Anderson wins first day of Chicago Cyclocross Cup New Year's Resolution

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Elle Anderson (Ladies First) overcame a sudden blast of winter snow and a small but persistent group of challengers to win the first day of the Chicago Cyclocross Cup’s New Year’s Resolution Race, a UCI C2 event. The CCCNYR offered an equal prize list for the women's race thanks to the efforts of the "Chicago Women CX Fund."

Heavy snow started falling just as the women's field were called to the line, dramatically changing conditions on the flat and fast course which had been cut through a local golf course. Arley Kemmerer (Charm City Cycling LLC) took an early lead but was quickly challenged by Elle Anderson who proved to be the dominant force in the day’s race. Anderson battled with Kemmerer, Amanda Carey (Volkswagen Boise Cycling Team), and Mackenzie Woodring (Einstein Racing), in a four-up race for 30 minutes before taking a commanding lead the final two laps.

Anderson, who currently resides in San Francisco, struggled early in the race but was delighted by the rapidly changing course conditions, "It took a little while to figure out the conditions." said Anderson "It was really slippery, and a bit of a surprise because you couldn't pre-ride it with these conditions. After a few laps I got the hang of it."

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The foursome of Anderson, Kemmerer, Carey and Woodring formed the vanguard of the race by the end of the first lap. Kemmerer and Carey both took turns at the front but it was Anderson who applied pressure through the race forcing her competitors to make costly mistakes. "There was a moment when Arley Kemmerer was in the lead and I was third wheel." said Anderson about her winning move at the end of the third lap. "Arley went down and I took the outside line, went around her, and got a little bit of a gap and kept it."

With Kemmerer out of the picture Anderson took control of the final laps and steadily increased her lead over Carey and Woodring, who found themselves in a neck and neck race for second place. Amanda Carey, an experienced mountain biker, used her superior handling skills in the final laps to get in front of Woodring. "Amanda Carey was able to ride the switchback after the barriers," said Woodring, who is only competing in her fourth cyclocross race of the season after riding as a tandem pilot for the US National Paralympic team. "She'd gap me coming through the barriers because I had to run it, and couldn't get clipped in quick enough." Carey held her lead on the final lap to take second place, while Woodring followed in with a third place finish. Kemmerer was able to recover and finish fourth place after a brave attempt to regain contact with the three leaders.

Anderson will not be returning for second day of the CCC New Year’s Resolution Race due to family obligations on the east coast but will return to the midwest to battle Carey, Woodring, and the rest of the US cyclocross peloton again at US Elite Cyclocross Nationals in Verona, Wisconsin on Sunday January 13th.