Compton wins Gateway Cross Cup

After twenty four hours of heavy downpours across St. Louis, MO, racers and fans alike were set to experience what most refer to as "true ‘cross conditions" for the second running of the Gateway Cross Cup. Half a foot of rain turned the soccer fields and baseball diamonds of Heman Park in St. Louis's University City neighborhood into a veritable swamp that would deliver course conditions typically reserved for the depths of winter.

The women's race was yet another demonstration of the ultimate superiority of Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective) over the rest of the field. While she remained close to her competitors for the first lap of the 45-minute race, Compton turned on the gas for lap two and was never seen again.

Lap after lap, Compton pulled clear of Raleigh-Clement's Nicole Duke and KCCX's Ashley James to take a commanding win. As impressive as Compton's dominance was, the real story of the night was Rebecca Much of The Service Course who managed to take fourth place from French champion Caroline Mani (Raleigh-Clement) despite holding down a full time day job.

With none of the top ten from CrossVegas present in St. Louis, Compton assumes the Cross After Dark overall ahead of its next stop in Cincinnati on November 4th.