Nash wins duel with Gould for US Cup win in Colorado Springs

Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) won the final round of the USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Saturday afternoon as well as the overal series title.

The elite women started off for seven laps of the high altitude course around Pulpit Rock on CCSU land, with Pike’s Peak as a backdrop. The start was a predictable sight, with Luna Pro Team’s Catharine Pendrel and Katerina Nash leading the large field up the first climb. However, it would be Mexico’s Daniel Campuzano first down the hill after the mid-course tight climb and its subsequent tricky descent. Campuzano had crashed while training earlier in the week and sported some nice road rash, but rode a tough, gutsy race throughout the day.

After stringing a lead group of 15 women into the back section on city land, where Nash and Gould forced a selection that only Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing) could close down. Gould slalomed into the lead just outside of the start/finish area, while a chasing Pendrel fought back to rejoin near the hairpin turn towards the first passage of the finish line. Erin Huck (Tokyo Joe’s) briefly chased onto this elite group only to drop off the pace on the second descent. She would spend the rest of the race in no-woman’s-land, fighting the wind, heat and altitude alone.

Gould attacked hard on lap two, only to pay for the effort by dropping back on lap four. By the fifth lap, a regrouping took place to give Luna a three-to-one advantage over Batty. At this point, Gould pushed hard again to gain a sizeable lead.

On the next lap, Nash attacked hard, possibly sensing Gould slowing, but certainly knowing that Batty couldn’t follow her. Her attack was so fierce that she clipped a fence, momentarily bobbling before regaining speed in pursuit of teammate Gould. Nash then caught and cleared past her teammate to take the win ahead of Gould, Batty and Pendrel.

"We obviously have the numbers and were riding super strong and you have to be respectful of your teammates," said Nash. "It was pretty clear that Emily wasn’t going to be able to chase so at one point I felt I had enough in the tank to get away from Emily and Kathy."

Gould said, "The course was really hard - it was a tactical race. People would go hard at the start and it would come back together on the flatter faster parts. I’ve had an on and off year don’t have the confidence I was hoping for. I just wanted to make it a good hard race and prepare for the national championships that are coming up."

Behind, Huck pushed hard to hold off a late challenge for the final podium spot from Campuzano, while Backcountry.com teammates Evelyn Dong and Chloe Woodruff joined forces to pace home in seventh and eighth place, respectively.

The women’s overall standings for the USA Cycling US Cup didn’t change at all in the final round other than point totals, with Nash (137 points) staying in the lead ahead of teammate Pendrel (117 points), with Batty (107 points) spoiling the Luna Pro Team’s party ahead of Georgia Gould (97 points). Backcountry.com’s Evelyn Dong (80 points) confirmed her breakout performance with a fine fifth overall.

"Georgia did a great job and I barely got to her in the end, so a great day for the team. The overall win is kind of emotional for me. I’ve raced for a really, really long time and it’s the very first time I’ve won an overall cross country series," said Nash. "I’m excited that the series came back the way it used to look. After all these years, it’s kind of humbling to come back and have and awesome series with a great payout and to hopefully do my job to inspire young racers."

