First Cyclo-cross news & racing round-up, Wednesday, September 2, 2009

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Date published:

September 2, 2009, 11:00

• Cyclo-cross World Cup loses Swiss round

  

  Article published:

  July 23, 2009, 14:52

  By:

  Cyclingnews

  Cancellation of Schmerikon race leaves hole in calendar

  The UCI announced Thursday that the third round of the planned 2009-2010 Cyclo-Cross World Cup has been canceled. The organiser of the Schmerikon, Switzerland race which was scheduled to take place on October 25, 2009 has called a halt to the race.

  The Swiss round was to have races for elite men, women, espoirs and juniors. With the loss of the event, the men's World Cup will now consist of nine events, the women's series will have seven rounds, and juniors and espoirs will have five events.

  The Cyclo-cross World Cup series will kick off in Treviso, Italy, on October 4, 2009.

  UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup presented by Safety Jogger 2009-2010

  October 4, 2009: Treviso, Italy (Elite Men (ME),Espoir Men (MU), Junior Men (MJ), Elite Women (WE))
  October 18, 2009: Plzen, Czech Republic (ME)
  November 11, 2009:  Nommay, France (ME WE)
  November 28, 2009: Koksijde, Belgium (ME MU MJ WE)
  December 6, 2009: Igorre, Spain (ME)
  December 20, 2009: Kalmthout, Beligium (ME WE)
  December 26, 2009: Heusden-Zolder, Belgium (ME MU MJ WE)
  January 17, 2010: Roubaix, France (ME MU MJ WE)
  January 24, 2010: Hoogerheide, Netherlands (ME MU MJ WE)

  January 30-31: World Championships: Tabor, Czech Republic  (ME MU MJ WE)

• Trebon to defend CrossVegas title

  

  Article published:

  August 5, 2009, 02:01

  By:

  Cycling News

  Champion confirmed for September race in Las Vegas

  United States of America cyclo-cross champion Ryan Trebon has confirmed he will defend his title at CrossVegas in Las Vegas, USA next month. Trebon is the only CrossVegas winner, having won the inaugural race – held in conjunction with the Interbike show – in 2007.

  "I am really looking forward to beginning my season off on a good note, hopefully with continuing to the be the only person to ever win CrossVegas," said Trebon.

  Trebon won the 2008 edition of CrossVegas with a gutsy attack with a lap and half remaining on the tough Desert Breeze Soccer Complex course then soloed to victory. Trebon has had a great lead up to the coming cyclo-cross season with a strong mountain bike racing season that includes multiple top finishes.

  "Cross Vegas is a great race, I really enjoy racing in front of all the people that make our team and this great industry happen," said the Kona rider.

  CrossVegas will be held on Wednesday, September 23 this year, following the first day of the Interbike show.

• Museeuw helps Mongolian cycling to 2010 cyclo-cross Worlds

  

  Article published:

  August 13, 2009, 11:27

  By:

  Richard Tyler

  Former World champ provides equipment and coaching to Asian riders

  For Johan Museeuw the steppes of Mongolia are a long way from his native Belgium, but the former World road champion is part of a program that will see riders from the Asian nation compete at next year's cyclo-cross World championships in Tábor, Czech Republic.

  Museeuw, who started his own bicycle company after retiring from professional cycling in 2004, has agreed to provide both equipment and guidance to the Mongolian national cyclo-cross team. He travelled to Mongolia in early July to confirm the sponsorship arrangements and while there worked to coach members of the team in specific cyclo-cross skills.

  "It all started with a phone call from the Mongolian cycling federation, who asked if I would consider providing bikes for the team," Museeuw told Het Nieuwsblad on Thursday. "Soon there was a proposal on the table to also provide support as a sporting directeur. Before I knew it, I was in Mongolia to select four riders for the cyclo-cross World championships."

  Museeuw said that members of the team will travel to France later this month in order to train and allow coaches to assess their progress, before heading to Belgium in November to compete in races leading up to the Worlds in January.

  He said that, for him, the cultural exchange had so far been rewarding and was likely to continue as the local riders gained their first experience of European conditions. "The Mongols are very happy, they do not have a great many possessions and they are one with nature," he said. "For me it was a culture shock, but for them it will be a shock when they are staying with a Flemish family."

  There was one aspect of Mongolian culture that Museeuw told Het Nieuwsblad he hoped to adjust for members of the team: Their diet. "[I told them] that they must drink less vodka," he said. "They consume litres of cola and vodka and eat a lot of horse flesh too. It is especially the attitude to vodka that will be difficult to change, as it's such a firm part of their culture."

