Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) opened the USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series at the Mellow Johnny's Classic with a win in the elite women's cross country mountain bike race on Saturday in Dripping Springs, Texas.
The race kicked off the first round of racing in the brand new US domestic series on a sunny and warm afternoon. Nash and two of her Luna teammates, Catharine Pendrel and Georgia Gould, formed a decisive breakaway on the first lap of the five-lap UCI Category 1-level women's race, but Nash and Pendrel would prove stronger and rode away from Gould.
For the rest of the race, Pendrel and Nash traded efforts, but on the final lap, Nash proved the stronger of the two women and won sprint to the finish, two seconds ahead of Pendrel. Gould rolled in solo for third place over four minutes later.
Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing) worked her way up throughout the race to finish in fourth place while Erin Huck (Tokyo Joe's/VC Graphix.com) put in an impressive fifth place performance to secure the final podium spot.
After round one of four of the USA Cycling US Cup, the series standings match the results of the initial race. Nash leads the series ahead of Pendrel and Gould.
The USA Cycling US Cup presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group series will continue with round 2, a UCI Category HC race at Bonelli Park in California on Saturday, March 15.
Full Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team | 1:21:19 |
| 2 | Catharine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team | 0:00:02 |
| 3 | Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team | 0:04:28 |
| 4 | Emily Batty (Can) Trek Factory Racing | 0:05:27 |
| 5 | Erin Huck (USA) Tokyo Joe's/VC Graphix.com | 0:06:02 |
| 6 | Rachel Lloyd (USA) California Giant Strawberries/Specalized | 0:09:10 |
| 7 | Maghalie Rochette (Can) Luna Pro Team | 0:09:33 |
| 8 | Daniela Campuzano Chávez Peón (Mex) DC | 0:09:56 |
| 9 | Erica Tingey (USA) Team Jamis | 0:10:18 |
| 10 | Larissa Connors (USA) Marin Bikes Factory Team | 0:11:12 |
| 11 | Christina Gokey--Smith (USA) Orbea USA/ Colonels Sho Air | 0:11:27 |
| 12 | Shayna Powless (USA) BMC project Dirt presented by KMC | 0:12:20 |
| 13 | Amy Beisel (USA) Tuff Shed/Liv Giant | 0:13:15 |
| 14 | Evelyn Dong (USA) Backcounty.com | 0:14:13 |
| 15 | Erin Alders (USA) LIV/ Giant | 0:15:04 |
| 16 | Jessica Rawlins (USA) Bicycles Plus | 0:15:08 |
| 17 | Amanda Nauman (USA) SDG/Felt | 0:16:37 |
| 18 | Laura Lorenza Morfin Macouzet (Mex) Shots and Kisses Turbo | 0:17:07 |
| DNF | Lisa Uranga (USA) PACC | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Vicki Barclay (USA) Stan's NoTubes Elite Women's Team | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
| DNS | Chloe Woodruff (USA) Backcountry.com | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
| DNS | Cheryl Sornson (USA) Team Rare Disease Cycling | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
| DNS | Serena Gordon (USA) All Access Racing | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
| DNS | Nina Baum (USA) Stan's NoTubes Elite Women's Team | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Katerina Nash (Czech Republic) Luna Pro Team | 30 | pts |
| 2 | Catharine Pendrel (Canada) Luna Pro Team | 27 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
| 3 | Georgia Gould (United States) Luna Pro Team | 25 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
| 4 | Emily Batty (Canada) Trek Factory Racing | 23 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
| 5 | Erin Huck (United States) Tokyo Joe's/VC Graphix.com | 21 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
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