McConneloug motors to win number two

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Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes) showed the elite women on Sunday's Baystate Cyclo-cross in Sterling, Massachusetts that she means business and has her eyes on a Verge series victory with her second straight win of the weekend.

Just as she did on Saturday, McConneloug was able to take advantage of a fast start, create space between her and the competition and use her combination of fantastic power and finesse that have given her much success on the mountain biking World Cup circuit.

Behind her, today's more technical course at the Chocksett Middle School suited series leader Maureen Bruno Roy (MM Racing p/b Seven Cycles) better than Saturday's windy power course and she was able to make the selection riding in second position in front of a trio of Minuteman Road Club riders in Andrea Smith, Anna Barensfeld and Ann D'Ambrusio.

A rolled tubular well away from the pit followed by a second mechanical dropped Smith from contention, leaving Barensfeld and D'Ambrusio to work together and hold onto the final podium spot. On the finishing straight, though, there was no teamwork as the two sprinted for third place; Barensfeld narrowly got the best of D'Ambrusio for her first series podium.