Results

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Elite women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Katerina Nash (Cze) Luna Pro Team1:43:42
2Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team0:00:02
3Emily Batty (Can) Trek Factory Racing0:00:46
4Catherine Pendrel (Can) Luna Pro Team0:00:49
5Daniela Campuzano Cha (Mex) Mexico National Team0:02:40
6Erin Huck (USA) Tokyo Joes-Vcgraphix0:02:51
7Evelyn Dong (USA) Backcountry.Com0:05:21
8Chloe Woodruff (USA)0:06:14
9Adriana Rojas (CRc) Costa Rica0:06:23
10Mikaela Kofman (Can) Scott 3 Rox Racing0:06:59
11Rose Grant (USA) Sportsman & Ski Haus0:08:05
12Rachel Lloyd (USA) California Giant0:08:41
13Crystal Anthony (USA) Riverside Racing0:09:26
14Amy Beisel (USA) Liv/Giant-Tuffshed0:10:07
15Larissa Connors (USA) Marin Bikes Factory0:10:16
16Katie Compton (USA) Trek Cyclocross0:11:30
17Megan Carrington (USA) Naked Womens Racing0:13:56
18Erin Alders (USA) Liv/Giant0:14:25
-1lapEmily Shields (USA) Bmc Project DirtRow 18 - Cell 2
-1lapTeal Stetson-Lee (USA) Luna Pro TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
-1lapCaroline Mani (Fra) Raleigh IcemeltRow 20 - Cell 2
-1lapSerena Gordon (USA) All Access RacingRow 21 - Cell 2
-1lapNina Baum (USA) Stans No Tubes WomenRow 22 - Cell 2
-1lapErica Tingey (USA) Team JamisRow 23 - Cell 2
-1lapShayna Powless (USA) Bmc Project DirtRow 24 - Cell 2
-1lapKaylee Blevins (USA) Bear DevelopmentRow 25 - Cell 2
-2lapsSarah Kaufmann (USA) Stans No Tubes WomenRow 26 - Cell 2
-2lapsAlexis Skarda (USA)Row 27 - Cell 2
-3lapsRebecca Gross (USA) Prima/Audi DenverRow 28 - Cell 2
-3lapsVicky Barclay (GBr) Stans No Tubes EliteRow 29 - Cell 2
-3lapsBrianne Marshall (USA) Tough Girl CyclingRow 30 - Cell 2
-3lapsLauren Catlin (USA) Bear DevelopmentRow 31 - Cell 2
-4lapsRebecca Blatt (USA)Row 32 - Cell 2
-4lapsDaniella Rojas Meneses (Chi)Row 33 - Cell 2
DNFJena Greaser (USA)Row 34 - Cell 2
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Elite women US Cup final standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team)137pts
2Catherine Pendrel (Luna Pro Team)117Row 1 - Cell 3
3Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing Team)107Row 2 - Cell 3
4Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team)97Row 3 - Cell 3
5Evelyn Dong (Backcountry.Com)80Row 4 - Cell 3
6Erin Huck (Tokyo Joes-Vcgraphix.Com)72Row 5 - Cell 3
7Daniela Campuzano Cha (Mexico National Team)70Row 6 - Cell 3
8Rachel Lloyd (California Giant Berry Farms)60Row 7 - Cell 3
9Mikaela Kofman (Scott 3 Rox Racing)59Row 8 - Cell 3
10Larissa Connors (Marin Bikes Factory Team)49Row 9 - Cell 3
11Rose Grant (Sportsman & Ski Haus)39Row 10 - Cell 3
12Sandra Walter38Row 11 - Cell 3
13Monique Mata (Sho-Air/Cannondale)37Row 12 - Cell 3
14Amy Beisel (Liv/Giant-Tuffshed)35Row 13 - Cell 3
15Maghalie Rochette (Luna Pro Team)33Row 14 - Cell 3
16Erica Tingey (Team Jamis)32Row 15 - Cell 3
17Candice Neethling (Bundu Bashers)31Row 16 - Cell 3
18Erin Alders (Liv/Giant)29Row 17 - Cell 3
19Amanda Nauman (Sdg/Felt)28Row 18 - Cell 3
20Mary Mcconneloug (Kenda/Stans No Tubes)26Row 19 - Cell 3
21Christina Gokey-Smith (Colonels)25Row 20 - Cell 3
22Shayna Powless (Bmc Project Dirt)24Row 21 - Cell 3
23Vicky Barclay (Stans No Tubes Elite Womens)20Row 22 - Cell 3
24Cindy Montambault (Cvm 2 Vals)19Row 23 - Cell 3
25Chloe Woodruff18Row 24 - Cell 3
26Adriana Rojas (Costa Rica)17Row 25 - Cell 3
27Emily Shields (Bmc Project Dirt)17Row 26 - Cell 3
28Kate Courtney (Specialized Factory Racing)16Row 27 - Cell 3
29Rebecca Henderson (Trek Factory Racing Team)16Row 28 - Cell 3
30Nina Baum (Stans No Tubes Women Elite)15Row 29 - Cell 3
31Jessica Rawlins (Bicycles Plus Racing)15Row 30 - Cell 3
32Andreanne Pichette (Opus-Ogc)15Row 31 - Cell 3
33Amanda Sin (Scott 3 Rox Racing)14Row 32 - Cell 3
34Crystal Anthony (Riverside Racing)13Row 33 - Cell 3
35Teal Stetson-Lee (Luna Pro Team)11Row 34 - Cell 3
36Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross Collective)10Row 35 - Cell 3
37Kaylee Blevins (Bear Development)10Row 36 - Cell 3
38Sarah Kaufmann (Stans No Tubes Womens Elite)10Row 37 - Cell 3
39Frederique Larose-Gin10Row 38 - Cell 3
40Hannah Rae Finchamp (Luna Pro Team)10Row 39 - Cell 3
41Jamie Busch (Juliana/Santa Cruz Bicycles)10Row 40 - Cell 3
42Megan Carrington (Naked Womens Racing)9Row 41 - Cell 3
43Lorenza Morfin8Row 42 - Cell 3
44Cheryl Sornson (Rdc)8Row 43 - Cell 3
45Lauren Catlin (Bear Development)5Row 44 - Cell 3
46Caroline Mani (Raleigh Icemelt)5Row 45 - Cell 3
47Rebecca Blatt5Row 46 - Cell 3
48Serena Gordon (All Access Racing)5Row 47 - Cell 3
49Alexis Skarda5Row 48 - Cell 3
50Jena Greaser5Row 49 - Cell 3
51Daniella Rojas Menese (Oxford Kona)5Row 50 - Cell 3
52Brianne Marshall (Tough Girl Cycling)5Row 51 - Cell 3
53Rebecca Gross (Prima/Audi Denver Women's)5Row 52 - Cell 3
54Lisa Uranga5Row 53 - Cell 3
55Caroline Woods (Marin Factory Team)5Row 54 - Cell 3
56Cayley Brooks5Row 55 - Cell 3
57Lesley Paterson (Scott Bikes)5Row 56 - Cell 3
58Deyanira Guerrero (Veloz Team)5Row 57 - Cell 3
59Tonya Bray (Paa/Mtbchick.Com)5Row 58 - Cell 3
60Jennifer Todd (Platinum Performance)5Row 59 - Cell 3
61April Morgan5Row 60 - Cell 3
62Melissa Ross (Faster Performance Center)5Row 61 - Cell 3
63Gabrielle April (Rocky Mountain/Pro Cycle)5Row 62 - Cell 3
64Vanessa Humic (Kenda/Pmbc)5Row 63 - Cell 3
65Karlee Gendron (Trek Canada Mountain Bike Team)5Row 64 - Cell 3

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