Trebon wins Colorado Cross Classic

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Ryan Trebon (Cannondale p/b CyclocrossWorld.com) won his first UCI race of the cyclo-cross season at the Colorado Cross Classic in Boulder, Colorado in a contest which was decided during a two-man sand duel with 500 meters left in the race. Third place finisher Ben Berden (Raleigh-Clement), trying to gain the lead in the sandpit, crashed after hitting Trebon's wheel. Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) took advantage of Berden's misfortune by passing him to come in second place.

Powers worked his way through the entire field to get there after sliding out and dropping his chain not thirty seconds after taking the holeshot. The sixty-seven starters tackled a different course than in previous editions. Heavy September rains and flooding raised the level of the Boulder Reservoir, forcing a compact, twisty design. Zach McDonald (Rapha-Focus) later attributed the formation of a large group of leaders that stuck for much of the race to the circuit's multiplied corners.

"There were so many corners you couldn't get away," McDonald said. "It was just corner, after corner, after corner, so we were all just sitting up, waiting for someone to do something. But no one wanted to do something because then there's just another loose corner…and none of us have been at altitude so no one wants to attack and so everyone just waits."

At the front of the large group were Danny Summerhill (K Edge/Felt), Trebon, Yannick Eckmann (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized), McDonald, and Raleigh-Clement's Jamey Driscoll, Allen Krughoff, and Berden. Todd Wells (Specialized Factory Racing) made his way into the lead group after two laps.

Summerhill owned the pack's driver's seat, a position at times taken by Trebon, Krughoff, Wells, and Berden. Eckmann fell out of the group after he went down mid-way through the race.

At last with three laps to go the leader's group reduced to four. Summerhill, Berden, Wells, and Trebon opened a gap of ten seconds to chasers that included McDonald, Krughoff, Tristan Schouten (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) and California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized riders Logan Owen, Cody Kaiser, and Tobin Ortenblad.

In the meantime Powers steadily pedaled his way forward. Going from first to last hadn't erased the good feelings he had in the morning pre-ride. "It was pretty early, so you give yourself a chance. I don't know what's going to happen but I had to give it a shot," he said after the race.

With just over one lap remaining only a few bike lengths separated Powers, now in fifth position on course, from the lead group of four. Whether Power's presence motivated him or not Trebon didn't say, but with one lap to go he attacked in the sand. "I put an effort in, rode it clean, got a gap, and luckily Jeremy couldn't close it," he later said. "Ben was coming fast in the last lap."

Berden overtook Powers and closed what he called a seven second gap to Trebon, but the effort would only produce third place. Trebon seized a much-awaited win, finishing five seconds ahead of Powers. Summerhill crossed the line in fourth place.

Berden, last year's Colorado Cross Classic winner, said after the race: "It's racing…it's a bummer. I was hoping for a win."

The Raleigh-Clement Belgian will have another opportunity Sunday at the Boulder Cup, which he's won previously, at the 2014 national championship venue, Valmont Bike Park. Powers' effort didn't appear to take him out of contention there.

"One of the big things I didn't want to do today was go too deep," Powers said after the race. "I felt really comfortable today so I think tomorrow is the goal; I'd like to win tomorrow for sure."

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