Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) seemed to be on a mission tonight(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) is coming off a world cup win in Tabor, Czech Republic(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Kaitie Antonneau (Cannondale Cyclocrossworld.com) after making the move into third place(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Elle Anderson (Cal Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized) got gapped off the leaders and found herself on her own(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Mo Bruno-Roy (Bob’s Red Mill/ Seven) got caught up in the crash at the start put pulled herself back to 8th place from dead last(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Erica Zaveta (Redline) running the barriers(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Emma Swartz (Brazen Dropouts Cycling Team) sprinting over the barriers(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Emily Kachorek (#Ghetomoto) chasing the leaders at the barriers(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Chloe Dygert (Midwest Devo) clearing the barriers(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Nicole Duke (Marin Bikes/ Spy Optics) riding in 5th position early in the contest(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Kaitie Antonneau (Cannondale Cyclocrossworld.com) rode the sand like it wasn’t even there(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Elle Anderson (Cal Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized) riding the sand pit in fourth place(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) rolling into the finish in second place(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Emily Shields (Mock Orange Bikes Pro CX) finishing up her ride(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Meredith Miller (Cal Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized) at the finish(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Sunny Gilbert and Rebecca Gross clearly had a good time tonight at Kings CX(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) running the lighted barriers with Compton in tow(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) putting in a dig with Compton glued to her wheel(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
The Elite Women raced just after sunset(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Kings CX was an all-day festival(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) was coming off a win the night before(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Rebecca Gross (Raleigh Clement) at the start(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Emily Shields (L) and her twin sister Katherine even dress alike for bike racing(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
USA Champion Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective)(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Caroline Mani (Raleigh Clement) raced with a handlebar mounted light(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Elle Anderson (Cal Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized) has been on a tear this year(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Caroline Mani (Ralegh Clement) crashed out of the race on the first muddy turn after contact with another rider(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) wasted no time going to the front of the race(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Elle Anderson (Cal Giant Berry Farms/ Specialized) turned herself inside out to stay with Compton(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Kaitie Antonneau (Cannondale Cyclocrossworld.com) was handling the conditions far better than most(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) leading Anderson and Nash through a maze of tape(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Sunny Gilbert (Team S&M) running the stairs with Mo Bruno-Roy(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Rebecca Blatt (Van Dessel) seemed to be having a good outing(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) watches Katie Compton ride off into the night(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)
Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) put the hammer down Saturday night at the Cincinnati International Cyclocross Festival, winning the premier event, the Cincy3Kings CX race.
The Kings CX race is a UCI C1 event and is held at Kingswood Park in Mason, Ohio, a short distance outside of Cincinnati. The Kings CX race is also the third stop of the Cross After Dark series, which is now led by second place finisher, Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Cycling).
After suffering a race-ending asthma attack on the first day of racing at the Festival on Friday, Compton was relieved to score a big win.
"I just really enjoyed racing tonight," said Compton. "I was feeling better, and I was feeling stronger. Katerina was working really hard, and pushing me quite a bit. It just feels good to win tonight after suffering so badly yesterday."
Race action unfolded quickly when Caroline Mani (Raleigh-Clement) crashed in the first corner of the course, which had become muddy and slick due to power washer run off, and rain from earlier in the week. The crash caused a pile up at the front of the race and Nicole Duke (Marin-Spy) emerged at the head of the pack to grab the hole-shot, followed by Compton, Nash and several others who avoided the carnage. Mani did not rejoin the race, and walked off the course holding her shoulder.
Compton, Nash, and Elle Anderson (California Giant-Specialized) immediately took charge at the front, and started pushing the pace. Finding the dark and muddy track difficult to navigate, Anderson quickly slipped out of the front group, as Compton and Nash began to trade attacks in a tight battle for the lead. Compton and Nash, both former cyclocross World Cup winners, continued to go head to head for several laps, with no obvious leader emerging.
Compton was able to shake Nash in the closing laps of the race thanks to her finely honed technical skills. As Nash fumbled in the sand pit and muddy sections of the course later in the race, Compton took advantage of the opportunity.
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"I was trying to accelerate a little bit where I saw her struggle," said Compton. "One of the times I was behind her, she just struggled getting into her pedals, and I knew I could attack there, and then push it in certain spots."
"I didn't quite have the mud skills today," Nash admitted.
"I was definitely a lot more timid. Then I didn't quite clear the sand pit once, and that's where I got gapped. Then I closed it, and got popped again. I put up a fight but I wasn't the best out there today."
Kaitlin Antonneau (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) made her way up to Anderson midway in the race, opened up a gap, and then rode strongly for the remainder of the night to take third. Anderson struggled in her first muddy race of the season, and was passed by teammate Meredith Miller, who finished in fourth place. Anderson held on for fifth, followed by Duke in sixth.
Katerina Nash was tied with Amanda Miller (TIBCO) for the Cross After Dark series lead going into the Cincy3 Kings CX race, but now sits with a comfortable lead after her second place finish in Cincinnati. The Cross After Dark series will conclude in Los Angeles, at the CXLA, on November 30th.
Racing will conclude in Cincinnati on Sunday November 3rd at the Cincy3 Harbin Park race. The women start at 2:15 PM EST, and the men start at 3:15 PM EST.
