First Edition Cycling News, Saturday, January 7, 2012

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Date published:

January 7, 05:00

• Trebon returns to 'cross racing in Chicago

  

  Article published:

  December 30, 2011, 21:33

  By:

  Peter Hymas

  Knee injury kept LTS-Felt rider out of competition for nearly 7 weeks

  After being sidelined for nearly seven weeks with a knee injury, Ryan Trebon (LTS-Felt) will return to 'cross racing on Saturday in Chicago, Illinois for a weekend of competition at Chicago Cyclocross Cup New Year's Resolution.

  The last time Ryan Trebon (LTS-Felt) was racing at the top of his game was Saturday, November 12 on the first day of the Exergy US Gran Prix of Cyclocross Derby City Cup in Louisville, Kentucky where he finished a close second to Jeremy Powers (Rapha Focus). The next day, however, Trebon crashed heavily while warming up for the Sunday's round of the Derby City Cup and it was questionable whether he'd be able to even start. Hoping to remain in the overall lead of the USGP series, Trebon raced in considerable pain and managed to finish 10th, but it wasn't enough to defend the jersey which passed onto Powers' shoulders.

  The knee injury turned out to be more serious than originally thought, which kept Trebon from racing until now, including contesting the final weekend of racing in the USGP series held in his hometown of Bend, Oregon plus an anticipated European racing block with the Euro 'Cross Camp.

  "I'd say I'm about 85 percent there with my knee," Trebon told Cyclingnews. "It still has some residual swelling, but I'm getting there. I had about 12 days off the bike and started to be able to train again. I feel pretty good."

  After resuming training at his home in Bend, Trebon recently concluded approximately two weeks of training in sunny San Diego, California which included a day of riding with Chris Horner.

  "I did a ton of training while down there. He's (Chris Horner) a good friend of mine and he lives down there in San Diego so I just went out one day on a ride with him just to catch up and hang out a bit. It was good, we rode for about three hours."

  Trebon is eager once again suit up for competition, but he's cautiously optimistic about his chances in Chicago.

  "It will be seven weeks since I raced so I'm not expecting to win this weekend but I would like to be competitive and see how the legs feel and kind of sort things out," said Trebon. "I'm just happy to be out there racing again. That's for me important and I hope my condition can be enough to be competitive."

  One week later, Trebon will line-up to vie for the US national cyclo-cross championship in Madison, Wisconsin on January 8 where he'll be looking to earn his third elite national title. The Nationals venue will be a new course for Trebon and many of the favourites, but the LTS-Felt rider takes it all in stride.

  "I've just seen what's online (regarding the Madison venue)," said Trebon. "For me I think any course is good as long as I have good fitness and I'm riding my bike well on the day. I don't think one course favours me over another, it all just depends on who's got the best legs that day.

  "I think we're all pretty confident bike handlers and evenly matched in fitness. Sometimes I'm a little bit off and sometimes I'm a little bit better."

  Sandy Koksijde Worlds venue to Trebon's liking

  One day after contesting US 'cross nationals, Trebon will fly to his European base in Belgium where he'll prepare for two World Cup rounds in Liévin, France on January 15 and Hoogerheide, The Netherlands one week later. On January 29th, Trebon will compete at the elite world championships in Koksijde, Belgium, a venue known for its challenging sandy parcours.

  It's been five years since Trebon has raced in Koksijde and he looks forward to once again powering through the deep sand, where his best result  was 9th in 2005.

  "I really like that particular venue," said Trebon. "I've never raced the new course, I've always raced the older one, but I like racing in the sand. I like those really hard, selective courses.

  "I like that race because it's so atypical. I don't think alot of people understand just how different it is with all that sand. Here in the US we may go race through a volleyball court, but there it's big, long sand sections and it takes so much technique. You have to have a ton of power to get through that stuff but you also need to have smooth, controlled technique and let the bike kind of float around. If you just try to muscle your bike and completely out-power a section you just go nowhere. When you see people that are good at it it's pretty cool to watch.

  "I'm hoping I'll have good luck on that day. It just kind of depends - you have to have a good start and then just stay smooth on the bike."

• Powers, Van Gilder clinch USICX titles

  

  Article published:

  January 2, 22:52

  By:

  Cycling News

  Dillman holds insurmountable lead in junior men's ranking

  Jeremy Powers (Rapha Focus) and Laura Van Gilder (C3 p/b Mellow Mushroom) have clinched the overall United States International Cyclo-cross Calendar (USICX) standings for their respective elite men's and elite women's categories. Andrew Dillman (Bob's Red Mill) had already clinched the junior men's season standings.

  This past weekend's Chicago Cyclocross Cup New Year's Resolution races on December 31, 2011 and January 1, 2012 were the only USICX events taking place before the final round next weekend - the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships.

  After being sidelined with a knee injury for nearly seven weeks, Ryan Trebon (LTS-Felt) returned to racing and swept both of the elite men's races. Powers finished second each day and Powers' Rapha Focus teammate Chris Jones secured a third place finish each day. With the points earned in Chicago, Powers continues as the USICX leader for elite men with 887 points, while Trebon moved into second overall with 795. Ben Berden (Ops Ale-Stoemper) has already returned to his native Belgium, but still holds third overall with 729 points.