  Despite the hurdles that the Mongolian riders will have to overcome before the World championships, Museeuw did offer an indication of where he hopes the team can finish in Tábor.

  "The team can already compete to a good standard in Asia, but they will have to be patient when they step up to the European level of racing," he said. "I am being realistic. If they can finish in the top thirty at the World championships then I will be satisfied."

  The UCI's Elite World cyclo-cross championships for men and women will take place on January 31, 2010, in Tábor, Czech Republic.

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• Vervecken to race CrossVegas

  

  Article published:

  August 14, 2009, 19:17

  By:

  Cycling News

  Three-time World Champion to kick off 'cross season in USA

  CrossVegas organizers announced Friday that three-time Cyclo-cross World Champion Erwin Vervecken will toe the line for the Las Vegas 'cross race in September.

  Not a stranger to racing in the USA, Vervecken has graced the American shores several times over the past few seasons, but this will be his first appearance at CrossVegas. The race runs during the Interbike trade show on September 23.

  "I've already raced a few times in the States and always like to come back," said the Belgian. "When I saw the pictures and videos on the Internet of CrossVegas, I really was excited and hoped to be invited one day. I like the atmosphere of racing with a lot of cheering spectators around."

  Vervecken Team Revor teammate Ben Berden will also make the trip to Nevada, thanks to work with sponsor Champion System.

  Race promoter Brook Watts was pleased to have the pair at the increasingly popular event.  "Erwin is a great competitor and an ambassador for the sport we are so passionate about. I'm sure we'll see many more fans pour out to watch CrossVegas with a field that includes a multi-time World Champion."

  This will be the last season fans will get to see Vervecken in competition - he announced that he would retire at the end of this season.

  "It is going to be my last season as professional rider so I didn't want to miss this event. It's my first big goal of the season and I hope I can put this one on my list of career wins."

  Tickets for CrossVegas are available in advance at BikeReg.com.

  Complete CrossVegas details are available at www.crossvegas.com

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  Cyclo-cross

• Compton says inequality in prize pools unfair

  

  Article published:

  August 19, 2009, 01:03

  By:

  Cycling News

  Cincinnati to offer $10,000 in women’s race

  Top North American cyclo-cross rider Katie Compton has commended Cincinnati UCI3 Cyclo-cross Festival organisers on closing the gap between men’s and women’s prize money, after they unveiled a massive $10,000 USD prize pool for the women’s event. Compton labeled the difference between men’s and women’s prize pools unfair, given the costs involved with competition are the same for both genders.

  “Just looking at the C1 prize list for women compared to men makes me angry,” said Compton. “It's just not right that the women make $250 for a win when the men's winner makes over $2,000. It costs us the same amount of money to get to the races and we work just as hard and we should be equally rewarded.”

  The monies on offer in Cincinnati make up a large portion of the $27,000 USD on offer during the October 9-11 event. Last year the race matched the prize money for the top five men and women.

  “I think it's awesome that the Cincinnati weekend has so much prize money for the women,” said Compton. “I think it's the only weekend of my cross season where I have the potential to cover travel expenses and actually make money.”

  Women’s sport has waged a long battle for equality in sporting prize money. Women’s tennis in particular has been vocal in calling on organizers to reduce, and abolish the gap between prize money for male and female athletes. Luna cyclist Georgia Gould submitted a petition to the International Cycling Union in 2007 after gathering support from fellow competitors.

  Compton will host a special women’s-only cyclo-cross clinic in Cincinnati on the Wednesday prior to the Festival. It will offer women of all ages and abilities to learn the sport from the most accomplished cyclo-cross racer in American history.

  “I want to encourage women to come out and learn new things, or get a refresher on skills they already have,” said Compton. “A little practice in the early season always helps.”

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed

• Planet Bike signs Compton for upcoming cyclo-cross season

  

  Article published:

  August 24, 2009, 17:35

  By:

  Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor

  Five-time US national champion commits to the World Cup series

  Five-time US cyclo-cross national champion Katie Compton signed a team sponsorship deal with Planet Bike, a manufacturer of cycling accessories. Compton won the bronze medal at the most recent World Cyclo-cross Championships in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands. She will race the 2009-2010 cyclo-cross season primarily in Europe, where she will compete in all of the rounds of the World Cup.

  Compton's season will be built around the World Cup and the World Championships. On January 31, 2010, she will chase after the rainbow stripes at the World Championships in the Czech Republic. "I really feel it's within my reach. After two close calls, I'm hoping for rain or snow and going all out for the win," said Compton, who has two worlds medals in her collection.

