Gould and Finsterwald win Colorado Springs short track

Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Racing) and Russell Finsterwald (SRAM / Troy Lee Designs) won the short track races of the USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Sunday afternoon.

Elite women

Twenty-two elite women headed out on what was considered a vertical course for a short track race, with a steady climb followed by a descent back into the start/finish area. The women were set to run 15 minutes plus two laps. Luna’s Katerina Nash, winner of Saturday’s cross country race and the US Cuo overall title, and Mexico’s Daniela Campuzano started fast and set the early tempo.

Soon joined by Chloe Woodruff (Backcountry.com) and Katie Compton (Trek Cyclocross), the lead group played cat and mouse until two laps to go when the active Gould attacked once more to get the lead she needed. It quickly built up to around 10 second as Nash, Woodruff and Compton formed a group behind with Campuzano chasing just behind. Woodruff and Nash would break free from this group but couldn’t catch Gould, who won by five seconds over teammate Nash, with Woodruff in third just behind.

Elite men

The men's elite short track saw 40 riders toe the line. Right from the start, local pro Russell Finsterwald and Keegan Swenson (Cannondale Factory Racing) jumped from the group on the initial climb to form a large lead over the chasing group. The two young riders seemingly had a plan to upset the established names in the sport.

One notable absence front the front of the race, was Geoff Kabush (Scott 3 Rox Racing), who wrapped up the US Cup cross country overall title on the previous day. Crossing the line dead last at the end of lap one, Kabush was forced to chase down the group after getting tangled with course tape and restarting. Determination and fine form pushed the Canadian to chase back into 14th by the finish.

Riding to about a two-minute lap time, Finsterwald found himself alone in front after Swenson was unable to keep the blazing pace on.

On lap three, Saturday’s winner Todd Wells (Specialized Factory Racing) was joined by Specialized Canada’s Antoine Caron in the chase. Wells would eventually distance himself from Caron, pass a fading Swenson and make contact with Finsterwald with two laps to go. The Specialized rider possibly paid for his effort, as Finsterwald attacked and build up an insurmountable lead to the delight of his home crowd. Finsterwald crossed the line in front of Wells and Swenson in an impressive display that saw him lead his hometown race from wire to wire.

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