  With only one race remaining, the elite men's championship worth 60 points for a victory, Powers has clinched the USICX standings regardless of his finish in Madison, although the Rapha Focus rider is certainly motivated to notch his first national championship.

  Sally Annis (crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles) won Saturday's elite women's race in Chicago and Susan Butler (River City Bicyles-Ridley) was victorious on Sunday. USICX leader Laura Van Gilder notched 5th and 6th place finishes and boosted her points total to 750. Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) trails by 40 points in second overall while Meredith Miller (California Giant-Specialized) remained in third with 637 points. Neither Nash nor Miller competed in Chicago. Nash, from the Czech Republic, isn't eligible to compete at the series finale in Madison, Wisconsin so Van Gilder's lead is secure regardless of her finish.

  There were no junior men's USICX events in Chicago and series leader Andrew Dillman (Bob's Red Mill) remains atop the standings with 410 points. Clif Bar Development Cyclo-cross Team members Zane Godby and Curtis White hold second and third overall with 250 and 215 points respectively. As is the case in the elite categories, Dillman's lead in the USICX is insurmountable and he'll be the final USICX leader regardless of his finish in next weekend's cyclo-cross Nationals.

  Elite men

  1	Jeremy Powers (USA) Team Rapha Focus	887	pts
  2	Ryan Trebon (USA) LTS-Felt	795
  3	Ben Berden (Bel) Ops Ale-Stoemper	729
  4	James Driscoll (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld	577
  5	Justin Lindine (USA) Bikereg.com-Joe's Garage	547
  6	Timothy Johnson (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld	499
  7	Todd Wells (USA) Specialized Racing	363
  8	Travis Livermon (USA) SmartStop-Mock Orange Bikes p/b Ridley	360
  9	Christopher Jones (USA) Team Rapha Focus	360
  10	Dylan McNicholas (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com	347
  11	Luke Keough (USA) Champion System p/b Keough Cyclocross	326
  12	Christian Heule (Swi) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld	297
  13	Ian Field (GBr) Hargroves Cycles	270
  14	Adam Myerson (USA) SmartStop-Mock Orange Bikes p/b Ridley	249
  15	Geoff Kabush (Can) Maxxis-Rocky Mountain	244
  16	Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet-Fidea	234
  17	Brian Matter (USA) Gear Grinder - Clif Bar	227
  17	Troy Wells (USA) Team Clif Bar	227
  19	Jerome Townsend (USA) SmartStop-Mock Orange Bikes p/b Ridley	216
  20	Tristan Schouten (USA) Cyclocrossracing.com p/b Blue Bicycles	215
  21	Lukas Winterberg (Swi) Philadelphia Cyclocross School	197
  22	Tom Van Den Bosch (Bel) Team AA Drink-Leontien.nl	195
  23	Mike Garrigan (Can) Lapierre Canada	190
  24	Nicolas Bazin (Fra) Team Big Mat-Auber 93	184
  25	Craig Richey (Can) Renner Custom - Raleigh	169
  26	Zach McDonald (USA) Team Rapha Focus	168
  27	Jeremy Durrin (USA) J.A.M. Fund - NCC	165
  28	Barry Wicks (USA) Kona	161
  29	Jonathan Page (USA) Planet Bike-Blue Bicycles	140
  29	Rob Peeters (Bel) Telenet-Fidea	140
  31	Chris Sheppard (Can) Rocky Mountain Bicycles-Shimano	138
  32	Ryan Knapp (USA) Bob's Red Mill Cyclocross	135
  33	Mitchell Hoke (USA) Team Clif Bar	132
  34	Cody Kaiser (USA) California Giant-Specialized	118
  35	Allen Krughoff (USA) Boulder Cycle Sport	108
  36	Joshua Dillon (USA) RGM Watches-Richard Sachs	104
  37	Weston Schempf (USA) C3-Athletes Serving Athletes	92
  38	Robert Marion (USA) American Classic - Blue	90
  39	Daniel Summerhill (USA) Chipotle Development Team	87
  40	Christian Favata (USA) RGM Watches - Richard Sachs	84
  41	Lukas Müller (Swi) Philadelphia Cyclocross School	82
  42	Mark Batty (Can) SpiderTech Powered By C10	81
  43	Shawn Milne (USA) Essex County Velo - Driven by Mazda	77
  43	Andrew Wulfkuhle (USA) C3-Athletes Serving Athletes	77
  45	Bryan Fawley (USA) Orbea Factory-Dallas Bike Works	76
  45	Joachim Parbo (Den) Challenge Tires	76
  47	Fabio Ursi (Ita) C.S.Esercito	66
  48	Sean Babcock (USA) Kona	64
  49	Lars van der Haar (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team	60
  49	Joseph Welsh (USA) Raleigh All Stars	60
  51	Daniel Chabanov (USA) RGM Watches-Richard Sachs	57
  52	Eric Brungger (Swi) Philadelphia Cyclocross School	52
  52	Evan McNeely (Can) EMD Serono-Specialized	52
  54	Yannick Eckmann (Ger) Pearlizumi-Shimano-Focus	50
  54	Greg Wittwer (USA) Alan North America Cycling Team	50
  56	Jared Nieters (USA) Haymarket-Seavs Racing	48
  57	Tim Van Nuffel (Bel) DCM-GB Vorselaar	45
  58	Jake Wells (USA) Stan's NoTubes Elite Cyclocross Team	44
  58	Tyler Wren (USA) Boo Bicycles	44
  60	Alec Donahue (USA) Joe's Garage	42
