Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) winning for the second year in a row at Harbin Park
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) was jumping up and down at the start to stay warm. The temperature had dropped to 40 degrees and it was raining lightly
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Courtenay McFadden (GE Capital) running the barriers on lap three
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Caroline Mani (Raleigh Clement) running the barriers mid-race. She has looked good over the past month
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Katie Compton (Trek Factory Team) moved up about 15 places after suffering a mechanical on lap one.
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) with the race lead and two laps to go
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
It was a nasty day to be racing bikes. Visits to the pits were common
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Maghalie Rochette’s shoes were barely visible after the race
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Maghalie Rochette (Luna Pro Team) was goofing off at the finish
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
These women racers were very proud of their muddy outing. (L to R) Emily Kachorek, Nicole Duke, Courtenay McFadden
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Cold rain and wind saw racers looking for warmer clothes and the shelter of team tents
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Halloween costumes were seen not only on spectators, but also on many of the amateur racers.
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Katerina Nash had to battle her own Luna teammate Maghalie Rochette for the lead on lap one
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
The women had a major pileup the first time through the long sand pit
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Maghalie Rochette leading her Luna teammate Katerina Nash on lap one
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
103 Carolina Gomez (Vanderkitten) looked good early but did not finish the race.
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Some of the best women crossers found themselves caught out by the Nash/Rochette attack on lap one
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Uncharacteristically, Katie Compton (Trek Factory Team) lost a good chunk of time on lap one.
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Caroline Mani (Raleigh Clement) riding in 8th place followed by Nicole Duke
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team) did everything in her power to drop Kaitie Antonneau and Catharine Pendrel, but was not able to hold them off.
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Elite Women’s podium (L to R) Maghalie Rochette (Luna Pro Team) 2nd, Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) 1srt, Kaitie Antonneau (Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld.com) 3rd.
(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
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. “
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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.
