Kemmerer wins day 2 at NBX Gran Prix

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Arley Kemmerer (C3-Twenty20 Cycling Co) improved on her Saturday third place by winning Sunday’s UCI C2 event at the NBX Gran Prix of Cyclocross in Warwick. Saturday’s winner, Emma White (CyclocrossWorld.com), crossed the line in second place ahead of Laura Van Gilder (Van Dessel p/b Mellow Mushroom Pizza).

Kemmerer chose to set the pace of the Elite Women’s event from the start when she took the hole shot and led the field into the first wooded section of the course. While gaps quickly began to open behind her, White was able to connect with Kemmerer and by the halfway point of the first lap the two leaders had distanced themselves from the closest chasers by nearly 15 seconds.

“I just wanted to set my own pace,” said Kemmerer of her early, aggressive move. “I knew some gaps were opening behind us,” she continued, “but I didn’t look behind me until almost two laps into the race and I was surprised at the size of the lead we had.”

White and Kemmerer traded the lead for most of the remainder of the race while the chase group containing Van Gilder, Ellen Noble (Trek), Natasha Elliott (Rare Vos Racing/Stevens), and Christina Birch (JAM Fund/NCC) continued to lose ground on the front runners.
Shortly after taking the bell for the final lap, Kemmerer applied the pressure to White and pushed the pace on a short uphill on the backside of the course and White was unable to respond. Kemmerer quickly opened up an eight second gap over White and this gap would only grow over the course of the final lap.

“I didn’t blow up or anything,” said White of losing contact with Kemmerer. “I still felt like I was riding strong, and that I was riding the same speed I had been all race,” she added, “Arley was just able to go faster than me.”

Kemmerer held off White to take the win, crossing the finish line 16 seconds before the youngster. Van Gilder was able to escape from the chase group to finish safely in 3rd place.

“I think Emma was a little fatigued from Saturday’s race and I noticed she was starting to make a few mistakes toward the end of the race,” said Kemmerer after her win. “I heard her make a few shifts behind me coming into the small rise and small, punchy hills like that are my strength,” she continued, “so I put in an acceleration and when I couldn’t hear her behind me anymore, I knew I just needed push it really hard for another minute so she wouldn’t be able to get back to me.”

With this weekend’s performances, Van Gilder secured the final New England Pro Cyclocross Series Title and White secured the Under-23series title, previously worn by her teammate, Maghalie Rochette.