Trebon solos to Cyclo-Stampede win

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Ryan Trebon (Cannondale/CyclocrossWorld) soloed to the win in the Cyclo-Stampede across the Ohio River from downtown Cincinnati in Covington, Kentucky’s Devou Park. Jamey Driscoll made it a Cannondale/CyclocrossWorld one-two, finishing 1:28 back, while Ben Berden (Raleigh-Clement) outsprinted Travis Livermon (Mock Orange Bikes) for third place 19 seconds later.

With Jeremy Powers taking the weekend off to recover from his efforts in Europe, Trebon stomped out of the start grid with authority. Behind, riders were 3-4 wide through the soft downhill hole shot. In all the previous races, the riders stacked up on a short punchy climb as the course turned back toward the start/finish, with an early crash rearranging the middle of the field and sending Ray Smith (Bob’s Red Mill) running to the pit.

Trebon came out of the melee unscathed with Berden on his wheel. Behind it was a loose group of six containing Trebon’s teammate Driscoll, Livermon, Chris Jones (Rapha-Focus), Chris Sheppard (Rocky Mountain), Ryan Knapp (Pony Shop) and Andrew Dillman (Bob’s Red Mill).

Livermon drove the chase behind Berden and Trebon for nearly two laps, cleanly hopping four big logs in a row strung out in front of a band shell at the bottom of the hill to the roar of the crowd. Late on the fourth lap, Trebon accelerated on the long climb from the band shell up to the barriers, which sprung him off solo for good and left Berden alone in no-man’s-land.

Driscoll was the first to smell Berden’s blood and attacked to bridge up on a steep off-camber climb after the logs. The move was short lived. While it sent Knapp packing, a new chase quickly gelled with Driscoll, Livermon, Jones, and a new face, Bradley White (Moms in Tow Cyclocross) who wasn’t on the radar screen the first four laps. Sheppard pulled off the course on lap five saying he got to the venue late and wasn’t feeling it.

With six to go Driscoll continued to turn the screws with Jones in tow; and the duo of Livermon and White close behind. They caught Berden on the climb before the barriers, but Driscoll paid the price for the hard effort and was left dangling behind Jones and Berden through the hilly backside of the course. He eventually caught his breath.

With four to go, a five-strong group of Livermon, Berden, Driscoll, White and Jones rolled through the start finish well behind Trebon. Livermon was the first to attack on the same climb to the barriers. The move split the group. Behind Livermon, Berden was solo; Driscoll and White were together, while Jones went down on a slick off camber. It wouldn’t last.

With three to go, Berden dug deep again, closing the gap to Livermon and bringing Driscoll with them. He kept the pressure on, again attacking and going clear on the same climb. To the amazement of the announcers, Livermon brought it back together, and shedding White and Jones for good. The last two steps of the podium would be sorted out on the bell lap.

Just before the bell rang, under a dark cover of trees Driscoll charged out from behind Berden and Livermon through the windy start/finish. The move, so completely unexpected, left Berden and Livermon without an answer. Berden tried in vain to put the pressure on through the logs, but Livermon answered on the last climb, bringing it down to the sprint. At the line it was a photo finish for 3rd…Berden by a nose.