Powers wins on day one of Baystate Cyclo-cross Weekend

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Jeremy Powers (Rapha – Focus) won the frigid UCI C2 Men’s race at Day One of the Baystate Cyclo-cross Weekend in Sterling, MA ahead of Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld.com’s Curtis White and Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies’ Jeremy Durrin.

White, just 18 years old, duplicated the early efforts of his younger sister, Emma, by also taking the hole shot and immediately opening a lead over the entire field.

White rode alone for most of the first lap until he was joined by Dan Timmerman (House Industries – Richard Sachs), Durrin, and Robert Marion (American Classic Pro CX Team). Further behind, Shawn Milne (KeoughCyclocross) led a chasing trio of Christian Favata (TRT Bicycles p/b Stan’s NoTubes) and Powers.

By the 3rd lap, the Powers group had connected with the leaders and the riders traded a few attacks, none of them successful. One lap later, however, White went on the offensive again by riding a steep section that most were forced to run and he opened a quick, five second gap over a hard-chasing Powers and Durrin.

White held off Powers until the 6th lap and the two leaders continued to keep a dangling Durrin in difficulty. Toward the end of the 7th lap, Powers and White rode the same steep section White had used to initiate the day’s final separation and they gapped Durrin, who was forced to run, for good.

Crossing the line with two laps to go, Powers took the lead from White and immediately pushed the pace, eventually causing the tenacious, youngster to submit. Powers crossed the line to take the win 15 seconds ahead of White and Durrin crossed the line another 30 seconds back.

“Seeing my sister do so well definitely motivates me,” said White after matching her 2nd place result on the day. “I felt good today,” he added, saying, “I always race to win, so I just went for it.”

When asked how he felt about the competition today, Powers said, “It’s nice to see young riders like Jeremy Durrin and Curtis White up there. This is a great race and it’s great to be challenged so close to home.”

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