Powers storms to second US 'cross championship

Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) had spent days pre-riding the course, weeks getting acclimated to Boulder's altitude, and years perfecting his technique and fitness. On Sunday at the US Cyclocross National Championships in Colorado, all Powers had to do was deliver. And deliver he did, sprinting to the holeshot in the first corner and holding the lead for 60 minutes until he had another national title to his name.

"It was an excellent course for me. It dried out perfect," said Powers of the course that was hit with 10 inches of snow just days before. "It had a lot of off-cambers, a lot of tricky, fast, tight turns. It suited me perfect." With a headwind blasting straight down on the field through the opening straight, Powers blasted off the line, head down.

"That was hard!" a gassed but smiling Trebon said at the finish. "Jeremy was going fast from the start. He had a little more bass than I did the whole race. I was just hanging on. I felt good – good enough for second. Jeremy was just on it. He was riding really good, just smooth."
Held at the Valmont Bike Park in Boulder, the course was split in two, with sharp elevation gains in the first half and a flatter, serpentine track in the second half. Powers ran up the 24 wooden steps of the tall 5280 staircase, his bike held ‘suitcase' style at his side.

The taller Trebon would throw his bike over his shoulder, galloping up behind. Course organizers built a vicious, off-camber, curving descent off the top of the course after the stairs. Dubbed "Pete's Plunge," the section tore more than a couple tubulars off their rims throughout the week of racing, and caused scores of riders to slip out earlier in the week after 10 inches of snow blanketed the course. On Sunday in dry conditions, Pete's Plunge still claimed a few victims, and even Powers and Trebon would often stick a leg out as they railed around the steep, tufted corner.

'Cross veteran Tim Johnson (Cannondale-Cyclocross) had a disastrous start, getting knocked out of his pedal a split second after the gun fired. While his competitors sprinted up the dirt road, Johnson stuttered, pawing at his pedal to get going again. "It was huge. A start like that, it is so important. My foot that was already in the pedal got knocked out by the front wheel of somebody next to me. So there I was, no gas, no power. It took me a full lap to get back up to where I was," Johnson said. "The gap was already there. Obviously those guys were riding so strong, putting time on me every lap, so it's not like I lost the race because of that. Jeremy and Ryan are definitely the worthy top two riders today."

Johnson is a rarity in North America as a professional cyclocross racer; all the other top 'cross names in the US race road or mountainprofessionally. Johnson did hail from road, however, spending time on American and European squads.

Defending national champion Jonathan Page (Fuji-Spy Optics) was in contention early — joining Johnson and Allen Krughoff (Raleigh-Clement) in a second-lap pursuit of Powers and Trebon — but he faded to eventually finish sixth, 2:51 behind Powers. "Tim Johnson slipped out of his pedal, came over on me, so I was behind at the beginning. I never recovered from that really," Page said at the finish. "I tried my best. That's all I could do today."

Krughoff's Raleigh-Clement teammate Jamey Driscoll linked up with him in the closing laps, and the paired team time trialed through the wind, which was gusting up to 35mph/56kph. "It was really about straight-up fitness today," Driscoll said. "I was hoping to be up with (Powers and Trebon), but I don't know how I could have done that based on how I rode and how fast those guys were going."

Krughoff, who was enjoying his best-ever nationals finish, was laughing at the finish about the chaotic start. "There were guys slipping pedals, guys coming into each other. There was a lot of tension in the first straight away, since guys know what happens once gaps are established," Krughoff said. "I felt like I was flying into the Death Star with stuff flying all around me."

For Powers, an East Coast rider, his preparation time invested in coming to Colorado early had paid dividends. "I had come here, and I had ran the stairs 1,000 times. I had hit that off-camber 20 times before we got out here," Powers said. "I know how much I can gain from being at altitude. Being here early was definitely key for me to win today. It was a bit of a sacrifice to be away from home for three weeks, but in the end it paid off." As with his compatriot Katie Compton, Powers will be taking his new stars-and-stripes skinsuit to the Worlds in Netherlands. 

Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jeremy Powers (Rapha Focus)0:59:16
2Ryan Trebon (Cannondale pb Cyclocrossworld)0:00:43
3Timothy Johnson (Cannondale pb Cyclocrossworld)0:01:36
4James Driscoll (Raleigh Clement)0:02:32
5Allen Krughoff (Raleigh Clement)Row 4 - Cell 2
6Jonathan Page (Fuji/Spyoptics)0:02:51
7Daniel Summerhill (K-Edge/Felt)0:03:28
8Justin Lindine (Team Redline)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Tristan Schouten (UCI CT/WPT: Team Optum p/b Kell)0:03:53
10Troy Wells (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling)0:04:41
11Kerry Werner (Mock Orange Bikes)0:04:49
12Anthony Clark (JAM Fund/NCC)0:04:50
13Jake Wells (Stans Notubes Elite Cyclocross)0:05:04
14Barry Wicks (Kona)0:05:20
15Russell Stevenson (Voler)0:05:32
16Stephen Hyde (JAM Fund/NCC)0:05:33
17Robert Marion (American Classic Pro CX Team)0:05:54
18Jeremy Durrin (UCI CT/WPT: Team Optum p/b Kell)0:05:57
19Tim Allen (Feedback Sports Racing)0:06:10
20Bryan Alders (Marin Bikes)0:06:30
21Joseph Maloney (Team Wisconsin)0:07:03
22Braden Kappius (TEAM CLIF BAR Cycling)0:08:11
23Christopher Case (Boulder Cycle Sport)- 2 laps
24William Iaia (Groove Subaru Excel Sports)Row 23 - Cell 2
25Steven Stefko (Fort Collins Cycling Team)Row 24 - Cell 2
26Daniel Chabanov (Connecticut Yankee BC)Row 25 - Cell 2
27Jake Sitler (SEAVS/Haymarket)Row 26 - Cell 2
28Joseph Clemenzi (Sports Garage Cycling)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Kevin Bradford-Parish (SET coaching/Specialized)Row 28 - Cell 2
30Erik Tonkin (Kona)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Spencer Powlison (Evol Elite Racing)Row 30 - Cell 2
32Dan Timmerman (Connecticut Yankee BC)Row 31 - Cell 2
33Taylor Carrington (Feedback Sports Racing)Row 32 - Cell 2
34Alex Ryan (Mock Orange Bikes)Row 33 - Cell 2
35Jared Nieters (SEAVS/Haymarket)Row 34 - Cell 2
36Mitchell Hoke (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strateg)Row 35 - Cell 2
37Jerome Townsend (BikeReg.com/Cannondale)Row 36 - Cell 2
38Corey Stelljes (Racers Against Childhood Cancer)Row 37 - Cell 2
39Walton Brush (MASH SF)Row 38 - Cell 2
40Greg Krause (Groove Subaru Excel Sports)Row 39 - Cell 2
41Michael Burleigh (Primal - Audi Denver)Row 40 - Cell 2
42Nicholas Lemke (Scalo Veloce)Row 41 - Cell 2
43Michael Wilk (3D Racing)Row 42 - Cell 2
44Innokenty Zavyalov (Minnesota Cycling Team)Row 43 - Cell 2
45Adam St Germain (ENGVT)Row 44 - Cell 2
46Eric Thompson (Mt. Borah Epic Team)Row 45 - Cell 2
47Ken Benesh (Evol Elite Racing)- 3 laps
48Troy Heithecker (Roosters/Bikers Edge-UT)Row 47 - Cell 2
49Jason Sager (Angry Catfish)Row 48 - Cell 2
50Bryson Perry (DNA Cycling)Row 49 - Cell 2
51Alex Work (Bicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobst)Row 50 - Cell 2
52Scott Chapin (BicycleBlueBook/HRS/Rocklobster)Row 51 - Cell 2
53Mark Flis (The X-Men)Row 52 - Cell 2
54Andrew Reardon (Bob's Red Mill Cyclocross)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Josh Whitney (Evol Elite Racing)Row 54 - Cell 2
56Jay StrothmanRow 55 - Cell 2
57John Klish (Feedback Sports Racing)Row 56 - Cell 2
58Nicholas Keough (Keough Cyclocross)Row 57 - Cell 2
59Evan Murphy (NYC Velo/The Cannibal)Row 58 - Cell 2
60Shawn Harshman (Boulder Cycle Sport)- 4 laps
61Josh Bauer (Hollywood Cycles)Row 60 - Cell 2
