Hyde upsets Powers to take Derby City Cup win

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Stephen Hyde (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) knocked US champion Jeremy Powers from his unbeaten streak of C1 wins Saturday at the Derby City Cup opener in Kentucky, putting pressure on Powers thoughout the race and outsprinting him in the finale.

Logan Owen (California Giant Cycling), who also pressured Powers throughout but fell out of the lead trio on the last lap, finished third.

Owen and Ryan Trebon (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) traded off supplying the power on the front over the first two laps, breaking up the field with a lead group that also included Hyde, Curtis White (Optum Pro Cycling) and Tobin Ortenblad (California Giant Cycling).

Powers lurked a few seconds back in a group that included Travis Livermon (Mock Orange Bikes Pro CX), Zach McDonald (Streamline Insurance Services), Allen Krughoff (Optum ), Kerry Werner and Andrew Dillaman (Cyclocross Network Racing), among others.

Powers picked things up during the third lap to weld the two groups back together, and he started the fifth lap with a group of seven that also included Owen, Trebon, Powers, Krughoff, Livermon and Hyde.

Owens wasn’t finished putting Powers under pressure, however, as the 20-year-old poured it on again during lap five to split things up once more. Trebon picked up the chase, followed in quick succession by Hyde, White, Krughoff and then Powers.

The sixth lap heated up when Hyde jumped away and got a gap on Owens. Powers overtook Trebon and slipped into the third spot on the course with three laps remaining.

Powers showed why he’s a three-time elite national champion when he bridged to the leaders on lap seven. Powers immediately pressed the pace again, and the now-lead trio of Powers, Owen and Hyde continued to open the gap.

The three leaders started the final lap with a 16-second lead over Trebon and looked set to fight it out among themselves for the win, but Owen lost the pace while Powers and Hyde raced neck and neck for the long paved stretch to the finish. The pair traded turns on the front heading into the final sprint, where Hyde took the upset win under the lights.

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