Natasha Elliot (Garneau Club Chaussure Ogilvy). (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
The North American Cyclo-cross Trophy (NACT) will wrap up its 2009 season in Southampton, New York, this weekend, November 21-22.
With Natasha Elliott (Garneau Club Chaussure Ogilvy) leading the way in the elite women's series standings, the Canadian's position atop the podium looks to be secure. Giant's Kelli Emmett placed fifth in both in the Boulder and Longmont, Colorado, races and is traveling to New York with teammates Carl Decker and Adam Craig, who could put on quite a show in the men's field. Meanwhile Lyne Bessette (October Factory Racing) will be out for redemption. After taking third in Gloucester, Bessette abandoned Sunday's race and will look to make her mark on the series in this final weekend.
Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com has been the team of the NACT series with Tim Johnson comfortably in the leader's jersey ahead of teammates Jeremy Powers and Jamey Driscoll. With fourth place Jonathon Page and sixth place Christian Heule racing in Europe, there are host of riders chomping at the bit for the final money spot on the podium. Bissell's Andy Jacques-Maynes is currently in fifth but only 11 points ahead of Jesse Anthony (Jamis).
But while the green and black boys have all but secured their podium spots, there is one thing that might put a damper on the weekend: Ryan Trebon (Kona). Though the current US national champion is 20th in the NACT overall standings, Trebon is back in form and flying after a couple of crashes side-lined him last month. While Cannondale will pack the series podium, look for Trebon to factor into the mix of Saturday and Sunday races. Other individuals who could cause some trouble are Giant's Craig, who just missed the podium in Boulder after a leaky tire slowed him down, and two NACT newcomers from Oregon, the Vanilla Workshop's Shannon Skerritt and Kevin Hulick who have been racing against Trebon and Kona teammate Barry Wicks at the Cross Crusade series.
