Mani scores day 1 victory at Really Rad Festival of Cyclocross

Caroline Mani (Pactimo Fierce Team) won the opening day of Really Rad Festival of Cyclocross on Saturday in Falmouth, Massachusetts, her third C2 win of the season. She held off Caitlin Bernstein (Easton Overland/ McGovern Cycles) by 20 seconds for the solo victory at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds. Anna Megale (Trek Cyclocross Collective) finished third, sprinting to the line ahead of Crystal Anthony (Liv Racing Collective) and Lauren Zoerner (Alpha Bicycle Co - Groove Silverthorne).

Megale set the early pace with Canadian Ruby West and France’s Mani just one second off her lead after the first of six laps. Mani and Megale took charge at the front on the second lap, and kept the pace high on a clear New England day, while staying in the hunt with West was Anthony, Zoerner and Erica Zaveta (The Pony Shop p/b KPMG). Zaveta fell off the chase on the final lap and finished sixth.

Really Rad provides the final two rounds of New England Cyclocross Series (NECXS) and West was able to retain her overall lead for elite women. With her podium finish, the unofficial tabulation gave Bernstein a bump from fourth to second place in the standings and Zaveta moving down to third place.

Mani opened the season with back-to-back wins at GO Cross and has had six additional podiums this season racing USA Cycling's Pro CX calendar. Saturday's New England race was her first in the NECXS.