  The news ends Compton's several-month search for a major sponsorship. Compton, who previously raced for Spike, raced her mountain bike for much of the 2009 season, attending major events as her budget permitted.

  Compton will join American cyclo-crosser Jonathan Page on the Planet Bikes Team. "It is an absolute dream come true for us to have two of the best cyclo-crossers in US history in Compton and Page riding for our small company," said company founder Bob Downs' who has been impressed with the work ethic of both riders.

  The new team sponsorship comes shortly after Compton resolved an ongoing health issue relating to asthma medication with the UCI. Compton has long suffered from asthma and was hospitalized after an attack during a round of the US ProXCT in Birmingham, Alabama. While waiting a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) from the UCI, Compton raced without her usual medication during competition. Another asthma attack cost her a possible cross country national championship in Granby, Colorado in July.

  "Katie received her TUE the Tuesday after US Mountain Bike Nationals," said her husband Mark Legg to Cyclingnews. "She raced (the World Cup in) Bromont (in August) and suffered an asthma attack and had to pull out."

  "However, she has since switched to a longer-acting medication and has received a TUE for that as well. After some testing, we think we may have found the right combination."

  Compton will start the season in her new team colors at the upcoming Cross Vegas where she will look to defend her title.

  "It's going to be an epic race in Vegas. I'm very motivated to start the season off with a good result representing Planet Bike." Compton will then fly to Madison to ride in the Planet Bike sponsored USGP event on September 26-27.

  That USGP round will likely be the only time, in addition to US Cyclo-cross Nationals in December in Bend, Oregon, that Compton will race on American soil during the 'cross season.

  "I'm doing my travel planning this week, and I think that the first USGP is the only one that will fit in my program," said Compton to Cyclingnews. "It gets to be too much to do everything to do well. With my leg cramping problem, I need to have a few days before and after I travel."

  "I will do the US championships and then I'll go back to Europe for more World Cups."

  Compton's Planet Bike sponsorship is cyclo-cross specific for this season, but she has hopes for continuing sponsorship into the next mountain bike season.

  "We're looking at expanding Katie's mountain bike season a little more in 2010," said her husband. "She wants to race more mountain bikes, and she's good at it and loves racing her bike."

  In the meantime, she will fly to Australia this week as she prepares to contest the UCI mountain bike world championship in Canberra in early September.

  Compton will race the 'cross season on Stevens bikes. The German company also just recently picked her up for the upcoming season.

• UCI 'cross comes to T-Town

  

  Article published:

  August 31, 2009, 20:24

  By:

  Cycling News

  Nittany Lion 'cross relocated to Pennsylvania velodrome

  Cyclo-cross and track racing will come together on September 19th at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center, in Trexlertown, Pennsyvlania.

  The well-known velodrome has served as an incubator for the US cycling community for decades, and will get its first taste of UCI cyclo-cross action when the Nittany Lion 'cross event is relocated from the now defunct Lehigh Valley Penn State campus.

  The race will be the season-opener for the MAC (Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-cross) powered by SRAM Series. 'Cross has periodically been held at the venue, which is better known for its banked turns than its berms. But event will mark the first UCI-sanctioned cyclo-cross race at the facility.

  The day will also include several unrelated events at the facility, including cricket matches as well as the weather-delayed Maryland State Track Cycling Championships.
  
  The Nittany Lion Cyclocross is part of a UCI weekend double-header along with the following day’s Charm City Cyclo-cross in Baltimore, Maryland. Both will be UCI C2 events as well as carrying points toward the 2009 MAC powered by SRAM 2009 season championship.

• Kona drafts Wyman in Simms’ place

  

  Article published:

  September 2, 2009, 11:27

  By:

  Cycling News

  British champion to content World Cup series

  Kona/FSA has signed Helen Wyman to ensure its support of women’s cyclo-cross continues this season while Wendy Simms takes time away from the sport. Wyman, the current United Kingdom Cyclo-cross Champion, will contest selected races in North America before returning to her Belgian base where she will mount a World Cup campaign.

  “With Three-time Canadian cyclo-cross champion Wendy Simms taking a little time off this season to pursue a career in motherhood, the Kona/FSA team wished to keep the women's side of the team strong in Wendy's stead, and have therefore added Helen Wyman to the squad,” said a release from the team.

  Simms will contest the FSA Star Crossed, Rad Racing GP and CrossVegas events in North America over coming weeks before returning to Tielt-Winge. In addition to winning four consecutive UK national titles, Wyman has finished second at a World Cup event and third in the International Cycling Union (UCI) world rankings.

  Simms joins Barry Wicks, Eric Tonkin and current United State of America Champion Ryan Trebon at the squad.