  60	Kevin Noiles (Can) Sportique	42
  60	Derrick St. John (Can) Stevens p/b The Cyclery	42
  63	Mitchell Kersting (USA) Bob's Red Mill Cyclocross	41
  64	Raphael Gagne (Can) Rocky Mountain	40
  65	Matt Shriver (USA)	38
  66	Jeffrey Bahnson (USA) Van Dessel Factory Team	34
  66	Anthony Clark (USA) J.A.M. Fund - NCC	34
  66	Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (USA)	34
  69	Jonathan Hamblen (USA) SmartStop-Mock Orange Bikes p/b Ridley	32
  70	Aaron Schooler (Can) Team H&R Block	29
  71	Aaron Bradford (USA) Rocklobster	28
  71	Steve Fisher (USA) Revel Consulting - Rad Racing NW	28
  73	Brandon Gritters (USA) Rock n' Road Cyclery	22
  73	Nathaniel Ward (USA) Ken's Bike Shop / Embrocation Cycling Journal	22
  75	Ryan Dewald (USA) Haymarket-Seavs	21
  76	Jesse Anthony (USA) World Bicycle Relief	20
  76	Wayne Bray (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal	20
  76	Manny Goguen (USA) BikeReg.com - Joe's Garage	20
  76	Edward King (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale-iamtedking.com	20
  76	Travis Woodruff (USA) Trek-Boulder/MomentumEndurance	20
  81	Ryan Fawley (USA) Trek	19
  82	Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team	18
  83	Devin Clark (USA)	17
  83	Ben Frederick (USA) Team Traveller	17
  85	Brian Lopes (USA) Oakley-Ibis	16
  85	Thomas Turner (USA) Jamis Factory Team	16
  85	Nathan Wyatt (USA) Carolina Fatz Cycling Center p/b Industry Nine	16
  88	Cory Burns (USA) Full Moon Vista	14
  89	Jacob Lasley (USA) Team Soundpony	13
  90	Evan Guthrie (Can) Rocky Mountain Bicycles Factory Team	12
  90	Johannes Huseby (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com	12
  90	Matthew O'Keefe (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com	12
  90	Joseph Schmalz (USA) KCCX-Fuji p/b Challenge Tires	12
  90	Corey Stelljes (USA) Willy Bikes	12
  90	Stephen Tilford (USA) TradeWind Energy-Eriksen Cycles	12
  96	Tim Allen (USA) Niner Stan's Ergon	11
  97	Sven Baumann (Ger)	10
  97	Nathan Chown (Can) Team CF	10
  97	Giancarlo Dalle Angelini (USA) Rio Blanco	10
  97	Donny Green (USA) Cycle-Smart	10
  97	Ryan Leech (USA) Hilton Head Cycling	10
  97	Bradford Perley (USA) Champion System-Cannondale	10
  97	Andrew Reardon (USA) Bob's Red Mill Cyclocross	10
  104	Robin Eckmann (USA) Pearl Izumi-Shimano Team	9
  104	Kevin Fish (USA) KCCX-Fuji p/b Challenge Tires	9
  106	Scott Chapin (USA) Bay101-HRS-Rocklobster	8
  106	Brendon Davids (RSA) Sho-Air & Specialized Factory	8
  106	Kyle Gritters (USA) Rock n' Road Cyclery	8
  106	Chris Larsen (USA) Industry Nine/Youngblood Bicycles	8
  106	Eric Muehl (USA) Industry Nine-Highland Brewery	8
  111	Chris Jackson (USA) Team Rambuski Law	7
  111	Nicholas Keough (USA) Champion System p/b Keough Cyclocross	7
  113	Bryan Alders (USA) Epic Endurance	6
  113	Braden Kappius (USA) Clif Bar	6
  113	Noah Niwinski (USA) Carroll Composites Factory	6
  113	Conor O'Brien (Can) EMD Serono Specialized	6
  113	Johnny Sundt (USA) El Gato	6
  113	Greg Whitney (USA) Ride Studio Café	6
  113	Eric Wondergem (USA) Hup United	6
  120	Josh Johnson (USA) BikeReg.com	5
  121	Thierry Laliberté (Can) Xprezo - Borsao	4
  121	Michael Mihalik (USA) Freddie Fu Cycling Team	4
  121	Peter Morse (Can) JetFuel Coffee-LaBicicletta	4
  121	Isaac Neff (USA)	4
  121	Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona	4
  121	Brent Prenzlow (USA) Celo Pacific-Focus	4
  121	Alex Ryan (USA) Champion System-Cannondale	4
  121	Jonathan Schottler (USA)	4
  121	Kerry Werner (USA) BMC Mountainbike Development	4
  121	David Wilcox (USA) Cycle-Smart	4
  131	Shawn Adams (USA) Cycle-Smart	2
  131	John Behrens (USA) Bailey Bikes	2
  131	David Forkner (USA) SDG-Felt p/b IRT	2
  131	Thatcher Hurt (USA)	2
  131	Kevin Klug (USA) The Pony Shop	2
  131	Clayton Omer (USA) Bob's Red Mill Cyclocross	2
  131	Tobin Orenbland (USA) California Giant Cycling	2
  131	Spencer Powlison (USA) Plains To Peaks Racing	2
  131	Donald Reeb (USA) Cyclocrossracing.com p/b Blue	2
  131	Nicholas Weighall (USA) California Giant-Specialized	2
  141	Shaun Adamson (Can) Cycle-Smart	1
  141	John Bailey (USA) Bailey Bikes	1
  141	Patrick Bradley (USA) Philadelphia Cyclocross School	1
  141	Stephen Cummings (USA) C3-Athletes Serving Athletes	1
  141	Josh Johnson (USA) BikeReg.com	1
  141	Thomas Mackay (USA) C3-Athletes Serving Athletes	1
  141	Synjen Marrocco (USA) Corner Cycle	1
  141	Scott McLaughlin (USA) SRAM	1
  141	Matthew O'Keefe (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com	1
  141	Adam St. Germain (USA) NBX-Circle A Cycles	1
  141	Kevin Sweeney (USA) crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles	1
  141	Scott Tietzel (USA) Peaks To Plains Racing	1
  141	Zoltan Tisza (Hun) Champion System Racing	1

