Luna eclipse the field with Nash

Katerina Nash (Team Luna) won in muddy conditions and proved to be a step above her competitors when she soloed from start to finish at the Mercer Cup presented by Knapp’s Cyclery. Team-mate Georgia Gould locked in second place ahead of United States of America Road Champion Meredith Miller (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized) in third.

“I was very happy to have the option of changing bikes twice per lap,” said Nash. “So thanks to our mechanic for that. Every time I jumped on my new bike I felt like I was flying and 10 minutes later I was slow again. There were sections that could barely be ridden and you clear them but you have to give it so much power. It was super slow, super deep gluey mud and you feel like ‘man, I’m not going anywhere’.”

Nash’s victory furthered her lead in the US Gran Prix of Cyclo-Cross series. She has clear goals to win the overall title, a test before competing in the International Cycling Union (UCI) World Cyclo-Cross Championships held in her native country Czech Republic in January.

“Absolutely, the series is a big goal for me and I’m psyched that things are going so well this year for me,” Nash said. “The field is super competitive and I’m excited to do well.”

Announcers, Richard Friese and Joe Sales introduced a decorated field of elite women that included USGP leader Nash, former USGP winner, Gould and US National Road Champion, Miller along with former UCI Mountain Bike World Champion Alison Dunlap (Team Luna), Maureen Bruno Roy (MM Racing-Seven Cycles), Laura Van Gilder (C3 Sollay-Athletes Serving Athletes), Sue Butler (Monavie-Cannondale) and Amy Dombroski, among some 40 riders who took the start line.

“I think it’s great and everyone rides and has a style and different strengths and weaknesses,” said Gould, regarding the growth of women’s cyclo-cross in the United States of America. “So I think the more different people are riding at the same level the faster it makes all of us. I think it’s great.”

Sydor took the hole shot and held her lead until she reached pit lane, located halfway around the lengthy circuit. Nash took the lead, pulled away from her competitors and never looked back. Her advantage increased to nearly a minute by the start of the second lap.

Gould focused on limiting the losses to her team-mate, which helped her gain valuable time on the next chase group. Chasers included Dunlap and Miller followed by Kelli Emmett (Giant Cycles), Bruno Roy and Dombroski.

Miller used her powerful road fitness on the circuit’s long, muddy straights to break free from Dunlap. She clawed her way up to Gould, but an untimely crashed caused her to lose much of the time she had gained.

Asked how hard it is to chase a rider like Gould, Miller laughed. “It’s hard. I caught her, I came around her and she said, ‘hey, good job’ and jinxed me and then I went down,” said Millar. “I bobbled and put a foot down. First I was chasing Alison and in the last few races we’ve been battling for third and fourth. So today I was going to catch Alison and keep going hard and then I had Georgia in my sights.”

The elite women will reconvene tomorrow at the Mercer Cup for round six of the USGP in New Jersey. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-sixties and the sunshine will likely dry up the Mercer County Park.

Results

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Elite women
#Rider Name (Country) Team
1Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team)
2Georgia Gould (LUNA Pro Team)
3Meredith Miller (California Giant/Specialized)
4Alison Dunlap (LUNA Pro Team)
5Maureen Bruno Roy (MM Racing p/b Seven Cycles)
6Kelli Emmett (Giant Bicycles)
7Amy Dombroski (Clement - Primus Mootry)
8Deidre Winfield (C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes)
9Susan Butler (Monavie-Cannondale.com)
10Alison Sydor (Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain)
11Laura Van Gilder (C3 Sollay)
12Linda Sone (Planet Bike)
13Kari Studley (Velo Bella)
14Kaitlin Antonneau (Planet Bike)
15Amanda Carey (Kenda/Trainwitheric.com)
16Andrea Smith (Minuteman Road Club)
17Kristin Gavin (Pabst Blue Ribbon)
18Anna Milkowski (BikeReg.com / Joe's Garage / IF)
19Kristin Wentworth (Planet Bike)
20Kimberly Flynn (Vantaggio/Specialized)
21Linnea Koons (October Factory Racing)
22Erica Yozell (VisitPA.com)
23Nicole Thiemann (Pabst Blue Ribbon)
24Lauri Webber (Secret Henry's Team)
25Jennifer Maxwell (ATAC Sportswear p/b Bike Rack DC)
26Arley Kemmerer (Hub Racing)
27Kristine Church (Human Zoom/ Pabst Blue Ribbon)
28Beth Mason (Verge Sport - Test Pilot)
29Amy Breyla (C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes)
30Elizabeth Sheldon (T.E.A.M. Fuji)
31Ann D'ambruoso (Minuteman Road Club)
32Jessica Singerman (Wissahickon)
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Women 3/4
#Rider Name (Country) Team
1Stacey Barbossa (Montclair Cyclists)
2Laura Winberry (Campmor)
3Rachael Mirvish (HBCC)
4Amy Cutler (EPS/CSS/Riptide cycling)
5Christine Fennessy (South Mountain Cycles)
6Kathrin Schumacher (Guy's Racing)
7Kimberly Dubeck (C3 Athletes Serving Athletes)
8Laura Hanlon (T.E.A.M Fuji)
9Erin Mascelli (EPS/CSS p/b Brielle Cyclery)
10Jess Kates Galatro (Flying Penguins)
11Kirsten Begg
12Christine Fort (QuadCycles)
13Kathleen Wulfkuhle (C3-Athletes Serving Athletes)
14Laura Kozlowski (Velo Bella)
15Amanda Weiss (Mac 5 Bikes)
16Caroline Gaynor (CRCA/PROASSHIT.dk)
17Arianne Caporiccio (RRV/Pedal Pushers)
18Ali Flis (Pabst Blue Ribbon)
19Melani Hom (T.E.A.M. Fuji)
20Kelly Welker (MAC5Bikes/McAllister Sign)
21Julie Holman (T.E.A.M. Fuji)
22Anne Rock (Maurer) (Sturdy Girl Cycling)
23Rebecca Thorsness (Princeton)
24Michelle Lee (Kissena)
25Sarah Gordon (T.E.A.M. Fuji)
26Christine Boehm
27Catherine Probst (Young Medalists/Team Dual Temp)
28Sami Tamyalew (USMA Cycling Team)
29Leslie Conrad (Halter's Cycles)
30Jamie Ervin (USMA Cycling Team)
31Mika Ryan (Mercer County Sports and Entertainment Commission)
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Master women
#Rider Name (Country) Team
1Jennifer Maxwell (ATAC Sportswear p/b Bike Rack DC)
2Margaret Thompson (Team Hammer Nutrition)
3Jennifer Horn (Sorella Cycling p/b BVM Engineering)
4Tara Parsons (CRCA)
5Diane Castor-Grim (C3 SERVING ATHLETES)
6Lisa Most (Wissahickon/Engin Cycles)
7Kim Bishop
8Tracy Lea (T.E.A.M. Fuji)
9Tammy Ebersole (Evolution Racing)
10Jill Waggett (Guy's Racing Club)
11Bridget Zolman (POTOMAC VELO CLUB)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Junior girls 15-16
#Rider Name (Country) Team
1Emma White (CBRC)
2Bailey Semian (Team Vortex)
3Melissa Garcia (Bike Line/LWA)
4Kaitlyn Lawrence (Team Vortex)

 

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Kirsten Frattini
Deputy Editor

Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.

Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.

She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.

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