Nash secures solo win at Harbin Park

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Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) rode to a convincing solo win at Harbin Park, the first day of racing of the Toyota Cincy3 CX Festival. Harbin Park was Nash’s first ProCX race of the season since CrossVegas, and she demonstrated that she would be a force to contend with in the coming months.

Light rain and temperatures in the 30s and 40s Fahrenheit created traditional cyclo-cross conditions, and kept the pits and power washers busy throughout the afternoon. The undulating and grassy park developed into a technical course that favoured riders who could put together the right combination of finesse, power and risk.

Nash grabbed the hole-shot and was tailed by teammate Maghalie Rochette (Luna Pro Team.) Nash and Rochette forced the pace early in the first lap, and their efforts earned them a small gap. Despite bobbles by both riders the Luna duo started to build on their lead. 

Rochette hung with Nash until a mistake in a muddy corner opened up a gap, giving Nash all the room she needed to take charge for the remainder of the race.

“The course was kind of challenging, one little mistake and suddenly somebody was gone,” Nash said. “I’m not quite sure what happened. I took a pull, went up front and suddenly I was by myself. At that point I was just like I got to stay smooth and keep going.”

Despite losing contact with Nash, Rochette rode solidly in second place and kept enough pressure on the chase group to stay out of reach.

“It was super easy to crash and make mistakes so I was just trying to hold it together and make less mistakes as possible. It worked so I’m super happy,” said Rochette, who went on to describe the decisive moment.  “I crashed in a corner and she [Nash] got a gap, a super small gap, and every turn she was gaining a maybe second on me and I couldn’t bridge to her. “

Kaitlin Antonneau (Cannondale-Cyclocrosworld) looked like she might challenge Rochette for second place until a hard crash knocked her back several spots. Antonneau fought her way back up to Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team) and Catharine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team) who were chasing in third and fourth.

With Nash and Rochette out of reach, Antonneau was left to contend with two legends; Olympian Georgia Gould and Canadian cyclo-cross champion Catharine Pendrel. 

“Georgia made a mistake and I just took advantage of that in the last lap,” Antonneau said. “Then Catharine was there with me, and in the last section I attacked around the hill, got a little gap going into the barriers, and then just sprinted.”

Nash won with a convincing 25-second lead, followed by rising Canadian cyclo-cross star Rochette. Antonneau managed to shake off a late attack by Pendrel, and finished third. Pendrel and Gould rounded out the top five spots in fourth and fifth.

Noticeably absent from the front was Katie Compton (Trek Factory Racing) who suffered a mechanical on the start line. After a crucial delay, Compton remounted and started chasing the pack, despite being well off the back.

“After I got a bad start, I just started riding around and moved up the best that I could,” said Compton. “Luckily today it was more technical riding than having to push too hard on the pedals. I was just smooth through the technical bits, and tried to ride smart and do the least amount of work possible. ”

Despite opting to conserve herself for the UCI C1 and Pan Am Championship races on Saturday and Sunday, Compton rode from a handicapped spot behind the field and into sixth place.

Toyota Cincy3 CX Festival racing continues on Saturday November 1 when the elite women’s field takes on the Kings After Dark UCI C1 race. 

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