  Elite women

  1	Laura Van Gilder (USA) C3 p/b Mellow Mushroom	750	pts
  2	Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team	710
  3	Meredith Miller (USA) California Giant-Specialized	637
  4	Andrea Smith (USA) LadiesFirst Racing	605
  5	Susan Butler (USA) River City Bicyles-Ridley	595
  6	Katherine Compton (USA) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team	520
  7	Caroline Mani (Fra) CC Etupes	487
  8	Nicole Thiemann (USA) Team CF	469
  9	Sally Annis (USA) crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles	432
  10	Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Racing	420
  11	Teal Stetson-Lee (USA) California Giant-Specialized	362
  12	Crystal Anthony (USA) LadiesFirst Racing	323
  13	Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld	316
  14	Nicole Duke (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld	299
  15	Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles	295
  16	Chloe Forsman (USA) Race Club 11	281
  17	Arley Kemmerer (USA) C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes	272
  18	Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team	266
  19	Carolyn Popovic (USA) Team CF	255
  20	Julie Krasniak (Fra) Team Rapha Focus	187
  21	Katherine Sherwin (USA) Stans's NoTubes Elite Cyclocross Team	184
  22	Devon Gorry (USA) Team Rambuski Law	179
  23	Elle Anderson (USA) LadiesFirst Racing	174
  24	Gabriella Day (GBr) Renner Custom Cyclocross Team	171
  25	Meghan Korol (USA) Bob's Red Mill Cyclocross	159
  26	Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) Cycling Team Vermeeren	152
  27	Pepper Harlton (Can) Juventus Cycling Club	136
  28	Mical Dyck (Can) Pro City Racing	133
  29	Catherine Sterling (USA) Bikeman.com	130
  30	Amanda Carey (USA) Kenda-Felt	125
  31	Amy Dombroski (USA) Crankbrothers Race Club	114
  31	Rebecca Wellons (USA) Quad Cycles	114
  33	Kelsy Bingham (USA) Roosters-Bikers Edge	110
  34	Stacey Barbossa (USA) Elite Endurance Training Systems	109
  34	Patricia Buerkle (USA) VA Asset Group p/b Artemis - Trek	109
  36	Emily Shields (USA) SmartStop-Mock Orange Bikes p/b Ridley	102
  37	Mary McConneloug (USA) Kenda-Seven-NoTubes	100
  38	Coryn Rivera (USA) Marian University	97
  39	Kristin Gavin (USA) Team Cystic Fibrosis	92
  40	Sara Bresnick-Zocchi (USA) Embrocationcycling.com	90
  41	Katherine Shields (USA) SmartStop-Mock Orange Bikes p/b Ridley	80
  42	Rebecca Blatt (USA) Team Kenda presented by Geargrinder	72
  42	Alice Pennington (USA) Team S&M	72
  44	Marne Smiley (USA) Bob's Red Mill Cyclocross	69
  45	Allison Mann (USA) Rock n' Road Cyclery	66
  46	Lea Davison (USA) Specialized Racing	58
  46	Jennifer Gaertner (USA) Raleigh America	58
  48	Emily Thurston (USA) Stevens	56
  49	Linnea Koons (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal	51
  50	Sarah Maile (USA) Ventana Mountain Bikes	50
  51	Katie Arnold (USA) Echelon Cycling Team	49
  52	Brittlee Bowman (USA) crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles	48
  53	Allison Arensman (USA) Fiets Maan CX p/b Studio7Multisport	38
  53	Christina Probert-Turner (USA) The Team-SoCalCross	38
  55	Cassandra Maximenko (USA) Silverbull Centralwheel	34
  56	Samantha Schneider (USA) Cyclocrossracing.com p/b Blue Bicycles	33
  56	Linda Sone (USA) Cycle-Smart/Flanders	33
  58	Alice Henriques (USA) Zanconato Racing	32
  59	Annajean Dallaire (USA) Racin' for Riley p/b Alderfer Bergen	30
  59	Kelli Emmett (USA) Giant Bicycles	30
  61	Frances Morrison (USA) J.A.M. Fund-NCC	29
  62	Anna Barensfeld (USA) Sterling CX p/b Sendmail	28
