets through the sand as fast as he can.
- Keeping things simple with the single speed.
- Tim Johnson (Cannondale / Cyclocrossworld) follows team-mate Jeremy Powers up the stair section.
- Troy Wells (Clif Bar) leans through one of the slick grass turns.
- Travis Brown came out sporting a single speed and the mountain man look.
- Jeremy Powers (Cannondale / Cyclocrossworld) gets to the front to string things out.
- The stairs were a big hit with the crowds.
- Taylor Phinney (Garmin/Chipotle) showed off some of his road skills in the tight corners.
- The beer says go that way.
- Riders had to stay focused on parts of the technical course.
- Troy Wells (Clif Bar) making good time on the stairs.
- Barry Wicks (Kona) made it look easy on the steep stairs.
- Tim Johnson (Cannondale / Cyclocrossworld) floated up the stairs on his last time through.
- Tim Johnson (Cannondale / Cyclocrossworld) comes across the line for a strategic win.
- Ryan Trebon (Kona) still managed third place after feeling sick all weekend.
- Tim Johnson (Cannondale / Cyclocrossworld) thanks team-mate Jeremy Powers for the help.
- Podium (L-R): Todd Wells (GT), Tim Johnson (Cannondale / Cyclocrossworld) and Ryan Trebon (Kona).
Images by Dave McElwaine/www.trailwatch.net
- The Rocky Mountains made a good backdrop for the race.
- Jeremy Powers (Cyclocrossworld / Cannondale) is called up to the line.
- United States of America Champion Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld / Cannondale) is called to the starting line.
- Matt Shriver (Jittery Joe's) gets the hole shot.
- Todd Wells (GT) leads the rest of the field at the start.
- Ryan Trebon (Kona) leads the race at the stairs.
- Jeremy Powers (Cyclocrossworld / Cannondale) chasing Ryan Trebon (Kona).
- Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld / Cannondale) running the stairs.
- Erik Tonkin (Kona) at the stairs in the top 10.
- Jesse Anthony (Jamis) riding alone behind the leaders.
- Barry Wicks (Kona) riding in the top 10.
- A group of riders pass through the woods.
- Tim Allen (Waste Management) riding through the sand.
- Ryan Trebon (Kona) had no trouble riding the sand sections.
- Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld / Cannondale) leading Wells (GT) through the sand.
- Jeremy Powers (Cyclocrossworld / Cannondale) applying some upper body to stay upright.
- Jesse Anthony (Jamis) often chose to run with his bike through the sand.
- Some of the Boulder cyclo-cross fans enjoy the action.
- Ryan Trebon (Kona) trying to stay with a surging Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld / Cannondale).
- There was a heavy turn-out of fans for the Sunday race.
- Chris Sheppard (Santa Cruz) running the barriers.
- Ryan Trebon (Kona) running the barriers ahead of Todd Wells (GT) towards the end of the race.
- Todd Wells (GT) running the barriers.
- Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld / Cannondale) rode in alone for the victory.
