Kaitlin Keough wins KMC Cross Fest C1

The women began the Pro CX C1 race in a large group of 11 riders, with Canadian Maghalie Rochette (Clif Pro Team) driving the pace. The group would eventually splinter down to a group of five comprised of Keough, Emma White (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com), Christel Ferrier Bruneau (SAS Macogep Aquisio), Crystal Anthony (Maxxis Shimano Pro Cyclocross), and Rebecca Fahringer (Stan's Notubes p/b Maxxis/GoFahr).

Rochette would attack Keough and White until the final turns taking it into a track sprint but Keough would overtake her in the final meters.

"It's a hard course," said Keough, making the win her second C1 victory this year, the first coming at Jingle Cross in Iowa City, Iowa. There was nothing that was really splitting it up. That last lap Maghalie and I were pretty much sprinting the entire lap. I think I went the first half and she went the last half. She's really strong over the technical sections."

Rochette pushed the pace for most of the six-lap race. "It was pretty painful. On the last lap Katie went in front of me. I knew it wasn't windy, so I thought I would lead out the sprint. And in the final corner, I said 'I gotta go now'. I just sprinted and she nipped me at the end. That's OK. It was a really good race," the Canadian National Champion added.

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