Luna eclipse the field with Nash

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Katerina Nash (Team Luna) won in muddy conditions and proved to be a step above her competitors when she soloed from start to finish at the Mercer Cup presented by Knapp’s Cyclery. Team-mate Georgia Gould locked in second place ahead of United States of America Road Champion Meredith Miller (California Giant Berry Farms/Specialized) in third.

“I was very happy to have the option of changing bikes twice per lap,” said Nash. “So thanks to our mechanic for that. Every time I jumped on my new bike I felt like I was flying and 10 minutes later I was slow again. There were sections that could barely be ridden and you clear them but you have to give it so much power. It was super slow, super deep gluey mud and you feel like ‘man, I’m not going anywhere’.”

Nash’s victory furthered her lead in the US Gran Prix of Cyclo-Cross series. She has clear goals to win the overall title, a test before competing in the International Cycling Union (UCI) World Cyclo-Cross Championships held in her native country Czech Republic in January.

“Absolutely, the series is a big goal for me and I’m psyched that things are going so well this year for me,” Nash said. “The field is super competitive and I’m excited to do well.”

Announcers, Richard Friese and Joe Sales introduced a decorated field of elite women that included USGP leader Nash, former USGP winner, Gould and US National Road Champion, Miller along with former UCI Mountain Bike World Champion Alison Dunlap (Team Luna), Maureen Bruno Roy (MM Racing-Seven Cycles), Laura Van Gilder (C3 Sollay-Athletes Serving Athletes), Sue Butler (Monavie-Cannondale) and Amy Dombroski, among some 40 riders who took the start line.

“I think it’s great and everyone rides and has a style and different strengths and weaknesses,” said Gould, regarding the growth of women’s cyclo-cross in the United States of America. “So I think the more different people are riding at the same level the faster it makes all of us. I think it’s great.”

Sydor took the hole shot and held her lead until she reached pit lane, located halfway around the lengthy circuit. Nash took the lead, pulled away from her competitors and never looked back. Her advantage increased to nearly a minute by the start of the second lap.

Gould focused on limiting the losses to her team-mate, which helped her gain valuable time on the next chase group. Chasers included Dunlap and Miller followed by Kelli Emmett (Giant Cycles), Bruno Roy and Dombroski.

Miller used her powerful road fitness on the circuit’s long, muddy straights to break free from Dunlap. She clawed her way up to Gould, but an untimely crashed caused her to lose much of the time she had gained.

Asked how hard it is to chase a rider like Gould, Miller laughed. “It’s hard. I caught her, I came around her and she said, ‘hey, good job’ and jinxed me and then I went down,” said Millar. “I bobbled and put a foot down. First I was chasing Alison and in the last few races we’ve been battling for third and fourth. So today I was going to catch Alison and keep going hard and then I had Georgia in my sights.”

The elite women will reconvene tomorrow at the Mercer Cup for round six of the USGP in New Jersey. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-sixties and the sunshine will likely dry up the Mercer County Park.

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