Elite Women’s Podium (L to R) Crystal Anthony (Cyclocrossworld.com) 2nd, Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes) 1st, Anna Barensfeld (Pedalpowertraining.com) 3rd (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Pink tires seemed to be all the rage today (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Catherine Sterling (Bikeman.com) chasing Ellen Noble on the run-up (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Karin Holmes (Riverside Racing) on the steep, loose run-up (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Anna Barensfeld (Pedalpowertraining.com) on the stairs in third place (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Evelyne Blouin (Ride with Rendall) racing solidly in fourth place (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Natasha Elliot (The Cyclery) running the steps in the top ten racers (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes) sprinting up the steepest run-up (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Crystal Anthony (Cyclocrossworld.com) at the top of the run-up (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Anna Barensfeld (Pedalpowertraining.com) had third place for the entire race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Anna Barensfeld (Pedalpowertraining.com) out for a day in the woods (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes) and Crystal Anthony put on quite a show (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
New Englander Adam Craig watching the women’s race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Frances Morrison (JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria) warming up before the race (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Elite Women’s front row (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Crystal Anthony (Cyclocrossworld.com) with the race lead on lap one (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Anna Barensfeld (Pedalpowertraining.com) on the stairs (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Frances Morrison (JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria) approaching the stairs (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Elite Women running the stairs (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Cyrstal Anthony (Cyclocrossworld.com) stumbles on the run-up (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Evelyne Blouin (Ride with Rendall) on the steep run-up (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Colavita teammates on one of the run-ups (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes) (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes) descending on the drops (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Crystal Anthony (Cyclocrossworld.com) at the railroad crossing (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Anna Barensfeld (Pedalpowertraining.com) jumping the railroad tracks (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Frances Morrison (JAM Fund/NCC/Vittoria) leads a group over the railroad crossing (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes) edges out Crystal Anthony for the win (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Evelyne Blouin (Ride with Rendall) takes fourth place (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Sally Annis (Pedalpowertraining.com) and Cassandra Maimenko (Silverbull) sprinting to the line (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Crystal Anthony (Cyclocrossworld.com) chasing McConneloug (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Sally Annis (Pedalpowertraining.com) riding on one of the paved paths (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Evelyne Blouin (Ride with Rendall) running the stairs (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Women running the uphill stairs (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
A properly dressed course crossing guard (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Elite Women’s start led out by Arley Kemmerer (C3-Athletes Serving Athletes) (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Mary McConneloug (Kenda-Seven-NoTubes) leading Crystal Anthony on lap one (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Crystal Anthony (Cyclocrossworld.com) trying to recover from a couple spills (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Erika Yozell (South Mountain Cycles) riding some pavement (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
It was a gorgeous day for bike racing in New England (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
In the women’s race, Mary McConneloug (Team Kenda/Seven/Notubes)and Crystal Anthony (Cyclocrossworld.com) were in a league of their own, establishing a sizable gap over the rest of the field in the first lap. They went on to finish first and second with Anna Barensfield (pedalpowertraining.com) taking third.
McConneloug and Anthony traded the lead ahead of a solo chasing Barensfeld for most of the race and just when it looked like a sprint finish was imminent, Anthony dropped her chain with two laps remaining. It was this little mistake that would give McConneloug the small gap she needed to win.
Anthony charged hard for the last lap and it looked like she might overtake McConneloug, but in the end McConneloug’s flawless performance brought her to the line one second ahead of Anthony and another 50 seconds ahead of Barensfeld.
“I was able to just make up a few seconds here and there,” said McConneloug of her race, “and that’s what cyclo-cross is all about.”
