Laura Van Gilder (C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes) takes the top spot on the podium.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Sally Annis (crossresults.com/pedalpowercoaching.com) is the new Verge New England Championship Cyclocross Series leader.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Laura Kroepsch (Hudz Subaru).(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Christina Tamilio (Ladies First Racing) had a stellar race, finishing 6th.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Rebecca Wellons (Pedro's) chased solo for the entire day.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Laura Van Gilder (C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes) remounts, the front group stayed together for most of the race.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Maureen Bruno Roy (Bob's Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles) follows Sally Annis (crossresults.com/pedalpowercoaching.com) through the barriers.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Linnea Koons (Embrocation Cycling Journal) sits in the strung out main field, Linnea would eventually finish 10th on the day.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Maureen Bruno Roy (Bob's Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles) follows Sally Annis (crossresults.com/pedalpowercoaching.com) through a bend.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Eventual winner Laura Van Gilder (C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes) spent much of the race pulling.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Arley Kemmerer (C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes) in the front group.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Current series leader Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) had a mechanical through the sand, dropping her out of the front group.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
A lead group of five formed right away and put a significant gap into the rest of the field.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
Elite Women scramble up the loose run-up just after the holeshot.(Image credit: Dave Chiu)
UCI World cyclo-cross points leader Laura Van Gilder (C3-Athletes Serving Athletes) took a convincing victory at the 20th annual Cycle-Smart International held at Look Park in Northampton, Massachusetts on Saturday. Sally Annis (Crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles) sprinted for second place ahead of Maureen Bruno Roy (Bob’s Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles) in third.
“The UCI will recalculate the World ranking after the World Cup in Koksijde in November,” Van Gilder said. “I get to keep that status for now despite the fact that other women are gaining points. I’m not following it that closely because I would imagine that I won’t be ranked number one after that particular World Cup and that’s OK. It was not a goal for me to lead the UCI ranking, it has been more of a nice surprise.”
The Cycle-Smart International is a member of the Verge New England Championship Cyclo-cross ten-round series. The double-header marks rounds five and six of the series that is currently led by Sally Annis after placing second on the day.
Former series leader Andrea Smith (Ladies First Racing) blasted off the starting rows and straight into the hole shot at the start of the UCI Elite women’s 40-minute race. A combination of efforts and attacks from the front of the field resulted in lead group of four riders that include Van Gilder, Bruno-Roy, Annis and Arley Kemmerer (C3-Athletes Serving Athletes).
“Both Mo Bruno Roy and Sally Annis were with me and then not with me a couple of times during the race,” Van Gilder said. “I think that was because of bobbles they each had that created the gaps that I was eventually able to capitalize on.”
Van Gilder and Bruno Roy looked evenly matched and set a pace fast enough to cause Annis and Kremmerer to fall off pace. Van Gilder did not wait to use her well-known sprint to take the win and instead gained a small lead over the run up with two laps to go and rode in safely with the victory.
“It is nice to have done this race twice and then come back and have a big improvement,” said Van Gilder. “I felt strong in the sand and did the run up well enough. But I felt like the long stretches suited my road power ability and I was doing the technical corners very well. All in all I was very pleased with how I rode, compared to other years here.”
Bruno Roy lost a few seconds following bobble heading into the last lap was joined by Annis. Each pushed the pace on sections of the course that best suited their individual abilities. They approached the finishing straight away together and Annis won the two-woman sprint to the line for second place.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Full Results
1
Laura Van Gilder (USA) C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes
0:41:44
2
Sally Annis (USA) crossresults.com p/b JRA Cycles
0:00:06
3
Maureen Bruno Roy (USA) Bob's Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles
Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
