US Cyclo-cross Championships - CN

Providence, RI, USA, December 15-17, 2006

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Race 8 - December 16: Elite Men (US Title) 

Complete live report

13:54 EST   
Next up: The elite men's race. They are now receiving their first call to stage.

14:03 EST   
The U23 men's race really set the stage for the elite men's race, which will start in the next few minutes. Jesse Anthony won the U23 race convincingly. He regained the national title after losing it last year. Prior to last year, he'd won 6 national titles as a junior and U23 rider.

14:05 EST   
Course conditions today are perfect. There is no mud, but nice and hard packed surfaces. The weather is a warm 50-55 degrees. So it's no suprise we haven't seen any significant mechanicals or crashes affecting results in the junior or U23 race.

14:05 EST   
They are calling riders to the start.

14:06 EST   
The second row has been called up.
Here comes first row.

14:06 EST   
There is big crowd--several thousand people...more than last year.

14:10 EST   
The elite men are off!

14:11 EST   
Everyone is fighting for position. Trebon is getting the hole shot.

14:11 EST   
Mark McCormick is on the front right now with Ryan Trebon and Barry Wicks in 2nd and 3rd.

14:12 EST   
The field is big and compact right now. There were about 130 riders who started.

14:13 EST   
Tim Johnson is 20 or 30 riders back early in this first lap...a bit of a surprise.

14:16 EST   
There is no clear leader early in the first lap. Everyone is fighting for position.

14:20 EST   

On Lap 1:
Ryan Trebon leads

At 6 seconds, chase group of 4
Ben Jacques Mayne
Barry Wicks
Jeremy Powers
Jonathan Page

Tim Johnson is three groups back. Todd Wells is about 10 places back.

14:20 EST   
Trebon looks quite comfortable. He'll probably keep the pressure up.

14:21 EST   
Johnson is stuck in traffic. Wells seems to be moving up.

14:23 EST   
Trebon is still off the front...now by about an amazing 18 seconds halfway through the second lap. He is really opening up the gap. The chase group is now six riders then a gap to the next four. It looks like Page is leading the first chase group.

14:25 EST   
It's unbelievable how much distance is between Trebon and the middle of the pack. There are three to four minutes separating the front and back of the men's field after about 15 minutes of racing. The race is 60 minutes long.

14:25 EST   
Trebon is through the finish again onto another lap.

14:27 EST   
Last time through the start/finish:
Ryan Trebon

at 12 seconds
Jonathan Page
Barry Wicks
Jeremey Powers

10 more seconds back
Mark McCormick

14:27 EST   
Johnson had a flat on the first lap. He's still working his way up.

14:28 EST   
Trebon is looking like he's having no trouble holding this pace. If he wins today, he'll be the current national champ in 2 disciplines: mt bike cross country and cyclo-cross.

14:28 EST   
Page is pulling Wicks and Powers. All Wicks has to do is sit on because Trebon, his teammate, is off the front. Page and Powers have to put down all the energy to chase Trebon.

14:30 EST   
Riders are now stretched all the way around the course now...after only two laps. They will start pulling lap riders soon. They actually lengthened the course this year because conditions are so good. They were trying to keep riders from being lapped too soon, but the course still is not long enough to keep riders from getting lapped.

14:30 EST   
Johnson has worked himself up into the third chase group.

14:30 EST   
When they cross start finish next time, riders will get 5 laps to go.

14:32 EST   
If the chase group can bring Page back to Trebon, Page will be a real factor.

14:34 EST   
With five laps to go:
Ryan Trebon

at 17 seconds
Jonathan Page
Barry Wicks
Jeremey Powers

Third chase group at 27 seconds
Todd Wells
Tim Johnson
Ben Jacques-Main

14:35 EST   
Jacques-Maynes is falling off his chase group a bit. Wells is driving this group.

14:36 EST   
Trebon is maintaining, even slightly extending his lead.

14:37 EST   
Trebon is going through barriers and a run up. He's making it look as if he has all the time in the world.

14:38 EST   
Wicks is just sitting on the wheels of the first chase group. Johnson and Wells are pulling back the first chase group. The gap is about five seconds between them.

14:38 EST   
If the two chase groups combine, they will be a strong force to chase Trebon.

14:41 EST   
3 laps to go

14:41 EST   
With three to go:
Ryan Trebon

at 26 seconds
Jonathan Page
Barry Wicks
Jeremey Powers
Todd Wells
Tim Johnson

14:42 EST   
Wicks in staying in second position in the chase, no matter who is at the front of the group. That may mean he's staying rested enough to take second place. The race is unfolding similarly to mountain bike nationals this year.

