Caroline Mani Doubles-Up on the C1-C2 Weekend
Caroline Mani tooka a back-to-back win, Miller rode to her second podium finish of the weekend, and Maghalie Rochette getting second on the day and. © Andrew Reimann
Gabby Durrin (Neon Velo Cyclocross Team) had another amazing start, and the tight turn to a boggy downhill worked to her advantage as she immediately created a small gap in the race.
Courtenay McFadden (GE Capital/American Classic) mirrored yesterday’s efforts with another early push, vaulting her into first after the early climbs, which were less gradual today but much longer. A group of eight riders formed at the front of the race in the early laps, with yesterday’s podium three heading that group. Durrin remained in the group, while Kaitlin Antonneau (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com), Erica Zaveta (Amy D. Foundation Racing) and Crystal Anthony (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategy) keeping pace.
Rochette rode well on a day that demanded more technical skill than the day before. © Andrew Reimann
Maghalie Rochette (Luna Pro Team) moved from the back of this group to the front in short order, and her deep dig shattered the lead group, with Miller and Mani able to stay with the Canadian.
Before the last lap, Mani pounced at the right time, clenching her teeth in the last remaining climbs. Rochette was able to trail behind her, riding well through many of the more demanding descents, but Mani put in too much of a gap in the climbs, and got to the finish line alone.
Rochette followed behind for second, and Miller came in for third.
Like yesterday, Mani waited with the leaders until the right moment to create a gap. © Andrew Reimann
Winterberg Might Be Coming, but Summerhill Maintained the Lead Day Two
Danny Summerhill and Stephen Hyde descended the section open only to the elite races. © Andrew Reimann
For the second weekend in a row, Jeremy Powers (Aspire) was absent from the C2 race, which he told Cyclocross Magazine was a part of an intentional plan to ease off the gas before he travels to Europe this week.
Not to be outdone by his wife only an hour before, Jeremy Durrin (Neon Velo Cyclocross Team) was also able to get the holeshot, using the same downhill section to power down and create a minor gap. Bad luck struck when he would have a flat soon after. Yet he wasn’t the only one stricken by bad luck: Dan Timmerman (House Industries/Simplehuman/Richard Sachs) was caught up in a crash early in the race, and fell to last place. Impressively, he spent the next hour winding his way through the field, eventually taking a top ten on the day.
Cameron Dodge hopped the barriers while Zach McDonald dismounted. Both men were able to stay with the lead group of eight riders for the first half of the race. Dodge kept up with Summerhill and eventually took second. © Andrew Reimann
The men also quickly formed a lead group of eight, with Danny Summerhill (UCI PCT/WPT: UnitedHealthcare) gaining first ground as he was the only rider of the eight to ride the sharp run-up in the first two laps of the reverse-directional course. By lap three, four out of five riders at the front were at least attempting to ride that part of the course, with many having to put a foot down near the top of the run-up.
Summerhill remained in the front group, initially bringing Lukas Winterberg (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) and Stephen Hyde (JAM Fund) with him Cameron Dodge, Ben Berden (Raleigh Clement), Jamey Driscoll (Raleigh Clement), Zach McDonald (KCCX) and Anthony Clark (JAM Fund) chased seconds behind.
Summerhill and Hyde were the two who initially battled for first, which eventually gave way to a head-to-head between Summerhill and Dodge with two laps to go. Dodge and Summerhill, both great climbers, created distance on the ascents, but on the straightaway at the top of the course, Summerhill continued to press further, eventually breaking away for good.
Winterberg wound through traffic, and spent the last lap cutting away Hyde’s third place lead. By the time the two men came out of the elite-only section of the course, Winterberg caught Hyde’s wheel, and by the finish line, the Swiss rider was able to notch third place behind Dodge.
Ben Berden was no stranger to the quick ascent with loose dirt, also keeping up with the leaders for most of the race. © Andrew Reimann
Stay tuned for Full Results.
