Portland perfect for Nash

Katerina Nash has more wins than any other rider in the US Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross Portland Cup, and she brought that total up to five on the first day of the series' final weekend.

The Czech champion may have out-sprinted her teammate Georgia Gould for the victory, but Gould's finish was enough to sew up the 2010 series title - her second career USGP overall.

"I like it here," Nash said. "Usually I enjoy the extremely muddy conditions - that wasn't really the case today, but it's still a challenging course."

Gould put in a concerted effort to best Nash, taking the hole shot and putting in several attacks, but a mechanical in the final half of the race took some of the power out of her legs.

"I got a piece of the course tape in my cassette and that was when the gap opened up. Katerina capitalized on that and put in a good hard effort and made it extremely difficult to close that gap. I was pretty tired by the time I got up there," Gould said.

By the time they reached the final lap, the Luna duo had put minutes into the shattered field and focused on fighting each other for the win.

"The last lap we took turns [attacking] to see if we could make it stick, and it came down to that last corner," Gould explained.

"I kind of attacked coming out of the bmx track, and then led for the next couple corners, then she came around me right before the barriers. I was right there, it came down to both of us going as hard as we could out of that corner and she was faster than me."

Local favorite Sue Butler bounced back from a season-disrupting illness to claim the final podium spot in front of a supportive crowd. She had an aggressive start and led for part of the opening lap before letting go of Nash and Gould and focusing on time trialing for third.

"Two years ago at Portland I had my first USGP podium so it's pretty nice to be back on the podium," Butler said.

The women started under sunny skies, but a brisk winter wind wreaked havoc on the field before the technical section was even reached when a gust sent a barrel tottering into the course.

That incident benefited newcomer Linnea Coons, who turned heads with a strong fourth place finish.

"I got a great start down the left side, and a barrel came blowing on the course. I just happened to be out of the way of everything. People were falling and I got around them, and all of a sudden I look up and it's Sue Butler and Wendy Simms and I together with a gap and only two riders ahead," Coons said.

A New Zealand native, Coons moved to the US a decade ago at the age of 16. Following her first year on the pro mountain bike circuit, she scored her most prestigious finish in a cyclo-cross race with fourth.

"It was my perfect race, I guess, which I've been working towards all year," she said.

Third in the series at the start of the day, Meredith Miller had anything but a perfect race. After a season full of hard knocks, Miller hasn't managed to put all her bad luck behind her. On the first lap, a piece of loose course tape got caught up in her drive train just after the pit and the resulting struggle to find a working gear put her back in 18th position.

Miller used her strength and determination to slowly work her way back through the field to take fifth on the day, gaining enough points to move into second overall ahead of the absent US champion Katie Compton.

"I did what I could, it's tough when something like that prevents you from getting a result," said Miller.