14:42 EST   
Now we'll probably start to see attacks within this chase group.

14:43 EST   
There goes Johnson attacking from the chase.

14:43 EST   
But his attack didn't work. All five chasers are still together.

14:44 EST   
Barring any mechanicals or crashes, we're probably looking at a battle for second. Trebon had good luck this year so far. He's had no mechanicals except for one race, during which he visited the pit 3x, but still finished fifth.

14:45 EST   
When they come through next time, they'll get two laps to go.

14:45 EST   
Trebon is still off the front alone, looking strong. In fact, his gap is increasing. In the space of this last lap, he's opened up ten more seconds. It appears as if the chase group has stopped chasing and started playing tactics for second.

14:48 EST   
Correction...Trebon is crossing the line with three laps to go (not two).

14:48 EST   
The chase group is still five riders. No one is getting away. Page is sitting at the back of the group now, leaving Jeremy Powers to work at the front and Barry Wicks sits second wheel.

14:49 EST   
Page just moved forward in the group.

14:51 EST   
Coming through with three to go, Trebon had a comfortable gap of over 30 seconds. The chase group seems to have given up chasing him and as they prepare for a final battle with each other for second, they will probably stay together for at least a little while to come. Wicks continues to always maintain his second position within the chase group--even when the front rider swaps position with another.

14:56 EST   
With two laps to go, we've got
Ryan Trebon

over 37 seconds back in a chase group of five riders
Jonathan Page
Barry Wicks
Jeremey Powers
Todd Wells
Tim Johnson

14:56 EST   
Everyone in the chase group is taking turns except Wicks.

14:57 EST   
Page is really applying the pressure right now, which is stringing them out. There are five bike lengths between each rider, although all are hanging tough.

14:57 EST   
They are all back together. Page's pressure wasn't enough to split the group.

14:58 EST   
The challenge now will be lapped riders and spectators who may be overzealous in crossing the course at inappropriate times. The lead riders are well into the back of the field now, catching lapped riders.

14:59 EST   
Wicks is not having to work in the chase group because his teammate Trebon is comfortably off the front. It's up to the other riders to make something happen in the chase. Otherwise, Wicks can save himself for the end and go for second.

15:00 EST   
They are pulling lapped riders, but the course is long enough that the leaders are still having to deal with those they catch.

15:00 EST   
Johnson and Page have attacked the group. They seem to be putting Wicks in a little trouble--he's at the back of the chase group, slightly gapped off.

15:01 EST   
When Trebon comes few in several more minutes, he'll get one lap to go.

15:03 EST   
Trebon is sprinting through the finish with one lap to go. He's taking the uphill like it's a downhill. He's going so fast. His lead is about 40 seconds.

15:03 EST   
All five chasers are still together. Johnson first, then Wicks still in second, then the rest.

15:04 EST   
The power with which Trebon went through the finish was amazing. He's now working his way through the technical section of the course. He looks comfortable, well within his limits.

15:05 EST   
Page was out for most of the season with a separated shoulder. He's only done one race this 'cross season. Trebon said yesterday that Page was the guy he was most worried about today, given his experience.

15:07 EST   
There's one-half lap to go. Trebon's lead is really safe. The five chasers are still together. Of all five, Johnson and Page have looked strongest, but Wicks has been able to sit on wheels for the entire race, so it should be an interesting finish.

15:08 EST   
The chasers are going through the run-up on the back of the course. Wicks is at the back of the group. But they seem to be sticking together.

15:08 EST   
Wicks has fallen off the back of the chase group.

15:08 EST   
Wicks is about five steps off the back.

15:10 EST   
The crowd is huge here. It is ten deep at the start finish line for about 100m leading up to the finish.

15:10 EST   
Trebon is finishing...he takes the win!

15:10 EST   
Page is attacking the chase group.

15:11 EST   
Page and Johnson are fighting for second place at the front of the chase.

15:11 EST   
Page takes 2nd. Johnson is 3rd. Wells is 4th. Powers is 5th.

15:11 EST   
And Wicks takes 6th.

15:13 EST   
Trebon has won his second national title of the year. He's now a double national champion. Page has made a remarkable come-back with 2nd place after losing much of the season to injury.

15:19 EST   
That wraps up our live coverage for today. Please join us again tomorrow, Sunday, December 17, 2006 for the Elite Women's national championships race at 2:00 PM US EST.

15:19 EST   
Thank you for joining us today!

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