Nash wins Pro XCT opener at Mellow Johnny's Classic

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Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team) opened the USA Cycling US Cup Pro Series at the Mellow Johnny's Classic with a win in the elite women's cross country mountain bike race on Saturday in Dripping Springs, Texas.

The race kicked off the first round of racing in the brand new US domestic series on a sunny and warm afternoon. Nash and two of her Luna teammates, Catharine Pendrel and Georgia Gould, formed a decisive breakaway on the first lap of the five-lap UCI Category 1-level women's race, but Nash and Pendrel would prove stronger and rode away from Gould.

For the rest of the race, Pendrel and Nash traded efforts, but on the final lap, Nash proved the stronger of the two women and won sprint to the finish, two seconds ahead of Pendrel. Gould rolled in solo for third place over four minutes later.

Emily Batty (Trek Factory Racing) worked her way up throughout the race to finish in fourth place while Erin Huck (Tokyo Joe's/VC Graphix.com) put in an impressive fifth place performance to secure the final podium spot.

After round one of four of the USA Cycling US Cup, the series standings match the results of the initial race. Nash leads the series ahead of Pendrel and Gould.

The USA Cycling US Cup presented by Sho-Air Cycling Group series will continue with round 2, a UCI Category HC race at Bonelli Park in California on Saturday, March 15.

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