Driscoll over-powers Trebon for Harbin victory

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Jamey Driscoll (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld) claimed the victory in the Harbin Park International, taking advantage of teamwork by Ryan Trebon to neutralize the challenge by Chris Jones (Rapha-Focus) and steal away for the win.

Determined to put a Rapha Focus rider on the C1 podium, Zach McDonald (Rapha Focus) steamed through the sand in the first lap with nine riders on his wheel including: Brian Matter (RACC p/b GG), Trebon, Ben Berden (Raleigh/Clement), Driscoll, McDonald’s teammate Christopher Jones, Chris Sheppard (Rocky Mountain), Troy Wells and Mitchell Hoke (Team CLIF Bar), as well as Bradley White (Mom’s In Tow Cyclocross.) All rode through clean, but behind many were forced to dismount as riders stacked on the turn exiting the sand.

Trebon used the uphill barriers as his launching pad to break up the Rapha Focus grip on the front. Three laps in, he whittled it down to a group of five with teammate Driscoll, the Rapha Focus duo of Jones and McDonald along with Berden. Behind, Sheppard teamed up with Matter in the second group. Josh Johnson (Bissell-ABG-NUVO), Wells and White created a train a few seconds back. With Berden along for the ride, it was Cannondale/CyclocrossWorld versus Rapha Focus.

Jones fired the first shots with a big effort out of the sand and up the hill preceding the barriers. No dice. The group of five slowed with the tactics and allowed Matter and Sheppard to tag on. With five laps to go, Trebon tried again at the barriers, but Jones was having none of it and led through at the top. Later in the lap, Trebon tried again, this time in a stretch of deep mud that transitioned across the road. It stuck. Trebon broke free with Jones leaving Driscoll behind with Berden and Matter. McDonald briefly fell back to 7th behind Sheppard.

Maybe sensing that Matter and Berden couldn’t muster the strength to close the gap, Driscoll charged across on the climb preceding the barriers. It was now a Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld sandwich with Rapha Focus’ Jones in the middle.

After the race Driscoll said Trebon encouraged him to pull and confided that he simply rode hard and opened up a gap on Jones and Trebon. When he saw it, he stretched it through the barriers. McDonald couldn’t answer and was stuck giving Trebon a free ride. With two laps to go, Jones bobbled in the sand and had to dismount. Trebon capitalized and blew past him to solidify second place.

Even with the top three confirmed, the finish wasn’t without drama. Berden and McDonald drag raced to the line for 4th. McDonald took it by a half bike length along the left hand side of the fence. Four riders came to the line fighting for twelfth: Kevin Bradford (Emde Sports-Fitness Fanatics), Chase Dickens (American Classic Pro Team), Allen Krughoff (Raleigh Clement), and Ryan Knapp (The Pony Shop). In the scrum for the line, two riders tangled and Dickens hit the deck hard. He rolled, grabbed his bike in the same motion and narrowly made the top 15 on foot.

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