Noble wins Northampton CX

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Ellen Noble (Trek Factory Racing) claimed the win on the opening day of the Northampton International, topping Trek Cyclocross Collective's Regina Legge by 10 seconds. Rebecca Fahringer (Kona Maxxis Shimano) was third.

"It was Regina and I off the front for most of it," said Noble, "but with a lap and a half to go, I didn't really make an
attack so much as I think maybe Regina made a mistake or just eased off for a second so I got a little bit of a gap so I figured I'd ride with it but leave a little bit in case she pulled back. I was able to make a gap.

"It was awesome, I'm crazy impressed with how Regina was riding. I don't think I've gone to a race with her yet this year. It was super cool and she was taking really good lines, I actually followed her for a couple of laps, I was like not really sure about my riding today."

Legge got the hole shot and kept on the gas, staying with Noble for most of the race and then coming in 10 seconds behind her to claim the fifth podium result of the season.

"I wanted to be at the front towards the beginning of the race and then try to stick in the front group so I managed to do that and I was happy with that," Legge said.

Fahringer fended off Courtenay McFadden to take third, but her problems started before the race even began. "There's one mud puddle in this course and in pre-ride I wanted to see if you should ride it or run it and I found the hole-in root, buried my front wheel in it and completely splatted into the puddle. I was covered in mud, I ended up needing to cut my pre-ride short in order to clean up and I realized that I didn't do a hot lap. And it was in my head, I was so frantic.

"When the race started I knew that I should podium and my first two laps three laps were so sloppy. I honestly thought I was going to be off the back maybe a bit and I put in a big dig to finish up third and I'm hoping that tomorrow goes a little bit better."

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