  62	Katrina Dowidchuk (USA) Team TBB-Deep Blue	28
  62	Sunny Gilbert (USA) Michelob Ultra - Big Shark Racing	28
  65	Erin Silliman (USA) Alan North America Cycling Team	27
  65	Erica Yozell (USA) South Mountain Cycles	27
  67	Cara Applegate (USA) Asheville Bicycle Racing Club	26
  67	Serena Bishop (USA) Silverado Jewlry Gallery	26
  69	Carrie Cash-Wootten (USA) Pedal the Cause	25
  69	Heather Irmiger (USA) Subaru-Trek	25
  69	Ashley James (USA) KCCX Elite	25
  72	Alison Powers (USA) Cross Propz	24
  72	Sheila Vibert (USA) Sunapee Racing Team	24
  74	Courtney Dimpel (USA) Team Rambuski Law	22
  74	Ellen Sherrill (USA) Bike Station Aptos	22
  74	Sara Tussey (USA) Hincape/ Green Creations	22
  77	Lauren Kling (USA) New England Athletic Cyclocross	21
  78	Évelyne Blouin (Can)	20
  78	Julie Lafrenière (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery	20
  78	Vicki Thomas (Can) Ottawa.cx	20
  81	Molly Hurford (USA) Team Rockstar Games-Signature Cycles	18
  82	Sarah Krzysiak (USA) nycross.com	17
  83	Emily Batty (Can) Subaru-Trek	16
  83	Corey Coogan-Cisek (USA) Team Plan C p/b Stevens	16
  83	Jena Greaser (USA) NorEast Cycling	16
  83	Heather Jackson (USA)	16
  87	Nina Elliott (USA) Greenville Women's Cycling	14
  87	Allyson Tufano (USA) WHCC-Sportif Coaching Group	14
  89	Kelly Benjamin (USA) KCCX-Fuji Elite p/b Challenge Tires	12
  89	Brittlee Bowman (USA) crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles	12
  89	Kelly Fisher-Goodwin (USA) KCCX Fuji Elite Cyclocross Team	12
  89	Jessica Kutz (USA) Penn State Racing	12
  89	Kathleen Lysakowski (USA) Cycle Lodge	12
  89	Courtenay McFadden (USA) Cycling Northwest	12
  89	Lauri Webber (USA) Secret Henrys Team	12
  96	Anna Fortner (USA) The TEAM SoCalCross	10
  96	Corrie Osborne (USA) ISCorp	10
  96	Angelina Stevens (USA) Garneau Custome p/b Powerbar	10
  96	Kari Studley (USA) Team Redline	10
  96	Anna Young (USA) MVP Health Care Cycling	10
  101	Katy Curtis (Can) Cyclemeisters	9
  102	Barbara Benko (Hun) Focus-MIG Team	8
  102	Lisa Curry (USA) GAS / Intrinsik Architecture	8
  102	Alexis Ryan (USA) The TEAM SoCalCross	8
  102	Deb Sweeney Whitmore (USA) Globalbike P/B Catoma	8
  106	Hannah Finchamp (USA) The TEAM SoCalCross	7
  107	Nancy Labbe-Giguere (Can) LadiesFirst Racing	6
  107	Sarah Lukas (USA) Lindenwood University	6
  107	Brittany McConnell (USA) Mercy-Specialized	6
  110	Kristine Church (USA) Human Zoom	5
  110	Shannon Gibson (USA) Stans's NoTubes Elite Cyclocross Team	5
  110	Kathleen Wulfkuhle (USA) C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes	5
  113	Elizabeth Cobb (USA) Bikereg.com	4
  113	Katheryn Curi-Mattis (USA) Bikes To Rwanda	4
  113	Ann D'Ambruoso (USA) LadiesFirst Racing	4
  113	Kathleen Harding (USA)	4
  113	Cynthia Lehner (USA)	4
  113	Laura Ralston (GBr) MIT Cycling-FXDD	4
  119	Jayne McLaughlin (GBr) Zuster	2
  119	Kristi Berg (USA) Cycle U-PopCap	2
  119	Michelle Bishop (USA) Cannondale Cadence Women's Racing	2
  119	Flora Duffy (USA)	2
  119	Rebecca Gross (USA) Tough Girl	2
  119	Megan Horner (USA) Black Mountain Bicycles	2
  119	Lisa Hudson (USA) Feedback Sports	2
  119	Nancy James-Klinger (USA) The TEAM SoCalCross	2
  119	Kristen Lasasso (USA) Mellow Mushroom	2
  119	Sophie Matte (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery	2
  119	Vanessa McCaffery (USA) Corning-NoTubes Race Team-Swan Cycles	2
  119	Kathrin Schumacher (Can) Guys Racing Club	2
  119	Elizabeth So (USA) Team TATI	2
  119	Christina Tamilio (USA) LadiesFirst Racing	2
  133	Amber Rydholm (USA) GS Boulder	1
  133	Sage Wilderman (USA)	1