The racing continues on Sunday for the USGP finale, where Gould will take home the title even if she fails to win a single point. She holds an untouchable 93-point lead on Miller.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Full Results
1Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team0:42:07
2Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team0:00:01
3Susan Butler (USA) Hudz-Subaru0:01:50
4Linnea Koons (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal0:02:09
5Meredith Miller (USA) California Giant-Specialized0:02:35
6Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com0:02:40
7Katy Curtis (Can) CMC/Bow Cycle0:02:54
8Katherine Sherwin (USA) Hudz-Subaru0:03:03
9Wendy Simms (Can) Ridley-FSA0:03:06
10Amanda Carey (USA) Kenda-Felt0:03:24
11Pepper Harlton (Can) Juventus0:03:30
12Devon Haskell (USA) Bike Station Aptos0:03:32
13Alice Pennington (USA) Team S&M0:03:34
14Barbara Howe (USA) Ibis And The Danger Twins0:03:38
15Teal Stetson-Lee (USA) California Giant-Specialized0:03:45
16Amy Dombroski (USA) Luna Pro Team0:04:05
17Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles0:04:07
18Wendy Williams (USA) River City Bicycles0:04:53
19Ashley James (USA) Team Kenda0:05:09
20Coryn Rivera (USA) Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY120:05:21
21Serena Bishop (USA) Sunnyside Sports0:05:29
22Linda Sone (USA) Planet Bike0:05:59
23Rebecca Blatt (USA) Silverbull Central Wheel0:06:32
24Emily Thurston (USA) Missing Link0:06:50
25Katrina Baumsteiger (USA) Team Rambuski Law0:06:59
26Shannon Gibson (USA) Velobella- Ellsworth0:07:21
27Kelly Jones (Can) North Shore Sports Medicine0:07:23
28Abby Watson (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal0:07:48
29Megan Chinburg (USA) Veloforma0:07:56
30Joele Guynup (USA) Island Racing Club-Everti-ShimanoRow 29 - Cell 2
31Corey Coogan (USA) Team Plan C Pb Stevens0:08:08
32Carrie Cash (USA) Team Vera Bradley Foundation0:08:18
33Tina Brubaker (USA) The Vanilla Workshop/Speedvagen0:08:21
34Laura Winberry (USA) Elite Endurance/Cascade Couriers0:08:30
35Brigette Stoick (USA) River City Bicycles0:08:41
36Karen Oppenheimer (USA) Yard Sale Cyclocross0:09:31
37Becca Blay (USA) Mafia Racing0:09:32
38Renee Scott (USA) Sunnyside Sports0:09:37
39Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Lotto Ladies TeamRow 38 - Cell 2
40Lisa Curry (USA) GAS/Intrinsik-1laps
41Annette Padilla (USA) Celo Pacific-4laps
DNFAnna Dingman (USA) Gas/Intrinsik Cycling TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
DNFBrenna Lopez-Otero (USA) Bend Memorial Clinic Total Care Race TeamRow 42 - Cell 2
DNSAnissa Cobb (USA) River City BicyclesRow 43 - Cell 2
DNSChristina Probert (USA) The TeamRow 44 - Cell 2
DNSMegan Elliott (USA) Black Mountain BicyclesRow 45 - Cell 2
DNSJennifer Gaertner (USA) Riverstone CdaRow 46 - Cell 2
DNSPatricia Dowd (USA) Team DelphineRow 47 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Women USGP standings after 7 rounds
1Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team288pts
2Meredith Miller (USA) California Giant-Specialized195Row 1 - Cell 3
3Katherine Compton (USA) Planet Bike-Stevens Bikes190Row 2 - Cell 3
4Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team140Row 3 - Cell 3
5Katherine Sherwin (USA) Hudz-Subaru127Row 4 - Cell 3
6Amy Dombroski (USA) Luna Pro Team112Row 5 - Cell 3
7Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com104Row 6 - Cell 3
8Susan Butler (USA) Hudz-Subaru94Row 7 - Cell 3
9Laura Van Gilder (USA) C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes86Row 8 - Cell 3
10Teal Stetson-Lee (USA) California Giant-Specialized83Row 9 - Cell 3
11Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles83Row 10 - Cell 3
12Nicole Duke (USA) Hudz-Subaru72Row 11 - Cell 3
13Natasha Elliott (Can) Garneau Club Chaussure-Ogilvy70Row 12 - Cell 3
14Pepper Harlton (Can) Juventus52Row 13 - Cell 3
15Amanda Carey (USA) Kenda-Felt50Row 14 - Cell 3
16Alice Pennington (USA) Team S&M43Row 15 - Cell 3
17Ashley James (USA) Team Kenda43Row 16 - Cell 3
18Amanda Miller (USA) Hudz-Subaru40Row 17 - Cell 3
19Andrea Smith (USA) LadiesFirst Racing33Row 18 - Cell 3
20Sally Annis (USA) crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles33Row 19 - Cell 3
21Katy Curtis (Can) CMC/Bow Cycle32Row 20 - Cell 3
22Linnea Koons (USA) Embrocation Cycling Journal30Row 21 - Cell 3
23Linda Sone (USA) Planet Bike30Row 22 - Cell 3
24Devon Haskell (USA) Bike Station Aptos26Row 23 - Cell 3
25Barbara Howe (USA) Ibis And The Danger Twins24Row 24 - Cell 3
26Lisa Strong (USA) Hudz-Subaru19Row 25 - Cell 3
27Kimberly Flynn (USA) Grace Law-Trek p/b Vantaggio19Row 26 - Cell 3
28Robin Williams (USA) Mercy-Specialized17Row 27 - Cell 3
29Carrie Cash Wootten (USA) Team Vera Bradley Foundation16Row 28 - Cell 3
30Wendy Simms (Can) Ridley-FSA14Row 29 - Cell 3
31Jennifer Maxwell (USA) Van Dessel Factory Team p/b Sterke Meiden14Row 30 - Cell 3
32Holly Klug (USA) Pony Shoop10Row 31 - Cell 3
33Nicole Borem (USA) DRT Racing9Row 32 - Cell 3
34Lisa Curry (USA) GAS/Intrinsik8Row 33 - Cell 3
35Corey Coogan Cisek (USA) Team Plan C6Row 34 - Cell 3
36Marne Smiley (USA) Scott/Ollett Coaching6Row 35 - Cell 3
37Anne Schwartz (USA) Flying Rhino Cycling Club6Row 36 - Cell 3
38Lisa Hudson (USA) Feedback Sports4Row 37 - Cell 3
39Shannon Gibson (USA) Velobella- Ellsworth4Row 38 - Cell 3
40Wendy Williams (USA) River City Bicycles3Row 39 - Cell 3
41Kristal Boni (USA) Blue Sky Velo3Row 40 - Cell 3
42Miranda Long (USA) Team Pg-133Row 41 - Cell 3
43Megan Taylor (USA) COMotion Sports2Row 42 - Cell 3
44Meghan Korol (USA) Bob's Red Mill2Row 43 - Cell 3
45Coryn Rivera (USA) Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY121Row 44 - Cell 3
46Erin Silliman (USA) ALAN North America Cycling Team1Row 45 - Cell 3

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Laura Weislo
Managing Editor

Laura Weislo has been with Cyclingnews since 2006 after making a switch from a career in science. As Managing Editor, she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news. As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track, Laura has a passion for all three disciplines. When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads, paths and gravel tracks. Laura's specialises in covering doping, anti-doping, UCI governance and performing data analysis.

Latest on Cyclingnews