Results
1 Tim Johnson (USA) Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com 1.01.22 2 Todd Wells (USA) Team GT 0.28 3 Ryan Trebon (USA) Kona 0.56 4 Jeremy Powers (USA) Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com 1.45 5 Jesse Anthony (USA) Jamis Bicycles 2.06 6 Chris Sheppard (Can) Santa Cruz/Giro/Easton/Chris K 3.02 7 Troy Wells (USA) TEAM CLIF BAR 3.08 8 Erik Tonkin (USA) Kona 3.10 9 Tim Heemskerk (Ned) United Cycle Racing 3.31 10 Kevin Bradford-Parish (USA) Redlinebikes.com 11 Barry Wicks (USA) Kona 3.58 12 Joey Thompson (USA) Rocky Mtn Chocolate Factory Cy 4.07 13 Alex Howes (USA) CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cro 4.14 14 Russell Stevenson (USA) Benaroya Research Institute Cy 4.22 15 Matt Shriver (USA) Jittery Joe's Pro Cycling Team 4.32 16 Colin Cares (USA) CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cro 5.24 17 Brent Prenzlow (USA) CELO PACIFIC / ALAN 5.35 18 Travis Brown (USA) Trek 5.44 19 Paul Brooks (USA) Newton Running/Sierra Nevada B 6.03 20 Robert Squire (USA) Devo 6.35 21 Greg Krause (USA) Primal Wear 6.48 22 Matt Pacocha (USA) VeloNews 7.10 23 Chance Noble (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/S 7.44 Lapped 24 Mitch Hoke (USA) CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cro 25 Bryan Alders (USA) Monaviecannondale.com 26 Greg Lewis (USA) Directory Plus/ Trek 27 Nat Ross (USA) Subaru-Gary Fisher 28 Justin Robinson (USA) California Giant Berry Farms/S 29 Aaron Bouplon (USA) Rocky Mounts / Izze 30 Andrew Llewellyn (USA) Calistoga Racing Team 31 Jon Tarkington (USA) Vitamin Cottage p/b XP Compani 32 Joshua Johnson (USA) Big Shark Racing 33 Spencer Powlison (USA) Mafia Racing 34 Jake Wells (USA) MafiaRacing.com 35 Allen Krughoff (USA) Team Rio Grande 36 Kurt Refsnider (USA) FORT Factory Team 37 Chad Melis (USA) Dales Pale Ale 38 Kevin Mullervy (USA) CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cro 39 Chris Parrish (USA) Hagens Berman LLP 40 John Phillips (USA) Colorado Multisport 41 Ben Raby (USA) KCCX-VERGE 42 Nicholas Stevens (GBr) Waltworks/Fuentesdesign 43 Michael Hosey (USA) soulcraft 44 Brett Morgan (USA) Mafia Racing 45 Alister Ratcliff (USA) Fior Frutta 46 Blake Harlan (USA) 47 Bryan Mickiewicz (USA) 48 Corey Piscopo (USA) Moots 49 Joshua Berry (USA) team BODE 50 Shawn Harshman (USA) Harshman Wealth / Primus Mootr 51 Logan Garey (USA) Team Rio Grande 52 Chris Peterson (USA) Monaviecannondale.com 53 Troy Kilgore (USA) Boulder Cycle Sport 54 Darian Founds (USA) 55 Darryn Biggerstaff (USA) unattached 56 Daniel Matheny (USA) Mafia Racing 57 Connor Sallee (USA) CRCA JrDev/Orbea 58 Dustin Wanstrath (USA) Tamarack 59 Joseph Brenner (USA) Eschelon Elite 60 Chad Cheeney (USA) Durango Devo DNS Jamey Driscoll (USA) Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com DNS Ryan Barthel (USA) Rocky Mountain Chocolate Facto DNS Will Campbell (USA) Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team DNS Austin Forbes (USA) BODE DNS Ali Goulet (USA) Ridley Factory Team DNS Mike Hall (USA) Spike Shooter DNS Gregory Keller (USA) Boulder Cycle Sport DNS Conor Mullervy (USA) CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cro DNS Ned Overend (USA) Specialized DNS Robert Schmidt (USA) CCNS-Pedal Power DNS Mitchell Peterson (USA) Monaviecannondale.com DNF Jonathan Baker (USA) Vitamin Cottage p/b XP Compani DNF Christopher Pietrzak (USA) Porcupine/Specialized DNF Tim Allen (USA) Waste Management DNF Grant Berry (USA) Rocky Mtn Choc Factory DNF Jeff Courter (USA) Horizon Organic Cycling Team DNF Jesse Dekrey (USA) unattached DNF Jesse Giordano (USA) Nob Hill Velo DNF Jason Hilimire (USA) Gary Fisher 29er Crew DNF Brady Kappius (USA) CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cro DNF Eric Moore (USA) ARADD DNF Taylor Phinney (USA) Garmin/Chipotle DNF Scott Weiztel (USA) CyclingCt/JBCA Series standings 1 Ryan Trebon (Kona) 270 pts 2 Tim Johnson (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) 260 3 Jeremy Powers (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) 140