  Junior men

  1	Andrew Dillman (USA) Bob's Red Mill	410	pts
  2	Zane Godby (USA) Clif Bar Development Cyclo Cross Team	250
  3	Curtis White (USA) Clif Bar Development Cyclo Cross Team	215
  4	Richard Cypress Gorry (USA) Whole Athlete-Specialized	157
  5	Logan Owen (USA) Team Redline	141
  6	Tobin Ortenblad (USA) Cal-Giant Specialized	135
  7	Jordan Cullen (USA) Clif Bar Development Cyclo Cross Team	97
  8	John Francisco (USA) Red Zone Juniors Cycling	80
  9	Luke Haley (USA) Red Zone Cycling	76
  10	Samuel O'Keefe (USA) C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes	66
  11	Stephen Bassett (USA) Bob's Red Mill Cx P/B Stevens Bikes And Carroll Composites	60
  12	Forrest Conrad (USA) Team Pure Energy Cycling/ Proair Hfa	50
  12	Spencer Downing (USA) Clif Bar Development Cross Team	50
  14	Nathaniel Morse (USA) Cyclocrossworld.com	44
  14	Lionel Rocheleau (USA) Team Geargrinder	44
  16	Yohan Patry (Can) Ride With Rendall	38
  17	Zack Gould (USA) Clif Bar Junior Development Cyclocross Team	36
  18	Chase Dickens (USA) American Classic / Blue	22
  18	Colin Dunlap (USA) Bend Endurance Academy	22
  20	Dag Anderson (USA) Team Specialized - Rising Stars P/B Bicycling Magazine	18
  21	Travis Monroe (USA) Vertical Earth	15
  22	Benjamin Perry (Can) Team CHCH	14
  22	Max Toeldte (Can) BYRDS	14
  24	Alex Howard (USA) Above Category Racing	8
  25	Nolan McQueen (USA) Red Zone Cycling Team	5
  26	Zachary Bender (USA) Team Specialized-Rising Stars P/B Bicycling Magazine	4
  27	Rudyard Peterson (USA) Kinetic Systems	2
  28	Nick Dietrich (USA) Red Zone Cycling	1
  28	Samuel Dobrozsi (USA)	1

• Albert struggling ahead of Belgian cyclo-cross championships

  

  Article published:

  January 3, 12:23

  By:

  Cycling News

  Defending champion feeling effects of heavy cold

  Defending champion Niels Albert's bid to retain his Belgian national cyclo-cross championship title in Hooglede-Gits has hit a potential stumbling block after he confirmed that he is suffering from a heavy cold ahead of next weekend's event.

  Albert won last year's title with victory in Antwerp, stepping up on podium finishes in 2008 and 2009. But after winning last week in Loenhout, he pulled out of an event in Leuven on December 30. The 25-year-old then visited the doctor on Monday and has been diagnosed with mild pneumonia.

  "On Monday, the doctor told me that I was suffering from a viral infection," Albert said. "It's actually the beginning of pneumonia, as I have mucus in my lungs and my sinuses are inflamed. This is probably the result of too little rest during the Christmas period and I need to rest this week. Hopefully I can get better and I will start on Sunday."

• Nicole Duke: Success in 'cross a gift

  

  Article published:

  January 3, 22:50

  By:

  Pat Malach

  Mother of two targets nationals, Worlds

  In just her fourth season of racing cyclo-cross, Nicole Duke (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) has quickly climbed to the upper echelon of US elite women, regularly finishing in the top five at national events and staking out a legitimate shot at grabbing an elite medal during nationals this week in Madison.

  But this isn't the first time the 38-year-old mother of two from Boulder, Colorado has occupied podiums at national and international races. More than a decade earlier, Duke forged a successful pro career in MTB downhill and dual slalom.

  Duke excelled in soccer while growing up in Florida, eventually earning a college scholarship, but she also spent a lot of her free time riding dirt bikes. Then she discovered mountain bikes in the mid-1990s.

  "I started out with cross country racing before I discovered downhill and dual slalom," she said. "And that's what I really excelled at, the technical side, because I'd grown up on the dirt bikes. That was more fun to me anyway. So I started doing downhill and slalom and went pro the next year."

  Racing as Nicole Grant, her maiden name, for teams such as Mongoose and Giant, Duke finished consistently among the top 10 in downhill events and among the top five in dual slalom before hanging up her bikes in 2001 to pursue a career as a hairstylist. She married Ben Duke in 2004 and gave birth to their first child, Ryder, in 2005. But the competition bug bit again and Duke tried her first cyclo-cross race in 2007.

  "When I was a downhill racer in the late-90s, there was a scene here in Boulder, we call it Wednesday worlds, where we'd get together and practice cyclo-cross on Wednesday mornings," Duke said. "I used to do that just randomly in the winter for training. But that was years ago, and I never raced."

  But a growing cyclo-cross racing scene in the US and support from some influential people in the local cycling community made it easy to get back into the sport.

  "I just started to dabble in it and it was fun," she said. "And I thought it was a good event to do with a family. I mean the races are only 40 minutes long. We have a bunch of local races that are family-oriented, so it just kind of worked. I had always preferred the shorter races like short track and that kind of thing. And I didn't have time to train to be an endurance rider. So it just kind of fit my lifestyle at the time."

  Duke made a splash in some of the local races that year, competing on a mountain bike and taking third in women's open class at the Colorado championships. But racing slipped off the radar again in 2008 after the birth of her daughter, Canin.