62Russell Finsterwald (SRAM Factory)Row 61 - Cell 2
63Kacey Campbell 0Row 62 - Cell 2
64Paul Lugar (Boulder Running Company Cycling)Row 63 - Cell 2
65Grant Holicky (Evol Elite Racing)Row 64 - Cell 2
66Jp Brocket (Ethos Racing)Row 65 - Cell 2
67Robbie Jones (Hastle Free Sports)Row 66 - Cell 2
68Andrew Loaiza (Rocky Mountain Road Club)Row 67 - Cell 2
69Shadd Smith (KCCX Fuji Elite Cyclocross Team)Row 68 - Cell 2
70Brett Pirie (Groove Subaru Excel Sports)Row 69 - Cell 2
71Mike Friedberg (Yellow Belly)Row 70 - Cell 2
72Brad Neagos (Natural Grocers Cycling Team)Row 71 - Cell 2
73Brian Lehman (Simple Racing)Row 72 - Cell 2
74Nathan Brown (Bontrager Cycling Team)Row 73 - Cell 2
75Matt Davies (Boulder Cycle Sport)Row 74 - Cell 2
76Dylan Postier (Team Undiscovered)Row 75 - Cell 2
77Nick Schaffner (Marc Pro - Strava)Row 76 - Cell 2
78Tom Horrocks (The X-Men)- 5 laps
79Peat Henry (Team Noah Foundation)Row 78 - Cell 2
80Aaron Bouplon (Bicycle Racing Association of C)Row 79 - Cell 2
81Eric Lundgren (JBV Coaching)Row 80 - Cell 2
82Brian Hludzinski (Boulder Cycle Sport)Row 81 - Cell 2
83Adam Finck (Team Velocity Bike Shop)Row 82 - Cell 2
84Todd CassanRow 83 - Cell 2
85Kelly Nowels (Ravenna Capital Management)Row 84 - Cell 2
86Marcus Bush (Synergy)Row 85 - Cell 2
87Kailin Waterman (Bicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobst)Row 86 - Cell 2
88Jonathan Delacey (Durango Wheel Club)Row 87 - Cell 2
89Chance Cooke (Great Northern Cycling Club)Row 88 - Cell 2
90Eric Nelson (Mudfoot)Row 89 - Cell 2
91Jw Miller (Erik's Bike Club/Eriks Bike Sho)Row 90 - Cell 2
92Michael Garrett (Massachusetts Institute of Tech)Row 91 - Cell 2
93Scott Arnold (Athlete Octane)Row 92 - Cell 2
94Michael James (Prima Tappa Cycling)Row 93 - Cell 2
95Jim Gentes (Buy-Cell.com)Row 94 - Cell 2
96Jordan Nguyen (Team Super Awesome)Row 95 - Cell 2
97Josh Weis (Colavita Racing Inc.)- 7 laps
DNSBen Cross (Austinbikes/Revenant)Row 97 - Cell 2
DNSJustin Doll (The X-Men)Row 98 - Cell 2
DNSCraig Faulkner (Crossniacs)Row 99 - Cell 2
DNSBrian Finnerty (California Giant Cycling)Row 100 - Cell 2
DNSJohn Flack (CBC Racing)Row 101 - Cell 2
DNSJustin Healy (Ski Utah|Plan 7)Row 102 - Cell 2
DNSMichael Lackey (Birmingham Velo)Row 103 - Cell 2
DNSBrandon Melott (Team Soundpony)Row 104 - Cell 2
DNSAndre-Paul Michaud (Durango Wheel Club)Row 105 - Cell 2
DNSWiley Mosley (Team Super Awesome)Row 106 - Cell 2
DNSAdam Myerson (UCI CT: Team SmartStop p/b Moun)Row 107 - Cell 2
DNSColby PearceRow 108 - Cell 2
DNSMichael Robson (Moots)Row 109 - Cell 2
DNSDavid Sheek (SDG Felt)Row 110 - Cell 2
DNSJason Siegle (SDG Felt)Row 111 - Cell 2
DNSChristopher Smith (The Fix Studio)Row 112 - Cell 2
DNSDavid Weber (Team Kappius)Row 113 - Cell 2
DNSTodd Wells (Specialized Factory Racing)Row 114 - Cell 2
DNFRobert Berghel (Village Volkswagon)Row 115 - Cell 2
DNFRonald Glowczynski (BikeFlights)Row 116 - Cell 2
DNFHunter Keating (Harmony Systems Pro Cycling)Row 117 - Cell 2
DNFQuinn Keogh (Harmony Systems Pro Cycling)Row 118 - Cell 2
DNFJeff Kluck (Queen City Cycling)Row 119 - Cell 2
DNFZach Mcdonald (Rapha-Focus)Row 120 - Cell 2
DNFShawn Milne (Keough Cyclocross)Row 121 - Cell 2
DNFPaul Rapinz (Boulder Running Company Cycling)Row 122 - Cell 2

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