  When the 2009 season approached, it looked as if Duke would be sitting out another year of racing until her husband nudged her back into competition. "I wasn't sure if I was going to race or not," she said. "I didn't even have a bike. Then, literally a month before the season, my husband surprised me with a bike. I hadn't really trained too much because I'd just had Canin, but I started again and had a blast at the local races."

  Duke grabbed a handful of wins in 2009 and finished consistently in the top three at local events, taking third again at the Colorado championships and going on to finish third in the Masters 35-39 race at nationals, where she finished 28th in the elite race. The results, relative to the amount of preparation that went into the season, prompted Duke to "get serious" for the next season.

  She signed with the Boulder-based Hudz-Subaru team for 2010 and started training in earnest. Duke used paddle board racing in the summer as cross training and then in August hit the bicycles hard. "It wasn't at the training level at the pros or anything," she said, "but I wanted to do well locally."

  During an early season race in Colorado, Duke found herself leading Amy Dombroski, one of the top US elite riders, before flatting and falling into second. Duke said she realized at the time that she may need to adjust her goals for the season.

  "My form was amazing and I couldn't believe it," she said. "That year ended up really successful, but I had no idea my body could do that or that I could go there. I did not expect it at all. I did not expect to do so well on a national level."

  In fact, 2010 proved to be Duke's breakout season. She scored two seventh-place finishes during her first USGP races in Louisville.

  "It was funny because no one knew who I was," she said. "They kept calling me Kathie Sherwin, because we were in the same kit for the team, and nobody knew who I was. I think after that I realized I could compete at this level."

  Duke went on to make the podium each of all three days at Jingle Rock Cross in December of that year before grabbing sixth in the elite race at nationals and winning gold in the 35-39 event. The high-profile national results eventually landed her a contract with the Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com squad for 2011, a season in which her steady climb to the top has continued.

  She won the Boulder CX at Valmont Park before heading east to grab podium spots both days of the GP Gloucester. She grabbed a qualifying marker for the US worlds team by finishing 14th at the first UCI World Cup at Plzen. She finished in the top 10 of each USGP race and capped off that series in Bend, Oregon with a second place on the last day after having a disappointing day one, when she was riding strongly in second on the final lap before crashing and having to walk her bike a cross the line for 7th.

  Duke won the Colorado championship on December 18, and now she has her sights set on a top-three finish at nationals on Sunday in Madison. After that, she'll head to Europe for the final round of the World Cup in Belgium and then she hopes to compete at the world championships in late January.

  This second climb to the top has been a wild and quite unexpected trip, Duke said, but she's ready and willing to see where else it takes her, adding that she hopes to compete in more World Cups and finish consistently in the top three at national races.

  "At my age, having two kids and working, this has really been a surprise. I had no idea," she said. "I look at this time right now as a gift. Who knows how long it's going to last. It's not like I'm young and expect this to be a 10-15 year career. And who knows how long my body's going to last. So right now I just take it year by year and just look at every bit of travel and the friends and the people I meet as just a gift."

• Dombroski to miss US 'cross nationals

  

  Article published:

  January 4, 21:05

  By:

  Peter Hymas

  CrankBrothers rider sidelined by virus

  Amy Dombroski (CrankBrothers) announced today that she would not be returning Stateside from her European base in Belgium to contest the elite women's race at the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships, due to the effects of a virus.

  After opening her 'cross season with three races in the United States, the 24-year-old Dombroski has spent the rest of her racing campaign in Europe where she has been a consistent top-10 finisher in the elite women's field, highlighted by a sixth place finish in the opening UCI World Cup round in Plzen, Czech Republic.

  However, Dombroski revealed that she had been battling illness since November and was ultimately forced to miss the recent Christmas-time flourish of 'cross racing in Belgium.

  "When I became sick in November I never fully recovered and in December that turned into a sinus infection which the doctor remedied with a round of antibiotics," Dombroski said on her website. "The antibiotics ended the day before Zolder World Cup. Overall my energy seemed good, but living and racing are two different beasts. After 1 lap I felt like a steaming lump of rubbish and that race turned into a feat of merely surviving for the finish.

  "I returned to the Doc for a blood test which has revealed a virus of some sort. I was unable to start the manic week of Christmas races; they will need to wait for another year.

  "With health in question and while I wait for the results of a second, more specific blood test I will not be returning to the US for Nationals. For now, as my body attempts to fight a war without ammunition, I am trying to salvage something out the remainder of this season."

  Dombroski told Cyclingnews that she's hoping to contest the final two rounds of the World Cup in Liévin, France on January 15 and Hoogerheide, Netherlands on January 22 in advance of the world championships, but that's contingent on the results of her latest blood work, which she expects later this week.

• USA Cycling to provide live online video of elite 'cross championships

  

  Article published:

  January 4, 21:56

  By:

  Cycling News

  Watch all the women's and men's action from Madison, Wisconsin

  You don't have to brave the elements in Madison, Wisconsin this weekend to watch all the action from the elite/U23 women's and elite men's races at the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships.

  USA Cycling is providing live streaming video coverage of both the elite/U23 women's and elite men's national cyclo-cross championships from Badger Prairie Park on Sunday, January 8.

  Tune in here to see if anyone can stop Katie Compton from claiming her eighth straight women's title or who among pre-race favourites Jeremy Powers, Ryan Trebon, Tim Johnson or Jonathan Page can capture the 2012 men's championship.

  The women's race begins at 12:00pm CST followed at 2:15pm CST by the men's championship.

  Cyclingnews will also have complete results, reports and photos from the five days of championship action in Madison.

• Nys well prepared for Belgian cyclo-cross championship

  

  Article published:

  January 6, 21:30

  By:

  Cycling News

  Albert calls Nys the man to beat

  After time relaxing on Mallorca, Sven Nys has declared that his preparations for the Belgian cyclo-cross championships couldn't have been better, and he is looking forward to a test of pure power in Hooglede-Gits on Sunday.

  "I am fully recovered from the Christmas period," Nys said to Sporza.be. "This week has given me the mental peace to give the final percent toward the Belgian Championship. The program I completed this week was not hard, but the rest has done me well."

  In contrast to the warmth and sun on the Spanish island, the weather in Belgium has left the course in Hooglede-Gits muddy and heavy - a situation which Nys says will leave no room for tactical battles. "Whoever can ride the strongest will be the Belgian champion. There will be no use in tactical games. The rider with the most power will win and that's not to my disadvantage."

  "I know what level I can handle and I know how to approach such a race. I will ride my own race and ignore the others. I am prepared for any scenario."

  Meanwhile, defending champion Niels Albert is recovering from a chest infection, but has vowed not to give away his jersey easily to Nys, who he named as the man to beat.

  "I will be 100 per cent on Sunday," Albert said in a press conference. "After three days of antibiotics I feel better, though still not perfect. But I have two more days to recover."

  While his last race, the GVA Trofee round in Baal, saw the BKCP-Powerplus captain in sixth place, nearly two minutes behind, Albert says that Sunday will be different. "Nys will not put two minutes into me. That will not happen.

  "However, after his demonstration in Baal, Sven is the man to beat," Albert continued. "He must attack, so he's the man I should follow. It's a course for waiting."

  Of his other rivals, many would tip Kevin Pauwels as a candidate for the jersey after his stellar start to the year, but Albert said there is too much running for the World Cup leader.

  "I expect it to be more suited to Bart Wellens," he said.

• US cyclo-cross nationals: surprise January thaw creates muddy mess

  

  Article published:

  January 7, 04:22

  By:

  Matt Pacocha

  Catches race promoter out, worries teams

  It wasn't supposed to be muddy for the 2012 US National Cyclo-cross Championships, held January 4-8 in Madison, Wisconsin. The championship has moved to Madison for 2012 and 2013, where the average high temperature is normally just 28°F (2°C) at this time of year. But three days of unseasonably warm weather, with highs in the 40s F (4.5°C), and the 4,500lbs of magnesium chloride ice melt the promoter dumped on the course to melt a slick layer of ice, warmed the top layer of the frozen ground to create a muddy mess.

  Yes, it's true 'cross conditions, but it overwhelmed the UCI regulated 15-stall pit and two power washers the promoter provided.

  After those two power washers ran out of water during the first lap of the master men's 55-59 race, the last of the day on Thursday, elite team managers took notice. "There's no reason we should be at a national championship with two pressure washers, and a pit that's completely inadequate," said Stu Thorne, of Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com. "You'll have us in there trying to fight over a pressure washer, and I don't want to deny the guy in 60th place from a pressure washer, but it wouldn't be an issue if they had enough. And we shouldn't be in the position that we have to go over there with our own stuff, but we're going to be ready for it."

  Mark Legg-Compton, Katie Compton's husband and one-man pit crew, hadn't seen the pit when we reached him, but the rumors of issues already had. "It's easy to complain," he said. "We just need to find a way to get them [USA Cycling and the promoter] to understand our needs so that it's fair for all."

  If the course doesn't dry out or the situation isn't remedied before Sunday, Compton, who is working out of a rental car and without her own power washer and water source, could face issues.

  The UCI rules mandate 8 pressure washers, minimum, for World Cup and world championship events under article 5.1.034 in their cyclo-cross rule book. However, the rules offer no specific mandates for pressure washers at national championship events.

  Thursday, the race promoter, Team Sports, supplied two power washers to the pits with one 280-gallon water tank. On Friday, race barricade contractor Big Shark pitched in to help adding a 550-gallon tank to the pits, along with ferrying the tank back and forth between fills.

  Jack Hirt, Team Sports' course director, hadn't heard from anxious team managers when Cyclingnews questioned him about the pit and power washing issues. "A lot of teams bring their own power washers with their own water," he said. "They generally take care of themselves. This race we made it ok (junior men 13-14), people were able to get their bikes washed and get back in; so it's just going to have to be watched as we go forward."

  USA Cycling officials explained the promoter was prepared for snow and ice removal, but had not set up contingencies to deal with excessive mud. "I think everyone was banking on snow," said Kelli Lusk, USA Cycling's national events director. "It was a complete sheet of ice on Monday."

  When the mud showed up on Wednesday it brought in anxiety for both the promoter and team managers.

  Late Friday afternoon things seemed to smooth, slightly, when Team Sports successfully negotiated for the local Verona, WI fire department to refill the power washer tanks. "They have a fire truck coming in to provide water for each day of racing," said Lusk. "We're aware of the situation, the race organizers are addressing it. I did talk to the race organizer about getting a couple more power washers in there, too."